Article by Taryn Strydom, Strong Like A Girl
The old saying goes, “You are only as strong as your weakest link.” When it comes to running, your weak links will ultimately translate into decreased performance and potential injury.
These weak links can be muscular imbalances, as well as relative muscular weakness, both of which can be remedied through intelligent strength training. One of the most applicable strength training protocols to help runners balance their strength is through the “unilateral” approach.
In theory, running isn’t a two-legged activity. Sure, you have to use both legs, but the motion is really a series of one-legged stances conjoined by the act of managing a controlled fall. There is never a time when both feet are on the ground, so it’s really about balancing on one foot to another.
Working on strength and stability the same way you run – one leg at a time – isolates and strengthens specific muscles and improves your reaction time. When your muscles are balanced you can run fast and efficient for long periods of time.
Trail running enlists different muscles than road running, which creates different needs for strength. The uneven nature of a trail—the ups and downs—and the challenges created by the varied terrain all call for different sources of power. Whether you’re an elite-level trail runner or someone who just likes to get out on the dirt once in a while, unilateral exercises will help improve your running and make you stronger, faster, and more comfortable on the trail.
If you are new to strength training, here are some tips for including weighted strength training in your running routine:
- Restrict strength training to twice a week, for not more than two hours a week.
- Alternate your strength and run sessions. Strength training can impair endurance performance if you are not giving yourself enough time to recover between workouts. Muscles adapt to strength training much faster than tendons do, so bear this in mind and be mindful of weight increase and form.
- To gain strength without gaining excessive muscle mass, you need to lift heavier weight (80-90% of your one-rep max) at low reps (5-6 repetitions per set). This is specifically for multi-joint movements.
- Plyometric Lifts can be at 30-60% of your one-rep max for 15 reps per set.
- You don’t need to lift for endurance, because you already train your endurance when you are running. Your strength sessions shouldn’t feel like your runs, take a rest between sets.
For more information on Strength Training for Trail Runners and demonstrations on the types of beneficial exercises, join our Trail Runner Bootcamp at Grey Goose Game Lodge on Saturday, February 15. We’ll provide you with step by step instructions, correct your form and show you various progressions. Register online at www.likeagirl.fit.
