How to Best Combine Strength Training and Running To Help You Run Stronger and Prevent Injuries
Confused about how to add strength work into your running training?
Join Coach Amanda for Week 1 of our Entry Level Strength For Runners Program. (This program and over 100 other videos are available to our athletes or subscribers of our Strength For Runners Subscription. Try it for 1 week for free!)
As runners, we often want to focus solely on running and either skip our strength training because we hate it, don’t have time, or don’t know what to do. However, incorporating strength training into your weekly training is a game-changer, helping you run stronger, faster, and with fewer injuries. The main selling point for why you should do strength training, it makes running more fun. YOU WILL STRUGGLE LESS.
ALL of our running plans are available to athletes training with the Badass Lady Gang via a running plan, training experiences, or our training team gets access to Coach Amanda’s strength & yoga videos. To take the guesswork out of training, an 8, 12, or 16-week strength video lives in Final Surge and if you’re participating in a Training Experience or if you’re a member of our team, you get access to over 100 strength & yoga videos to give you a much broader selection of strength videos. Our strength programs are designed to develop every runner’s mobility, flexibility, stability, and strength.
Here's how to best combine strength training and running to unlock your full potential.
Build a Strong Foundation by building your strength training routine
Too many runners bite off more than they can chew. Start small with your strength work the same way you do when you’re building your running. If you’re training for a half marathon, you don’t take off and run a half marathon. You slowly build your mileage week after week. In the same way, dial back the amount of time you’re spending strength training. Can you commit to 2 days a week for 10-minutes a session?
Prioritize building a strong foundation with targeted strength training exercises. Focus on strengthening key muscle groups such as the core, hips, glutes, and legs to improve your running form and efficiency.
When should you do strength work?
The best time to do strength work is when you’ll do your strength work. Ideally, keeping your hard days hard (sandwiching strength work and speed work on one day) is ideal for runners running high weekly mileage but across the board, when you have time and can commit to doing your strength work is the best time to do your strength work.
Strike a balance between running and strength training by scheduling both types of workouts into your weekly routine. Aim for two to three strength training sessions per week, alternating with your running days to allow for adequate recovery. Play with habit stacking by doing your strength work before your run.
Incorporate Physical Therapy exercises intro strength work to help improve weak areas and imbalances
If physical therapy is available to you, go. Find a physical therapist who sees endurance athletes and have them identify weaknesses or imbalances. They’ll be able to tailor your strength training routine to help you prevent injuries. For example, if you struggle with runner’s knee or knee stability, exercises like squats, lunges, and single-leg deadlifts will help strengthen the muscles around your knees. Don’t wait to get injured to see a physical therapist. Prehabbing injuries is easier than rehabbing them.
Don’t have access to a physical therapist? Find strength training plans and programs that were created to support runners. All of our Badass Lady Gang strength training plans and videos were created specifically to support runners.
Focus on Functional Movements
Opt for functional strength exercises that mimic the movements of running and engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Exercises like deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and plyometric drills can improve power, agility, and coordination. Seek out training programs that were created specifically to support runners. When you work your flexibility, stability, mobility, and strength as a runner, running is SO MUCH EASIER.
Include Resistance Training
Can you stick with bodyweight exercises for your strength work? ABSOLUTELY. Body weight strength work is better than no strength work. But if you can incorporate resistance training using weights and resistance bands, to challenge your muscles and promote muscle growth, that’s ideal. Progressive overload—gradually increasing the resistance over time—is key to building strength and preventing plateaus. And don’t forget your plyometric work (explosive movements). Running is about power and a combination of resistance and plyometric work is key to strong running.
Don't Neglect Core Work
A strong core is essential for maintaining proper running form and preventing injuries. Incorporate exercises like planks, plank matrix, dead lifts, Russian twists, and mountain climbers into your routine to strengthen your core and improve stability.
Prioritize Recovery
We get stronger when our bodies adapt to the work that we’re putting in as we recover. Allow for adequate rest and recovery between workouts to prevent overtraining, reduce the risk of injury, and allow for your body to best adapt to the training you’re doing. Incorporate recovery strategies such as foam rolling, stretching, sleep, refueling, hydrating, soft-tissue massages, and active rest days to support muscle repair and recovery.
Listen to Your Body
The best thing you can do as an athlete is learn to listen to your body. There’s a difference in pain and discomfort. Pain is always a sign that something isn’t right. Pay attention to any signs of fatigue, pain, or excessively low energy levels and fog during your workouts. If something doesn't feel right, don't push through it—take a step back, reassess, and adjust your training as needed to prevent injuries and avoid speed bumps and curve balls.
Strength training isn’t a suggestion. If you run, you must find time for your strength work. By combining strength training with running, you'll not only become a stronger and more resilient runner but also reduce your risk of injuries, improve your overall performance, and most importantly, HAVE MORE FUN ON THE RUN. So, lace up your shoes, lift heavy, and get ready to unleash your full potential on the run.
