by Thomas Mayne

Created on: August 13, 2009   Last Updated: January 05, 2010

Strength conditioning can play a vital role in aiding a runner reach peak performance. Stronger muscles will result in of the explosive power required for sprinters to reach those high speeds and will strengthen and support your joints, essential for long-distance endurance runners to aid in avoiding injury. Therefore at least two weights' sessions a week are recommended to achieve optimal conditioning for your legs. These sessions should be matched to your fitness goals, you won't be lifting in the same way if you are seeking to improve your 100 meters' time or if you are planning to enter the London marathon.

For long distance runners, muscular endurance can be improved upon by undertaking resistance training to the tune of 12-15 repetitions for 3-4 sets. They should focus on making the movements as slow and controlled as possible to maximise the effort each muscle exerts. Exercises such as Barbell Squats, Weighted Lunges and calf raises will serve to strengthen your muscles and your supporting joints. In fact many of the injuries acquired by long distance running, such as ITBS (Illio-Tibial Band Syndrome) can be prevented through adequate resistance training. Not only this but the benefits to your core strength are beneficial to your overall fitness as you abdominal muscles are activated each time you undertake compound movements such as squats or weighted lunges.

Sprinters conversely want to lift heavy weights. This is to build the powerful explosive muscles required for the sport. Their workouts should play out at around 5 sets of 5 repetitions of each exercise, with a heavy weight. To mimic the explosive power of sprinting each rep should be done in what is known as the ballistic style. That is a really slow negative phase; say the downward motion in the squat, followed by an explosive effort upwards. Excellent moves for sprinters include: Squats, Power Clean and Jerks and Power Snatches. These are all compound movements which activate multiple muscle groups within the body and will mimic the cooperation between the muscles that must occur during sprinting.


Overall weight training will provide an immense benefit to your running should you decide to include it in your weekly regime.

The only other point to mention is that it will be necessary to warm up adequately before undertaking any new exercise to avoid injury. Stretch off extensively especially if you are about to perform some heavy lifting. A good warm up both increases the heart rate and readies the specific muscle group for the work ahead. A 10 minute slow jog followed by stretching and 2 sets of 15 squats with no bar should suffice.

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