Strength Training for Runners in Altrincham – Should Runners Lift Weights?
If you’re a runner, there’s a good chance most of your training revolves around one thing:
Running.
Easy runs.
Intervals.
Tempo sessions.
Long runs.
Park run.
Maybe you’re preparing for a:
10K.
Half marathon.
Marathon.
Or simply trying to become a stronger recreational runner.
So why would you spend valuable training time lifting weights?
It’s a reasonable question.
Because if running is your sport, running should remain central to your program.
But that doesn’t mean running is the only form of training that can help you become a more physically capable runner.
At Soma Fitness, our private personal training studio is based on Hale Road in Altrincham and works with men and women across Altrincham, Hale, Bowdon, Hale Barns, Timperley, Sale and surrounding South Manchester.
And if you’re running several times each week, intelligently programmed resistance training can be a valuable addition to your overall training.
Here’s why.
Running Makes You Better at Running
Let’s start with the obvious.
If your goal is to improve your running, you need to run.
You can’t replace:
Long runs.
Appropriate mileage.
Running technique.
Race-specific preparation.
Pacing.
Aerobic development.
With squats and deadlifts.
The gym is supplementary training.
It develops physical qualities that can support your running.
So the question isn’t:
Running or strength training?
It’s:
How can strength training complement your running?
Runners Need Strength Too
Running involves repeatedly producing force against the ground.
Every stride requires the body to:
Absorb force.
Control movement.
Produce force.
Transfer that force through the lower body.
Then repeat it thousands of times.
Strength therefore matters.
A stronger runner potentially has a greater physical reserve from which to perform those repetitive actions.
The objective isn’t to turn a distance runner into a powerlifter.
It’s to make the runner stronger relative to the demands of their sport.
Strength Training Isn’t Just for Building Big Muscles
One concern runners often have is:
“I don’t want to get heavy.”
Understandable.
Carrying unnecessary body mass isn’t generally the goal of distance running.
But resistance training doesn’t automatically cause enormous increases in muscle mass.
The adaptations you achieve depend on:
Training volume.
Exercise selection.
Nutrition.
Energy intake.
Training experience.
Genetics.
A runner can train for strength without following the same program as someone whose primary goal is bodybuilding.
Strength and Muscle Are Not Exactly the Same Thing
Muscle size contributes to strength.
But increasing strength doesn’t require maximising muscular size.
A runner’s gym program might therefore prioritise:
Moderate training volume.
Appropriately challenging resistance.
High-quality repetitions.
Progressive overload.
Lower-body strength.
Targeted accessory training.
Rather than extremely high-volume bodybuilding sessions.
Running Economy Matters
One of the interesting areas when looking at strength training and endurance performance is running economy.
Running economy broadly describes how much oxygen or energy you require to run at a given speed.
Think of two runners moving at the same pace.
One may have to work harder physiologically than the other.
There is evidence that appropriate strength training can improve running economy in endurance runners.
That doesn’t mean lifting weights instantly makes you faster.
Your overall training program still matters enormously.
But it gives us a legitimate reason to include resistance training alongside endurance work.
Think About Strength as Increasing Your Capacity
Imagine one runner can comfortably produce substantially more force than another.
The force required for each submaximal running stride may represent a smaller percentage of their maximum physical capacity.
That’s a useful way to conceptualise why strength could matter.
We aren’t trying to turn every stride into a maximum-strength effort.
We’re increasing the capacity of the system performing the stride.
Lower-Body Strength Should Be a Priority
Unsurprisingly, runners need strong legs.
But that doesn’t mean doing hundreds of light repetitions.
Depending on the person, useful exercises might include:
- Squat variations
- Split squats
- Step-ups
- Leg presses
- Deadlift variations
- Romanian deadlifts
- Hip-extension exercises
- Hamstring curls
- Calf exercises
There’s no single compulsory runner’s exercise.
Exercise selection should reflect your:
Training history.
Current ability.
Running volume.
Injury history.
Goal.
And recovery.
Single-Leg Training Makes Sense
Running is largely a unilateral activity.
One leg accepts and produces force while the other moves through the stride cycle.
For that reason, single-leg and split-stance exercises can be useful within a runner’s strength program.
Examples include:
Split squats.
Reverse lunges.
Step-ups.
Single-leg variations.
But again, don’t confuse useful with magical.
We can also develop significant strength using bilateral movements such as squats and deadlifts.
A good program can contain both.
Don’t Ignore Your Calves
The calf complex plays a major role in running.
Yet many gym program treat calves as an optional bodybuilding exercise performed at the end of a workout.
For runners, developing calf strength can be worthwhile.
We can train the calf musculature through different knee positions and resistance exercises depending on the individual.
And importantly, like any other muscle group, it needs enough resistance to provide an appropriate training stimulus.
