Running is a healthy activity for both the mind and the body. Pushing yourself to greater distances increases your endurance and keeps your vital organs in good shape. However, runners often face a range of dilemmas regarding their workout regimen.
Does running help build my strength? Or will I lose muscle and become slim as I clock in more and more miles? You may be concerned about whether your body can endure this high-impact activity in the long run.
Boosting your strength should be a key component of your running routine. Read on to learn why and get some inspiration for running workouts to build strength.
What Running Does to Your Body
First, let’s discuss the changes your body undergoes when you take up this sport. Regular running will boost your health in the following ways:
- Increases stamina
- Strengthens bones
- Decreases chance of some health issues
- Tones lower body
- Improves mood
It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that running will strengthen your legs, hips, and glutes. However, each time you run, your heart, lungs, and vascular system get a good workout too. This activity can keep you fit, improving your endurance.
Keeping your heart in good shape will lower your chance of developing cardiovascular disease, among other health benefits. In addition, running doesn’t go easy on your skeleton. The high-impact nature of this sport will strengthen your bones as well. Finally, regular exercise is vital for sound mental health, and running checks all the boxes.
While running is a fantastic way to get your weekly dose of aerobic exercise, it’s not entirely without drawbacks. Being so high-impact, there is a considerable risk of injury. Building your strength is exactly what’s going to help mitigate these risks.
Does Running Help Build Strength?
Although you may gather from the above information that running makes you stronger, the answer is a bit more complicated than that. In short, running does boost strength in some areas, but you shouldn’t use it to replace strength training.
Running only works certain parts of your body, which can create muscle imbalance over time. You can’t expect your whole body to get equally toned when every day is leg day. You will need to implement other types of exercises into your program to compensate for this imbalance.
The challenges your body experiences at the start of your running journey won’t be the same once you’re a seasoned runner. When you first take up running, your muscles will need to work hard. Your lower body will get stronger to meet the demands, depending on the intensity of your workout. When you get used to the sport, running may no longer substantially increase your strength, leaving you stuck on what is known as a plateau. This is when you should look into different running workouts to build strength.
Best Running Workouts to Build Strength
Strength training is essential whether you’re a runner or not. Increasing your muscle mass, bone density, and joint flexibility simply improves your quality of life. But which particular strength exercises should runners focus on? It depends on your goals as a runner.
If you’re looking to improve your current performance, then endurance strength training, bodyweight exercises, plyometrics, and functional training should be your choices. These will boost your lower body strength and help prevent injury.
You should also work your upper body in between your runs. You won’t need much additional equipment to get started, as you’ll mostly be using your body weight. A couple of resistance bands, kettlebells, and a jump rope can come in handy. Even a few cans from your pantry can be used as weights. Here are some workouts to get you started.
Up the Intensity
If your usual speed doesn’t feel challenging, it’s time to increase the intensity. Short spurts of activity, like sprints, will help increase strength in your lower body. Combining them with moderate-intensity activities is key. Create a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) running workout routine where you’ll switch between activities of varying intensity levels, like walking, jogging, running, and sprinting.
Start with a warm-up – a 5-minute jog will do. Then, combine a 20-second sprint with 2 minutes of light jogging, and repeat this 6 times. Alternatively, you can sprint for 30 seconds and then cool down with 4 minutes of walking or jogging, repeated 5 times. You get the idea. Create a combination that works for you, and allow yourself enough time to recover between sprints. When you’re done with your reps, cool down with another 5-minute jog.
Find a Hill
Running on a level surface can be challenging, but it’s nothing compared to running up a hill. Hill running can be a fantastic running workout to build strength and endurance. Find a nearby hill or set your treadmill to a 3-4% incline to get started.
Don’t forget to warm up before starting uphill. Walk or jog for 10 minutes, then increase your speed and begin your ascent. Run uphill for about 1 minute with hard effort, then allow yourself some recovery time by going downhill or decreasing your treadmill’s incline for another minute. Repeat this set a couple of times, then cool down with a few more minutes of easy jogging. Hopefully, you’ll be able to catch your breath.
Stop for Squats
You don’t have to wait until you’re finished with your run to get your muscle-strengthening exercises in. Create a set that combines running with squats, and you’ll feel your muscles burn.
As always, start with an easy warm-up, like a 5-minute jog. Increase your speed and run for 1 minute, then stop for 60 seconds of squats. Pick up the pace again and run for 2 minutes before stopping again for 1 minute of muscle-strengthening squats. Repeat this several times, each time increasing your running time by a minute. After 5 reps, cool down with an easy jog.
Use Your Body
You don’t necessarily need fancy equipment to build your strength. Your own body weight can serve as a versatile tool. Combine a longer run with a selection of bodyweight exercises.
