Running builds endurance. Strength training helps build the strength your body needs to handle the work that running requires.
Whether you're training for your first 5K, working toward a PR, or want to keep running for years to come, adding strength training to your routine can make a difference.
And you don't need to spend hours in the gym.
This free guide covers six foundational strength exercises every runner should know, along with practical information on how to use them as part of your training.
YOUR RUNNING DOESN'T NEED MORE MILES.
IT MAY NEED MORE STRENGTH.
Every time your foot hits the ground, your body has to absorb and produce force.
Your hips, glutes, hamstrings, calves, core, and other stabilizing muscles all have a job to do.
Strength training can help you:
BUILD LOWER BODY STRENGTH
DEVELOP
POWER
IMPROVE HIP & GLUTE STRENGTH
IMPROVE STABILITY & BALANCE
IMPROVE SINGLE-LEG CONTROL
HANDLE INCREASING TRAINING DEMANDS
WHAT'S INSIDE THE GUIDE?
6 STRENGTH EXERCISES EVERY RUNNER SHOULD KNOW
Learn which foundational movements can help you build strength for running and what each exercise works.
We're keeping the six exercises a surprise here. You'll find them inside the guide.
WHY SINGLE-LEG STRENGTH MATTERS
Running happens one leg at a time.
Learn why exercises that train each leg independently are an important part of a runner's strength program.
HOW TO FIT STRENGTH TRAINING INTO YOUR RUNNING
Two runners can have very different strength-training needs. Your mileage, race distance, training phase, recovery, and experience all matter.
Learn why your strength program shouldn't be exactly the same throughout your training.
5 COMMON STRENGTH-TRAINING MISTAKES
Are you only training the muscles you can see? Avoiding single-leg exercises? Going too heavy too soon?
The guide covers five common mistakes runners make when adding strength training to their routine.
A RUNNER'S STRENGTH WORKOUT
Once you know the exercises, how do you put them together?
The guide includes a simple strength session you can use as a starting point, including sets and reps for each exercise.
STRENGTH TRAINING SHOULD SUPPORT YOUR RUNNING
Adding strength training to an already busy running schedule takes some planning.
You don't want your strength workouts leaving your legs exhausted for your next run.
The guide explains how strength training can change during your base training, build phase, race preparation, and taper.
More training isn't always better. The goal is to train in a way that works with what you're already doing.
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WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR RUNNING?
Strength is one part of running performance. Knowing how your body performs and moves can give you more information to work with.
At Priority Fitness, the Performance Lab offers:
VO2 MAX TESTING
Measure your aerobic capacity and establish more precise heart-rate training zones.
RUNNING ANALYSIS
Use video-based analysis to look at your running gait and identify movement inefficiencies.
RMR TESTING
Find out how many calories your body burns at rest so you can use your individual numbers when planning nutrition.
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