How to Incorporate Strength Training into Your Running Routine
Clocking miles builds endurance, but the runners who keep improving (and stay injury-resilient) usually do more than run. Adding strength training to your week develops the muscles and movement patterns that power every stride. This guide explains the benefits, how to schedule it around your runs, and gives you practical routines to follow. If you’re looking for broader cross-training options as well, see our companion piece: How to Integrate Cross-Training into Your Running Routine.
Why strength training matters for runners
- Better running economy: Stronger legs and core waste less energy at a given pace, helping you run further and faster for the same effort.
- Fewer injuries: Strength work shores up the hips, glutes and calves so they can absorb impact and control movement, reducing common niggles.
- More speed and hill power: Force production off the ground improves with stronger glutes, hamstrings and calves.
- Form that holds under fatigue: Muscular endurance helps you maintain posture and cadence late in long runs and races.
How to add strength training without wrecking your legs
1) Pick the right weekly structure
Two short sessions (20–35 minutes) or one short + one medium session (45 minutes) per week is plenty for most runners. Place strength work before an easy run or on a non-running day so your legs are fresh for key workouts.
- Mon: Strength (legs + core)
- Tue: Easy run
- Wed: Strength (upper body + mobility)
- Thu: Tempo or intervals
- Fri: Rest or light cross-training
- Sat: Long run
- Sun: Recovery run or mobility
Use the Running Plan Generator to map your key run days, then slot strength in around them. To avoid overloading a week, check balance with the Training Load Estimator.
2) Train the muscles that move you
- Glutes & hips: squats, split squats, step-ups, hip thrusts
- Hamstrings: deadlifts (Romanian or kettlebell), hamstring bridges
- Quads & calves: goblet squats, lunges, calf raises
- Core: planks, side planks, dead bugs, anti-rotation presses
- Upper body (for posture & arm drive): rows, push-ups, overhead press, pull-ups
3) Use simple progressions
Start with bodyweight. When sets feel comfortable (RPE ≤7/10), add load (dumbbells/kettlebell) or tempo (e.g., 3-second lower). Progress by one variable at a time.
4) Keep hard days hard, easy days easy
Pair heavy strength with an easy run, and keep the day before your speed session or long run lighter (mobility + core). For intensity control on run days, use the Pace → Heart-Rate Zone Calculator.
Two runner-friendly strength sessions
Option A — 25-minute bodyweight circuit (no kit)
- Reverse lunges – 3×10 each side
- Glute bridge (single-leg if able) – 3×10 each side
- Calf raises – 3×15
- Push-ups (incline if needed) – 3×8–12
- Side plank – 3×30–45s each side
Move steadily, 45–60s rest between sets. Finish with 3–5 minutes of mobility (ankles, hips, thoracic spine).
Option B — 35–40-minute gym session
- Goblet squat – 4×6–8
- Romanian deadlift (kettlebell or barbell) – 3×6–8
- Step-ups – 3×8 each side
- Standing calf raises – 3×12–15
- Row (dumbbell or cable) – 3×8–12
- Dead bug – 3×8–10 each side
Rest ~90s for lower-body lifts; ~60s for core/upper body. Keep 2 reps “in reserve” so you’re training, not draining.
Plyometrics for pop (optional)
If you’re already lifting and injury-free, add light hops after a thorough warm-up, 1–2× per week for 6–8 total minutes:
- Box jumps or squat jumps – 3×6
- Bounds or skipping – 3×20–30m
Stop while quality is high. These pair well with hill reps or short interval days you build with the Training Session Creator.
Programming across a training cycle
- Base phase: 2–3 full-body sessions; moderate loads; focus on technique.
- Build/Sharpen: 2 sessions; one heavier (lower reps), one lighter (single-leg + core).
- Race-specific: 1–2 short sessions; maintain strength, prioritise running quality.
- Taper week: 1 short mobility/core session only.
Quick wins if you’re short on time
- Do a 15-minute “micro-lift” straight after an easy run (e.g., goblet squats, RDLs, plank).
- Use home challenges to stay consistent: 100 Push-Ups, 100 Pull-Ups, 300 Sit-Ups, or the lower-body focused 500 Squats. For a light plyo/calf stimulus try the 2000 Jump Rope Challenge.
- Build your week around the key runs on Workouts and your generated plan.
Recovery basics
Leave 24–48 hours between heavy lower-body strength and a long run or race-pace session. Eat a balanced meal with protein and carbs within a couple of hours, and rehydrate. For fuelling longer runs and sessions, see our guide to energy gels and hydration.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Doing too much, too soon: start light, master the moves, then load.
- Leg-smashing the day before quality runs: place strength on easy/rest days.
- Skipping single-leg work: running is a series of single-leg landings—train it.
- Neglecting the core: a stable trunk keeps form tidy when you tire.
Strength work is the simplest upgrade to your training: two focused sessions a week can boost speed, economy and durability. Build your running week with the Running Plan Generator, keep intensity honest with the Pace → HR Zone Calculator, and use the Training Load Estimator to stay balanced. Layer strength in consistently and you’ll run stronger, longer and with fewer setbacks.
