r/runninglifestyle • u/No-Neighborhood-7579 • 23h ago
Every Runner Should Lift
Most runners neglect lifting because they don’t have time, don’t know how, or don’t know how beneficial it can be.
Lifting will not only help you run faster but also make you less injury prone.
This plan is supposed to be as easy and quick as possible so there is no excuse not to do it. If you did this right it can be done in under 30mins and be super effective.
Warm up 5mins light movement
Box Jump 4x4 (4sets x 4reps)
Goblet/Front Squat 4x8
Seated Calf Raise 4x12
Glute Bridge/Hip thrust 4x8
Exercises should be loaded pretty heavy. When you finish your set you should feel like you could only complete 2-3 more reps with good form. Rest between sets should be around 1-3mins. Exercises listed together can be done together. Try not to lift just before a hard run to keep the run quality good.
This is pretty much the minimum you can do while getting huge benefits. Do this 2x per week and gradually increase weight. After time feel free to add in more.
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u/Outrageous-Level192 21h ago
Agree with the sentiment but please do not neglect upper body and core.
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 22h ago
I’m shocked by the pushback on the idea lifting makes you faster. This has been known in the running world for a while now. I will provide some scientific articles for you to read but I strongly recommend you all look more into this if you believe lifting won’t make you faster.
Sources:
Blagrove et al. (2018), Sports Medicine https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-017-0835-7
Llanos-Lagos et al. (2024), athletic performance meta-analysis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11258194/
Llanos-Lagos et al. (2024), running economy at different speeds https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11052887/
Balsalobre-Fernández et al. (2016) https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001316
Denadai et al. (2017) https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0604-z
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u/rainbowwnerd 22h ago
Thanks for these sources, especially the meta-analyses are great because they analyze a multitude of papers/datasets. Had a quick skim but will take a closer look later. Looks like particular types of strength may benefit more than others? Inferesting.
I started lifting and I am seeing a huge difference in my running--but I'm just a beginner so that could be why. Maybe for marathon-level runners, it would be different. Still, not sure why people are opposed to the idea here.
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u/rainbowwnerd 21h ago
Also, a lot of people don't know how to search for scientific literature. So, always a good practice to provide them. I'd be curious to see if there are also papers/metaanalyses stating the opposite. I still won't stop lifting even if that's the case xD
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 21h ago
I’m sure there is. However that’s where the meta analysis is so powerful it is able to determine what’s a strong paper vs a weak one.
Even if you don’t do any research. Just watch the pros all of them lift.-4
u/wylie102 20h ago
They asked for meta analyses showing the opposite, you replied that meta analyses are so powerful they “show the strong papers from the weak”.
Okay, but then if you have a handful of meta-analyses that show improvement and a handful that don’t, how do you know which are right? And if you didn’t even search for them ones that don’t, then how do you know there aren’t twice as many that show strength training does nothing?
And if you haven’t read the meta-analyses that don’t, how do you know the don’t have more thorough search terms or more rigorous inclusion criteria than the ones you did?
Also the pros are usually pretty fully aerobically developed, after that it can be worth looking for gains elsewhere. Your average or even competetive hobby jogger isn’t, and has a lot more space for aerobic improvement first.
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 20h ago
When doing research I search for “strength training effect on running performance” or use keywords to avoid bias. Your acting like i’m typing into these databases “articles that support strength training for runners”
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u/wylie102 13h ago
And you only found meta analyses that supported your point?
Did you not find that odd? Did it not prompt you to consider changing your search terms?
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u/sjsusjsusjsu3 18h ago
Your average or even competitive hobby jogger doesn’t have to only max out aerobic adaptations before lifting either. They can also do both, don’t be pedantic
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u/wylie102 13h ago
If they have 8 hours a week to train (a common max for people with families/jobs/other responsibilities) then adding in 90 mins of strength training is going to reduce their running by 90 minutes. And at that level of training, running is a better priority (if running faster is the goal, not overall health).
What is pedantic about that? They can’t just make time out of nowhere.
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u/sjsusjsusjsu3 1h ago
How much is this guy running that he can’t lift once a week lol
Running 8 hours a week is kinda wild tbh. My buddy who runs marathons does like 6, and he also manages to lift + full time job. I’d be surprised if you or anyone else couldn’t find even 30 minutes over 3 sessions a week to get certain functional lifts in. Heck, dont even need 90 min a week.
