Weight training for runners: Lower body workouts

As a former boxer and kickboxer weight training was always a part of my workout regime. When I started running I just continued what I had already doing in the gym; lifting weights. Then I started talking with other runners and they told me that weight training was bad for running. I was amazed. How could weight training be bad for running? I had to find out if this was true and decided to write an article about weight training and running to remove any doubt that weight training is good for runners.

The first question I always ask before I start working on a specific physical fitness regime is, how will this benefit what I am already doing? This is also the question to ask your personal trainer (if you have one) or a question to pose to yourself before you add anything new to your regime. There are several reasons to incorporate weight training into your training program.

One is greater muscular strength can reduce the risk of injury by decreasing connective tissue stress which plays a huge role in maintaining joint integrity. By adding weight training to your routine those exercises will help to strengthen those connective tissues. If you are one of many runners whose goal it is to also lose weight increasing the development of muscles will provide an extra boost to your fat burning agenda. Studies have shown that muscle increases the fat that is burned. Not only can weight training burn more fat calories and minimize the risk of injury it can also increase performance. Research has shown that running times improve by decreasing the oxygen consumption required to run distances.

For runners it is important to keep the weight low and the repetitions higher than, say, a body builder. Muscle bulk will slow you down and may even lead to injury due to increased weight and stress on your joints.

Now that you have decided to include weight training in your program you are probably wondering what to do first. Like any other sport there are certain exercises that will provide more of a benefit than others. Working your legs is a good place to start. This is the first area we will explore in the exercises outlined below. However, you should also include upper body workouts as well. I never realized how much my upper body helped me to run until I was told that I wasn’t swinging my arms enough. Once I was corrected and had better running form I was running like the wind (well, maybe not quite like that but it felt like I was). My arms also became very fatigued in the process. Poor upper body strength can lead to early fatigue. We will be exploring upper body exercises in future postings, so stay tuned over the next couple of days. Of course the very first thing to consider is to go very easy or consult a fitness trainer if you have any questions.

Of course as runners we want to improve upon our legs. They are our mode of transportation. It took me awhile to figure out when was the best time for weight training with my legs. In my mind the answer was never, but after consulting several personal trainers, I realized that the best day to work legs is on a day off from running. Don’t work legs on the day after a long run or the day off before a race. It is best to work legs on a day off when you haven’t stressed your legs out the day before and won’t be stressing your legs the day after. I also keep the weights very low and the repetitions high. Here are some exercises that are a couple of my personal favorites:

Lunges: In a standing position, hold the dumbbells in each hand, lunge forward with one leg landing heel then forefoot, lower down until the knee of the other foot nearly touches the floor. Return to the standing position and then repeat. If you can’t almost touch your knee to the floor, don’t worry. Go as low as you feel comfortable doing. To add an extra step and help to work your glutes out, as you bring the back leg up, slightly lift your heal up towards the ceiling. This will tighten the glutes and will not only give you some definition but will also help while running hills.

Squats: Standing, hold dumbbells at your sides, descend, bending knees, until thighs are parallel to floor then raise until legs are straight. This is a great workout for the quadriceps but also works the abdominals, calves and lower back.
Lying leg curl: Lie down on the bench face down, place pads behind ankles and then raise the pads towards your glutes or until they touch the backs of your thighs, squeezing the hamstrings and then lower back down. When I first starting doing these exercise I couldn’t touch the back of my thighs (apparently I am not very flexible). Many gyms also have the seated leg curl machine. I would recommend using which ever you are the most comfortable with.
Standing calf-raises: Begin this exercise by standing, toes pointing forward, raise heel by extending ankle as high as possible and then lower back down. If you want to have a little fun with this one, perform the exercise with toes pointing outwards and then inwards. We used to do about a hundred of these for boxing and they really isolated the calves. You can also perform these seated but I have found that by completing the repetitions standing up I also work my glutes. By strengthening your calves you can increase your ability to push up those hills.

I know that I mentioned it before but I feel that I can stress this enough. If you have any questions, feel any discomfort, please consult a personal trainer. Most gyms offer at least one free session with a personal trainer or will help you become familiar with the equipment at the gym and how to use it properly.