Written by Coach Aaron Boike from Performance Running Gym – The Official Run Coaching Partner of The Loppet
For most runners in The Loppet community, the running season is coming to an end. Fall races are wrapping up, the snow is coming, and the priorities in our training should be changing, as well. The offseason isn’t just a time for downtime and to recharge, it’s also where the foundation is laid for your next season. Runners who show up in the gym in the winter show up strong in the spring with more power, better running economy, and a lower risk of running-related injuries.
Strength Training is no longer an optional side bar for runners. The research is conclusive – runners who strength train improve their performance in key areas that matter regardless of the race distances they are training for.
Key Strength Training Benefits for Runners
- Durability: Stronger muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones tolerate training load better, which means less breakdown on the race course, and fewer overuse injuries that can sideline your training.
- Performance: Strength training improves key variables like reactive strength, eccentric utilization, and tendon stiffness (a good thing), which are correlated with better running economy, more force per stride, and a stronger finish when form often fades.
- Longevity: Strength Training helps gain and maintain lean muscle mass and bone density, important factors to your longevity in the sport.
Why The Offseason is The Best Time to Build:
In the offseason we have a lower running volume and intensity, which leave room for you to recover from heavy weight training, meaning you have the potential to gain more strength than you do in-season. You also have time to adapt to your strength training routine to have it bring meaningful gains to your running. Nervous system adaptations often happen in the first several weeks, leading to quick gains in strength, followed by physical changes to the muscles and joints, which happen much more slowly over weeks and months. Starting your strength training in the off-season ensures you’ll have tissue adaptations prior to the season beginning.
How To Build Your Foundation:
While there are many schools of thought when it comes to strength training, the research supports heavy and explosive strength training (such as compound freeweight exercises and plyometrics) as the most impactful for runners. A smart approach to working your way up to heavier strength training is key to getting the full benefits and staying injury free.
- Stability and Foundational Strength: To start with, focus on exercises that train key movement patterns and balance your muscle groups. Often this means lighter weights, higher reps, and a greater focus on movement quality and general strength that prepares your tendons and joints for the demands of heavier lifting.
- Build to Heavier Weights: Once you’ve established a foundation of good quality movement, adding in heavier loads for key lifts helps to build real strength. Focus on compound exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts, but don’t forget core and calves, which are essential for good running form and economy.
- Introducing Plyometrics and Power Work: Once you have developed a solid foundation, and have worked up to heavier weights in your key movement patterns, introducing plyometrics and explosive strength work help to convert that strength to match the demands of running. This means introducing exercises like box jumps, jump lunges, and bounding.
Fitting It In to Your Routine
Strength Training is most effective when you incorporate 2-3 sessions per week of 45-60 minutes each. Frame your strength training workouts as part of your plan, just like any other scheduled run. Number of repetitions, and total number of sets vary, but starting with 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions while you’re building your foundation is often a good place to start. Aim to hit at least one movement each workout for each key movement type – Squat, Hinge, Single-leg Strength, Calf/Ankle, Core and Trunk and Upper Body Push, Upper Body Pull.
Need Help? Visit us at Performance Running Gym!
Performance Running Gym is located just 2 miles from Theo Wirth Park in nearby St. Louis Park, MN. In addition to a full gym with a large weight room, cardio suite, and recovery room, we offer Personal Training and Coaching services that help athletes reach their potential and reach their goals. As a Loppet Member you can start with your First Month Free and 2-Free Sessions through with a Coach so that you can make the most of your membership. Schedule a tour or book a consultation with a Coach online at www.performancerungym.com!