With the arrival of the "offseason" for Detroit's running community, now is the perfect time to implement a strength training into your endurance regimen! Here are Team Expedition Detroit's 5 best strength training exercises for runners - complete with verified results.
It started at Mile 8. A slight discomfort just outside of my right knee that quietly made its presence known as my run neared Proud Lake's Organizational Campground. Each stride along that long straightaway provided plenty of time for self-assessment.
"Is my pace too fast?" Definitely - I was moving roughly 45 seconds per mile faster than my target long-run pace. Time to slow down.
"Am I striking incorrectly?" Nope, strike placement seemed fine. Just needed to keep landing intentionally.
"Okay, maybe I just need a quick stretching break. No big deal." I utilized the boulders at the edge of the campground to implement a thorough mid-run stretch.
None of these assessments mattered. By Mile 9, this noticeable discomfort had progressed to objective pain. By Mile 10 the pain felt like a knife digging into my knee. The limping started shortly thereafter.
Long run: over.
The extent of my injury - acute medial meniscal discomfort due to overtraining and under recovery - became evident over the coming days. After nearly a full season of high-performing races and long runs, including a mid-season Kilimanjaro summit for some extra flair, I was now humbled to a mere 1 mile run before severe pain flared up again. I opted for two full weeks of rest in a last-ditch effort to preserve my Detroit Free Press Marathon aspirations.
The net benefit of that rest? I could now run a whopping 1.25 miles without pain. Great.
My 2024 marathon dreams were objectively crushed, and as the jubilant headlines and social media posts flooded the Expedition Detroit feed, I was left licking my wounds and wondering which micro-decisions led to this ultimate failure.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER: Recovery Starts with Assessment
After a month of unproductive rest, I finally acknowledged the obvious. I did not have the training nor expertise to diagnosis my injury, let alone prescribe a rehabilitative treatment. I decided to give my friend Dr. Bryce Groshek of Primary Performance, PLLC a call, and a few days later I was in his office receiving a full assessment.
Dr. Groshek gave me good news and bad news. The good news was that my condition was highly treatable and relatively unrestrictive. I could still cycle, hike, swim, strength train, and basically engage in any other recreational activity other than running for the next few weeks.
The bad news? My condition was entirely preventable. In fact, I had been actively preventing it until ~June, when certain lifestyle changes and work demands made strength training less attractive. I forewent all of the "maintenance" components of my training regimen - my regular weight lifting, sauna, and ice bath sessions - but kept up the longer runs.
According to my assessment, the end result of those micro-decisions included weaker hips and glutes, my quads bearing too much of my exercise load, inefficient recovery, and a very, very disappointing marathon day. Continuing strength training would've greatly, if not entirely, prevented my ailments. Regular strength training has been proven to provide runners with the following physical benefits:
Reduction in the risk of injury
Building up stability and supportive musculature
Improvement of running biomechanics, including speed and stride efficiency; and
Improvement of cardiovascular endurance.
Dear reader: my story does not have to be your story. It surely did not have to be mine. As author Jeff Olson states in The Slight Edge, "simple little disciplines that, done consistently over time, will add up to the very biggest accomplishments." With these 5 key strength training exercises for runners, you can build an ironclad training regimen that will sustain you through each and every running season.
Keep reading to review these best strength training exercises for runners, as well as the critical role they played in facilitating Team Expedition Detroit's season-ending podium finish..!
1. Squats | Essential for Strengthening Glutes, Hamstrings, and Quads
Squats are one of the most basic strength training movements. They're perfect for runners and other endurance athletes who rely on their legs for strength and speed.
When completing a squat, keep your knees above your feet (not bowing out or in), hinge at the hips, and keep your chest up and back straight. Your arms should be hanging at your side with a firm grip on your free weights as you lower your bottom toward the ground.
Recommended Set: Three rounds of 15 repetitions with a 30-second break in between.
2. Deadlifts | Romanian and Conventional Deadlifts
The deadlift is widely regarded as the most effective strength exercise when it comes to improving the performance of endurance runners. Dead lifts provide a hip-dominant movement compared to the squat with a smaller range of motion, meaning that a heavier load can generally be lifted. Dead lifts also strengthen the entire posterior chain including the glutes, hamstrings, calves, back and shoulders.
New to deadlifts? The "Romanian deadlift" variation is widely recommended as better for endurance athletes that are just beginning their strength training regimen. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands placed just outside your thighs. In a resting position, your shoulders should be rolled back, chest up, and back straight. To complete the exercise, bend at the hip to lower the barbell while keeping your eyes fixed on the floor in front of you. Your knees should stay tracked on your toes, and you should feel the exercise predominantly in your glutes.
Recommended Set: Three rounds of 12 repetitions, with a 30 second rest in between.
3. Lunges | Forward and Reverse Lunges
Similar to squats and deadlifts, lunges strengthen and “turn on” your glutes and hamstrings. Lunges also provide an excellent exercise for noticing any imbalances, especially if you’re more balanced on one side than the other. Incorporating lunges into your strength training regimen will enable you with an ample opportunity to address any imbalance issues before they fester into injury.
The classic forward lunge consists of a single fluid motion (depicted above) where you maintain a straight spine, hold in your core, step forward with a dominant leg to form a right angle, and "kiss" the knee of the stabilizing leg to the ground.
