10 essential strength exercises for runners. 

When I started working with runners, I was shocked that many had no interest in strength training.

“I don’t want to get too bulky!” They’d say.

As someone who struggled with building muscle for most of my life, I would laugh to myself at the idea that lifting weights automatically turns you into a Mr. Olympia competitor.

As any bodybuilder will tell you, gaining muscle mass is not easy nor simple.

I spent a lot of time convincing runners that strength exercises can help performance, not hinder it.

In 2024, many more runners are open to strength training. A running boom is taking place, and more and more beginners are jumping in with both feet.

The popularity of “hybrid athletes,” people who lift weights and participate in endurance sports, is on the rise.

All of which is to say, its a lot easier to convince runners of the benefits of spending some time in the weight room in 2024 than ever before.

There are many different ways to incorporate strength training into your training program. In this article, I’ll cover 10 essential strength exercises for runners to get you started. We’ll look at the benefits of strength training for runners, the different types of relevant strength training (strength, power, and muscular endurance), and 10 of my favorite exercises for runners.

*This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Before beginning any training program, consult with a medical professional. 

Benefits of Strength Training for Runners

Strength training offers runners several benefits, such as enhancing performance and injury prevention. Here are some key advantages:

Injury Prevention: Strengthening muscles around the joints (like knees and hips) can reduce the risk of common running injuries such as IT band syndrome, shin splints, and runner’s knee. Stronger muscles absorb impact better, protecting tendons and ligaments. Strong lower body muscles are also less easily fatigued, which reduces the risk of deficient running form on long endurance runs.

Improved Running Economy: Strength training increases muscle efficiency, helping runners use less energy for the same pace—aka their “running economy.” This will also help stave off fatigue on long endurance runs.

Increased Power and Speed: Exercises like squats, lunges, and plyometrics can enhance lower body strength and power. This can improve your speed and acceleration, particularly in shorter races and uphill sections.

Better Posture Form: When I first started running long distances, I would feel my posture slowly caving in as I became more fatigued. Core and upper body exercises can help maintain proper posture, especially during long runs when fatigue sets in. A strong core stabilizes the body, improving running form and preventing excessive movement that could lead to inefficiency or injury.

Balanced Muscle Development: Muscle imbalances are all too common in running. Strength training targets underused muscles (like glutes and hamstrings), ensuring better overall muscular balance, which enhances performance and can help reduce pain and injury down the road.

Programming Strength Training for Runners

When designing a strength training program for runners, the number of sets, reps, and rest periods depends on the training focus: strength, power, or muscular endurance.

Strength Training for Runners

Strength-focused training uses moderate volume, heavy weights, and a lower rep range. Common exercises include multi-joint movements like squats, deadlifts, and lunges. Don’t shy away from lifting heavy—this is where athletic strength is developed. Using lower rep ranges will help reduce the onset of soreness that runners fear will prevent their planned run the next day.

• Goal: Building maximal strength.
• Sets: 3–5 sets 
• Reps: 1–6 reps
• Rest Period: 3-5 minutes between sets

Power Training for Runners

Power training uses fast, explosive movements (like jump squats or kettlebell swings) to develop speed. Unlike strength-focused training, which seeks to move as heavy a load as possible through a given range of motion, power-focused training focuses on speed-strength, moving a given load through a given range of motion as fast as possible. Low reps with explosive force and moderate to heavy loads, combined with longer rest periods, are used in power-focused training. 

• Focus: Enhancing explosive strength and speed.
• Sets: 3–4 sets
• Reps: 2–5 reps
• Rest Period: 2–4 minutes between sets

Muscular Endurance Training for Runners

Muscular endurance training is the type of strength training most runners are familiar with. It involves lighter weight for higher volume, usually more than 15 reps in each set. Speed is less critical in muscular endurance training than power training. The basis of muscular endurance work is a consistent tempo of high reps with short rest periods.

• Focus: Increasing muscle endurance.
• Sets: 2–3 sets
• Reps: 15 + reps
• Rest Period: 30 seconds – 1 minute between sets

Summary of Strength vs. Power vs. Muscular Endurance

All three training priorities have a place in a runner’s strength training routine depending on the runner’s goals and racing distance.

• Strength: Maximizing force. Heavy weights, low reps, long rest.
• Power: Emphasizing speed and explosiveness. Heavy – moderate weights, explosive reps, long rest.
• Muscular Endurance: Focus on muscle endurance. Light – moderate weights, high reps, short rest.

10 Essential Strength Exercises for Runners

Below are ten of the dozens of exercises you can choose as a runner. I’ve mostly focused on lower body movements, which transfer the most to running. However, you should still include two to three upper body exercises each week to target the chest, lats, and shoulders.

