So why are strength exercises important for Runners?
- to increase speed
- for better performance
- to prevent injury
- structural fitness, for example to strengthen bones
- to increase resistance against wear and tear of the body
- for endurance
- for fitness
- a stronger core means better balance, co-ordination and running
Just to name a few.
It is important when running to keep building muscle. When we run long distance we often burn away muscle as a form of energy to last the distance. The less muscle we have, the less bone density and the more prone to injury.
So doing some of these exercises in your weekly routine will not only benefit you in health and fitness but it can also improve your performance, speed and times!
Here’s some you can try in the gym or at home. You can also use body weight if you don’t have weights at home.
Here’s some alternatives to the exercises:
- Lunges, hold hands behind your head
- Dead-lifts, do bridges, single leg
Remember to always warm up with some squats, crunches, jogging or skipping before your main workout. Cool down and stretch at the end 5 to 10 minutes.
