Running is a routine that runners are familiar with, especially when preparing for a race. They run nearly every day. Cross-train with some cardio for a rest from the impact. Consume the correct combination of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in order to fuel your miles. Repeat.
Strength training is something that many runners and marathoners are missing. Strength exercises are a great way to improve your running. Read on to learn how you can incorporate weights into your training regimen.

WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF COMBINATING RUNNING AND STRENGTH TRAINING?
Strength training and running can work together to improve health and performance when planned correctly.
Running and strength training are both great for your fitness.
- Improved running endurance. Strength training builds muscular endurance. This means that it takes you longer to fatigue your muscles on a run.
- Better lifts. Improving your cardiovascular endurance will actually improve your lifting.
- Full body, balanced training. Running is a form of exercise that focuses on the lower body and cardiovascular system. If you only use running as a training method, it will neglect major muscle groups. Strength training allows all muscle groups to be strengthened, but it does not work on the cardiovascular system. When you combine running with strength training, all muscle groups, including the heart, are engaged.
- Improved running form. Increasing body power and strength can increase running efficiency and stride power. This will lead to improved form and speed.
- Weight management and body composition. You can burn calories by running, but to achieve a toned and athletic appearance, you must also build muscle. Combining running with strength training will help you burn calories, improve your cardio fitness, and build muscle while reshaping the body.
- Injury Prevention. Strength training can help reduce the risks of running-related injuries. This helps your body cope better with the stress and repetitive impact of running.
Top Tips for Including Running and Strength Training in Your Workout Plan
Are you ready to reap all of the above benefits and incorporate both strength training and running into your weekly workouts? You can either follow the plan below or, if you prefer to design your own, you can use these tips to get started.
- Establish your goals.
- What you want to achieve will determine the perfect balance between running and strength training. You’ll get more benefits from strength training than running if your primary fitness goal is to maintain your cardio while building strength.
- If you want to improve your running while avoiding injury, then running is the best option. Strength training can be added to this.
- Plan your schedule.
- Plan your weekly schedule once you have determined your goals. Schedule your workouts strategically to allow for recovery time. For example, don’t run long the day after you do a leg-heavy session.
- Include rest days.
- In a training program, rest and recovery days are as important as active ones. Consider allowing a day’s rest between training the same muscle twice. Resting helps the central nervous system muscles and ligaments recover. Rest is important to avoid injury and have more energy for workouts or recovery. Alternating your strength and running days is a good idea.
- Rest the day after your lower body strength workout. This allows for different muscle groups to recover between workouts.
- Combine your workouts.
- Choose activities that incorporate elements of running and strength training. High-intensity interval (HIIT) and Circuit Training both allow you to combine running intervals with strength-boosting exercises.
- This saves you time and ensures you receive the benefits of each training style. If you choose this option, make sure to get enough rest between sessions.
- Warm-ups and cool-downs are important.
- Warm-up and cool down properly before and after each workout. This will prepare your body for strength training and running, helping to reduce the risk of injury.
- Do not forget to hydrate and consume nutrition.
- Running and strength training both benefit from nutrition.
- Consider expert guidance.
- You can start by hiring a personal trainer to help you create a plan for your running and strength-training workouts.
Core Exercises for Runners
Do you think your core is only that six-pack of abs? Think again.
The core muscles are a group of muscles that run from your hips up to your chest. They help protect and stabilize the spine. This is essential whether you are standing up off the couch or picking up groceries.
A strong core is essential for running effectively and achieving an even stride. These core exercises are great because they don’t need any additional equipment. You can do a quality workout using just your body weight and the floor.

