Running is a high-impact activity that over time causes lots of wear and tear on the musculoskeletal system, especially the joints. Resistance training, when properly structured, can help provide support to the joints reducing the wear and tear accumulated during running workouts. Strength training improves the efficiency of the muscles and establishes better quality communication between the brain and muscles. It will also promote muscular endurance (the ability of the muscles to sustain contractions). When designing a strength training program to complement a running program, proper balance between hard and easy days is necessary. Strength training should supplement running workouts, not overpower them. Exercises should be large muscle group in nature such as lunges, step-ups, push-ups, single arm rows, and torso rotations. Body weight, free weights, and cables are good choices of equipment; weight machines do not have as much transfer to running movements. Weight should be kept fairly light and repetitions should be high (12-25) to achieve endurance adaptations.
Resistance training can enhance the stabilization strength of your joints and enhance muscular endurance of your running muscles. A systematic resistance training program will first work your body globally to build a strong foundation and then progress to moves and exercises that will begin to fine tune your strength requirements for running. Also, resistance training can be utilized as a cross training workout to complement your running schedule.
It is very important to include resistance training into your workout routine. In order to tone up, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn so that you eat into your fat stores. Once your body has burned through the fat stores and seeks energy to burn, it will find that energy stored in muscle. This means that you may lose muscle while trying to achieve the body fat reduction goal when performing only aerobic activities. Resistance training will help to minimize the loss of muscle by continuously providing the stimulus the muscle needs. When you increase the muscle on your body, you also increase your metabolism. Metabolism is the amount of calories necessary to maintain your body. More muscle will mean more calories being burned even at rest. Incorporate resistance training along with a weight loss program, and you can help minimize muscle loss, speed up metabolism, as well as achieve your goals of toning up much quicker.
Resistance training can help strengthen the muscles used when you run, resulting in decreased stress placed on your joints. Resistance training can also help strengthen muscles that are weak, which can lead to poor running mechanics and injury. Resistance training, along with focusing on proper running mechanics, can help improve your movement quality leading to a decrease in injury. Resistance training can also be used as a form of cross-training. Cross-training is simply doing a different form of exercise than you normally do (in this case, running). This will help prevent overuse injuries commonly seen in runners while at the same time provide conditioning to your muscles.
As you age you will begin to lose muscle mass. In order to keep your strength levels up you must do resistance training in some form. Resistance training will also keep your bones, tendons, and ligaments strong.
Although running is a great conditioning exercise and can also keep the weight off, resistance training is vital to keep lean muscle mass high and injuries at bay. Resistance training helps to build up lean muscle mass, which helps keep the metabolism high as well as keeping functional fitness levels in optimum range. By utilizing resistance training within your running program, you can help avoid certain overuse injuries and joint strain as well. Keeping the lean muscles of the legs in good working order will enable them to keep the hip, knee and ankle joints safer during runs.
Aim for 2-3 days of resistance training per week and make sure that your resistance training complements your running program. Always factor in core work and multi-joint movements to keep your runs safe and injury free.
Resistance training will improve overall body strength, and can also make you a better, stronger runner.
Get some guidance from a professional on how to train with weights to help your running.
Resistance training will help strengthen up your muscles, bone and joints so you will be able to do more. Even though you only like to run you just can't have one without the other. Just like diet and exercise, one will not get you to your goal but together you can achieve anything. By not doing resistance training you run into the problem of losing muscles and and weakening your joints from the stress of running. Bottom line, you want to keep your muscles strong to handle the long distances and impact of your running.
Resistance training offer benefits to your running. The added strength to compliment your running form is a match made in heaven. Make sure you find functional exercises that complement the muscle group that assist your running. If done right it can only be a benefit.
It is super important to do resistance training, if all you do is run. Strength or resistance training can improve your running skills and help you prevent injuries caused by running. In my experience a huge number of runners will seek resistance training after being injured because, they have not strengthen certain muscles they have neglected from years of running.
Using resistance training to increase strength in your quads, gluteus, hamstrings, and hips will improve your running skills. Think of resistance training as preventive medicine for runners to decrease risk for injury, increase bone density, preventing back pain, lowering your risk for disease, improving your energy level, improve weight loss, preventing loss of muscle, improving sports performance and keeping you younger. Get with your Personal Trainer or Fitness Expert to figure out a program that works for you, they may be even able to incorporate running into your routine. Keep running and don't forget your strength training to build a healthier, fitter you.
It can be very beneficial for runners. In the initial phases of resistance training, your body will increase in muscular endurance and stability. Both of which are critical for running effectively. If done properly, resistance training can also promote better posture and reduce the chance of injury. This, coupled with some balance, core, and reactivity training can improve your overall fitness.
Resistance training is important no matter what you do. It, along with calcium intake, is the only way we can combat osteoporosis which may not come into play until our later years but starts roughly after the age of 35 when our peak bone density starts to diminish. Weight training is especially important for females because after menopause a woman's body starts seeking out calcium faster than a man's body, and the only way to slow that loss of calcium is to weight train and increase calcium supplementation.
If you are looking to improve your running skills then there are advantages to resistance training. Also I Ibelieve that you would benefit from speed and agility training.
Resistance exercise is very important for everyone with physician clearance. Running is in fact resistance training but only for your legs. Osteoporosis can develop in just parts of your body and without upper body resistance training you are putting yourself at risk for osteoporosis in your upper body which can start as early as 35. No need for a gym or fancy equipment though, there are many ways to incorporate resistance training into your runs. A few sets of simple push-ups and pull ups during the week can greatly reduce your risk of having osteoporosis in future years. Men and women can suffer from this. A pull up bar is less than $40 you can hook it on your bedroom doorway. Small dumbbells and even water weights can also help you w/ your resistance routine. Perform upper body resistance exercises 2-3 times a week for most weeks and it's ok to take a week off every 6-8 weeks or so.
Resistance training will improve your speed, endurance, balance, and help you run more efficiently. In addition, resistance training will help support your joints, and most important, reduce your risk for injury. A recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that incorporating moves such as squats, single-leg hops, and core workouts to your regimen can help prevent lower-body injuries that can plague many runners, such as knee and hip injuries, as well as improve performance.
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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.