Basic Runner's Resistance Training Program

Written By Brian Kinslow

So, you want to be a better runner? Maybe you want to:

  • Improve your times at any given distance

  • Reduce your injury risk

  • Feel better climbing uphill

  • Have more confidence descending and running downhill

  • Optimize your health outside of running

  • Run for the rest of your life!

And what if we told you that all of these benefits, and more, could be achieved with just two short additional (non-running) sessions each week?

No, this is not a miracle cure. I’m simply describing the well-proven benefits of adding resistance training to your running routine. We’ve written many times about the benefits of strength and resistance training for runners, but until now we have not laid out a simple and effective routine that is appropriate for runners of all levels.

Well, here it is! And, it requires equipment that costs $30 or less, and can work in just about any living situation.

I will note the EVOLVE Flagstaff has several products outside of physical therapy that provide high quality strength and conditioning to our clients. For those who do better in a group environment with coaching, we have excellent group classes, with workouts designed by a Doctor of Physical Therapy (me). Some individuals require (or prefer) a more individualized approach, and for them, we have Individual Program Design, which can be combined with personal training for additional support.

But, not every needs a completely custom strength program. Many people do great with a well-designed general program. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but rather, provide the body with the stimulus it needs to adapt optimally.

The goal of resistance training for runners should be:

  • Improve force absorption: Most running injuries happen when the foot hits the ground (over and over and over…). The body needs to be able to absorb and attenuate these forces with the muscular system. The primarily muscles that absorb force are the quads, hips, and shins.

  • Improve balance and movement control, particularly on one leg: The repetitive and fatiguing nature of running tends to result in losses of balance and single leg control, which can then translate into increased injury risk, particularly when running downhill or on trails.

  • Train the entire system: You might not think the upper body is important for running, but the body is a complex and integrated system. We can improve posture, breathing, stability, and more by training the upper body and core along with the legs. And, this will make you a healthier and more resilient human outside of running.

  • Provide a stimulus that running does not. This might at first seem counter intuitive. If I want to be better at running, shouldn’t my training look like running? Well, yes and no. To get better at something, you need to train that activity specifically. So, you certainly need a good running program and adequate volume to improve as a running. However, running is one-dimensional and repetitive in nature, which means that it doesn’t train everything the body needs. If you run and only run, there will be gaps in your system that will either leave you vulnerable to injury, or reduce your performance potential, or both. So, we want our resistance training to deliberately provide a stimulus that running does not. This means moving at different speeds (fast and slow), as well as increasing resistance to challenge the musculature.

The program below meets all of these objectives, and uses minimal equipment ($30 or less). It can be done by just about anyone, anywhere. Each workout should take just 30-45 minutes after you learn the exercises.

A few notes before we get to the program:

  • Don’t skip the warm up! The warm up features a handful of drills that work on some of the most common areas that we work on with our physical therapy patients. If you have extremely limited time, we recommend just doing a few sets of the warm up exercises rather than skipping it.

  • The most important factor that leads to progress with resistance training is working the muscles close to fatigue. This means that you should not be able to do very many more repetitions with good technique by the end of each set. Studies have shown that we can make real progress with just 2 strength training workouts per week, and with light weight or bodyweight, but only if we work the muscles close to fatigue, or what is called “volitional failure” in the scientific literature. So, by the end, it should be hard!

  • Because the goal is to work to fatigue, you may need to adjust the prescribed repetitions up or down. The prescribed reps should be seen as a starting point, and you should adjust based on how challenging the exercises are for you.

  • Another major factor for long term progress is progressive overload. This means that over time, you need to consistently challenge your body a progressively more. You can do that by increasing the number of reps, sets, or increasing the resistance. These exercises have a lot of room to progress, but there may come a time when some or all become easy for you. At that point, you might need an updated program with different exercises, and potentially more equipment like dumbbells to continue to increase resistance. If you find that you’ve outgrown this program, reach out to us for more help!

  • We recommend doing "supersets," which means doing one exercise, then another (e.g., 1A and 1B), and going back and forth between the two for 4 sets before moving on to the next set of exercises (2A and 2B, 3A and 3B). This helps keep the intensity up and makes the workouts more time-efficient. 

  • Perform each workout once per week.

