Strength Training for Runners: 3 Reasons Why It’s Crucial and What You Need to Know

If you run consistently but have never touched a barbell, you’re not alone. Most runners spend all their training time on the road — and almost none of it building the strength their body actually needs to handle that training.

Here’s the issue I see regularly in clinical practice:

A runner comes in with recurring knee pain, shin pain, or Achilles issues. They’ve been running for months — sometimes years — without any structured strength work. Their aerobic engine is solid, but the chassis underneath it isn’t keeping up.

Strength training for runners isn’t about becoming a gym junkie. It’s about building a body that can handle the repetitive demands of running without constantly breaking down.

Let’s look at what the research says about strength training for runners — and why this matters more than most runners realise.

Why Runners Need Strength Training

Running is a repetitive, single-leg activity. Every stride loads your bones, tendons, and muscles with forces well above your body weight. Over thousands of repetitions per run, those forces add up.

The problem isn’t force itself — it’s whether your tissues can handle it.

A running injury typically happens when the total load on a specific body part goes beyond what it can cope with.¹ This is where strength training for runners becomes so important — it directly increases how much load your body can handle:

• Your tendons get stiffer and more resilient
• Your bones get denser
• Your muscles can produce more force before fatiguing²

Think of it like upgrading the suspension on a car. The road doesn’t change — but the car handles it better. The stronger your legs, the smaller the percentage of your maximum strength each running stride demands. That means less fatigue, less compensation, and a wider safety margin before something goes wrong.

This is why modern sports science has moved the conversation away from “injury prevention” and toward “tissue capacity” — how much stress your tissues can absorb before they start to struggle.¹ Strength training for runners doesn’t make you bulletproof — but it raises that ceiling significantly.

The Performance Side: Running Economy

Here’s something that surprises many runners: strength training can make you faster without improving your VO₂ max (your body’s maximum ability to use oxygen during exercise).

Running economy — the amount of oxygen you need to maintain a given pace — is one of the strongest predictors of distance running performance.³ Think of it like fuel efficiency in a car. Two runners might have the same size engine, but the one with better running economy uses less fuel at the same speed.

The research on the link between strength training for runners and running economy is remarkably consistent. Studies looking at highly trained runners show that heavy resistance training and plyometric training (explosive jumping exercises — more on these later) can improve running economy by roughly 2% to 8%.³ That means you can either run the same pace with less effort, or run faster for the same energy cost.

How does strength training for runners improve economy? Mainly through improvements in how your muscles and nervous system work together:

• Your brain gets better at switching on more muscle fibres when you need them
• Your tendons get stiffer — which sounds bad, but actually means they store and return energy more efficiently, like a well-inflated tyre bouncing off the road
• The muscles doing most of the work during running take longer to tire out^{3 4}

And here’s the part runners worry about most: this improvement happens without gaining body mass.⁵ Your body doesn’t bulk up when heavy lifting is combined with high-volume endurance running. The competing signals in your body hold back muscle growth, so the gains come from your nervous system learning to use what you already have more effectively.⁵

What Kind of Strength Training Actually Works?

This is where a lot of runners go wrong with their approach to strength training for runners.

If your “strength work” involves light resistance bands, high-rep bodyweight circuits, or 30-second planks — you’re probably not getting the stimulus you need.

The evidence is clear: loads below about 80% of your one-repetition maximum (the heaviest weight you can lift once with good form) have very little effect on running economy.^{3 4} High-rep, low-load training targets the same slow-twitch muscle fibres — the endurance fibres — that your running already uses up. You’re just doubling up on the same type of work, which causes fatigue without driving real change.⁵

So what does effective strength training for runners actually look like?

• Heavy resistance training — think squats, deadlifts, and lunges loaded at 80–90% of your max, performed for 3 to 6 reps with full rest between sets.^{3 4}
• Plyometric training — explosive jumping exercises like drop jumps, bounding, and pogo hops. These train your tendons to act like springs, storing energy when your foot hits the ground and releasing it to propel you forward.⁴

These two types of training complement each other. Heavy lifting appears most effective at improving economy at faster running speeds, while plyometrics tend to benefit runners at slower paces.⁴ A combination of both covers the broadest range.

The Best Strength Exercises for Runners

Not all exercises are equal when it comes to strength training for runners. Here are the categories the research supports most strongly.

Squats and Deadlift Variations

These are multi-joint exercises — movements that bend and load several joints at once (hips, knees, ankles). Back squats, trap bar deadlifts, and Romanian deadlifts all fall into this group. They build overall leg strength and develop the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings — the key muscle groups that drive your running.³

When it comes to strength training for runners, these types of exercises loaded above 80% of your max are far more effective than bodyweight-only movements for improving running economy.³

Single-Leg Work

Running is a series of single-leg bounds — you’re never on both feet at the same time. So single-leg strength exercises for runners like Bulgarian split squats (a lunge with your back foot elevated), single-leg Romanian deadlifts, and step-ups deserve a central place in your program.

