One of you asked me:
"How do I structure a running injury-preventing strength workout that's NOT crazy long, but doesn't miss any the major muscle groups I need as a runner?"
Because no one wants a running injury.
But not many of us also have the time to train like a paid or elite runner.
Which means, a lot of us need a SOLID lower body strength workout that gets the job done.
And relatively fast.
I hear you.
So I made you a circuit to get you started.
Plyometric included. ;)
(no, you may not skip this bad boy. But you are allowed to modify)
Because the truth is:
you're NOT expected to know how to do this.
I'm a Doctor of Physical Therapy; this is what I do for a living after years of school and practice.
So it's ok to rely on resources.
Here's my bargain with you.
You go check out the circuit below and I'll explain the how's and why's I structured it along the way.
Deal?
Let's go.
INJURY PREVENTING LOWER BODY STRENGTH WORKOUT for RUNNERS
Circuit:
2-3 sets each unless specified below // Medium-Heavy weights + box/stair/bench
Box Jump Up + Depth Drop
3 x 5 / more advanced: 5 x 5
complete all of these first
Deadlift (your choice!)
3 x 8 / heavy weight
complete all of these before moving onto the circuit
Alternating HEAVY Lunges
6-12 Reps each leg X heavy weight
Single Leg Paloff Press with High Knee
12 Reps each side X medium resistance band / weight
Foot on Edge of Step Curtsey Lunge with Calf Raise
8-12 Reps ea leg X as weight only as needed
SEO SUBHEADER ACCOUNCING exercise explaination
Box Jumps + Deadlifts
I need you to use your imagination here...
THE SECRET: I want you to think about the family resemblance between the box jump and deadlift. Because that's why I paired them back-to-back.
With the box jump, you're obviously starting from a squat position and utilizing power to jump up. The depth drop, you're returning to that squat position but focused on absorbing load/impact. Cool-cool: squat city.
The deadlift, yes, is a different movement: a hinge. But the standard double leg deadlift also utilizes both legs.
The family resemblance: using 2 legs.
The difference: one is an explosive plyometric addressing tendon and ligament strength in addition to power-strength of the glutes and hamstrings. The other: still focusing on glutes and hamstrings, but in a heavy, loaded manner that provides the physiological stimuli to grow bigger, stronger muscles.
Alternating HEAVY Lunges
You know this one. So we'll make this speedy...
PRO TIP: while usually I make these walking lunges, I've found (personally), I can go heavier when I'm alternating which side is lunging.
Simple is ok. Simple and basic is still effective, as long as it still looks like running! Alternating lunges look a lot like our strides which naturally alternate sides.
But this version of the lunge allows you to spend more time focused on lifting HEAVY, with excellent form and control which you need if you're looking to hit all major muscle groups required for running on a time-budget.
Single Leg Paloff Press with High Knee
I've been playing around with for a while now...
THE REASON: I kept this one to myself for a hot minute because it requires either a cable machine (which most runner's don't have) OR a loooong resistance band (which more runners have than I anticipated).
This exercise is secretly spicy. I like paloff presses because of their anti-rotation core challenge; meaning, you have to fight the band to resist it pulling you towards wherever it's anchored. If you have a strong enough band, don't worry; you'll feel it. But if we want to get creative, make it look like running, and work as many muscles as possible, challenging their stability, this version does it!
By making this single leg with your opposite knee raised, it begins to look like your running stride. The anti-rotation (think: anti-twisty-fall-y) nature of this exercise challenges deep internal and external rotational stabilizers in your hips; very important for enduring long runs. By standing on one leg WITHOUT shoes, you ask your ankle and foot to join the party as their challenging to keep you balanced and upright! The exercise is the definition of working smarter, not harder. ;)
apologies for fancy editing here. But you get the gist :)
Foot on Edge of Step Curtsey Lunge with Calf Raise
Not an entirely new exercise here. And let me tell you why.
THE KEY: keeping with the theme of hitting all "major muscle groups in a short period of time", this exercise follows through. By standing on the edge of a step (holding on to something as needed for safety!), you engage your itty bitty intrinsic foot muscles. By dipping down into a mild curtsey lunge and traveling through the starting position into the calf raise, you work not only your major calf muscles, but you also continue to strengthen your feet and your posterior tib.
Added bonus, by focusing super hard on your form and working to keep your heel straight up and down, you also begin to strengthen the lateral ankle stabilizers (muscles that run along the outside of your ankle); something very important for runners who struggle with repeat ankle sprains.
WRAPPING UP
How to Build a Strength Circuit for Runners that Targets All the Major Muscle Groups
You have to get creative.
You could probably see I had a mix of more basic, traditional exercises in addition to some drwhittfit specials thrown in there. I like to make sure that one-and-done lower body strength workouts incorporates a squat and hinge exercise, but we can't forget about single leg strength EVER. While it can be done, trying to jam all of this ONE session can leave you legs a little spicier than maybe you'd like and...
You have to be willing for your workout to be a little longer.
Wanting to be done quickly with a strength circuit is understandable. However, resting between heavy lifts is MANDATORY. Without the appropriate amount of rest of 1-2 mins (sometimes longer!) you're actually sabotaging yourself. Your body physically needs the time to rest between heavy reps in order to build bigger, stronger muscles. If you race through your strength like you do your mile repeats, you end up NOT allowing your body to build muscle. You've inhibited the desired physiological stimuli and negated the results you're working so hard for. So if you feel you're never making progress with your strength workouts, try resting. ;)
Ideally, you have 2 strength days so you can split up exercises for more effective workouts.
In a perfect world, you're able to do two lower body days and maybe these two workouts are 25 mins each. 50 minutes split across a couple days isn't so time consuming! And it allows for more time to rest between sets/reps, more recovery time between running and strength workouts, and a less likely chance of you torching your legs so much in one leg day that you can't walk or run the next day. That being said...
This leg workout CAN be done!
I've done many similar to it and lived to tell the tale.
And voluntarily repeat them.
The points I want you take away from this:
plyometrics and single leg strength will never fail you
adjust workouts to your schedule, even if that means taking this exact circuit and splitting it up between 2 days.
don't underestimate how effective a short but running-specific strength program can be.
If you're looking for more runner-specific strength exercises to keep you injury free without eating up hours of your time, check out my FREE Strength Guide for Runners HERE.
Dare to Train Differently,
Marie Whitt, PT, DPT //@dr.whitt.fit
Comments