I fell in love with lifting weights before I fell in love with running, and when I started working with a running coach six years ago, I learned the importance of making sure the two always co-exist.
But even if you are a fan of both running and lifting like me, finding time for both can be challenging. Luckily, there are simple weights routines that can be done in next to no time and with minimal equipment, like this one that my first coach introduced me to, making it easy to incorporate into your week.
I have been doing this lifting routine nearly every week for more than five years. It’s an accessible full-body workout that even beginners can do, targeting key muscle groups that impact running performance as well as posture and stability.
Completing a simple exercise routine like this using light weights can help reduce your risk of injury and also improve your muscular endurance. I feel like this workout has helped me maintain the mobility and strength needed to run regularly without developing an injury.
This workout helps to keep your posterior chain up to snuff. Having a strong posterior chain helps to power an efficient stride and also helps you maintain stability, so you’re less likely to get injured.
How to do this workout
This workout requires at least a few pounds of weight and can be done using a home barbell, dumbbells or a sandbag with handles. All you need is enough room to bend over and to press something above your head.
Do not overdo it with the weight. Ideally, you should use a weight that allows you to complete a round—each exercise in sequence—with minimal rest, resting for two minutes between each round.
You can adjust the rest time and number of reps to match your current fitness level, but aim to do this at least once a week on a day when you’re not running.
The workout in brief
Two rounds of:
- Deadlift x 10
- Bent-over row x 10
- Shoulder press x 10
- Front squat x 10
- Standing back extension x 10
Form guides
1. Deadlift
Reps: 10
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your center of gravity over your midfoot, with your weights on the floor.
- Hinge at the hips and bend your knees to reach down and take hold of the weights, be sure to keep your back flat, chest facing forward and your shoulders slightly in front of the weight.
- Engage your core, then push down through your heels and extend your hips and knees together to stand up, lifting the weight.
- Push your hips back, then bend your knees to lower the weight to the floor with control.
How it helps your running: Deadlifts strengthen your posterior chain, the muscles that run down the back of your body, which increases your push-off power, improving your ability to accelerate and tackle hills.
2. Bent-over row
Reps: 10
How to do it:
- Hold the weight in front of your thighs with your hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing you.
- Engage your core and, keeping a slight bend in your knees and a flat back throughout, hinge forward from your hips until your torso is almost parallel with the floor.
- Lift the weight towards your ribs, drawing your elbows past your torso, and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Maintain control as you slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders or rounding your back.
How it helps your running: This exercise trains the muscles in your upper back and arms, including your lats, traps, rhomboids, posterior deltoids and biceps. Strengthening your upper back improves your arm drive, which is an underappreciated aspect of running. It can also help improve running posture, which can help you avoid the dreaded forward lean when you get tired towards the end of a run.
3. Shoulder press
Reps: 10
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold your weight at shoulder height.
- Brace your core and glutes, then press the weight straight up, making sure you’re not using your legs to generate any power.
- Lower the weight under control.
How it helps your running: This exercise targets your deltoids, triceps, upper traps and core stabilizing muscles. It is useful in helping to improve stability throughout your torso and maintain arm drive during long runs.
4. Front squat
Reps: 10
How to do it:
- Hold your weight in front of your shoulders with your elbows pointing forward and your chest facing forward.
- Engage your core and push your hips back and bend your knees to lower until your hips are in line with your knees, keeping your spine neutral and chest up.
- Push through your midfoot to stand back up, maintaining your upright posture.
How it helps your running: This exercise targets your quads, glutes, core and upper back. Building quad strength is important for running as it increases your power output and helps you be more efficient at climbing hills. Squats also help enhance your knee stability, which is crucial to avoiding injury.
5. Standing back extension
Reps: 10
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend to your knees.
- Hold a light weight by your shoulders, or you may wish to ditch the weights if this is your first time attempting the move.
- Engage your core and, keeping a slight bend in your knees and your back straight throughout, hinge forward from your hips.
- Do not move beyond what is comfortable, this should feel more like a stretch for your hamstrings.
- Push your hips forward to return to standing.
How it helps your running: This exercise targets your lower back, glutes, hamstrings and core stabilizing muscles. Having a strong lower back helps keep you upright when running on flat surfaces and maintains proper form when running downhill. Improved lower back strength helps to avoid your form deteriorating as you fatigue.
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