Five Reasons To Add Strength Training To Your Running

You’ve probably heard the suggestion to add strength training to your running regimen, and you also may be wondering why, especially if you’re new to the sport. After all, running is a great workout on its own. Why add more to equation? Let’s talk about the benefits that strength training brings to running.

Strength Training Makes You Stronger

Obviously, the direct result of strength training means you’ll get stronger. And a stronger body generally leads to enhanced performance while running. You’ll be able to go farther, and in some cases, faster, both of which are great things.

It Keeps You Balanced And Flexible

A common complaint for runners is poor balance and flexibility. Strength training helps with both those issues. Since running only works on certain muscles groups moving in one particular direction, strength training helps improve the complementary muscle groups and directions. This leads to more efficient and balanced performance, and keeps everything nice and limber.

When You Strength Train, It Helps Prevent Injury

When all your muscles get attention, it means that they can all pull their own weight, literally. Adding strength to your running regimen means that you aren’t asking your running muscles to bear the entire burden of movement. Strong shoulders, core, back, and arms take some of the pressures off the glutes, quads, calves, ankles and feet. This makes more equitable wear on your body, which helps alleviate some common strains, sprains, stress fractures, and other injuries.

It Also Boosts Your Confidence

When you’re stronger, you feel better, and strength training definitely helps with that. Doing all the hard things is an incredible way to increase that self-confidence. And while running all the miles or going super fast is huge for the ego, it’s nice to expand your list of accomplishments with something outside the cardio realm.

Strength Training Challenges Your Limitations

Runners are already so incredibly powerful, but strength training takes things to the next level. It’s a different kind of struggle and a different kind of burn, but it’s still incredibly rewarding to face your limitations and conquer!

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