Running expert claims 20-minute, four-step routine boosts endurance for runners
In the world of running, strength training is no longer a secondary concern. Certified running coach and physiotherapist Richelle Weeks of Sportscience Ottawa strongly advocates for strength training as a crucial component of a runner's routine.
Weeks' recommended strength training routine for runners is designed to be quick, efficient, and effective, taking approximately 20 minutes per session, performed 2 to 3 times a week. This routine is designed to provide benefits without demanding an excessive time commitment.
The routine encompasses key strength exercises for the upper and lower body, focusing on the calves, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core – the most important running muscles. The exact exercises, sets, and reps for Weeks' routine are not extensively detailed in the search results, but a common approach might involve performing 3 sets of each exercise, with repetitions ranging from 8 to 15 per set, depending on the exercise's intensity and focus.
For upper-body exercises, Weeks recommends choosing one push exercise (such as push-ups, shoulder presses, or bench presses) and one pull exercise (like pull-ups, inverted rows, bent-over rows, or back fly).
Weeks' workout with adjustable weights allows for the gradual increase of weight as strength improves. For those seeking a cost-effective alternative, there is a good value option available that goes up to 40lb. However, it's worth noting that this alternative may not be part of the guide to the best adjustable dumbbells.
Another budget-friendly alternative, the Spinlock dumbbells, offer a cheaper option, but they take longer to change the weight and max out at 17lb.
As the exercises become too easy, Weeks advises increasing the weight or resistance used. She emphasizes the importance of low rep / high weight strength training for optimal results, recommending aiming for two reps left in each set. Weeks also suggests starting with 3 sets of 8 reps for each exercise, gradually moving towards 3 sets of 6 for heavier lifting as strength increases.
Weeks' 20-minute strength training routines for runners can be done at home, making it an accessible option for runners seeking to improve their performance and reduce common overuse running injuries. Strength training can potentially improve running performance by 5%, making it a valuable addition to any runner's training regimen.
- The fitness-and-exercise routine suggested by running coach Richelle Weeks of Sportscience Ottawa, involving strength training, is an essential part of her recommended regimen for runners, taking roughly 20 minutes per session, performed 2 to 3 times a week.
- Weeks' strength training routine focuses on key exercises for the upper and lower body, encompassing exercises that target the calves, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core, all of which are crucial muscles for running.
- In her strength training workouts, Weeks recommends incorporating both push and pull exercises, such as push-ups, shoulder presses, inverted rows, and bent-over rows, and gradually increasing the weight or resistance used as the exercises become too easy, with a focus on low rep / high weight strength training for optimal results.