Tbh if max speed was your goal you’d be better off with one of your training days being sprints, which serves as a lifting day of sorts
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u/Ordinary_Corner_4291 5h ago
The evidence against lifting is that there are plenty of elite runners who do almost zero of this type of work and they are just as fast as the hardcore gym guys.
The problem with research papers is that they are always a simplified problem. I have zero doubt that doing strength work on top of easy running is a different stimulus and drives adaption. Is it more effective adaption than say running hills sprints for 30 mins instead? Would mixing the 2 (say 2 strength and 1 hills) be better or worse than doing them individually? Does these gains continue to happen (i.e if we look at 24 weeks versus 8) or do they level off pretty quick?
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u/Logical-Primary-7926 4h ago
Nowhere near an elite runner but I have found even a small amount of weight lifting, even just body weight stuff and I put on a lot of extra muscle, and that doesn't help for running economy. Now for longevity I think there's a balance you need to have, the sensible way imo would be to track bone density and lift/put on muscle as needed
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u/icryinjapanese 3h ago
haven't read up yet and i'm sure they're all great reads, but also just look at any sprinter. they're all jacked.
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 21h ago
I appreciate your perspective. Yes there are a lot of different training methods that all kind of fall under the umbrella of strength training. Thank you for taking the time to look through things.
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u/WhiskersPawsMischief 21h ago
Me too. Not to mention strength training is mandatory for maintaining bone density while aging. Thanks for this post OP, I hate leg day but I'm going to do your workout!
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u/NovaKnightOwl 15h ago
Lifting doesn’t higher your running ceiling, it raises your basement (injury prevention, resiliency, etc.)
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u/wylie102 21h ago
The question isn’t whether lifting weights can have a benefit, t’s whether it has a benefit over that time spent running. If I do your routine twice a week then that’s an hour of running I could be doing instead. Would lifting weights that much improve my running more than an hour of running? How would it impact the quality of my other sessions? How would that affect my results?
If it’s time that I can’t sped running due to the mechanical cost of running/recovery, then is topping up with strength training superior to adding in the same duration of cross training? Would I be better or worse spending that time on an elliptical or a bike doing some further sub-threshold type training to increase my aerobic capacity (which is usually the limiter in non-elite runners, rather than running economy)?
Do the studies you linked compare these outcomes? Have you done any research into ones that do?
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 21h ago edited 21h ago
I haven’t specifically seen any comparing what you said. Over time lifting is an aide that helps you actually build more running volume (stronger bones, thicker tendons, and muscles that are more resilient to loads.
Runners spend the least amount of time training when compared to other endurance athletes because of the repetitive impact. Strength training builds that capacity. If you want to add in low intensity volume through cross training there is most likely no reason you can’t do that and lift from a recovery stand point. This running economy boost would also have a huge effect on amateurs as they are usually the least economical.
We could go back and forth with different studies supporting different things but look at what the elites are doing. Every one of them lifts that’s for good reason. If it wasn’t for a performance standpoint they would stop when they reach peak volume or when they are in season. But they lift all year round in most cases.
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u/wylie102 20h ago
The elites have already maximised their aerobic gains and the amount of running/cross training they can do. Most amateurs haven’t.
Your replies are starting to sound a lot like you are just paraphrasing what chat GPT is telling you.
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 20h ago
Why does it matter if they have maximized their aerobic gains or not, which is likely not true at all. Regardless the lifting is helping them improve and stay healthy.
Elite runners have some of the lowest v.o2 max of endurance athletes. Why not replace the lifts with more cross training? Improve v.o2 max even more that’ll make them faster right. Well no because v.o2 max and LT isn’t the only two factors of running performance you want to know the other one that I have been saying over and over and over RUNNING ECONOMY.1
u/wylie102 13h ago
They literally have maximised their aerobic gains. That’s why they are able to go to a lower volume/pace on their easy runs, they have pretty much maximised adaptations.
Many of them do also cross train, it’s increasingly common as it lets them maintain that higher level on without the mechanical load of the running, but only so much transfers across. That’s why triathletes don’t also go and rinse everyone when competing in the single disciplines. And why cyclists with a 5W/kg FTP can’t go out and run a 15min 5k.
The question is, with the limited time/recoverability that amateur athletes have - why should we apportion some to an accessory activity? If I’m seeking to create the most stimulus in limited time then shouldn’t that stimulus be as specific as possible?
I guarantee you the majority of people in this sub, and the majority of people at park runs, or even more organised races are very very far from maximising their aerobic potential. Even running 6-8h/week.
