A lot of people think that weight training is only good for ‘getting big,’ but there are real benefits for runners when they incorporate strength training into their regular training regime.
Strength training is a great way to reduce your injury risk. Improving your gait while running and making your muscles less susceptible to injury by strengthening the fibers and connective tissues within the muscles, strength training has positive effects on any runner when it comes to injury prevention.
Most runners will also notice a boost in running performance after a program of strength training, as the strength of the muscles increase, and each stride becomes more efficient and powerful.
Before You Start Strength Training
Warming up is essential before an activity like weight training. Muscles must be ready before lifting weights and the exertions of gym activity. Get your blood flowing and your muscles warmed up and stretched before you start.
So, Let’s Get Started
It’s essential to start correctly and get the techniques of each exercise right at the start. Unlearning an incorrect technique is a lot harder to do than learning the correct way in the first place.
If you have access to a pro instructor to start you off on the right course, then it’s a great thing to do to get started. If not, then try to read and learn as much information about the exercises and techniques as you can before you begin to lift.
The technique is vital regarding gaining maximum benefit from all your hard work at the gym, as well as for preventing injuries – so do your research before you begin.
Don’t try to lift too much weight all at once. Straining and not observing correct posture will do you a lot more harm than good, so stay well within your comfortable lifting range to start with, and as you progress and get stronger, increasing gradually over time, as your muscles grow and become more efficient.
Breathing correctly during strength training is massively important. You should be breathing out as you lift, and breathing in as you put the weight back down on each rep.
Things to Remember as You Train
- Drink enough water. It’s essential to replace the fluids you’ll lose through sweat when you’re training and working out.
- Rest between workouts. A day or two of rest is essential before you work on a particular muscle after working it at the gym. Muscles need some recovery time.
- Don’t give up. Incorporating a useful strength training element into your running training means doing it regularly. Keep going, even if it’s difficult to start with, and you’ll soon see and feel the benefits.
Try It!
As with all sports training, different things work best for different people, and it’s a case of developing your routine, that works well for your body and set of muscles.
Strength training, when done correctly, will improve stamina, speed, and efficiency in any runner. The health and performance benefits far outweigh the extra efforts of a gym routine. Injury risks are also significantly reduced, which keeps you running more often.
Do your research, and if you can, get started with a pro fitness instructor. Then work out which work-out suits you best. You’ll be glad that you did.
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