Over the last few columns I have suggested a range of non-running workouts for runners that – combined with an effective running programme – should make you a better and stronger athlete. So far I’ve put together basic strength and core workouts, a dynamic warmup routine plus a range of routines for when you’re unable to run.
Now it’s time for an intermediate programme that uses weights to improve strength.
The plan
As with most of the other workouts in this series, this workout is short but effective. The idea being that you can train in your lunch hour or briefly after your run (as Mo Farah does) and still make it an effective session. Sometimes runners are nervous about training with weights, but – as I’ve mentioned previously – runners such as Farah have used them to make significant improvements.
As Farah told the Guardian earlier this year: “I was a lot weaker before. All the core stuff, all the weights? I couldn’t lift anything. I just used to run and do a bit of core but I never did specific stuff. That’s been the difference for sure.”
The science backs Farah up. A study in 2008 by Storen et al looked at runners who performed heavy squats three times per week for eight weeks alongside runners who performed their normal distance training. They found that the runners doing the squats improved their running economy and time to exhaustion at maximal aerobic speed, without any change in body weight.
Strength and core work can be very effective for runners. The difficulty is fitting it into your schedule when you could be running five or six times a week already. So here’s the plan …
The routine
Before any of these exercises are attempted please seek advice from a fitness professional and make sure that you begin with a sensible weight. Try the dynamic warmup before this workout. Remember to breathe out on the “effort part” of these exercise. Try and perform these for between eight and 12 repetitions, with two sets per each exercise.
Squat
https://youtube.com/watch?v=nubkj0NH55E%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed
Rest the bar on your trapezius muscles (squeeze your shoulder blades together) and take the weight from the rack; take one step back from the rack and position your feet at shoulder width, and pointing your toes slightly outwards. The first movement is not (like most people will do) bringing your knees forward, but instead push your bum backwards as if you about to take a low seat. Take it down past 90 degrees (ASS TO GRASS!). You’ll hear lots of myths about not going past parallel when squatting, but I can tell you now it’s all nonsense. Squat deep to get the best results! Keep your head up throughout the squat and squeeze your bum when you get back to the
top.
Dumbbell press
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ozkVemHLEZQ%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed
Take a dumbbell of a manageable weight in each hand and get on to a
flat bench (you can choose to create an incline if you wish to hit the
pectoral muscles from a different angle). Also get someone to spot you
just to make sure the form stays true. From a straight-arm position
bring the dumbbells down at the same time until there is a 90-degree
angle at the elbow joint and then push them upwards until the arms are
straight. Try not to let the dumbbells touch each other at the top
just to make sure that you’re not resting at any point.
Lunges
https://youtube.com/watch?v=56bFJbEy3bM%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed
We’re using dumbbells here but feel free to use a barbell once you are
confident of form. Stand with your feet together and lunge forward
with one foot going as low as you can with the back knee. Try to get
90 degrees at both knees when at the bottom. Push back strongly to a
standing position and alternate legs. Make sure not to lean forward on
these; stay tall and proud throughout!
Military press
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_lZHfP0LKvo%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed
Find a bar which you a comfortable to hold at your chest with your
elbows under your hands (close to your body, not out in front of you).
Set you feet apart to create a stable base. Push the bar up above your
head and straighten your arms until you feel the squeeze in the
deltoids, and slowly bring it down to the starting position.
Deadlifts
https://youtube.com/watch?v=4xfH2NXgiOo%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed
This one is optional (and could be alternated with squats on different
workouts). To begin with, have the bar close to you’re ankles with
your feet just closer than shoulder width and take a strong grip of
the bar with your arms touching the outside of your knees. It is vital
to keep the base of your back flat here (I see so many people doing
this badly) so lift with the knees always looking upwards, keeping the
bar close to your shins and then your thighs, straightening your body
on the way to the top and pin the shoulders back at the top (this
doesn’t mean shrug!). Just half a second pause at the top and then
bring the weight down to the floor (once again keeping it close to
your legs throughout); put the bar down between repetitions! This is a
deadlift, which means we are lifting a dead weight. Also, no bouncing
the weight to gain momentum. Seek the advice of an experienced
(they’re not all good!) trainer before attempting this exercise.
If there are any areas you would like Donald to address in future
columns please post your thoughts below
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