Hamstrings Matter Too
Your hamstrings contribute to movement at both the hip and knee.
A comprehensive program might therefore include different ways of loading them.
For example:
Hip-dominant exercises such as Romanian deadlifts.
Knee-flexion exercises such as leg curls.
Again, we aren’t searching for one magic exercise.
We’re building broader lower-body capacity.
What About Glutes?
The gluteal muscles are obviously involved in running.
But the fitness industry sometimes turns every problem into:
“Your glutes aren’t firing.”
That’s usually an oversimplification.
You don’t need to spend twenty minutes activating your glutes before every run.
Your glutes are muscles.
Train them appropriately through movements that load hip extension and the lower body.
Then go running.
Runners Don’t Need Endless Activation Exercises
This is one of the most common traps.
Band walks.
Clamshells.
Tiny leg movements.
Ten different warm-up drills.
These exercises can occasionally have a purpose.
But a warm-up shouldn’t become the entire program.
At some point, if you want stronger muscles, you need to provide those muscles with sufficient resistance.
Heavy Strength Training Can Have a Place
“Heavy” is relative.
For one person, a 40kg squat is heavy.
For another, 100kg.
The point is that runners shouldn’t automatically be restricted to tiny dumbbells and sets of thirty repetitions.
Appropriately challenging resistance can be useful.
The exact loading scheme should depend on the individual’s training experience and goal.
But You Don’t Need to Max Out
Strength training for runners does not mean constantly attempting one-repetition maximums.
There is rarely a reason for a recreational distance runner to repeatedly test maximal lifts.
You can develop strength using submaximal loads while keeping technique controlled and fatigue manageable.
The program should support running, not become a second competitive sport.
What About Plyometrics?
Plyometric training involves rapid stretch-shortening actions.
Examples can include:
Pogos.
Jumps.
Bounds.
Hops.
Other explosive movements.
Appropriately selected plyometrics can be useful for developing qualities related to force production and stiffness during running.
But they need to be programmed sensibly.
If you’re already running high weekly mileage, adding enormous volumes of jumping isn’t automatically beneficial.
Training stress still counts.
More Exercise Isn’t Automatically Better
This is perhaps the most important programming principle for runners.
You’re already training.
A runner completing:
Four runs.
One interval session.
One long run.
And perhaps 40–60 kilometres per week…
isn’t starting from zero.
When we add strength training, we’re adding additional training stress.
So the answer isn’t simply:
“Add three brutal gym sessions.”
We need to manage the whole program.
Your Running Program Comes First
If you’re preparing for a marathon, your strength program needs to respect the marathon preparation.
If your key running workout is Tuesday, destroying your legs in the gym on Monday probably isn’t ideal.
Strength training should fit around:
Key sessions.
Long runs.
Race schedule.
Mileage.
Recovery.
Life commitments.
This is where programming becomes important.
How Often Should Runners Strength Train?
For many recreational runners, two strength sessions per week can be an excellent starting point.
That doesn’t mean two hours each time.
A focused strength session can be relatively efficient.
For example:
Monday – Strength
Tuesday – Running workout
Wednesday – Easy run
Thursday – Strength
Friday – Rest / easy activity
Saturday – Easy or moderate run
Sunday – Long run
That’s simply an example.
The correct structure depends on the individual’s running plan.
Can One Session Per Week Still Help?
If you’re extremely busy or already running frequently, one well-designed weekly strength session may be more realistic than zero.
Is it theoretically optimal for maximising strength?
Perhaps not.
But programming needs to consider what somebody will actually do consistently.
One high-quality session performed all year can be more valuable than an unrealistic three-session program abandoned after three weeks.
What Might a Runner’s Gym Session Look Like?
A simple session might include:
1. Explosive exercise
A low-volume jump or plyometric variation where appropriate.
2. Main lower-body strength exercise
Squat or another knee-dominant movement.
3. Hip-dominant exercise
Deadlift, Romanian deadlift or similar movement.
4. Single-leg exercise
Split squat or step-up.
5. Calf training
Appropriately loaded calf exercise.
6. Upper-body work
Push and pull movements.
7. Core
Appropriate trunk training.
That doesn’t mean everyone needs those exact exercises.
It’s simply an example of how training could be organised.
Yes, Runners Should Train Their Upper Body
Your program doesn’t need to become entirely legs.
Upper-body strength still contributes to overall physical capacity.
You don’t need enormous bodybuilding volume.
But appropriately training your:
Back.
Chest.
Shoulders.
Arms.
Can form part of a balanced program.
You’re still a whole person, not just a pair of running legs.
What About Core Strength?
Running requires your trunk to transfer and control forces.
But core training doesn’t need to mean hundreds of sit-ups.
Depending on the person, we might use:
Loaded carries.