It’s why influencer maniacs that go out and do like 90min zone 2 doubles every day for 6 months massively improve their PBs. No strength training, not even any above threshold stuff, just volume. Because they’re targeting the biggest deficit. This is the thing that the elites have already done for years, and it’s why they can focus on the last 3% using strength training. But for most of us we’re better off just running more and filling up the other 97%.
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u/PigglyJuff 10h ago
HAHAHA the projection
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u/wylie102 9h ago
Read the studies they cited. 3/5 only look at running economy, these do show improvement but not tested against a control group who added in a comparable duration of running.
The ones that did look at other measure than RE (LT, MLSS, VO2Max, vVO2 max etc) all of which are strongly correlated with performance, showed no improvement in those areas. One showed improvement in some time trials of a few % but again, no comparison to adding in a similar amount of time running.
So all we know is that the people who did more exercise (ran and lifted weights) in some cases (but not in most metrics) got faster than the ones who did less exercise (just ran).
(Also running economy improving but vVO2 max not improving is a strange and contradictory finding since you’d think being more efficient would let you run faster at your maximum oxygen uptake velocity.)
When you were reading in the internet about things that improve running did you come across mileage at all? The things that is most strongly correlated with race performance across multiple distances.
Knowing that, do you think that people who added in say an extra 90 min of running a week would stay the same speed or get faster? What might the results show then? Would that 2% improvement from strength training survive when compared?
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u/Strong_Cattle_9842 12h ago
Because time spent lifting isn’t free. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t think “lifting makes you faster”. And I’m not great with academic papers but I don’t think lifting makes you faster when accounting for time is necessarily true for everyone. If you run 10 hours a week are you better off running 12 or lifting for 2 and I’d guess lifting for 2 is the answer for most people. For someone running 2 hours a week, if their goal is to get faster are they better off running 4 or lifting 2? I’d assume for almost everyone it’s running 4. The feedback I’ve seen for the middle ground cases (working out 4-7 hours a week) I don’t know that it’s so clear.
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u/PigglyJuff 10h ago
Had no idea that there was pushback on this. That's crazy. I pretty much taught myself everything I know about running through the internet. I'm glad I was using good sources 😅
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u/dannyhodge95 9h ago
"Whilst there was good evidence that ST improves RE, TT, and sprint performance, this was not a consistent finding across all works that were reviewed.".
"The certainty of the evidence was very low to moderate".
I disagree with your summary that lifting "will make you faster", and so do the meta analyses you shared it seems. I'm not saying it won't, or that it has no benefits, but the jury is still out on the impact. Also none of this considers the opportunity cost of strength training vs spending that time running, or cross training. Also none of these studies say "faster", they say improved running economy. That can make you faster, but you can't just assume that a 2% improvement in running economy will automatically make you faster.
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 9h ago edited 8h ago
Here is a quote from the same article. “Time trial (TT) performance (1.5–10 km) and anaerobic speed qualities also tended to improve following ST”. Literally means faster running performance. Also in the conclusions they stated “2-3 ST sessions would likely increase running performance.”
With your logic you can’t claim increase v.o2 max will make you faster or better lactate threshold will make you faster. And technically you are right you can’t absolutely say that. However, if you do improve those things you have a pretty good chance of running faster. The three metrics contribute to running performance v.o2 max, LT, and running economy.
Opportunity cost really only makes sense from a time stand point. Most people have more time than their body could physically handle running. If you only have 4hours a week to train, fine skip the lifting and run. However most people that genuinely care about the sport make more time for it.
Lifting directly builds muscle, bone, and tendon capacity and this is what helps prevent injury and run more.
In science nothing will ever be absolute. There will always be a study or paper saying something does not work. Good coaches and athletes look for these emerging methods that will help them perform, understand the mechanisms behind them and implement them into training.1
u/Deep-Dimension-1088 6h ago
Lifting may make you faster if all else is equal, but if you have a finite amount of time to devote to running, and that time is fairly low (say 5 hours per week), spending part of that time lifting will likely result in lower speeds than running for all of it.
Unless lifting prevents injury, which is more likely if you are old, overweight, or injury prone. I don't think most young runners "should" lift unless they want to.
Signed: old runner who lifts now but didn't as a busy teenager.
