May 16, 2024
Training Tips by Runzy Director of Coaching Joe McConkey
Strength Training for Runners - A Missing Link
Many runners start lower body strength training to help prevent injuries and get stronger/faster. They find a routine that likely has them doing various squats, deadlifts, hip bridges, and calf raises. Done, check, lower body strength training is in the books, bring on the rewards! Unfortunately though, those rewards don't always happen, and often times that is because the strength training was not running-specific enough.
The act of running is primarily a ballistic motion, where muscle contractions occur in a very short amount of time. We throw our body into the ground, absorb 2-4 times our body weight, and propel our body forward, all in around 0.2 seconds. This requires a well-timed recruitment of muscle fibers, and a well-developed lower leg (calves and feet primarily). Given this, let's make sure our strength training routines target this area in the manner in which we are using it, i.e. ballistically!
A great exercise for this is hops...
Single Leg Hops
- Done 1-2 days per week, post-run.
- Perform 2 sets of 60-100 hops/leg (though more elite runners may go up to 5*100/leg).
- Hops - Hop fast on one leg (180 hops/min rate) while keeping your leg straight (quadricep fully engaged) and heel up (calf fully engaged). You will barely leave the ground, but keep it fast! Do not worry about going forward, just hop in place.
Also, keep in mind you are trying to 'sculpt' your body to be stronger, faster, more efficient, so be sure to spend some time with calf self-massage prior to and after doing hops.
Time to hop on! Just in time to catch the Easter bunny...