Anti-extension exercises.
Anti-rotation exercises.
Other trunk-strengthening movements.
Like everything else, core exercises should have a reason for being included.
Will Strength Training Make My Legs Too Tired to Run?
It can—if programmed badly.
When you first introduce strength training, you may experience more muscle soreness.
That’s one reason we start with manageable training volume.
As you adapt, soreness generally becomes easier to manage.
We can also organise sessions so that gym training doesn’t unnecessarily interfere with your most important runs.
Don’t Judge Your Strength Sessions by Soreness
If you’re supposed to run well two days later, making yourself so sore that you can barely walk isn’t a badge of honour.
We want an effective training stimulus with manageable fatigue.
Your program needs to serve the bigger objective.
What About Training to Failure?
Taking every lower-body exercise to complete muscular failure can create unnecessary fatigue for runners.
That doesn’t mean training should always be easy.
You still need meaningful effort.
But we can often achieve productive resistance training without turning every set into a maximal grind.
Again:
Stimulus versus fatigue.
That’s an important relationship for hybrid training.
Can Strength Training Reduce Running Injuries?
This needs careful wording.
Running injuries are complex and can involve:
Training load.
Previous injury.
Recovery.
Biomechanics.
Individual anatomy.
Sleep.
Nutrition.
And many other variables.
It would be misleading to promise that lifting weights will make you injury-proof.
However, resistance training can improve the capacity and strength of muscles and other tissues involved in running.
That’s a valuable physical quality.
But there is no exercise program that guarantees you will never become injured.
Don’t Call Every Running Injury a Weakness Problem
Knee pain?
“Weak glutes.”
Shin pain?
“Weak calves.”
Back pain?
“Weak core.”
Reality isn’t that simple.
Pain and injury are multifactorial.
Strength is one part of physical preparation.
If you have persistent or concerning symptoms, an appropriate clinical assessment may be required.
Our coaches at Soma Fitness have additional qualifications in injury rehabilitation, but personal training does not replace diagnosis or healthcare.
What About Runner’s Knee?
“Runner’s knee” is a broad term rather than one precise diagnosis.
If you experience persistent knee pain while running, don’t simply assume you need one particular corrective exercise.
The appropriate response depends on the individual.
It may involve:
Running-load management.
Strength training.
Exercise modification.
Clinical assessment.
Or combinations of different approaches.
Avoid diagnosing yourself from a 30-second social-media video.
What About Achilles Problems?
Achilles symptoms also require context.
Calf strengthening can often feature within rehabilitation program, but the exact loading approach depends on the individual and their diagnosis.
If you’re currently experiencing significant Achilles pain, this isn’t something we’d recommend managing blindly from a generic blog article.
Have it appropriately assessed.
Then build training around the advice you’ve received.
What About Shin Splints?
Again, the cause and management of lower-leg pain can vary.
Don’t automatically conclude:
“I need stronger tibialis muscles.”
Running volume, recent increases in training, recovery and other factors may all be relevant.
Persistent pain should be appropriately assessed.
Strength training may form part of your broader physical preparation, but it isn’t a magic cure.
Marathon Training Changes the Equation
When you’re deep into marathon preparation, the amount of running you’re doing can be substantial.
Your strength program may therefore need adjusting.
Perhaps earlier in the training cycle you perform more gym work.
As race-specific running volume rises, gym volume might be reduced.
We may retain enough resistance training to maintain strength while reducing unnecessary fatigue.
This is an example of periodisation.
Training changes according to what you’re trying to prioritise.
Don’t Completely Abandon Strength Training Before the Race
Some runners build strength during the off-season and then remove it entirely once race preparation begins.
That isn’t necessarily required.
Instead, strength volume can be strategically adjusted.
You may train:
Less frequently.
With fewer sets.
While maintaining meaningful resistance.
The aim changes from maximising gym progress to supporting the running program.
Strength Training During a Fat-Loss Phase
Some runners use running primarily as a way to lose weight.
There’s nothing wrong with combining running with fat loss.
But resistance training becomes particularly valuable when you’re dieting because maintaining muscle is an important objective.
Fat loss still requires an appropriate calorie deficit.
Running contributes to energy expenditure.
Resistance training provides a stimulus to maintain or develop muscle.
Nutrition connects the two.
Don’t Underfuel Your Running
One problem we sometimes see with runners is trying to:
Increase mileage.
Lose weight aggressively.
Reduce carbohydrates.
And train in the gym.
All at the same time.
Training requires fuel.
Carbohydrate is an important substrate for higher-intensity endurance exercise.
That doesn’t mean you need enormous amounts at every meal.
But demonising carbohydrates while trying to improve endurance performance makes little sense.
Protein Still Matters for Runners
Protein isn’t only for bodybuilders.
