Complementary strength training for runners – Keep’er Fit

THE Omagh Half Marathon is less than three months away. It’s great to see that the event has sold out, and that there are a large number of runners taking part who belong to the Run For Enda group.

My mum and three sisters are part of that group, and are all signed up and ready to go.

One thing I have been encouraging them to do is to add some strength training into their weekly plan. Nothing major; just two 45-minute sessions per week, to help them keep injury-free and improve their performance.

Strength training seems to be the one thing neglected by many recreational runners – even those competing at a higher level.

But the evidence is there for all to see: Strength training for endurance athletes helps improve running economy; performance; recovery; and it helps reduce the risk of injury.

Research recommends adding two-to-three strength sessions a week.

You should be aiming to lift loads at 60 per-cent to 80 per-cent of one-repetition maximum, or the heaviest weight that can be lifted with maximum effort in a single repetition, for three to six sets of five-to-15 reps.

For distance runners, training to repetition failure is not recommended, due to increased fatigue to the muscles.

Below is an example of a complementary strength programme. This is a generic programme aimed at those with little strength training experience, and it is simply a guide that you may follow.

It goes without saying, please consult with a professional before undertaking any form of exercise.

After a generic warm up, carry out the following two sessions in a week.

You can add a third session with a mixture of them both, or just repeat the lower body session twice.

Please leave around 48 hours between each session. If you want to do a strength session the day after a long run, carry out the upper body programme.

These workouts can be carried out at home, but you will need to invest in a kettlebell dumbbells, and resistant band.

Lower body

Sets Reps Rest Speed Movement

A1Squat Jumps45120sec

A2Kettlebell Swing44120se

Strength

B1Goblet Squat 31060 sec

C1Single leg chair squat 310es60 sec

C2Single leg RDL 310es

Movement capacity

D1Suitcase carry 20m 3es60 sec

D2Dead Bug 103e

The programme starts with speed movements.

These movements are great for firing up the central nervous system, and complements your heavier strength movements in the strength section.

Next up, you will perform a compound lift, like a goblet squat or press up.

The focus shifts from speed to force; and adding more weight to these exercise helps you to generate more force.

The next section on strength focuses on unilateral movements – meaning you only train one limb at a time.

These exercises require strength and coordination.

They also engage the muscles of the core, as the body is in an unstable position.

Each stride in running focuses on unilateral movements, so strengthening training this way seems like a smart thing to do.

The last section helps improve your work capacity and strengthens the core once more.

The key with any strength programme is consistency. Turn up, do the best of your ability in a safe manner, and repeat.

Sometimes, it is that simple.

Good luck everyone – and enjoy the journey

By Gary Wallace