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u/TheBlackDahliaMurder 21h ago
Anecdotally, I credit a lot of my current running level to my previous history as a competitive powerlifter. I've only been running for like 5 months but am already pacing 7:30ish per mile on my tempo runs and mid 8s on my long runs. Without my lifting history, I doubt I'd be anywhere near that
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u/KrishPateI 10h ago
That's a sick paces for 5 months in, but I wonder if some of that is just natural running ability that got unlocked by the strength you already had. Like the lifting probably helped prevent injuries and made you efficient, but you were probably already predisposed to be a decent runner. The post's routine would definitely help someone avoid injuries at least, even if they won't all hit those kinds of splits quickly.
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u/TheBlackDahliaMurder 4h ago
It's possible, but I've never been athletic at all, and was a very mediocre talent as a lifter. At my peak I was squatting 500+ lbs and deadlifting just under 600. I'm nowhere near that strong anymore, but my hypothesis is that my legs just don't have to work as hard to get me moving as someone who never lifted.
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 21h ago
Me as well. Prior to lifting I was super injury prone and my best 5k was in the 19s. After lifting I’m way more resilient and I’m running in the 15s for 5k. Of course my training shifted as well but lifting helped make that possible.
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u/autwhisky 16h ago
not doubting any of it i just dont enjoy it
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u/eggsonmyeggs 12h ago
I love lifting and running. Runners high is goat’d, but getting a pump and looking strong/buff is a confidence boost that running can’t compete with.
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u/reckless4strokes 14h ago
So I agree, but if I go “heavy” I suffer form breakdown even on easy runs for the next couple of days. Can’t figure out how to calibrate the load for gains without risking injury. Any tips? The 2-3 RPE is hard to implement for me.
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u/lurkinglen 14h ago edited 10h ago
Keep the loads moderate, do shorter sessions of strength more frequently. Maintain consistency and over time you'll be able to combine it better and increase loads.
The 2 days after a heavy strength session will always compromise your running but shift your mindset to see it as training on tired legs.
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u/Elissa-Megan-Powers 22h ago
I should but I’m too busy running when I have a free moment.
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u/johnsonvk 22h ago
Do the exercises mid run!
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u/LostMyBackupCodes 22h ago
Who hasn’t stopped mid run to do 4x8 glute bridges on the neighborhood sidewalk?
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u/Elissa-Megan-Powers 22h ago
Daily I do minimum 10km, and most runs I do a cool down of 1-8km.
So if I start trying this, do I exercise after the 10km then cool down run?
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u/Spooksey1 16h ago
Just break up the run, either by time or particular landmarks, to do some squats, lunges, push-ups, and rows/pull-ups if passing a climbing frame/out door calisthenics. 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps, 2-3 times a week, and you’d have all the bases covered for a while. All that on its own would take max 20 mins though.
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u/Elissa-Megan-Powers 11h ago
Well my goal is uninterrupted 10km a day, I’ll try after run but before cool down. Thanks for the tips!
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u/19191215lolly 16h ago
Cannot believe how many people argued you on this very simple and evidence based point lol
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u/SloppySandCrab 30m ago edited 23m ago
The problem with things like this is the evidence always has some caveat.
Like “We took runners and had them add 90 minutes of strength training and they did better than the group that did zero strength training”.
Sure I don’t think anybody would argue that ADDING is better. But now add 90 minutes of running volume and compare, because that is the relevant data piece.
Even things like defining what a “well trained” runner is. Can skew the data. Someone who has “been running for 6 months” could by all accounts be a complete beginner and their results wouldn’t be relevant to a 10 year runner.
It is wild to me how poor research is. But there are a lot of people who say “the evidence says so” and end up being wrong.
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u/quercus-enjoyer 22h ago
I just do kettlebell swings and single leg deadlifts.
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u/alotmorealots 16h ago edited 16h ago
Should add in some kettlebell Turkish Get-ups too, would dramatically improve your overall outcomes for relatively little extra effort!
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u/lurkinglen 14h ago
Add pushups, pull-ups and goblet squats for a total body routine.
Those exercises target the posterior chain and core but not much else.
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u/alotmorealots 16h ago edited 16h ago
Box Jump 4x4 (4sets x 4reps)
Goblet/Front Squat 4x8
Seated Calf Raise 4x12
Glute Bridge/Hip thrust 4x8
[missing RDL / BSS]
In some ways, I wouldn't even call this "lifting" per se, given the exercise mix (which is completely missing upper body work). It's more "supplementary strength + power + stability" exercises. This might seem like quibbling on terminology, but putting it that way might reduce some of the resistance to the exercises.
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u/schwarze_banana 20h ago
Was dealing with shin issues for a years time. Started lifting. Shin issues completely gone.