Equipment Required:

Strength Workout Warm Up: 1 set of each exercise

Strength Workout 1: 3-5 sets of each exercise/superset

1a. Rear foot elevated split squat, 8-12 reps each side, slow and with control

  • Progressions: Add band resistance (or hold weights)

  • Regressions: Use something to help with your balance

1b. Seated band row, 10-15 reps

2a. Push up, 10-20 reps to fatigue

2b. Calf raises, 20-30 reps to fatigue, with proper form shown in the video

  • Progression: Progress to single leg; elevate the toes for more range of motion; add weight (wear a backpack with books in it)

3a. Wall sit calf raises, 15-25 reps

3b. Side plank, 30-45 seconds

  • Progressions: Add a top leg lift

  • Regressions: Start on knees

4a. Lateral band toe tap, 15-20 taps each side, slow and with control, minimizing sway/wobble

4b. Band core press, 30-45 seconds, each side

Strength Workout 2: 3-5 sets of each exercise/superset

1a. Band pull through, 10-15 reps

1b. Seated band pulldown, 10-15 reps

2a. Step up + step down with hip drive, 10 each side

2b. Anterior tibialis raises, 20-30 reps, using the appropriate progression for you (shown in video)

3a. Elevated bridge, 10-15 reps

  • Progression: Single leg elevated bridge

  • Regressions: Double leg bridge on floor, or lower surface

3b. Band adductor + band hip flexor strengthening, 10-20 reps each

4a. Skater jump, 12 each side

4b. Bear crawl push back 30 seconds

  • Progression: 10-12 shoulder taps each side, minimal torso movement

What about flexibility and mobility?

Runners often ask about flexibility and mobility, and it can be a tricky question to answer. We wrote an entire article about the many reasons why some muscles can feel tight. TLDR: It’s not always because they need stretching. But with that said, many runners benefit from some flexibility and mobility drills in predictable areas. Here are our top three areas, and two drills for each.

When to do these? Anytime, really, but they often feel the best after a run or a workout, or in the evening when you are winding down.

1. Thoracic spine: Many runners are tight through their thoracic spine, which is the mid and upper back. Improved mobility here can help you feel better, and perhaps even improve breathing by improving the ability of your rib cage to expand.

2. Quadriceps: The quadriceps also get tight and stiff in many runners. Here are our two favorites for that area:

3. Calves: Especially if you do a lot of running uphill, your calves might need some love.

  • Foam roll the calves (with rotation and ankle movement), ~5-8 minutes per leg

  • Calf stretch, 2 minutes per side. We find this version more effective than any other

When should I do these workouts?

This is a common question, particularly from individuals who are running 3-5 times per week. Here’s what we recommend:

If you are running 2-3 times per week, perform these on non-running days. Aim to have at least 1-2 days between a strength workout and a long run. A sample week might look like:

  • Monday: Strength Workout 1

  • Tuesday: Short run

  • Wednesday: Rest

  • Thursday: Strength Workout 2

  • Friday: Short/Medium Run

  • Saturday: Long run

  • Sunday: Rest

If you are running 4-5 days per week, you may need to do one of these workouts on a day that you also run. We recommend doing the strength workout after your run. Ideally, you rest at least 3-4 hours after your run before doing the strength work. But, if you cannot do that, doing the strength work immediately after your run is OK. Why after the run? Well, a key part of a resistance program for runners is improving your coordination while under tension and fatigue. I’d rather have you practice this after your run. It might be more difficult, but you’ll still get the benefits, and you won’t compromise your run. Here’s a sample week:

  • Monday: Short run + Strength Workout 1

  • Tuesday: Tempo run

  • Wednesday: Rest or short run

  • Thursday: Strength Workout 2; rest from running.

  • Friday: Medium Run

  • Saturday: Long run

  • Sunday: Rest

We are here to help

If you are currently in physical therapy at EVOLVE Flagstaff, ask your physical therapist if this program is appropriate for you, and for changes to the program for your injury.

If you are interested in developing a more personalized strength program, set up a free strategy call now and we’ll get you going in the right direction!

Brian Kinslow
Previous

EVOLVE Strong February Workout Programming
Next

EVOLVE STRONG WORKOUT DESIGN GUIDING PRINCIPLES