Research shows that both single-leg and double-leg exercises improve running speed — neither is clearly better for raw performance.⁶ However, single-leg exercises offer some distinct advantages:

• They force your hip stabilisers (the muscles on the side of your hip that stop your pelvis from dropping) to work harder
• They help even out strength differences between your left and right side
• They put less compressive load on your spine⁶

A well-rounded strength training for runners program uses both: double-leg movements for building maximum strength, and single-leg movements for stability and more running-specific transfer.

Calf and Achilles Loading

Your calf muscles contribute roughly 50% of the push-off force during running — yet most runners never load them properly in the gym.⁷

Heavy calf raises (both seated and standing) and high-load isometric holds (holding a position under load without moving — like pausing at the top of a calf raise) are the evidence-based approach for building Achilles tendon resilience. Studies suggest that loading the calf muscles with weights up to 1.5 times your body weight is often needed to get enough stimulus for the tendon to adapt.⁷

Given that Achilles tendon problems and calf strains are among the most common running injuries, calf work is a non-negotiable part of any strength training for runners plan.

Hamstring Work

During each running stride, your hamstrings go through a lot of strain as they act like brakes — slowing down your lower leg before your foot hits the ground. This type of muscle action, where the muscle is lengthening while under load (called an eccentric contraction — think of slowly lowering a heavy box to the floor), is particularly demanding.

Exercises that train this braking action — the Nordic hamstring exercise is the most well-known — are widely recommended to build hamstring strength, increase the muscle’s working length, and reduce the chance of hamstring strains.⁸ Good strength training for runners will always include some form of hamstring-focused eccentric work.

Plyometrics

As mentioned, plyometric exercises train your tendons to act like efficient springs. They reduce the time your foot spends on the ground and increase leg stiffness (in a good way — meaning your leg absorbs and returns energy faster, like a well-pumped basketball).⁴

However, plyometrics need to be introduced carefully, particularly if you’re new to them or already running a lot. Dosing matters — and getting it right is one of the trickier parts of strength training for runners.

What About Core Training?

This one might surprise you.

Core exercises for runners are routinely recommended for injury prevention and performance — but the research tells a more mixed story.

Studies show that isolated core training (planks, crunches, sit-ups done on their own) does improve balance and general athletic ability, but has only small — and often not meaningful — effects on actual running economy or race performance.^{9 10}

That doesn’t mean core work is useless. Basic trunk endurance matters for:

• Keeping good posture when you’re tired
• Transferring force efficiently through your pelvis (your core connects your upper and lower body — if it’s weak, energy leaks out instead of driving you forward)
• Stopping your hips from dropping side to side in the later stages of a run

But doing lots of unweighted floor exercises for your abs doesn’t meaningfully translate to faster running.⁹

The best carryover to running appears to come from bracing your core while doing heavy leg exercises — your trunk has to work hard to stabilise you during a heavy squat or deadlift, and that’s much closer to how your core actually works during running.

So if you’re short on gym time, your priority within your strength training for runners should be heavy leg work. Core training for runners is a useful add-on — not the main event.

How Often Should Runners Do Strength Training?

The minimum effective dose for strength training for runners, according to the research, is two to three sessions per week kept up consistently for at least 8 to 12 weeks.^{3 4} That’s the point where you start to see real changes in running economy and muscle performance.

Sessions don’t need to be long or exhausting. Three to six sets of three to six reps on your main lifts, at high intensity, is enough.³ Quality and progression matter far more than chasing soreness or fatigue.

Fitting Strength Training for Runners Into Your Week

This is where many runners struggle — and where good programming makes the difference.

Here’s the challenge: your body responds to strength training and endurance training through different pathways. When you do both close together, those pathways can interfere with each other — like trying to send two different signals down the same wire.⁵

Current evidence suggests separating strength and running sessions by at least three hours if they’re on the same day.⁵ Ideally, place your strength work on the same day as an easy run — keeping your hard days hard and your rest days genuinely restorative.

An interesting finding from the research: this interference between signals affects males more than females. Combined training noticeably blunts lower-body strength gains in males, while female strength gains remain largely unaffected.⁵

Before a Race

Strength training for marathon runners — or anyone approaching a key event — requires a planned taper. Knowing when to scale back your strength training for runners is just as important as knowing when to push:

• Reduce total lifting volume by 40–60% over a 14 to 21-day taper period
• Keep the weight on the bar relatively heavy to keep your nervous system sharp
• Stop heavy lifting entirely 3 to 5 days before race day
• Don’t cut it out for more than 14 days though, as strength and power drop off quickly¹¹

Common Mistakes Runners Make With Strength Training

Even when runners commit to strength training for runners, a few common errors can hold them back.