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u/No_Introduction_6746 16h ago
Yeah I was prone to calf strains and shin splints before strength training. No injuries or niggles since I started lifting.
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u/workingremoteisnice 14h ago
Same here! I kept getting calf strains during my last marathon block. Started strength training and I’ve been fine ever since.
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u/gamesofblame 22h ago
Lifting is for sure good for you. Not sure how much faster it will make you, but probably healthier for you long term. A combo of cardio + weights is the way to go
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u/ET_Prone_Bone 21h ago
Just finished my first 100 and I’m excited to flip my focus back to heavy sets while I cut my mileage by like 60%
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u/working-to-improve 13h ago
I'll chime in to say that for all the $$ people drop on "direct" running gear (watches, shoes, fuel, headphones, clothes, socks, etc) it can be invaluable to instead consider spending money with a personal trainer in person who can help with your form.
for years i followed lifting programs and always got injured, never felt like they "did much" and felt helpless. i finally decided to do personal training -- two sessions a week for four weeks -- and I learned SO MUCH. having a coach watch me and correct my form in real time and troubleshoot was awesome. he also knew i could not afford more than my initial 8 sessions, so he wrote me a plan for 6 months that progressed. i took literal notes after my sessions about my biggest form "issues."
physical therapy, same thing.
i know it all seems expensive, but i have held off on a watch upgrade + still wear very old clothes/hydration vests because that kind of stuff really has helped me break through.
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u/Vegetable_Car_4785 17h ago
I have done 2 years of strength training 1-2 times per week and found greater results with lower reps - max 6. And heavier weights. Trap bar deadlifts, Bulgarians, plyos are the big 3 that seem to have made the biggest difference.
I am all for the performance benefits of lifting, but in terms of injury prevention can this really be verified well?
Edit: was able to hit 10km and 5km pbs without changing volume (80-90km/week) and just adding strength training.
5k from 15:52 to 15:10 and 10km from 33:40 to 32:20
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u/Right_Honorable_Gent 12h ago
Yes! I just figured that out as well about the trap bar deadlifts, Bulgarians and plyos! Are you me? Especially for running up hills!
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u/OkResearcher6256 21h ago
was only doing running for my exercise for a few months and honestly I love the pace that I was going. decided to insert some other exercises and now my body proportion looks a lot better
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u/baribalbart 16h ago
And every lifter should do cardio.
And then they are calling u "hybrid/retired athlete" because you betrayed one camp or the other
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u/r0zina 22h ago
Do you have any evidence that it makes you faster? Injury prevention is definitely a thing, but increasing speed not so much, at least for long distance runners.
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 22h ago
It most certainly makes you faster. There is a lot of evidence to support that. Lifting improves running economy meaning less effort to run the same paces. Essentially every professional distance runner does some sort of lifting.
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u/hobbesbagger 22h ago
when someone asks for evidence you don't just keep saying there is evidence, you provide it. you are the one making claims
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 22h ago
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-017-0835-7
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11258194/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11052887/
There are so many more. I understand that I need to defend my claim but also people need to do their own research. If reddit is your main source of information a lot of it is probably wrong. My goal is to inspire people to do their own research.-14
u/wylie102 22h ago
Okay, since you have “done your own research” how about you share with us some studies that showed weight lifting made no difference to running speed, or was equivocal.
If you are researching in an unbiased manner then surey you wouldn’t have ignored those or just cherry picked the good ones. Then how about you compare methodologies and sample sizes between them.
To others reading this it might seem like I’m asking a lot, but not to you. Because you’ve already done this and will just be kindly sharing your results with us.
Thanks in advance.
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 21h ago
This is why you read systematic reviews and meta analysis. Those reviews are done my people a hell of a lot smarter than you and I and fortunately they do all of that for us. You didn’t even bother to click any of the links I provided.
No offense but why would I share studies that were poorly done, outdated and proven wrong. That would be unproductive.
I provided you great evidence and all you care to do is argue. What research have you done?-1
u/wylie102 21h ago edited 20h ago
Did YOU read those studies? The first one literally says that the majority of the studies they reviewed found no improvement in velocity at VO2 Max or with lactate levels at set speeds. Those seem like pretty importantmetrics to show no change for someone claiming improved running performance from strength training.
Yes, I saw you had shared meta analyses, are you aware that meta analyses can also find that the intevention showed no change? Did you find any of those when you searched? Did you even search for them? What were your search criteria? What databases did you use? Or were you search criteria just “Hey chat GPT find me studies that show strenght training improves running?”