Runners are still training muscles and recovering from exercise.
Adequate protein intake supports recovery and maintenance of lean tissue.
Useful sources include:
Chicken.
Fish.
Eggs.
Lean meat.
Dairy.
Soy foods.
Beans and pulses.
Protein supplements where convenient.
Your nutrition should support the training you’re asking your body to perform.
What About Creatine for Runners?
Creatine monohydrate is well supported for improving strength and high-intensity exercise capacity when combined with appropriate training.
For a distance runner, it isn’t compulsory.
And some athletes may care about small increases in body mass that can occur with creatine use.
But if you’re combining serious strength training with running, it’s one evidence-supported supplement that can be considered within the context of your individual priorities.
The basics still matter far more.
Runners Over 40 Should Take Strength Seriously
As we move through our 40s and beyond, maintaining muscle and strength becomes increasingly important.
If running is your only form of exercise, you may be developing cardiovascular fitness extremely well while doing less to directly develop upper-body and maximal muscular strength.
That’s one reason combining running with resistance training can be particularly useful for older recreational athletes.
You don’t have to stop running.
Add another physical quality.
Runners Over 50 Can Still Get Stronger
Being over 50 doesn’t mean you should only perform gentle mobility work.
Appropriately designed resistance training can still improve strength.
The program simply needs to consider:
Your training history.
Running volume.
Previous injuries.
Recovery.
Lifestyle.
And current capacity.
Age influences programming.
It doesn’t eliminate adaptation.
What If You’re New to Strength Training?
This is where coaching can be extremely valuable.
You may know exactly how to structure a running week but have no idea what to do with weights.
You walk into the gym and wonder:
How heavy?
How many repetitions?
Which exercises?
How many sets?
How much rest?
How close to failure?
How does it fit around running?
That’s exactly what programming should answer.
Don’t Copy a Bodybuilding Program
A generic five-day bodybuilding split probably isn’t the best starting point for someone running four times per week.
You don’t need:
Chest Monday.
Back Tuesday.
Legs Wednesday.
Shoulders Thursday.
Arms Friday.
Alongside your running program.
Your strength plan needs to consider your entire workload.
For many runners, two appropriately designed full-body sessions can be much more practical.
The Gym Should Support Your Running
This is the principle I’d remember above everything else.
Your gym program isn’t successful because your squat went up while your running collapsed.
And your running program isn’t necessarily complete just because you’re logging more miles.
We’re trying to organise the two intelligently.
Run to become a better runner.
Strength train to develop the physical qualities that support your body while doing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should runners lift weights?
Yes, resistance training can form a valuable part of a runner’s overall training by developing strength and other physical qualities that running alone may not maximise.
How many times per week should runners strength train?
For many recreational runners, two sessions per week can work well, although frequency should reflect running volume, training experience and recovery.
Should runners squat?
Squats can be useful, but they aren’t compulsory. Other exercises can develop similar lower-body qualities depending on the individual.
Will lifting weights make me slower?
Resistance training doesn’t automatically make a runner slow or bulky. Programming, training volume and nutrition determine much of the adaptation.
Should marathon runners lift weights?
Strength training can be incorporated into marathon preparation, although volume and timing may need adjusting as running mileage increases.
Should runners train their upper body?
Yes. A balanced program can include appropriate upper-body pushing and pulling without requiring excessive training volume.
Can strength training prevent running injuries?
Strength training can improve physical capacity, but no program guarantees injury prevention. Running injuries are multifactorial.
Should runners train calves?
Calf strength is relevant to running, so appropriately loaded calf training can be a useful part of the program.
Should I do strength training before or after running?
It depends on the importance and intensity of each session. Key running workouts should generally be protected from excessive fatigue, so weekly scheduling needs to be considered rather than applying one universal rule.
Looking for Strength Training for Runners in Altrincham?
If you’re running regularly but want to become:
Stronger.
More physically capable.
Better prepared for increasing mileage.
Or simply develop physical qualities that running alone doesn’t fully address…
Strength training could be a valuable addition to your program.
Soma Fitness is a private personal training studio based on Hale Road in Altrincham, serving men and women throughout:
Altrincham, Hale, Bowdon, Hale Barns, Timperley, Sale and surrounding South Manchester.
Your first step is a free consultation.
We’ll discuss:
Your running.
Current mileage.
Race goals.
Training history.
Strength-training experience.
Previous injuries.
Lifestyle.
Recovery.
And how many days per week you realistically have available.
From there, we can build your strength training around your running rather than forcing your running around a generic gym program.
More mileage isn’t always the only answer.
Sometimes becoming a stronger athlete is part of becoming a better runner.
Book your free consultation with the Soma Fitness coaching team and find out how structured strength training can complement your running.
Recent Comments