Strength training in running: The neglected necessity!

Strength training in running is one of those things that’s often neglected in favour of pounding the pavement and getting some more km’s under the belt. Strength training is crucial in any well-balanced training program. It helps us to manage training loads, reduce injury risk, improve endurance, and reach our potential.

Muscle control, flexibility and coordination are crucial in a strengthening program. To put it simply, if you can’t master the movements of running in a controlled and decelerated environment, then you can’t expect your body to cope in the medium-long term with the forces involved when running. The force going through our limb can be as much as 3 times that experienced when walking! Running also involves a short period of time on one leg followed by a ‘floating’ phase and another period on one leg. This essentially means that we need to be able to bound off one leg and land on the other in a safe and efficient way. You can imagine the issues that may arise from weakness during this complex automatic task. By not taking strength training seriously, we often expose ourselves to training errors and situations that increase our risk of injury.

If you’re someone who is currently experiencing pain when running and/or have no clue where to start with a strength training program, then come in and see us to get excited and get started. We’ll sort you out with a comprehensive assessment of your running, an exercise program, advice surrounding training loads and assessment/management on that niggle you’ve been ignoring for weeks!