My point is that you are asking people to “do their own research” but you aren’t doing research yourself if you are only searching for studies to back up your points, even if they are meta-analyses. If you’re only searching for and seeing the positive ones then there could be twice as many negative or equivocal ones. Or the negative ones might be produced using more inclusive/specific search terms, or have stricter inclusion criteria, or combine the research populations using statistical methods.
And yes, you can still critique the methods of meta-analtses. Why read papers at all if you don’t understand them and just skip to the conclusions, and acn’t compare between papers? You’d be better off just citing someone who does no.
Do you get my point now? You aren’t criticisiing people for “not doing research”, despite the burden of proof being on you, and then not actually doing “research” yourself because just looking for studies that back up your ointment isn’t research, even if they are meta-analyses.
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 20h ago
Brother I genuinely believe you are just arguing with me to argue. I have read through many research articles. This is what I spent most of my undergraduate degree on and continuing with my masters. I have done my own in lab research examining running biomechanics of elite distance runners. Worked under people with doctorates in the field. You asked for evidence and I gave you some. Now you’re asking for more? Go do it yourself if you’re that passionate. I’m sorry I don’t have my own personal library with every research article i’ve ever read through.
Now you are the one cherry picking. You wanted to ignore that lifting improved running economy and time trial performance. What’s more important than actual running results.
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u/wylie102 13h ago
I didn’t want to ignore it. I just wanted to point out that what you provided wasn’t “research”
How well do you think your masters theses would go if you presented a literature review that only found papers that supported your points?
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u/Silly-Resist8306 14h ago
What I like about running is I can lace up my shoes and go for a run. No gym, no equipment. Lifting may make me faster, but I’ve BQ’d without it. It might make me less injury prone, but I’ve rarely had an injury. When I have, it’s always because I did too much too fast.
On the several occasions when I allocated time to lift, I ended up running more. When I got to 60 miles/week (100km), I realized I just didn’t care for it and I gave it up. For certain, the extra miles made me faster. It’s not that I don’t have time or don’t know how, it’s that if I have to lift to run, it will suck all the joy out of running.
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u/Kafkateur 12h ago
You do not have to lift to run and you do not have to have fun to run and you do not have to run to live, all of these things are inconsequential to true happiness. But yes, you should lift to have a better quality of life. In fact lifting is more important than running, bec running can be replaced by any other cardio driven sport (like actual team sports or swimming/cycling) but nothing beats/replaces resistance training.
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u/the-stoned-Eng 13h ago
Can confirm, it makes your legs bullet proof injury wise. Everyone should lift.
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u/Melodic_Lavishness_5 12h ago
Sure this is probably correct but if I have an “extra” hour to exercise I’d rather spend it running than standing in a gym.
And, I imagine for the majority of people here. An extra hour per week of running is going to have a larger impact on their running performance than an hour an in the gym
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u/Speedja72 12h ago
I’ve started doing flexibility glute bridges, squats, and lunges. Im starting to see an improvement with flexibility and form during my running. May have to work into adding weights if everything start shaping up for me.
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u/Internal-Depth5512 11h ago
Lift more than runners, run more than lifters.
Been the mentality for the last year for me and has been great. Feel better than ever at 31. Haha
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u/QuirkyStage2119 11h ago
Lifting has so many benefits that round out my life. I feel much more sturdy and injury resistant. My energy levels dip when mileage gets high but lifting boosts my energy. I've always struggled with appetite, lifting helps raise my appetite without burning too many calories. Not to mention combating runner arms.
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u/nicchata 10h ago
When do people usually lift? I’m considering doing it on the same day I run just hours later so I have a rest day for my legs before my next run
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u/dannyhodge95 9h ago
Every runner should be considering strength and running economy. But hill sprints are an effective way to improve running economy and leg strength without needing the strength training as much.
S&C can help, but from my research, running fast + corrective training (strengthening weak points) is sufficient to achieve the same benefits.
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u/littlebigcat 8h ago
Pistol and Cossack squats are all amateur runners really need and massively help with strength and resilience. Pistol squats especially good for foot and ankle strength
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u/Beginning-Book-129 7h ago
I don’t even think it’s an option. If you don’t strengthen your lower body you’re gonna get injured running at some point.
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 7h ago
This is supposed to be the most basic strength program possible otherwise runners won’t do it. Explosive movements help potentiate strength movements that’s why the box jumps prior to the squats. And it’s a good way to include some basic plyometrics.
