Strength Training

Strength training is incredibly important for a long and health running career. Some of the benefits include:

Injury Prevention: Running puts a lot of stress on your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. Strength training helps to build these tissues up, reducing the risk of overuse injuries like stress fractures, tendonitis, and runner’s knee.
Muscle Imbalance Correction: Running primarily works certain muscle groups, like the quads and calves, while neglecting others, like the hamstrings and glutes. This can lead to muscle imbalances, which can increase the risk of injury. Strength training can help correct these imbalances by targeting underutilized muscles.
Improved Running Economy: Strength training can enhance your running economy, which refers to the energy cost of running at a given pace. By strengthening the muscles used in running, you can improve your efficiency and maintain a faster pace with less effort.
Increased Power and Speed: Stronger muscles can generate more power, allowing you to push off the ground with greater force and run faster.
Better Endurance: While endurance primarily relies on aerobic capacity, strength training can still play a role. Stronger muscles are more resistant to fatigue, allowing you to maintain good form and performance over longer distances.

Injury Recovery: In the unfortunate event that you do sustain an injury, maintaining strength in other muscle groups can help prevent detraining and speed up your recovery process.

Here is a strength and mobility routine that you can do post-run. Doing this after your run can keep you consistent with getting some strength training into your routine:

Jay Johnson’s Strength and Mobility (SAM)

This workout is designed to enhance core strength and hip strength and mobility. It serves as a foundational routine for runners and athletes who aim to improve performance and prevent injuries.

Phase 1 Easy Day

Core Strength:

Prone Plank: 10 seconds

Side Plank (each side): 10 seconds

Prone Plank: 10 seconds

Hip Strength:

Double Leg Hip Bridge: 6 repetitions

Clams: 6 repetitions

Reverse Clams: 6 repetitions

Lateral Leg Raise (each position: toe in, neutral, out): 6 repetitions

Hip Mobility:

Donkey Kicks: 8 repetitions

Donkey Whips: 8 repetitions

Fire Hydrants: 8 repetitions

Knee Circles Forward: 8 repetitions

Knee Circles Backward: 8 repetitions

Cat-Cow: 5 cycles

Phase 1 Hard Day

Core Strength:

Prone Plank: 20 seconds

Side Plank (each side): 20 seconds

Supine Plank: 10 seconds

Side Plank (opposite side): 20 seconds

Prone Plank: 20 seconds

Hip Strength:

Split Squat: 5 repetitions each leg

Side Walk Squat: 5 repetitions each leg

Good Morning: 8 repetitions

Bird Dog: 5 repetitions

Clams: 8 repetitions

Reverse Clams: 8 repetitions

Reverse Air Clams: 8 repetitions