from a Personal Trainer perspective
by George Anderson
Running places a high demand on our muscular system, both dynamically and postural. Anything other than optimum biomechanics can lead to running inefficiently at best and injuring ourselves at worst…
Planning a structured strength training program for your running clients will not only lead to an increase in functional strength, but also help you develop more stable, efficient runners with fewer incidences of injury.
One of the common problems with trying to encourage runners to do any kind of strength training is that it is often viewed as competition to grinding out the miles.
As well as being structured therefore, any effective conditioning program needs to be manageable, taking up the minimum of time and definitely not taking the place of any running!
Here is a 5 step plan to designing your running client’s strength conditioning program:
STEP ONE – Activate and Mobilise
Weak, inactive muscles around the hips and core can lead to poor control of the firing sequence when running. Activating muscles such as the glutes, lower and deep abdominals with isolation exercises can “wake” them up and facilitate their activation during more complex, full kinetic chain movements.
Joint mobility is also an essential first port of call in a running specific strength training program. Improving the function of the ankle, knee, hip and spine through all three planes of movement allows free movement in these key areas prior to stretching or loading the muscles.
STEP TWO – Stretch and Stabilise
Sufficient joint range of motion is an essential component of running optimally. Short tight muscles can lead to compensatory action and often overuse by other muscles. Shortened stride length, excessive hip rotation or an inefficient arm swing are all potential issues leading from muscle tightness.
Individual stretches should be applied where tightness is observed to redress imbalances, but more functional, integrated stretches can help the entire kinetic chain regain it’s optimal function.
“You can’t fire a cannon from a canoe”. Running develops large forces through the body from the shoulders to the foot and ankle. If core strength is not considered in a strength training protocol then no amount of strengthening exercise is going to carry over the road.
Core exercises need to be integrated into whole body movements at this stage rather then training the area in isolation. If a weakness in the area is identified on your initial assessment then ensure you include some isolated, “wakening” exercises and drills in the first stage of your program.
STEP THREE – Functional Strength
Strength exercises should be functional, replicating and exceeding the kinds of stress the body will face whilst running. Machine based training will have little or no benefit to a runner – knee extension and flexion exercises are simply do not occur in isolation whilst running so their inclusion in a functional strength training program is not recommended.
Choose exercises that will challenge balance, core activation and flexibility as well as pure muscular strength. Long range lunges, clock squats, single leg side step downs and rotational lunges are all fantastic exercises to include in this phase of a conditioning program.
In general, repetitions should be kept to around 8 to 12 per set to bring about the adaptations to the nervous system whilst providing sufficient resistance to increase strength. Body weight exercises can be progressed or regressed by increasing or decreasing the range of movement or complexity of the exercise.
Keeping the number of sets to just one or two will enable a wider variety of exercises to be performed in a short space of time. Strength training workouts should be limited to no more than 30 minutes to increase adherence; any longer than this and most runners would struggle to find the time to fit it in without dropping their mileage.
STEP FOUR – Functional Power
Once a good strength base has been established, adding in a functional power training phase will really take your clients to the next level with their running.
As speed increases, so too does the requirement for absolutely perfect form. Anything other than this will simply do more harm than good, so be prepared to rein your clients in and drop the duration or complexity back a little if necessary.
Exercises such as the ice skater, single leg bounds, skipping, sprinters arms and the sprinters snatch are all excellent power training exercises that require no equipment and will achieve phenomenal results.
Plan your client’s route to stronger, faster running by following this 4 step plan, but as with all long range programs alterations and adjustments will be needed along the way. Mix up the phases by carrying on the mobility exercises throughout the program, or having a core stability day once a month… what ever you judge is necessary to get your client functioning optimally.