The hill I will die on. An indisputable fact - If you're a runner, incorporating strength training into your routine is non-negotiable. Period.

However you will typically see runners being told to only use lighter or even just bodyweight. I see this more towards women than men, but regardless there is a lack of heavy lifting for runners. This stems from the false information that muscles will slow you down and that lifting heavy will make you bulky. To be honest you’d have to try pretty dang hard to actually get bulky from lifting especially as a woman.

The bottom line is, for runners, heavy lifting is essential. (And for everyone, incorporating weight training into your fitness regimen is a discussion for another day.)

The great thing about lifting heavy is that heavy is a relative thing. What’s heavy for me might not be heavy for you. And as you start implementing strength training into your running routine and progressively overloading your muscles, your perception of heavy will change too!

It’s incredible how much you can actually lift once you start properly training. And I love the challenge, and humbling experience of just adding a 5lb plate to the bar or going up 5lbs on dumbbells.

So why should you lift heavy as a runner?

It helps prevent injuries. If you are consistent with your strength training and lifting heavy weights you’re going to build muscle that will in turn protect your body from the repetitive motion that is running. It’s incredible how much 2 to 3 days a week of strength training consistently can help prevent things like shin splints!

Also running is essentially you either on one foot or in the air so having unilateral exercises is extremely important. Implementing unilateral exercises will not only improve your running but also help fix any imbalances which also decreases chances of some injuries!

You also want power generating exercises like plyometrics. Plyometrics, like box jumps, helps strengthen your bones and helps increase the number of fast-twitch muscle fibers which you need for speed!

Building muscles will also help improve your force-generating capacity, meaning better endurance, economy and speed. (and who doesn’t want that!?). Being a stronger runner is always in your best interest regardless if you want to be faster or not. Having the strength to go the extra mile, give that final kick at the end of the race when the finish line is within reach, and to be able to push the pace and shave those seconds or minutes off that PR are all benefits of strength training (and well programmed race training too).

What’s the ideal workouts look like? And how many days per week to dedicate time for a strength training session?

The ideal workout really depends on the person but I like to program my runners with either an upper body lower body split or a full body split. Both of these workout splits have compound movement, unilateral movements and some plyometrics - all of which create a balanced and well rounded program. The goal here is to aim for 2-3 days a week of lifting.

Example week of workouts: 3 to 4 sets of 6-10 reps. Compound movements will be heavier so they will have less reps while the things like lunges & kb swings will have higher reps.

Lower body: Back squats, RDLs, walking lunges, kb swings + an ab circuit

Upper body: Bench press, Lat pulldown, Gorilla rows, Pushups + an ab circuit

Full body: Deadlifts, Shoulder press, box jumps, db snatches + an ab circuit

If you’re a runner who needs a strength training program, head over to my 1:1 coaching tab and sign up for coaching! I’ll create a program that fits into your running schedule and helps you achieve your goals!