Many marathoners might use the time between their marathon cycles to ‘get stronger’, particularly those who might not be satisfied with their most recent marathon. So off to the gym they go, squats, deadlifts, leg presses, curls, extensions and soon enough they are stronger! Is this new strength though translating into a faster stride? Often this is not the case, and part of the reason is their strength program did not involve the lower leg.

The calf, shin and feet are our contact to the ground. If these ‘tires’ are not properly developed alongside the powerful ‘engines’ of the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, the faster, more efficient transfer of force might just not happen, and injuries can also follow suit.

A few tips when adding lower leg strength exercises:

1. Involve exercises that are both ‘targeted’ (working a specific area/muscle) and ‘full chain’ (working
   the full leg through full body movements.