An expert trainer says this is the one type of movement runners neglect that can help prevent injury and boost power

Running is an amazing way to move your body, but it’s also a high-impact style of exercise that can lead to aches and pains, and even injury, if your body isn’t strong enough for the amount of running you do.

That’s why supporting your running with regular strength training is a smart move. This ensures that your muscles are strong enough to handle the impact of running, and it can also improve your running technique, speed and power.

So what kind of strength workouts should runners be doing? According to expert trainer Tess Glynne-Jones, one type of movement runners generally neglect as part of strength training is explosive movements.

Moving explosively means moving quickly and with power.

“When you’re running at a fast pace, you are doing an explosive calf raise, you’re doing explosive hip flexion, you’re doing explosive hamstring curls, so you need to be able to create that power,” says Glynne-Jones.

According to Glynne-Jones, you can train this aspect in your strength workouts by making the concentric part of the exercise—the lifting portion of the movement—explosive.

“You want the concentric to be fast and powerful,” says Glynne-Jones.

Two explosive movements for runners to try

Try adding explosive movements like these to your workouts at least twice a week to see improvements in your running technique and results.

1. Jump squat

If you’re new to strength training, Glynne-Jones recommends starting with a bodyweight exercise. “Beginners could do something like a bodyweight jump squat, or a box jump if you wanted to progress,” says Glynne-Jones.

She adds that you should still train with weights in your workouts, but to focus on controlled movements and practice moving explosively with your bodyweight.

How to do a jump squat:

Jump Squat - YouTube

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• Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and your toes turned out slightly.
• Keeping your chest upright throughout, sit your hips back and bend your knees to lower, until your hips are below your knees.
• Push powerfully through your feet to jump straight up.
• Land softly with your knees bent, letting your toes make contact with the floor first.
• Repeat for 8-12 reps.

2. B-stance kettlebell deadlift to jump

If you regularly lift weights and are confident you can correctly perform fundamental movement patterns—like the hip hinge—under load, you can try adding explosive elements.

Glynne-Jones recommends incorporating a jump into a deadlift variation, but cautions that the weight should be moderately heavy at most. “You don’t really want to go beyond 70% of what your max would be,” says Glynne-Jones.

Your max refers to the absolute maximum amount of weight you could lift with good form for one rep. You can use an online calculator to estimate yours, like the one-rep max calculator from the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

“I’ve really enjoyed adding in a jump [to this move]. You do one rep loaded, then you let go of the kettlebells, and vertically jump as high as you can,” says Glynne-Jones. “That’s teaching your body to create that power after it’s been under fatigue.”

How to do a B-stance kettlebell deadlift to jump:

B Stance Kettlebell Suitcase Deadlift to Jump - YouTube

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• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees, with kettlebells on the floor to the side of each foot.
• Step your right foot backwards so the ball of your right foot is on the floor just behind your left heel, maintaining a hip-width’s distance between your feet. This foot position is called a B-stance.
• Keeping a neutral spine and a slight bend in the knee throughout, hinge at the hips, pushing your hips back, and reach down to take hold of the kettlebells.
• Push through your left foot and bring your hips forward to stand up and lift the weights.
• Hinge at the hips again to lower the kettlebells to the floor and release them.
• Push explosively through your left foot to jump straight up, keeping a slight bend in your knees as you jump.
• Land softly with a slight bend in your knees, letting your toes make contact with the floor first.
• Repeat for eight to 12 reps.