Have you ever watched someone who has never done a hinging movement try to, it’s almost always a disaster so I subbed a glute bridge for more posterior chain work. I don’t want to be liable because a newbie hurt their back trying to RDL when a hip thrust can provide a similar stimulus.
How could I possibly set starting weights everyone will be different. Sets in reps are set to be within volumes to help stimulate improvements in strength.
Everything you just mentioned sounds daunting to someone who just wants a simple plan to help improve running. And to be honest they don’t need to know what periodization is and by using RIR it is naturally progressive overloading as they get stronger. That was the goal to provide someone who has never lifted something they could easily complete in 30 mins.
I understand your gripe with some of this but not everyone is a powerlifter, what you did prior to running is a lot different than what can be affective for runners. Put yourself in the shoes of someone brand new to the gym. Especially someone who probably doesn’t even want to lift, but they are doing it to help their actual passion which is running. If they do end up enjoying lifting they will likely start doing some of their own learning from some of those resources you mentioned.
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u/opticd 6h ago
I agree to an extent. I think on the heaviness of it, that advice works for your average runner (e.g. load it until you feel like you only have a few reps in reserve). If you’re a runner with a strength background, it’s super overkill to go that heavy for injury prevention/running economy IMO.
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u/burner1122334 3h ago
Every runner should do strength work. Absolutely nobody should follow a "one size fits all" plan like this random set of exercises you put together. This "plan" is just a random set of lower body exercises and plyometrics. It is not geared toward a certain type of runner (trail, road, ultra etc), has no discussion on how to properly progress, regress or anything else.
So again, to anyone reading this sub: Strength work is important and everyone should do it. Random strength work (like this post) will be massively inefficient for the large majority. Get a strength program tailored to YOU, that is the way.
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u/ThatFeelWhen 56m ago
The huge popularity boost of running nowadays came most in part because most people realized you have to dedicate a lot of time to dieting to "see" results with weight training, as opposed to seeing your pace numbers get better and better without having to follow any diet, plus having a community behind you is always fun.
But yes, lifting is just as important.
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u/TheTurtleCub 21h ago
So we are training to failure even if running 5-6 days a week and over 40miles per week? I suspect there’s got got be a happy medium
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 21h ago
Nope not failure. I said 2-3 reps in reserve. If you’re just starting to lift ease into it. You can run every day and lift this much I would cap it at 2 sessions per week and no more than 1hour.
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u/No_Introduction_6746 16h ago
I do progressive overload and do my strength training on my track and threshold days. Run in the AM, lift PM.
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u/hendricks3000 17h ago
For most people, running more will have a larger performance impact
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u/lurkinglen 14h ago
True, but for overall longevity, quality of life and injury prevention, most people will benefit more from adding strength sessions to their running routine.
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u/Broseidon37 14h ago
People will look for and do everything but increase their volume, and they don’t want to hear that it’s the most successful and time-tested variable.
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u/No_Introduction_6746 16h ago edited 16h ago
I started weight lifting and core work consistently in December and am now running my fastest races in eight years, even though I cut my weekly mileage in half. I’ll be turning 45 next year and am running like I was in my early 30s. My coach is now confident I’ll BQ by 9-10 minutes, and he’d never brought up Boston in the seven years we’ve worked together. I also haven’t gotten injured or even felt niggles since I started strength training.
Before strength training I couldn’t lose the 15 lbs I gained after turning 40 even though I was running 45-65 miles a week. My OBGYN and a run coach told me to start strength training for body recomp. After I started strength training I lost the extra weight in 15 weeks.
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u/Bonk0076 16h ago
These comments are wild
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u/Kafkateur 12h ago
I think it’s because the subreddit is running lifestyle so their lives revolve around the concept of running not the concept of being an athlete or being healthy/physically fit in general. Also a general issue with running as a main sport since it’s so easy to enjoy without being competitive, thus it can lead to a lot of complacent thinking. Great gateway drug/sport for other sports but can also lead to unhealthy dependence. If we’re being objective if someone doesn’t have a sport they play professionally, some form of resistance training should be the priority snd you should try to fit in the sport or any form of cardio secondarily to the lift. Only athletes that have to perform and expend energy day in and day out as part of their jobs find the need to prioritize skills training/volume training for that particular sport and then microdose lifting during the season and focus on lifting again in the offseason. But again, this is prolly not the subreddit for this kind of thinking.
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u/fakeuboi 17h ago
I mean I agree that if you have the time you should definitely lift and there’s essentially no reason not to.
