You don't have to do massive squats or deadlifts or anything overly intimidating. However, you do have to push yourself. Strength training your entire body will help you through a run, of any distance. You need a strong upright core to insure proper and efficient running form and breathing. Without a strong core, as your fatigue increases, your form suffers and you become less efficient, and your fatigue increases more! Strength training your lower body has a number of positive effects. You will decrease your risk of injury, your recover times will be faster, and your actual running will improve. Upper body training is equally important. As you fatigue, if you don't have a strong back and shoulders to maintain proper posture, you could begin to slouch, which could prevent you from getting good air into your lungs, it could also limit your hip flexor range of motion, which would prevent efficient running technique. I would suggest single leg training. We don't have to load our backs with super heavy weights to gain muscle in our legs. Plus single leg exercises help with balance and works the smaller stabilizing muscles. Plyometrics are equally important, but I would incorporate these in the later stages of training, after you have built up a good base of strength, otherwise you increase your risk of injury.
Now, how do I know this??? Well, I have a little bit of knowledge from research and experience, and I've trained runners. Most recently I have been working with an ultra-marathoner (100 milers!!). We have been training his legs very heavy. His last run, he said a lot of elite runners were saying this is one of the hardest 100's out there; he wasn’t sore AT ALL the next day! Usually you're a walking mess the day after. Also, he only runs about twice a week! And one day of strength training with me. THAT is amazing, and none of the other runners believes that's all he runs. He said his recovery times are down (See above), and his injuries have lessened or gone away or don't return. And his hill climbing is amazing compared to where it was. His downhill speed is increasing and he feels more stable coming down as well.
Granted he is an elite runner, but strength training will help any runner get better.
Exercises that help to improve the coordination throughout the entire body and are progressed on a regular basis may give the best returns. Keeping exercise routines fresh can challenge the nervous system and help you to avoid plateaus and repetitive injuries. Remember to always warm up and cool down with flexibility training to keep healthy!
Increasing your overall body strength and conditioning, will help you recover quicker from the physical stress the 5K will have on your body. Also weight lifting at a fast pace with little rest between sets is an effective cardio training tool that will increase your cardio endurance.
Be careful to maintain proper control of your weights and posture during your workout.
Strength training is essential to enhance 5K, 10K, or even a marathoner’s performance. Many times runners get into a mindset of “if I want to run faster or longer, I just need to run faster or longer.” This is true to an extent, but many runners overlook the value of strength training. Running involves the total body. Your abdominals and back muscles work to keep your chest up and assist in breathing properly / the upper body helps with functional alignment of the body through motion (arms moving complimentary to the rest of the body) / the legs, well, they propel the body forward and are key in running. If you strengthen the muscles in the entire body, it [the body] will perform at higher levels. Keep in mind strength training doesn't mean you will end up with huge, bulky muscles. A trainer can greatly help with developing a focused strength/endurance program.
If considering strength training, think outside the box. Try using a sprinting parachute, weighted sled or vest to concentrate more on resisting the run and increase the necessary strength to enhance performance. All other exercises will definitely be an added bonus to reduce fatigue and risk of injury. Don’t forget to adjust your nutrition to accommodate your added routine.
To develop quick twitch muscle fibers, you do fewer reps with max weights. To develop slow twitch, you need lower weights, but lots of reps lots of sets. To strengthen muscles for a marathon, I would select a weight that enables you to do 30 to 40 reps and 5 to 6 sets. In a marathon you need stamina so you should mirror that in your strength training.
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Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.