Strength Training Workouts for Runners Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Programs for Sports Strength Training Workouts for Runners By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. Learn about our editorial process Updated on August 03, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and nutrition and exercise healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Michael Lau, PT, DPT Medically reviewed by Michael Lau, PT, DPT Michael Lau, PT, DPT, CSCS, is a licensed physical therapist, strength and conditioning coach, and co-founder of The Prehab Guys. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Verywell / Ryan Kelly Whether you are preparing for a marathon, half-marathon, or an obstacle course race, you can benefit from strength training. Strengthening your muscles can translate into greater running efficiency. Moreover, your muscles will be able to perform for a longer time before fatiguing or cramping up. You don't need heavy weights or even a gym membership to embark on an effective strength training program. You can strength-train without any equipment, using a simple, at-home routine, two to three times per week. These are best done on days you are not running, or are doing a short, easy run. You can start doing one of these three safe and effective strength training programs (beginner, intermediate, advanced) today. For all three programs, start with a warm-up. Then do the exercises in order, with a 30-second break between each set. Finish with some full-body stretches. If you aren't sure which training program is right for you, it's best to start with an easier program and work your way up to a more challenging one progressively. Beginner Strength Training Program If you have not done strength training before, this workout is best for you. Even if you do have some experience with these types of exercises, it is often best to start here for the first couple of weeks, especially if you have not done any strength-training recently. Lower Body One set of 15 squats 15 lunges on each leg Three wall quad sits (holding for 30 seconds each) Three sets of 10 heel raises One set of 10 toe raises Core Work Front plank (holding for 30 seconds) Side plank (both sides, holding for 30 seconds) Bicycle crunches (one 60-second set) One set of 12 bird-dogs (holding for five seconds each) Reverse crunches (one 30-second set) One set of 20 push-ups Intermediate Strength Training Program The intermediate strength training program amps up the number of sets and adds some variations to increase the workout intensity. Lower Body Two sets of 15 squatsTwo sets of 15 lunges (on each side)Three wall quad sits (holding for 40 seconds each)Three sets of 10 heel raises15 toe raises Core Work Front plank (holding for 45 seconds) Side plank (both sides, holding for 45 seconds) Bicycle crunches (one 90-second set) 12 bird-dogs (holding for 10 seconds) Reverse crunches (one 60-second set) 40 push-ups Three Superman abs (holding each for three seconds) Advanced Strength Training Program With the advanced strength training program, you can build endurance and lean muscle mass by increasing reps and hold times. Lower Body Three sets of 15 squatsThree sets of 10 lunges (on each side)Three wall quad sits (holding for 45 seconds each)Three sets of 10 heel raisesTwo sets of 10 toe raises Focus on form and be sure to engage the muscles from the hips all the way up to the neck to ensure your core is rock solid and your back is well protected. Core Work Front plank (holding for 60 to 90 seconds)Side plank (both sides, holding for 60 to 90 seconds)Bicycle crunches (one two-minute set)12 bird-dogs (holding for 15 seconds each)Reverse crunches (one 90-second set)50 push-ups10 Superman abs (holding each for five to 10 seconds) Top Reasons to Strength Train 1 Source Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Taipale RS, Mikkola J, Nummela A, et al. Strength training in endurance runners. Int J Sports Med. 2010;31(7):468-76. doi:10.1055/s-0029-1243639 By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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