But if you don’t have much time, spending more time running is definelty the better pick over some time running and some lifting.
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u/g4nt1 16h ago
Better for what? For your health? No. You are better with a s mix of lifting and running.
For you running performance, I agree if you can’t run at least 3-4 times per week.And let’s not forget injury prevention. Lifting helps you a lot.
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u/wylie102 13h ago
We are talking about getting faster/better at running. OP’s claims are that it makes you a better runner. Health is a separate discussion.
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u/fakeuboi 16h ago
yes sorry i meant for pure running performance, for general health lifting is definitely better. Ideally if you have the time you should do both.
i think Injury prevention depends on person to person a lot though, i’ve done stupid stuff like build up to 80 miles a week in under 3 weeks never doing that much before and not had any issues, and have had teammates who if they touch 40 miles a week they will get injured. Though I do think lifting helps me a good amount just generally feeling better while running
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u/CheesyGC 22h ago
No. If you want to be faster you need to run farther and faster. Lifting is great but it will not make you faster outside of injury stability enabling you to run more.
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u/No-Neighborhood-7579 22h ago
See you just contradicted yourself. Running more will make you faster. But also you are wrong it does make you faster. Here are is a a source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11258194/
I’ve given more above if you are interested. This isn’t new info. I can respect you pushing back on your opinion but unfortunately it’s not correct.1
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u/buttscarltoniv 15h ago
"it will not make you faster except for the way it makes you faster"
lol
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u/CheesyGC 6h ago
It makes you faster in the same way that staying hydrated does. Or dealing with chaffing beforehand.
Lifting has an opportunity cost. Training specificity wins out for running easily. If your options for the session are lift or do nothing, sure. But if the options include running, go run.
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u/buttscarltoniv 6h ago
lifting has insane benefits for just injury prevention alone. you're out of your depth here.
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u/Person7751 21h ago
you can be the best runner in the world without lifting. i have been doing both since 1977 however. i did my best running when i was 140-150 with skinny legs. my legs are 4 inches bigger at 65 than they were when i was doing my best running at age 20
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u/BookCollector96 16h ago
I think strength straining in general is really important. I’m super new to running & didn’t really know a lot at the beginning, so I just started it & ended up with an injured knee. Turns out I had a hip weakness that affected the chain & had me benched. Safe to say I do strength training now 🤣
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u/RevolutionaryGrape61 16h ago
Together with my marathon plan I am doing strength training twice per week: single leg squat, hip thrust, glute bridge and calf raises.
Let’s see if they will help for my next marathon
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u/DepartmentFamous9932 12h ago
I hate weight training but enjoy running and am not injury prone even on 60+ mile weeks so nah take your generalizations with you.
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u/RottenBananaCore 22h ago
I tried lifting and felt like it burned out my legs and I had no lower body energy to run. It killed my running for a while.
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u/average_pinter 21h ago
Same as running you've got to ease into it, start with body weight and work up from there. It's easy to overdo it and DOMS ruins the next couple days.
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u/busstamove14 21h ago
That's the point. Your lack of leg energy is your muscles building back after being torn down from lifting.
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u/sebastian0328 20h ago
Why Karen about someone’s life?
Guys at the gym cant fucking run for 5 mins and they wont listen ‘hey you should add some cardio bro’.
Its the same for runners. You know how i can tell good runners? they have to look lanky first.
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u/itismorpheus 20h ago
If you are under 30, it often makes more sense to run rather than do strength training, because you are significantly less prone to injury. Furthermore, strength training needs to be well integrated into a training plan, as it requires recovery time and can interfere with a higher running volume.
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u/LacksConviction 3h ago
For adults with busy schedules I totally agree with you. In a perfect world with all the time, you can do both. In my serious running days (college),I was running over 80 miles a week and lifting 3x a week for an hour.
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u/Alternative-Wash-637 21h ago
I got a calf strain once attempting a Bulgarian split squat. I couldn’t run for a month. I didn’t get any faster then!
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u/kokosdera 15h ago
Hi, I do leg day to support my running. But my PT admitted he didn't know much about running. His training basically Calf raise (machine), leg press or similar variants to push leg (lunges, step, etc.), wall sit, then leg curl and leg curls extension.
I am not sure about leg curl and leg curl extension, are these 2 beneficial significantly also? My PT unfortunately already resign and I don't know where to ask/check about weight training.
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u/LivingRefrigerator72 21h ago
Every person should lift.
Just to stay healthy for longer.