Quick answer: strength training for runners means short, regular sessions of exercises like squats, lunges, step-ups, calf raises, glute bridges and core work, usually twice a week for 20–40 minutes. It helps your muscles, tendons and joints cope with the repetitive load of running, can improve running economy, and is one of the most useful things you can add to reduce your risk of common overuse injuries.
What Counts as Strength Training for Runners?
For runners, "strength training" doesn't mean bodybuilding. It's any resistance work — bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands or gym machines — that makes the muscles you run with stronger and more resilient. The focus is on the legs, hips, glutes and trunk, using controlled movements that mirror the demands of running: single-leg strength, hip stability and calf and Achilles capacity.
Why Runners Should Do Strength Training
- Better load tolerance: running is thousands of repeated landings. Stronger muscles and tendons handle that load better, which matters most when you increase mileage.
- Running economy: heavier strength training and plyometrics have been shown in research to improve running economy in many runners — you use less energy at the same pace.
- Late-race form: strong glutes, hips and core help you hold your form when you're tired, especially in long races and on hills.
- Injury resilience: calf, hip and quad strength are commonly part of rehabilitation and prevention for problems like runner's knee, Achilles issues and shin pain.
- Hills and descents: strong quads are essential for downhill running, which is why strength work is so important for a Down-run Comrades year.
The Best Strength Exercises for Runners
| Exercise | What it targets | Why it helps runners |
|---|---|---|
| Squat (goblet or back squat) | Quads, glutes | General leg strength for push-off and hills |
| Reverse lunge | Quads, glutes, balance | Single-leg strength and stability |
| Step-up | Quads, glutes | Mimics the single-leg drive of running uphill |
| Step-down (slow, controlled) | Quads, knee control | Eccentric strength for downhill running |
| Single-leg Romanian deadlift | Hamstrings, glutes, balance | Posterior-chain strength and hip stability |
| Calf raise (straight and bent knee) | Calves, Achilles | Calf and Achilles capacity for every stride |
| Glute bridge / hip thrust | Glutes | Hip extension and pelvic control |
| Side plank / clamshell | Hip abductors, trunk | Stops the hips and knees collapsing inward |
| Plank / dead bug | Core | Trunk stability to hold form when tired |
A Simple Twice-Weekly Strength Routine
This routine takes about 30 minutes and works at home with dumbbells or a backpack for extra load, or in the gym.
| Session A | Session B |
|---|---|
| Goblet squat — 3 x 8–10 | Step-up — 3 x 8 each leg |
| Reverse lunge — 3 x 8 each leg | Single-leg Romanian deadlift — 3 x 8 each leg |
| Single-leg calf raise — 3 x 12–15 each leg | Bent-knee calf raise — 3 x 12–15 each leg |
| Glute bridge — 3 x 12 | Slow step-down — 3 x 8 each leg |
| Side plank — 3 x 30s each side | Dead bug — 3 x 10 each side |
Progression: start with bodyweight or light load and perfect your technique. Once you can complete all sets with good form and a couple of reps in reserve, add load gradually. The final reps of each set should feel challenging but controlled.
How Often Should Runners Strength Train?
- Building phases: two sessions a week.
- Peak training and taper: drop to one shorter session a week to maintain strength without adding fatigue.
- Race week: skip heavy strength work.
How to Fit Strength Training Around Your Running
- Do strength work on the same day as a hard run (after it) or an easy run, so your easy days stay easy.
- Avoid heavy leg sessions the day before your long run or a key workout.
- Expect some muscle soreness in the first two weeks — it settles as your body adapts.
- Consistency beats intensity: two short sessions every week for months will do more than occasional hard sessions.
Strength Training for Comrades and Marathon Runners
For long-distance runners, strength training is especially valuable for the hills and the late stages of a race. On a Down-run Comrades year, slow step-downs, lunges and squats help prepare your quads for long descents. Our Comrades Marathon training guide shows how to fit two strength sessions a week into a 20-week programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should runners lift weights?
Yes. Lifting weights or doing other resistance training a couple of times a week is widely recommended for runners to improve strength, resilience and running economy.
Will strength training make me bulky or slow?
Not with this kind of training. Combined with regular running, a runner-focused strength routine builds strength and resilience rather than significant muscle bulk.
Can I do strength training on running days?
Yes. Many runners do strength work after an easy run or after a hard session, keeping rest days and long-run eves free of heavy leg work.
What strength exercises help with knee pain from running?
Hip, glute and quad strengthening exercises are commonly used for runner's knee. Persistent pain should be assessed by a physiotherapist, who can prescribe the right exercises for you.
Do I need a gym?
No. Bodyweight exercises plus a pair of dumbbells or resistance bands are enough for most runners to make good progress.
Running pain-free starts with the right shoes. Book a RunEasi gait analysis at Durban Runner in Windermere, Durban, and explore our recovery tools and injury-free training guide.