"Many of the injuries that regular runners suffer occur are because of muscle weakness or muscle imbalance. Proper strength training is the best insurance policy for meeting the demands of miles on the road or on the track. Other benefits are increased muscle mass and stronger muscles, which will add more power to your stride and and increase your muscle endurance. Increased strength will enhance your overall running power and improve your endurance."

- Grete Waitz,
9-time winner of the New York City Marathon

The benefits of strength training
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As a young runner in Norway I grew up in a system where strength-training or calisthenics were part of the training routine. We would do push-ups, sit-ups, knee bends, jumping or anything we could do with our body weight as resistance.

Doing these basics daily, I developed an overall level strength of fitness. And during my years as a track runner I enthusiastically continued to strength train. But when I moved up to the longer distances and the marathon I stopped doing it for a while. Strength training didn’t seem to be a part of the preparation for long distance runners.

That was a mistake.

Soon I realized I would be better off getting back into my strength training routine. You get some wear and tear injuries as a long distance runner, but if your muscles and connective tissues are strong they will hold up better. Now, I would never put together a training program for a runner without insisting that strength training be a vital part of it.

Many of the injuries that regular runners suffer occur are because of muscle weakness or muscle imbalance. Proper strength training is the best insurance policy for meeting the demands of miles on the road or on the track. Other benefits are increased muscle mass and stronger muscles, which will add more power to your stride and and increase your muscle endurance. Increased strength will enhance your overall running power and improve your endurance.

Everybody will benefit from strength training. Young and old, men and women. I will say it is more important the older you get. After the age of 35 there is a slight decrease in muscle mass, strength, aerobic capacity and metabolism. If you stay active these attributes will deteriorate more slowly.

To get the benefits from a strength training program, follow this simple advice:

• Do it at least twice a week. Once a week won’t have much effect.
• If you want to combine your strength and on-road training, run first. Your body will be warm and ready to go.
• Don’t worry if you can’t lift a house. Just use enough resistance where you can move without losing form and technique for eight to 12 repetitions. When it becomes easy to do 12, increase the weight.
• Vary the types of resistance you use. Free weights, weight machines, rubberbands, cuff weights and barbells are all good choices. Using a blend of these keeps your workout fresh and prevents you from burnout.
• Focus on ”large muscle groups” – chest, legs, shoulders. Six-to-eight different exercises that focus on these areas will also provide benefit to the smaller muscle groups. For instance, bench-pressing provides much benefit to your biceps.
• After you strength train, remember to stretch the muscles.