Strength and Running

I have been hearing from several athletes "Why do I need to strength train? Isn't this a running group and that should be enough? Right?"

Yes and No.

If you have ever run long distances or even a fast 5-10K what is the first thing that hurts the next day other than your legs (quads, hamstrings, calves, shins)? Your back (lower/upper), shoulders, arms, and hips...so more or less a total body ache. So why is this?

Running is a total body experience needing all muscles to work in synchronicity for optimal performance...arms move forward/backward, shoulders back, body upright and over hips, balancing on one leg at a time. And doing all of this for a period of 20 minutes to 4 hours. So lets look at a daily workout and the reason why we perform each section.

Running : for cardiovascular endurance and getting the body ready for pace.

Push-Ups/Squats : total body conditioning.

Core/Balance : keep you in an upright position and to strengthen lower extremities.

Interval Training : condition the body for strength and endurance, targeting large muscle groups and dynamic movements.  Preferably done in an HIIT method.

Most of the exercises in these workouts work to improve your midsection (core) even though you are doing a push up, a box jump, thruster, or even a lunge. This is important because once your core breaks down...you walk!

You can just run and be very successful. I started out just running...building endurance and pushing distance. But once I accomplished this, I worked on trouble spots that would hurt after the run, mostly hips and upper back, so I could go faster and not be as sore the next day.

Can you pick and choose...sure. I would suggest the push-up and squats daily. Start doing 50 and move on from there. Core and balance would then be the next step and third is the interval training.

Exercise and fitness is about having fun and finding out what drives you. Running, especially pushing the limits and boundaries of the normal, is what makes me tick and most of my friends too. Showing...not telling...is how we are able to get new athletes off the couch and onto the road or trail. Fitness becomes success and success becomes contagious and that is something we all need to catch.