dig deep | Work hard | believe harder
dig deep | work hard | believe harder
strength
strength
“There is no experience quite like that of driving yourself to the point of wanting to give up and then not giving up.”
-Matt Fitzgerald
Whether you have been running for years or are just starting out; whether your race distance is a 5k or a marathon, chances are you are always looking for ways to improve your running performance. The obvious answer is to run. But, in addition to making sure you are getting your running workouts in, here are a few reasons why adding in some basic strength training can help improve your run training.
1 – Strength Training Can Help Your Run Faster
That’s the dream, isn’t it? Run faster without getting tired?
Building lean muscle mass helps your body use it’s energy stores more efficiently by improving how much oxygen is absorbed to power your muscles. This will help you to run harder for longer. This is great news for the long distance runner! Improved lean muscle mass = more endurance. Combine strength training, plyometrics (jump training) and speed work and your speed and endurance will greatly improve! Maybe even help prevent the bonk at mile 20?
A few moves to help improve that lean muscle mass include Squats, Deadlifts and Lunges. Don’t forget to add in some Jump Squats and Box Jumps to incorporate your Type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers so you can be ready for the final kick at the finish!
2 – Strength Training Can Increase Fat Loss
If you are running to lose weight, I have some news for you. While initially, running for distance can help you lose weight, your body is pretty amazing at adapting. This means that over time, your body will become more efficient (using less energy for the same activity). Basically, long term, running, alone, may slow down your metabolism. Adding strength training in to your routine, can help improve your body’s fat burning process. Here’s why. When you hop on the treadmill for an hour, you burn around 600 calories, give or take. When you hop off the treadmill, you’re done burning calories. Especially, if you are doing a low impact steady state run. When you do weight bearing exercise, like strength training, you actually cause tiny micro-tears in your muscle. After your workout, your body goes to work to repair the muscle, thereby continuing to burn calories all day long. How cool is that?!
For maximum fat loss results, focus on incorporating the major large muscle groups (quads (front of leg), glutes (butt), hamstrings (back of leg), pecs (chest) and lats (upper back)).
3 – Strength Training Can Help Prevent Injury
Show me a distance runner who hasn’t dealt with some kind of injury at one point or another. Injuries, whether major or minor, seem to come with the territory. A wise friend once told me when we train hard for a marathon, we are sitting on the threshold of injury all the time. Adding strength training to your routine can help strengthen the muscles that balance and stabilize your body while you run. Even slight muscular imbalances can lead to injuries because of compensation. It’s important to be mindful of your body. Have you heard the phrase “its all in the hips?” Well, it’s true. Strong hips and core can help you avoid all sorts of common running injuries, including IT band syndrome, runners knee, quad and hamstring strains, and SI joint dysfunction.
Some good exercises to strengthen core and hips include lateral movements such as a lateral squat, sidesteps in a squat, planks, and hip extensions.
4- Strength Training Can Change your Body Composition
I hear all the time clients wanting to “tone” a certain area of their body. “I want to lose my muffin top, I want more defined shoulders, etc.” Here is what the “5 moves to a better butt” workouts you found on Pinterest aren’t telling you: you can’t spot reduce. Meaning, you can’t just lose weight in one area of your body. Everyone’s body is different. Some carry their extra weight in their hips, some in their midsection, etc. The last place you tend to lose depends on you. Your lifestyle, your genetics, your nutritional habits. Strength training, especially lifting heavy, can help reshape your body overall. As you build more lean muscle mass and burn more fat, incorporated with regular speed work, your body shape can change for the better!
Whether you have been running for years or are just starting out; whether your race distance is a 5k or a marathon, chances are you are always looking for ways to improve your running performance. The obvious answer is to run. But, in addition to making sure you are getting your running workouts in, here are a few reasons why adding in some basic strength training can help improve your run training.
1 – Strength Training Can Help Your Run Faster
That’s the dream, isn’t it? Run faster without getting tired?
Building lean muscle mass helps your body use it’s energy stores more efficiently by improving how much oxygen is absorbed to power your muscles. This will help you to run harder for longer. This is great news for the long distance runner! Improved lean muscle mass = more endurance. Combine strength training, plyometrics (jump training) and speed work and your speed and endurance will greatly improve! Maybe even help prevent the bonk at mile 20?
A few moves to help improve that lean muscle mass include Squats, Deadlifts and Lunges. Don’t forget to add in some Jump Squats and Box Jumps to incorporate your Type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers so you can be ready for the final kick at the finish!
2 – Strength Training Can Increase Fat Loss
If you are running to lose weight, I have some news for you. While initially, running for distance can help you lose weight, your body is pretty amazing at adapting. This means that over time, your body will become more efficient (using less energy for the same activity). Basically, long term, running, alone, may slow down your metabolism. Adding strength training in to your routine, can help improve your body’s fat burning process. Here’s why. When you hop on the treadmill for an hour, you burn around 600 calories, give or take. When you hop off the treadmill, you’re done burning calories. Especially, if you are doing a low impact steady state run. When you do weight bearing exercise, like strength training, you actually cause tiny micro-tears in your muscle. After your workout, your body goes to work to repair the muscle, thereby continuing to burn calories all day long. How cool is that?!
For maximum fat loss results, focus on incorporating the major large muscle groups (quads (front of leg), glutes (butt), hamstrings (back of leg), pecs (chest) and lats (upper back)).
3 – Strength Training Can Help Prevent Injury
Show me a distance runner who hasn’t dealt with some kind of injury at one point or another. Injuries, whether major or minor, seem to come with the territory. A wise friend once told me when we train hard for a marathon, we are sitting on the threshold of injury all the time. Adding strength training to your routine can help strengthen the muscles that balance and stabilize your body while you run. Even slight muscular imbalances can lead to injuries because of compensation. It’s important to be mindful of your body. Have you heard the phrase “its all in the hips?” Well, it’s true. Strong hips and core can help you avoid all sorts of common running injuries, including IT band syndrome, runners knee, quad and hamstring strains, and SI joint dysfunction.
Some good exercises to strengthen core and hips include lateral movements such as a lateral squat, sidesteps in a squat, planks, and hip extensions.
4- Strength Training Can Change your Body Composition
I hear all the time clients wanting to “tone” a certain area of their body. “I want to lose my muffin top, I want more defined shoulders, etc.” Here is what the “5 moves to a better butt” workouts you found on Pinterest aren’t telling you: you can’t spot reduce. Meaning, you can’t just lose weight in one area of your body. Everyone’s body is different. Some carry their extra weight in their hips, some in their midsection, etc. The last place you tend to lose depends on you. Your lifestyle, your genetics, your nutritional habits. Strength training, especially lifting heavy, can help reshape your body overall. As you build more lean muscle mass and burn more fat, incorporated with regular speed work, your body shape can change for the better!