- Pull-ups
- Push-ups
- Squats
- Lunges
- Superman pulls
- Russian twists
Start by getting your blood pumping with a 30- to 60-minute run. Next, do a few sets of the exercises mentioned above. Do each of them for 30 seconds, and be sure to have a 30-second break before moving on to the next. Finally, cool down with a 10-minute run.
This combination is a recipe for success. An aerobic workout like a run that lasts at least 30 minutes will increase your metabolism and prepare your body for more sweating.
Strengthen Your Core
Planks may be everyone’s least favorite exercise, but your core will thank you for putting up with them. They also work your abs, arms, and shoulders – body parts that arguably get neglected when all you do is run. Strengthening your core by planking will improve your form while running. Practice a few of these variations in between your runs:
- Standard forearm plank
- Plank walk-up
- Plank with leg raise
- Forearm side-plank
Lunging Forward
As mentioned, functional training is key for runners. These exercises improve your balance and coordination, which are essential to keep you on track. Lunges are a great example of functional training exercises, so you should regularly include them in your routine.
Similar to squats, you can incorporate lunges between shorter spurts of runs. After a warm-up, run for 5-8 minutes, and then take a break with a few sets of lunges.
You can also try reverse lunges when you get tired of the classic version. Reverse lunges are better for your joints, so they are a great alternative if you want to lower the already large impact running puts on your body.
Hop On
According to research, plyometric exercises are also valuable strengthening exercises for runners. These are different jumping movements that will add a burst of energy to your routine. Since these movements are typically more complex, they are not for beginners.
If you’re up for the challenge though, you can incorporate them in your warm-up before you hit the track. These exercises can increase your heart rate and make you feel energetic. Start with a brief jog, then try these plyometric exercises:
- High knees
- Butt kicks
- Forward skips
- Jumping Jacks
- Box jumps
- Squat jumps
Select up to 4 exercises from this list and do each for 30 seconds with a break in between. Repeat them 3 times, and you’ll be more ready for your run than ever.
Relax With Yoga
Another great addition to any runner’s routine is a short yoga session. Yoga may look easy at first sight, but it can be rather challenging. It helps build strength while stretching your muscles and helping you wind down. Therefore, it’s best practiced after a run as a way to cool down. It can not only relax you, but also help your recovery.
Consider Lifting
The next in line of running workouts to build strength combines running with some weight training. Having huge muscle mass isn’t exactly what most runners are looking for, but certain lifting exercises that won’t pack on a ton of muscle can be valuable to your running.
Look into endurance strength training to improve your muscle strength. This type of weight training doesn’t involve massive weights; the key is performing lots of reps with smaller weights.
Endurance strength training is suitable for all fitness levels, so you can incorporate it into your routine at once (after checking with your physician, of course).
Read also: Cardio vs. Strength Training
Will Running Decrease My Muscle Mass?
Running is a fantastic exercise for burning calories and thereby losing weight. Many people are reluctant to get into this sport for fear of losing muscle mass. Indeed, when you look at successful runners, it isn’t hard to see what they have in common: a skinny physique.
So, running can help build muscle but also decrease muscle mass? How is that possible? The answer lies in the type of running in question.
Short-distance running, such as sprinting, as part of a HIIT program can help you build muscle and get stronger. On the other hand, studies show that long-distance running can noticeably inhibit muscle growth, so this shouldn’t be your go-to activity if you’re looking to bulk up.
Another critical component in this question is a calorie deficit. Ensuring proper nutrition so your runs won’t put your body into a calorie deficit is crucial for building muscle while running.
Why Is It Important for Runners to Build Strength?
As a runner, it’s incredibly important that you devote enough attention to building strength. Here are the reasons why.
Prevent Injuries
The muscle imbalance we mentioned earlier can lead to injuries if you’re not careful. But you don’t even have to look that far into the future. Simply pushing yourself beyond what your body is prepared for can easily get you hurt. An injury can be a temporary setback on your running journey, and in the worst case, can have long-term implications. Building strength will lower your chances of getting hurt.
Continuous Improvement
Once you get the hang of running, you may reach a point where you no longer experience noticeable improvement. As mentioned, this state is called a plateau in running, and it can be a discouraging experience. Building strength will give your body what it needs to push through this stage and improve your performance.
Enjoyable Runs
Even if decreasing your time isn’t your main concern, strength training is valuable for your running experience. You’ll be better equipped for the challenge it presents, which will make your runs more enjoyable, boosting your confidence.
Better Posture
Your running form is vital for your efficiency, especially if you run long distances. Strengthening your core will give you better posture.
Keeping Things Interesting
Doing the same exercises all the time slows down your progress and makes you feel bored. Incorporating strength exercises into your running regimen will keep things interesting, helping you maintain your motivation.
Put On Your Running Shoes
It’s difficult to stop once you reach that runner’s high, but sometimes you’ll need to introduce some variety to your training for your own sake. Running is not only about speed, but also strength. Add some of these running workouts to build strength to your exercise routine and you’ll create the right foundation for taking your runs to the next level.