Several studies have looked at the relationship between strength, muscle power and running performance, as well as what happens when runners add strength or plyometric training to their normal endurance training.
One of the most important concepts here is running economy.
Running economy describes how much oxygen you need to maintain a given submaximal running speed.
In simple terms: the better your running economy, the less energy you need to run at the same pace.
That can mean feeling less fatigued at a given pace – or being able to run faster before reaching the same physiological limit.
And this is where strength training gets interesting.
One study compared three different groups of well-trained distance runners over 8 weeks.
All groups continued their endurance training, but their strength training was different:
Complex training (CT)
Heavy strength training combined with explosive, plyometric exercises.
Heavy resistance training (HRT)
Heavy resistance training without the plyometric component.
Strength-endurance training (CON)
Lighter loads with higher repetitions, combined with endurance training.
The athletes performed 3 strength sessions per week during the study.
And the results were pretty interesting.
🥇 Complex training came out on top
Complex training produced the greatest overall improvements, particularly in:
- reactive strength
- running economy at the higher tested speed of 16 km/h
- blood lactate response at 16 km/h
Heavy resistance training also produced significant improvements and was clearly more effective than the strength-endurance approach for several performance-related measures.
The strength-endurance group showed the smallest improvements in neuromuscular performance and running economy.
So what does this mean in practice?
Don't automatically avoid heavy lifting because you are a runner.
Lighter weights with high repetitions certainly have their place, but when the goal is improving strength, neuromuscular qualities and running performance, the research suggests that heavier resistance training – especially when combined with explosive work – can be very useful.
This is the part I found particularly interesting.
The exercises were performed in pairs:
Back squat → Drop jump
Bulgarian split squat → Single-leg hop
Romanian deadlift → Double-leg hurdle hop
The strength exercises were performed at approximately 85% of 1RM, with:
3 sets
5 repetitions of the strength exercise
6 repetitions of the plyometric exercise
approximately 4 minutes of recovery between sets
So this wasn't a typical "runner's strength workout" consisting of endless bodyweight exercises and 20 repetitions of everything.
It was heavy + explosive.
And that's an important distinction.
This is where things become more individual.
The research gives us useful information, but we shouldn't simply copy a research protocol and assume it is automatically the best programme for every runner.
A well-trained runner who is already accustomed to strength training can tolerate considerably more than someone who has never lifted weights before.
For most runners, 2 strength sessions per week is a very practical starting point. It gives you enough exposure to develop strength and power while still leaving room for your running sessions and recovery.
A general strength-training framework could look something like:
Load: around 80–90%+ of 1RM
Sets: 3–4
Repetitions: 4–6
Rest: 2–3 minutes
This is not a magic formula.
Drop Jump
This is another area I wouldn't ignore.
Plyometric exercises train your ability to produce and absorb force quickly. For runners, this is particularly relevant because running itself is a repetitive stretch-shortening cycle.
The research on plyometric training also suggests improvements in qualities such as explosive strength and running performance.
This is one reason I like the idea of combining heavy strength work with explosive exercises rather than treating strength and plyometrics as completely separate worlds.
But again – progression matters.
You don't need to start with 100 hurdle jumps.
Start with exercises you can perform well, build your capacity gradually and make sure you can control the landing before chasing more intensity.
Personally, I really like the exercises used in the study.
But there is one missing:
Calf raises.
A very simple, very typical and very useful exercise for runners.
The calf complex plays an important role in producing and transferring force during running, so I would definitely include some form of calf strengthening in a runner's programme.
Heavy calf raises can be progressed just like other strength exercises, and you can also later introduce more explosive calf/ankle work depending on the athlete.
If you've been avoiding heavier strength training because you're afraid it will make you slow, heavy or "less of a runner", the research doesn't really support that idea.
Quite the opposite.
Heavy resistance training can improve important qualities for runners, including strength and running economy.
And combining heavy resistance training with appropriately dosed plyometric work may provide an even greater stimulus for developing reactive strength and running performance.
The trick is not simply to "do strength training".
It's to choose the right exercises, intensity, volume and timing for the runner in front of you.
And one very important point:
Don't put a heavy leg-strength session right before your hardest running workout and expect your intervals to feel amazing.
I'll talk more about WHEN to place strength training around your running sessions in the next article.
Stay strong, run efficiently, and stay injury-free. 💪🏃♀️
Me Time Therapy
Research
Complex vs. heavy resistance training in well-trained distance runners: Effects of complex training versus heavy resistance training on neuromuscular adaptation, running economy and 5-km performance
Neuromuscular characteristics and muscle power: PubMed – PMID 9927020
Plyometric training and endurance running: PubMed – PMID 23838975
Strength training is only one part of becoming a stronger and more efficient runner.
At Me Time Therapy, I combine running gait analysis, running retraining and strength-focused exercise therapy to help runners understand how they move and build a more efficient and resilient body.
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