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25
May

Strength Training for Running Performance

For most runners, their sole mode of training is running; at various speeds and intensities, various distances and with a variety of rest intervals. Occasionally there might be a massage or foam roller session thrown in there when they get sore or stiff, but this is generally sporadic.

Incorporating strength training into a sprinter’s (anywhere up to 400m-800m runners and hurdlers) program is common, but far less common with distance runners. Some runners have an aversion to strength training and believe that it can make them heavy, bulky, expensive (to fuel) or slow; and are unaware that strength training may offer some benefit to their running performance.

The distance runners who adopt strength training that I have witnessed usually do so following an injury. They were required to do some strength training as part of their rehabilitation, and discovered that it was beneficial to their performance, which helped them improve their run times when they resumed full training.

What is strength training?

Firstly, lets clarify exactly what strength (or resistance) training is. The image that comes to mind when many of us think of strength training is someone lifting extremely heavy weights. Perhaps they are lying down doing a bench press, squatting with a bar on their back, or twisted up like a pretzel on an awkward looking machine. The individual in this image is muscular, stiff and bulky; a far cry from the lean, athletic and fluid runners of the Olympics that we aspire to look like.

But what is strength training? Strength (or resistance) training involves you moving your body or limbs against a resistance to strengthen the muscles. These resistances can be very heavy bars and dumbbells; but can also be bands, bodyweight and gravity.

Similarly, strength training doesn’t have to be all about building muscle size either; it can be used to improve endurance, muscle strength (without size), power, stiffness, stability and also to lose fat.

To make any strength program work for you: the key is to match the exercises prescribed in the strength program to the demands of your running discipline, your injury history and the specifics of your running style. In other words – individuality is the key to success.

Why should runners strength train?

Let’s be clear about the role of strength training in a runner’s program – it is complimentary training. It is perhaps the most valuable complimentary training mode available to you, and is designed to ensure that you get more value from your running sessions. Adding a strength training component to a runner’s program will improve the following 3 areas.

1. Reduced energy leakage and efficiency with each stride – When a runner sets foot in the clinic to see me, it is often because they have been told “you need to strengthen your glutes” or “you need to improve your core strength”. Typically, they know they need to improve these areas, but they have no idea why.

When you hit the ground, the ground hits back. This force is known as a “Ground Reaction Force” (GRF). If you are renowned for overstriding, you will also experience an additional braking force called “Ground Friction Force” (GFF). Now, while it isn’t important that you remember these forces, you need to know that they are there and always trying to slow you down and sap your energy.

The quicker your ground contact time, the quicker you can apply force to the ground, the less time the GRF and GFF have to work against you and the more efficient your stride. Weak muscles around your trunk and pelvis (affectionately known as “the core” and “the glutes”) mean that the GRF and GFF are able to warp and contort your pelvis when your foot hits the ground. To overcome this pelvic collapse other muscles are required to generate (leak) extra force to get you off the ground for you next stride. The net result is that your ground contact time is longer and more force needs to be generated each step to keep you running.

2. Recruitment and contribution of key muscle groups – Some muscles are incredibly lazy. It is even more concerning if one of these “bludging” muscles is the largest muscle in the body – Gluteus Maximus. Its chief role is to extend your hip and drive your torso forward with each running stride. If it chooses to bludge, it leaves a huge hole and means other muscles must take up the slack. Two of the most common sights to pick up the slack are the quadriceps and lower back. Targeting Glute Max and other key bludgers with a strength program will help ensure that you get a more rounded contribution from all key driver muscles during your run, and reduce the intense fatigue that accompanies quadricep and lumbar overload.

3. Durability and injury resistance – Another problem that tends to accompany the overload caused by bludging muscle groups is injury. Overuse injuries in particular. It is common to see tendon injuries, bone stress, lumbar pain, knee pain, hip pain and calf/achilles pain occurring as a result of overload at that particular site. The answer may then come, rather than strengthening the already overloaded muscles, by targeting underactive bludgers with a strength training regime and forcing them to contribute to the running action.

How do we strength train for runners?

Individuality and specificity are the keys to an effective strength training regime. Specificity means making the program specific to running, requiring us to understand the specific mechanics and the loads the body is subjected to during each stride. Individuality means tailoring the program to the individual. Taking into account injury history, age, gender, musculoskeletal imbalances, biomechanics, technical issues and traits. Consequently, it is impossible to prescribe an effective program or exercises without studying the recipient, but I do have a few basic rules:

1. Running is a single leg sport – we run one leg at-a-time. Meaning that we express and absorb force on only one leg. Therefore, single leg exercises should form the majority of your program.

2. Master the basics – there are a few fundamental competencies that the human body needs to be able to achieve to be efficient and durable. It is essential that we can: squat, lunge, hinge, brace, rotate, push and pull with control, throughout full range, in all planes of movement. Prematurely adding weight or speed without having sound fundamentals will cause problems.

3. If you can’t land, don’t jump – if you are going to add any power or plyometric drills once you have mastered your fundamentals, prioritise your landings first.

4. Target your weaknesses – our tendency is to continue to work on our strengths. However, targeting your weak and bludging muscle groups, while initially very frustrating, is a guaranteed way to access some low hanging fruit. Start your exercises small/light and ensure that you can “feel” the targeted muscle contracting as you perform the exercise.

5. Not training to max – you don’t need to lift as heavy or complete as many reps as possible to obtain a benefit from a strength program. The unfortunate perception created by Crossfit is that “we are wasting our time if we are not training at the limit”. This could not be further from the truth – similar strength gains can be made by training at much lower intensities and without the risk of injury.

6. Hip strength is essential for girls – Hip strength and stability is important for everyone, but especially females. A wider pelvis in females induces greater loads in knees and lower limbs if the hips are weak.

7. Don’t forget your upper body – when running your actions above the belt are mirrored below the belt. Excessive torso rotation and rounded shoulders will cause technical inefficiencies in your foot strike, stance and hip drive. Make sure that a portion of your strength program targets your shoulder posture and gives you the ability to control torso rotation when running.

If you are a semi-serious runner looking for something to complement your running sessions, an individualised and run specific strength program is one of the best additions you can make to improve performance. Ensuring that you are “run strong” will reduce the amount of energy you waste with each step; allow you to train at higher loads and intensities without breaking down; and reduce the overload on quads, knees, calves, ankles and lower back by making sure that all driver muscles are sharing the load and contributing to push you forward with each step.

To learn more about Tim Cole visit http://www.opsmc.com.au/person/tim-cole/