A couple of weeks ago, our weekly running clinic had a presentation on strength training for runners given by Syl Lemelin, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CSEP-CEP), and Tactical Strength & Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F), so I guess you can say he’s pretty darn qualified. Here’s what Syl had to say about strength training for recreational runners: What is Strength? According to Syl, most runners don’t really understand what true strength training is or how to do it. His working definition of strength is how much weight can you lift, how much force you can maximally generate, and your ability to control your body in space. For example, if I’m running along, trip on a root, and start falling, do I have the strength to pull myself back or do I just faceplant? And being strong not only helps prevent injury, but allows us to run faster. Heavy Weights/Low Reps So how do we train for strength? Unfortunately, running doesn’t train our legs for strength (I know: I was shocked, too), but for endurance. All of those low weight/high repetition training plans you’ll find in women’s magazines also train for endurance, not strength. Training for strength is not the same as body building, which involves high reps with medium weights to promote muscle hypertrophy (overgrowth). So how the heck are runners supposed to strength train? We don’t want to become big and bulky, but we do want to get faster. This means training for low reps with heavy weights, which teaches our muscles to become more efficient, trains our neuromuscular system to fire all of our muscle fibres at once, and won’t add bulk to our lean, greyhound-like frames (ha ha). How To Choose a weight that you can lift with good form for only 2-5 reps (also known as lifting to failure), and work up to 3 to 6 sets of each exercise, with long rests of 2 minutes in between each set. Perform a series of these full-body, weighted exercises two times per week (Syl recommends decreasing to once weekly when tapering for a race). Proper form is essential, so it’s a good idea to work with a trainer at least the first few times to make sure you’ve got your technique down before you work up to heavier weights. How strong do we need to be? Syl says that a good measure of strength for runners is being able to lift a bar equivalent to your own body weight on your back. The Difference Between Strength Training and Conditioning Body weight exercises don’t train for strength: they just don’t incorporate enough weight for you to perform them to failure within the 2-5 reps required to get stronger. These types of movements are called conditioning exercises, and don’t allow you to make the same sort of strength gains that are associated with faster running. I’ve done clamshells and leg raises to rehab my past IT band injuries, and pushups for my upper body for years, but although they make a great starting point and adjunct to strength training, apparently, I’ve got to step it up. Types of Exercises The best exercises for injury prevention are multi-joint, functional exercises. Functional exercises are those which provide the best transfer to your sport, and for runners, that means choosing exercises that help us develop explosive leg strength. Machine-based exercises, such as leg presses, are not very functional because they only move one joint in one plane, and the machine guides the movement, not your own body. Some exercises that Syl suggests for runners are weighted squats, weighted one-legged squats, weighted lunges, weighted deadlifts, and pushing a weighted sled. Some good upper body exercises to round out your workout are shoulder presses, bent-over rows, and pullups. Winter-Specific Injury Prevention In the winter, we deal with a lot of slippery and uneven surfaces, as well as running encumbered by heavy and/or restrictive clothing. To become stronger and more nimble in order to prevent winter running injuries, Syl recommends adding in the conditioning exercises pictured below to strengthen the lower leg and upper back: Incorporating Strength Training with Running
As a lover of running and a hater of strength training, I’m pretty pumped that I’ll only have to do a few reps of each exercise twice a week, which means I’ll have more time to run. A sample training plan for incorporating my 5 weekly runs with 2 weekly strength training sessions could look like this: Sun: Long Slow Distance Run Monday: Recovery Run Tuesday: Strength Training Full Body Wednesday: Hill Training Thursday: Easy Run Friday: Strength Training Full Body Saturday: Rest Day Now for the hard part. Actually doing it.
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AuthorKathy Istace runs and races in one of the coldest cities on earth. Archives
December 2020
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