For reverse lunges - which may reduce joint impact compared to forward lunges - start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step one foot back and drop your hips back until your thigh of your planted leg is parallel with the ground. Push forward with your back leg to return to standing, and repeat on the other leg.
Recommended Set: Four rounds of 10 repetitions with a 30-second break in between.
4. Planks | Standard and Variated Planks
What do core-stabilizing planks have to do with running..? Actually, a lot. The plank has evolved into a classic core workout for runners since planks work nearly every muscle in your core as they work to keep your body suspended. Planks improve core abdominal strength, posture, lumbar and thoracic stability, and muscular capacity.
For completing a standard plank, lie face down on a mat with your forearms flat against it, your elbows under your shoulders, and your legs together while balanced on your toes. Brace your core and raise your hips so that your torso forms a straight line. Looking to throw in some difficulty? Raise one foot at a time off of the floor.
Recommended Set: Three rounds of 1 minute repetitions with a 30-second break in between.
5. Rowing | Row Machine for Full-Body Training
In full disclosure, a row machine is my favorite piece of exercise equipment. Rowing constitutes a low-pact, full-body workout that utilizes all major muscle groups, including your legs, core, back, and arms. Focusing specifically on your legs, proper rowing technique should actually consist notably of pushing with your legs vs. just pulling with your arms. The low-impact nature of rowing also improves runners' much-needed resistance to injury since the exercise improves posture and functional flexibility without significant impact.
For proper rowing technique, slide your feet into the foot plates, adjust the strap across the base of your big toe, and then pull the straps snug. Sit up tall with your butt forward in the seat. Then, lightly hold the handle at either end with an overhand grip.
As explained by Runner's World, the art of completing the perfect indoor row consists of the following four movements, all of which occurring in one fluid motion:
The Catch: Start with a proper set-up at the front of the machine. Shins should be vertical, lats engaged, shoulders relaxed, and core braced. Torso should be leaning forward at a 1 o’clock position with shoulders in front of hips. From this position, you will be able to create a powerful push-off from the machine to initiate the drive phase of the stroke.
The Drive: Maintaining a forward torso tilt, start by applying force through your legs to the machine to extend your legs. Continue to push through your legs and start to hinge backward at the hip. This should be a fluid continuous movement.
The Finish: Once your legs are fully extended and your torso is at an 11 o’clock position, begin using your arms to pull the handle to the base of your sternum. Be sure to keep your core muscles activated and tight, like in a hollow body hold.
The Recovery: Reverse the motion by relaxing your arms away from your torso, hinge forward from the hips toward 1 o’clock, and then bend your legs back to catch. The recovery phase should be half the speed used in the drive, which will allow your muscles to recover and prepare for another strong push.
Recommended Set: Five minute warm-up at a low setting followed by 4 rounds of 3 minute repetitions at varying settings, with 30-second breaks in between rounds.
STRENGTH IN ACTION: Race-Tested Results of Strength Training
We at Expedition Detroit have a simple philosophy when it comes to our content creation strategy: if you haven't lived it, then you shouldn't write about it.
In that vein, this article almost never saw the light of day. Or more accurately wouldn't have reached your screen if it weren't for Dr. Groshek's efficient analysis and, well, my stubborn tenacity. The Detroit Marathon had passed with my entry deferred to 2025. That was a brutal pill to swallow.
But one final race remained on my 2024 registration calendar. The final race of Running Fit's "G.O.A.T. Trail Series," the Bonfyre Trail Fest, was in three weeks. I had already run two previous events within this series and was one race away from qualifying for the "Silver Goat" award. Rehabing my knee to comfortably complete the 10 Mile Race wasn't in the cards, but the 5 Mile Race... that seemed doable. That felt redemptive. A perfect, Lions-esque 4th quarter comeback win for this racing season.
I wasted no time implementing Dr. Groshek's strength training program - including all of the exercises detailed here - during recovery week 1.
By week 2, I felt strong enough to go for a 2-mile run. To my pleasant surprise, I was able to complete the run with zero knee pain.
By mid-week 3, I completed my first 5K without any pain in nearly 2 months. Abysmal pacing compared to my typical 5Ks, but I couldn't have cared less - this felt like a major milestone in relation to wincing from a mile just a few weeks prior.
Then, finally, came race morning at Waterloo Recreation Area. With the confidence of several weeks of strength training behind me and multiple painless runs, I decided to go for it. Empty the tank, with whatever capacity it had, for a final sprint through the woods.
Friends, I'm happy to report that I not only finished well enough to earn the "Silver Goat" award, but also won my age group in 5 Mile Race. I was shocked to see that I only finished ~1 minute and 30 seconds behind my time in the same event from last season, when I was in peak racing shape after completing the Detroit Half-Marathon a few weeks prior.
While I don't think Disney will be contacting me about purchasing the rights to my recovery story anytime soon, I did want to share it here to illustrate one simple concept: strength training works.
It works for injury recovery and prevention.
It works for chasing podiums and milestones.
And it works for keeping you on the trail for many, many seasons to come.
Looking for an assessment from a licensed physical therapist? We strongly recommend contacting Dr. Bryce Groshek of Primary Performance PLLC to schedule your next appointment and receive personalized recovery training plans! Dr. Groshek is available at support@primaryperformancepllc.com or (248) 756-0906.
This article serves as an opinion piece to educate but should not be used as direct medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional(s) before making changes to your medications, diet, or physical activity habits.
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