Lifting too light

If you can comfortably do 15 or more reps, the load isn’t heavy enough to create the changes that matter for running. You’re just copying the endurance work you already get from running — without the performance payoff.^{3 5}

Skipping rest between sets

The goal of gym training for runners is to build strength, not to keep your heart rate up. Your muscles need 2 to 3 minutes to recover between heavy sets so you can lift with enough intensity to actually drive change. Cutting rest periods short means you can’t lift as heavy, and the strength benefit drops significantly.⁵

Treating strength work like cross-training

Weight training for runners isn’t a substitute for running on tired legs. It’s a specific type of training with specific goals. Treating it like a “bonus cardio session” defeats the purpose. Effective strength training for runners should feel like focused, deliberate work — not a sweat session.

Only doing core work

As the evidence shows, core exercises alone don’t meaningfully improve running economy or race times.^{9 10} Heavy lower-limb strength exercises for runners are the main driver — core work supports them, but doesn’t replace them.

Stopping strength training during race blocks

Many runners drop their strength training for runners entirely when running volume increases. But this is exactly when maintaining tissue capacity matters most. Reducing volume while keeping intensity is a smarter approach than stopping altogether.¹¹

Strength Training for Beginner Runners

If you’re new to both running and the gym, don’t try to do everything at once.

Start with a 4 to 6-week phase focused on learning movement patterns — bodyweight squats, lunges, hip hinges (bending at the hips while keeping your back flat — like picking something up off the floor properly), and calf raises — before adding weight.¹ Build the skill first, then build the strength.

One important finding from the research: unsupervised home-based strength programs in beginner runners have high dropout rates and generally don’t reduce injury rates.¹ Supervised strength training for runners — even just at the start — dramatically improves both consistency and results.

Can You Do Strength Training for Runners at Home?

You can start strength training for runners at home, especially during the movement-learning phase. Bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, and a set of dumbbells can build a foundation.

But to reach the loading levels the evidence recommends for improving running economy (80–90% of your max), most runners will eventually need access to heavier equipment — barbells, a squat rack, or heavy dumbbells.^{3 4}

Home-based work is better than nothing. But a structured gym-based strength workout for runners will give you better results over time.

The Bottom Line

Strength training for runners isn’t optional — it’s one of the most evidence-supported ways to improve your running economy, build your body’s ability to handle training stress, and reduce your vulnerability to the injuries that come from repetitive loading.

But here’s the catch: it has to be done right. The exercises, the intensity, the frequency, the programming around your running schedule — all of it matters.

A random collection of exercises isn’t a program. And a strength training for runners program that doesn’t account for your running load, your injury history, and your goals isn’t going to deliver the results you’re after.

If you’re serious about running well for the long term, structured strength training for runners deserves the same attention as your running plan.

---

About the Author

Daniel da Cruz is a physiotherapist in Sandton who regularly treats running-related injuries in clinical practice. He commonly works with runners dealing with issues such as ITB syndrome, knee pain, hip pain, and shin pain, using evidence-based rehabilitation, progressive strength training, and movement retraining to help them return to running safely and confidently.

References

1. Wu, H., Brooke-Wavell, K., Fong, D. T. P., Paquette, M. R., & Blagrove, R. C. (2024). Do Exercise-Based Prevention Programs Reduce Injury in Endurance Runners? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 54(5), 1249–1267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-024-01993-7
2. Lauersen, J. B., Bertelsen, D. M., & Andersen, L. B. (2014). The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British journal of sports medicine, 48(11), 871–877. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2013-092538
3. Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Santos-Concejero, J., & Grivas, G. V. (2016). The effects of strength training on running economy in highly trained runners: a systematic review with meta-analysis of controlled trials. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 30(8), 2361–2368.
4. Llanos-Lagos, C., et al. (2024). Effect of Different Strength Training Methods on Running Economy in Middle- and Long-Distance Runners: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine, 54(7).
5. Schumann, M., et al. (2022). Compatibility of Concurrent Aerobic and Strength Training for Skeletal Muscle Size and Function: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine, 52(3), 601–612.
6. Eihara, Y., et al. (2022). Heavy Resistance Training Versus Plyometric Training for Improving Running Economy and Running Time Trial Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine – Open.
7. Martin, R. L., et al. (2024). Achilles Pain, Stiffness, and Muscle Power Deficit: Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy Clinical Practice Guideline. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 54(12), CPG1–CPG32.
8. Comfort, P., et al. (2023). National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Position Statement on Weightlifting for Sports Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 37(6), 1163–1190.
9. Sato, K., & Mokha, M. (2009). Does core strength training influence running kinetics, lower-extremity stability, and 5000-m performance in runners? The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 23(1), 133–140.
10. Willy, R. (n.d.). 5 Myths About Strength Training for Endurance Runners. La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre.
11. Mujika, I., & Padilla, S. (2003). Scientific bases for precompetition tapering strategies. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 35(7), 1182–1187.