This topic contains 4 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by messi123 2 years, 8 months ago.
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In short, yes! Absolutely, runners should strength train.
Many have taken this blog post by me to mean I don't think strength training is valuable. Even when I originally wrote that, somewhere around 15 years ago, I believed strength training is critical. I still question whether lifting weights is the best way to do that for most runners, though.
For most runners who have limited time and energy for training, I think we should be looking for ways to get the biggest benefit from the least amount of time. Going to the weight room is not the answer for this. Instead, I strongly believe that body weight exercises are the way to go.
I created a video on YouTube some time ago with a base routine that hits all the major muscle groups used in running. In my opinion, this is a good starting point for most runners. It covers a lot of ground including general work for most problem areas runners have. I do have other videos with more specific exercises to target specific problems but those are only available to Club HillRunner.com members.
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Would you do these every day? Would you ever use hand weights for the lunges? How about squats?
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I would do them 2-3 times a week. Initially, no hand weights. Most people have trouble handling their body weight with good form. I'd want no hand weights until they can be used while maintaining good form.
Some people are fans of squats. I'm not. I prefer single leg exercises. One of the major benefits of strength training I've found for runners is balancing strength imbalances. If you do single leg exercises, you quickly find and can easily work on imbalances by doing the same number of reps with both legs. If you do double leg exercises like squats, you likely won't notice the discrepancy. Worse, because you will unconsciously compensate for the weaker leg with the stronger leg, you could make the strength discrepancy worse.
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