Barbell Deadlift

There’s a reason the deadlift is considered one of the three big lifts (squats, deadlift, bench press). The deadlift is a compound movement (multi-joint) that works your entire posterior chain (calves, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back) through the hip hinge movement. These muscles are critical for maintaining proper running posture and generating forward propulsion with each stride. 

The deadlift also improves core stability and hip mobility, essential for reducing injury risk, particularly in the lower back and hips. By building overall lower body strength and power, deadlifts help runners increase running efficiency, improve speed, and withstand the physical demands of long-distance running or uneven terrain. Single-leg deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts are other good options for the hip hinge movement pattern.

How to Do the Barbell Deadlift

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with the barbell placed directly over the mid-foot. Bend at the hips and knees to grip the bar just outside your knees, with your hands shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your back flat, chest up, and shoulders slightly in front of the bar. Engage your core and take a deep breath to brace your torso.
• Push through your heels as you extend your hips and knees at the same time, pulling the bar up along your shins. Keep the bar close to your body as you stand tall, locking your hips and knees at the top.
• Hinge at your hips first (not your knees) to guide the bar back down, keeping your back straight and the bar close to your body. Bend your knees once the bar passes them, lowering it back to the ground.
• Perform the desired number of reps, focusing on maintaining form throughout the movement.

Barbell Squat

The barbell squat is known for building stronger legs by strengthening the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core, all essential muscles for running. It helps improve leg power, stability, and endurance, making it a good starting point for runners looking to build strength for performance. 

How to Do the Barbell Squat

• Position the barbell at shoulder height in a squat rack.
• Step under the bar, placing it across your upper back (not on your neck). Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Stand up to lift the bar off the rack, then step back with feet about shoulder-width apart, toes slightly pointed out.
• Brace your core and keep your chest up.
• Begin by pushing your hips back and bending your knees, lowering yourself as if sitting in a chair.
• Keep your weight evenly distributed across your feet, with your knees tracking in line with your toes.
• Lower down until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground (or lower if flexibility allows).
• Push through your heels to return to a standing position, fully extending your hips at the top.
• Keep your back flat and your core braced.

Kettlebell Curtsy Lunge

The curtsy lunge is a great exercise for runners because it strengthens key muscles that maintain balance, stability, and injury prevention, particularly in the hips and glutes. While traditional lunges mostly work in the sagittal plane (forward-backward movement), the curtsy lunge incorporates side-to-side (frontal plane) motion. This strengthens the glute muscles, specifically the glute medius, which is important for hip stability in runners.

How to Do the Curtsy Lunge

• Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hold a kettlebell by the horns in front of your chest. 
• Step back with your left foot at an angle behind the right side of your body. 
• Keep your right foot planted by lowering your knee to the ground. 
• Stand up and bring your left foot back to the starting position. Repeat all reps on one side before moving to the other or alternate lead legs with each rep.

Bulgarian Split Squats

Bulgarian split squats are one of the best ways to develop single-leg strength, which mirrors the unilateral demands of running. This exercise strengthens the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, improving overall lower-body strength and stability. By isolating each leg, it can help correct muscle imbalances that can lead to injury. 

How to Do the Bulgarian Split Squat

• Find a bench, box, rock, or elevated surface. Place one foot on the elevated surface, with the sole of your foot facing upward.
• Place your other foot facing forward far enough away from the elevated surface to lower your body at a natural angle.
• Keep your back straight and your body balanced on your front foot. Keep your chin up. Keep your eyes lowered to a place on the ground 5-10 feet away. 
• You have a few options for holding the kettlebell. You can hold it at chest level, in the arm opposite of the forward leg (left hand if the right leg is forward), or in each hand at your sides. I prefer the chest-level position because it forces the back to remain straight.
• Lower your body, bending your knee until you reach a comfortable depth. Then, drive upward through your heel until you reach the top of the movement.
• Keep your core tight and pause at the top. Wait to lower yourself again until you have regained your balance.

Calf Raise

Calf raises are a great way to strengthen the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus), which are critical in propelling the body forward with each stride. Strong calves can make you a more efficient runner, allowing for better push-off power and speed, especially on hills or sprints. Additionally, calf raises improve ankle stability and mobility, reducing the risk of common injuries like Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and shin splints.

How to Do the Calf Raise

• Holding a kettlebell or dumbbell in each hand, face an elevated surface (e.g., plyobox, stairs, bench).
• Use a wall or railing to stabilize yourself.
• Lower your heels as far as possible. Then, fully plantar-flex your ankles so you are on your “tippy toes.”
• Lower yourself again to the fully dorsi-flexed position with your heels toward the ground and repeat.