1. Glute Bridge
Target muscle: Hips and glutes
The glutes are a key component of your running efficiency. The glute bridge will keep both your glutes and lower back in great shape. After you have mastered the two-leg bridge, try out the single-leg version.
2. Russian Twists
Target muscles: Abs, obliques
Russian twists can help you improve your balance and strengthen your spine. Sit with your legs raised off the floor and rotate your torso side-to-side. Make it harder by adding a medicine ball or small weight.
Leg Workouts for Runners
When you run, your legs are doing a lot of work. Building lean muscles is important for improving your endurance and power.
Squats and lunges can be effective leg exercises for runners, as they work all the major muscles (and minor ones) in the lower body. You can increase the intensity of the exercises by performing them faster or adding one-leg variations to challenge your balance.
You can find a lot of leg exercises for runners, whether you are doing squats or deadlifts.
1. Single-Leg Deadlifts
Muscles to target: Hamstrings, back, core and hamstrings
- Single-leg deadlifts are a great way to get a full-body workout. They work the majority of your muscles in both your legs and core.
- Standing with your feet hip-width apart, stand. Start the move by lifting your leg behind you and hinge forward from the hip. As you lower your upper body until it is parallel to the floor, keep your head, shoulders and hips in a straight line. Repeat the exercise on the opposite leg.
2. Reverse Lunge
Target muscles: Hamstrings, glutes, core
- The lunges will challenge your balance and work your big leg muscles, such as your glutes or hamstrings. These reverse lunges work the same muscles but have a reduced impact on your joints.
- Step back one foot and lower your hips until the thigh of the leg you planted is parallel to the ground. Push your back leg forward to get to standing, and then repeat with the other leg.
Best Strength Training Exercise For Runners
1. Walking Lunge
Walking lunges are a slower version of running movements. Summers says that walking lunges are a great way to build strength and move forward.
- Stand hip-width apart with arms by your sides. Take a big step forward while hunching your hips. Lower the right knee to the floor at a 90-degree angle.
- To return to standing, push through both of your feet.
- Continue to lunge or pause; lightly tap the right foot next to the left foot.
- Repeat the same motion with the opposite leg.
2. Cable Chest Press Single-Arm Standing
Summers loves this unilateral cable press for upper body exercises. She explains that it has an added benefit: core control. This movement simulates the motion of running in a controlled manner.
This strength-training exercise for runners is similar to the standing cable row with one arm. It can be performed using resistive bands.
- A. A. Hold the cable in the right hand, in front of the right shoulder. The cable should be set at shoulder height. For a more challenging challenge, you can have your feet in line or staggered.
- B. Press the weight out straight in front of the body with the palms facing down and the knuckles forward.
- C. Hold the hips steady and bring your weight slowly back to your chest by leaning slightly forward. Do not let the weight of your body pull you backwards.
3. Pallof Press
Why it works: Have you heard of the Press before? Summers says it is named after John Pallof. It is “great for core stabilization and endurance”. If you do not have a cable machine, you can substitute a resistance band and a steady anchor if necessary.
- A. Standing with your feet hip-width apart, perpendicularly to the cable machine and with the right side nearest the machine. Arms at the sides. Standing closer to the anchor will result in less resistance, and standing further away from the anchor will cause more resistance.
- B. While keeping your knees slightly bent, engage the core and rotate the torso towards the machine or anchor. Grab the handle of the machine with both hands. Use your core to turn your torso to the front, with hands in front of your chest. This is your starting position.
- C. Extend your arms and push away the hands. The movement should be controlled and smooth without any momentum. Avoid twisting your torso towards the machine or anchor.
- D. Return slowly to the starting position. End with elbows tucked along ribs. The hands should stay at chest level throughout the entire movement.
4. Lateral box push-ups
Shoulders and chest, triceps and biceps; rectus abdominalis, transverse abdomen.
Kneel on the left side of an 8-12 inch tall box. Start in plank position, with your left hand on the floor and right hand on the box, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your abs tight.
Lower your chest so that your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Then, push up, shuffle your hand across the box, and maintain the plank position. Repeat the exercise on the opposite side. Repeat on the other side.
Make the exercise easier:
- Ditch the box and perform the move on the ground.
- Shuffle hands and feet while in a plank, a few steps to the left.
- Do a push-up.
- Shuffle back to the right and repeat.
- Drop down to your knees and move only your hands.
Increase the difficulty: Take longer to lower yourself and to push back up.
5. Elevated Split Squat
Rectus Abdominis (abdominal), glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings
Standing about 2 feet away from a step or box, with your feet hip-width distance apart and hands on the hips. Start by extending your left leg and placing your toes over the box. Squat down until your left leg is nearly touching the floor. Your right knee should be in line with your toes. Repeat. Repeat the process on the other side.
- Make the exercise easier: Use shorter boxes or reduce your range of movement, lowering as low as you can while maintaining good form.
- To make it harder, slow down the reps. Take 2 to 3 seconds before lowering and standing again, or make a move with a weight at your chest (such as a dumbbell kettlebell medicine ball). You can also hold weights in your hands at the sides.
6. Bicycle Crunch
Rectus Abdominis and obliques
You can also lie on your back with your elbows bent and your fingertips lightly resting behind your ears. Start by raising your bent legs so that your knees are above your hips. Your feet should be flexed. Then, curl your shoulders up. Repeat the exercise on the opposite side. This is 1 rep. Alternate sides.
- Make the exercise easier: Instead, you can lower your legs and shoulders to the floor between reps.
- Increase the difficulty: Slow your reps down by taking 2 to 3 seconds to touch your elbows to your knees.

Best Tips for Strength Training for Runners
Summers says that strength training can be modified to suit all runners, regardless of their speed, distance, or pace.
Summers recommends that runners should strength train with a full body routine at least two to three days per week. It is important to follow the correct form in order to avoid injury. Summers says that form is important for everyone. Summers says that runners should focus on strengthening their single legs and core stability.
Strength training is beneficial for all runners. Strength training can be tailored to fit your specific needs if you have limitations because of an injury or health condition. Summers says that you should focus on different strengths and training priorities depending on the goals you have, such as building power, increasing endurance or improving form.
Summers says that Complex movements or moves that use multiple muscle groups are always the first to be performed. She explains that “we want to work the entire body.” Multitasking is important because runners use many muscles to propel them forward from the legs to their core and arms. Suppose you focus on one muscle while ignoring another. In that case, it can cause a muscular imbalance that puts runners at risk of injury.
Conclusion:
Athletes and recreational runners can benefit from the synergy of running and strength training. Strength training improves running performance through increased power and stride efficiency. It can help correct muscle imbalances caused by repetitive running movements.