Strength Training for Runners: Key Benefits and 15 Exercises to Try

Running is one of the most accessible forms of exercise, inviting millions to hit the pavement for a cardiovascular boost. While a steady run naturally tones your leg muscles, it doesn't provide the comprehensive strength needed for overall fitness. By integrating targeted strength training into your routine, runners of every level can enhance their performance, build a balanced physique, and reduce their risk of injury.

Below, we’ll dig into everything runners need to know about incorporating strength training into their fitness routine, including: 

• What is strength training? 

• The benefits of strength training for runners

• 15 strength training exercises for runners

• Tips for incorporating strength training into your running routine

Let’s dive in! 

What is strength training?

Strength training is a type of workout designed to improve muscle strength and muscular endurance by applying resistance to your muscles. This resistance can be harnessed in different forms, including dumbbells, resistance bands, kettlebells, medicine balls, or even your own body weight. 

The goal is to challenge your muscles to adapt and grow stronger over time by causing microtears in your muscle fibers each time you exercise. In the end, your muscles will grow stronger and your overall performance and health will also improve.

The benefits of strength training for runners

Strength training can support and bolster your running program with as little as two sessions a week. Benefits to runners include:

• Improved running efficiency: Strength training enhances neuromuscular efficiency, meaning your muscles work more efficiently while running. This leads to better stride mechanics, reduced energy expenditure, and improved endurance.

• Increased power output: Exercises like squats, deadlifts, and plyometrics improve explosive strength, helping you generate more power with each stride, leading to faster sprinting and better acceleration.

• Enhanced endurance: Strength training helps delay muscle fatigue, allowing you to maintain a steady pace longer and finish strong in races and long runs.

• Reduced risk of injury: Stronger muscles, tendons, and ligaments provide better joint stability, reducing the risk of common running injuries like shin splints, IT band syndrome, and runner’s knee.

• Strong bones: Strength training increases bone density, which is crucial for runners who put repeated stress on their bones with every stride.

• Better posture and balance: Single-leg exercises and core work enhance proprioception and balance, preventing missteps and improving control on uneven terrain.

• Faster recovery: Stronger muscles recover more quickly from hard workouts, reducing soreness and allowing you to train more consistently.

Hydrow Member Bob Manley, an avid runner, found that incorporating strength training and stretching into his fitness routine has made him a better athlete overall.

“They were two elements I had neglected for years despite my doctor consistently telling me how important they were to pair with my running routine,” he said. “I’ve known in the back of my head that I was missing something my entire athletic career, and I would have been a better athlete my whole life if I had figured this out in my 30s and not waited until now. But I’m glad I finally discovered it!” 

15 strength training exercises for runners

Now that you understand all of the ways strength training can help boost your running workouts and recovery, let’s dig into different types of strength training exercises runners can use to target their upper-body, lower-body, and core strength:

The best core strength training exercises for runners

A strong core supports stability, and helps generate power. These exercises will strengthen your core, including abs, glutes, hips, and low back.

1. Plank with leg lift: This can be done in high plank or low plank position. While holding the plank position, contract your glutes to lift one leg off the ground. Pause, lower, and repeat with the other leg.

2. Glute bridge: Lie down with knees bent and arms at your sides for stability. Elevate your hips by squeezing your glutes until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. 

3. Bird dog: Start on your hands and knees with your back flat. Lift your right arm and left leg until they form a straight line with your back. Pause, and repeat with opposite limbs.

4. Dead bugs: Lie on your back with arms straight up over your shoulders, and knees bent over your hips with feet in the air. Slowly lower your right leg and left arm until they’re just above the floor. Return to start and repeat on the opposite side.

The best lower-body strength training exercises for runners

Running is a high-impact sport, so a strong lower body is important for reducing fatigue, enhancing endurance, helping you power up hills, and sprinting through finish lines. These exercises will strengthen your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves:

1. Squats: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees and hinge your hips, keeping your upper body straight, lower until your thighs are parallel, pause, and return to start.

2. Single-leg deadlifts: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Shift your weight to your left leg and lift your right leg behind you, keeping it straight and flexing your foot. At the same time, hinge your hips and lower your upper body until it’s in line with your right leg. Stand up and repeat on the left.

3. Reverse lunge with knee raise: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Step back with one foot and lower into a lunge position. Stand up, bringing your knee forward and up so your thigh is parallel to the ground. Return to standing and repeat on the other side.

4. Step-ups: Stand facing a sturdy box or bench. Step onto the box and push through your heel to stand up on the box. Step back down and repeat on the opposite side.

5. Clamshells: Lie on your side with knees bent at a 45-degree angle and your hips, knees, and ankles stacked. Keeping your feet in contact with each other, lift your top knee by squeezing your glutes and without rocking backwards. Repeat on the other side.

6. Calf raise: Stand on the edge of a step or low bench with heels extended off. Keeping your legs straight, lower your heels, pause and contract your calf muscles to push up onto your toes. 

7. Skater hops: Stand with feet together, hands at your sides. Lift your right foot and hop to the right. Land on your right foot, allowing your left leg to swing behind your right leg. Use the momentum to hop to your left and repeat.

8. Hip clock: Stand with feet hip width apart and imagine your standing in the middle of a clock face. Shift your weight to your left leg and lift your right foot off the floor. Do a slight squat as you tap your right foot at 12:00 on the clock face and come back to center. Repeat at 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00. Then repeat on the other leg.

The best upper-body strength training exercises for runners

Upper-body strength may seem unnecessary for running, but strong arms and shoulders can improve your running efficiency and support good form. These exercises will strengthen your chest, shoulders, and arms: 

1. Push-ups: Start in a high plank position with your body in a straight line. Bend your elbows and lower your body to just above the floor. Pause and push back up.

2. I,Y,Ts: Lie on your stomach with arms extended straight over your head. Keep your body in contact with the floor and lift only your arms off the ground. This is the “I” position. Move your arms to a “Y” position and lift again. Then, move them to a “T” position and lift. 

3. Shoulder press: In a seated position, hold dumbbells, or other weight, over your shoulders with elbows bent and palms facing forward. Press the weight straight up, pause, lower and repeat.

Tips for incorporating strength training into your running routine

If you’re a regular runner, your exercise routine is probably pretty full already. But strength training provides benefits that make it important to find time for it. Here are a few tips:

• Make sure to schedule one to two days rest between strength sessions. Muscles need time to recover and repair after lifting.

• If you're new to strength training, consider starting with bodyweight exercises and gradually adding weight.

• It may sound counterintuitive, but doing your strength sessions on the same days as more challenging running workouts lets you maximize your recovery days.

If done properly, strength training will enhance your running program by making you stronger, steadier, and more powerful. If you’re looking for strength training workouts you can do in your own home, consider Hydrow’s extensive library of workouts led by experts and world-class Athletes. 

And if you’re curious about how rowing can complement your running routine, you can also check out my Rowing for Runners series on Hydrow. I’ve adapted classic running workouts for the rowing machine, guiding you through low-impact, full body sessions that are perfect for cross training and becoming a stronger, more well-rounded runner. 

Learn more today!