Iso Lunges

Isolunges (isometric lunges) are beneficial for runners because they target unilateral leg strength while improving balance, coordination, and stability. By holding the lunge position for an extended period, isolunges strengthen the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, while reducing the risk of soreness, which primarily comes from the eccentric phase of a movement. They also engage the core to maintain posture and alignment, which helps runners develop better stability through their stride.

How to Do the Iso Lunges

• Start in a lunge position with one foot forward and the other foot back, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Your front knee should be aligned with your ankle, and your back knee should hover just above the ground.
• Engage your core and keep your upper body upright, maintaining the lunge position without any movement. Ensure your front thigh is parallel to the ground and your back leg is bent at a right angle.
• Hold the lunge position for a set amount of time, focusing on keeping your balance and muscle tension. Switch legs and repeat for the other side.

Plyo Lunges

Plyo lunges (plyometric lunges) are excellent for runners because they develop explosive leg power and improve fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment, which is crucial for sprinting and quick changes in speed.  This exercise also strengthens the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and connective tissue of the joints, improving propulsion. The dynamic nature of plyometric lunges helps runners develop better power and agility.

How to Do the Plyo Lunge

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Step one foot back into a lunge position, ensuring both knees form roughly 90-degree angles, with your front knee directly over your ankle.
• From the lunge position, explode upwards by pushing off both feet and jumping into the air.
• While airborne, switch legs so that you land with the opposite leg forward in a lunge position.
• Land softly, bending both knees to absorb the impact. Immediately, jump back up and switch legs again.
• Continue alternating legs with each repetition.

Band-Assisted Vertical Jumps

Band-assisted vertical jumps are great for runners because they help build explosive power and speed while reducing the strain on the joints compared to unassisted jumps. The band allows runners to focus on generating maximum upward force without fear of injury, especially for beginners or those recovering from injury. This exercise strengthens the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, all critical for improving running efficiency and power, particularly for sprints and hill running. It also enhances coordination and fast-twitch muscle fiber activation, making runners more agile and explosive.

How to Do the Band-Assisted Vertical Jump

• Attach a resistance band securely to an overhead anchor point (like a pull-up bar or squat rack). Loop the other end around your waist or hold it in both hands.
• Stand directly under the band with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep a slight bend in your knees, arms at your sides, and your core engaged.
• Lower into a quarter squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
• From the squat position, explosively jump straight up as high as you can, using the band’s resistance to assist your upward motion.
• Land with your knees slightly bent to absorb the impact, and immediately lower into another quarter squat for the next jump.

Russian Twists

Russian twists enhance rotational core strength and stability, which are crucial for maintaining proper running form. A strong core supports the spine, allowing for better posture and reducing the risk of back pain during runs. Additionally, the twisting motion engages the abdominal muscles and obliques, which helps runners improve their balance and coordination, particularly on uneven terrain.

How to Do the Russian Twist

• Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Lean back slightly so that your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the ground. For an added challenge, you can lift your feet off the floor, balancing on your sit bones.
• Grab a medicine ball, dumbbell, or any weight with both hands, holding it close to your chest.
• Rotate your torso to the right, bringing the weight beside your hip. Keep your core engaged and your back straight throughout the movement.
• Return to the center and then twist to the left, bringing the weight beside your left hip. This completes one repetition.

Sled Pushes

Sled pushes are highly beneficial for runners as they develop lower body strength, power, and endurance, particularly in the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Since sled pushes don’t have an eccentric muscle action, they are also less likely to produce as much soreness as a squat or lunge.

Sled pushes also improve running mechanics by promoting a strong, stable core and encouraging proper hip extension, which is vital for efficient running form. They are low-impact and can be modified for various fitness levels, making them an excellent way to enhance strength without placing excessive stress on the joints.

How to Do the Sled Push

• Stand behind the sled with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on the sled’s posts.
• Bend at your hips and knees, lowering your body into a slight squat position while keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
• Drive through your heels and extend your legs, pushing the sled forward with force. Keep your body low.
• Continue to push the sled by alternating your legs, focusing on generating power with each step. Keep your arms extended and use your entire body to drive the sled forward.

10 Essential Strength Exercises for Runners Wrap-Up

Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned athlete, strength training can make you a better runner. Your strength workouts should enhance your run performance.

If you’re completely new to strength training it can help to work with a certified personal trainer or strength and conditioning specialist.

Make sure you find a strength training plan tailored to your running goals.

Remember to subscribe to the Outdoor Muscle Newsletter and YouTube Channel for strength training tips to apply to your next race or adventure!

If you found this article valuable, make sure to check out these!

The Ultimate Guide to Strengthening Knees for Runners

10 Exercises for Trail Runners to Build Full Body Strength

The Ultimate Guide to Strength Training for Hiking (+Training Plan)

Your Guide to Trail Running Basics for Complete Beginners