7/6/2020 5 myths about strength training and endurance running - La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre

EXERCISE - MAY 11, 2018

5 myths about strength training and endurance running

Rich Willy, PT, PhD

Assistant Professor
School of Physical Therapy and Movement Science
Missoula, Montana, USA
Photo credits: Jackie Merritt

Although research has shown resistance training has a multitude of health benefits and reduces risk of overuse injury in athletes by
about 50%, many runners skip the weight room in favor of putting in more kilometres. Here are some of the most popular myths about
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strength training for runners. Are they keeping you out of the weight room or from gaining the most benefit from your current resistance
training sessions?

1. Strength training will make me run slower

A common misconception is that resistance training will result in weight gain, resulting in a
decrease in running performance. However, total body mass does not increase when
resistance training is added to an endurance running program. Further, improved running
economy (the amount of oxygen consumed at a given pace), and faster running
performances are observed in runners who add resistance training to their training routines.
For instance, 6 weeks of heavy weight training (2x per week, 4 sets of 4 reps, using a weight
that corresponds to 80% 1-repetition max, for exercises such as lunges and heel raises)
improved 5-km race times by nearly 4% in moderately trained runners. In contrast, no
changes were observed in a control group of runners who only participated in endurance
running.

2. Strength training should be high rep, low weight to mimic the endurance demands of
running

While heavy strength training results in improvements in endurance running performance, the same effects have not been observed with
light, circuit-type resistance training (3 sets of 40-45 seconds of continuous repetitions of lower limb exercises). Furthermore, desirable
tendon qualities, such as tendon stiffness, improve the best with slow, heavy resistance training. In contrast, low-weight, high-repetition
resistance training has minimal effect on tendon stiffness. The time a muscle is under tension, with adequate rest between sets (2-3
minutes), seems to be important factor in eliciting beneficial adaptations in a runner’s musculoskeletal system. Runners should
complete a preparatory phase of 2-4 weeks with 2-4 sets of 15 repetitions per exercise with lighter weights prior to beginning a heavy
resistance program.

3. The gluteal muscles (“glutes”) are the most important muscles for running

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While the gluteal muscles are important for running, the calf and the thigh muscles are actually more responsible for supporting our
bodies during running. In fact, the calf musculature contributes about 50% of the torque that supports our body during endurance-paced
running. Interestingly, our ability to push off with our calf muscles declines about 31% between 20 and 60 years of age. The decline in
calf muscle performance is a major contributor to a shorter step length (shuffling pattern) during running that is commonly observed in
older runners. Therefore, a comprehensive resistance program should target the calf, thigh and hip muscles, with the calf musculature
requiring extra attention in the masters runner. There is also some suggestion that maintaining running volume and running intensity as
we age can help reduce the age-related decline in ankle push-off during running.

4. Strength training can fix your running mechanics

Excessive hip adduction (the thigh collapses inward towards the runner’s midline) is often
observed in some runners. Excessive hip adduction is associated with certain knee injuries,
such as patellofemoral pain and iliotibial pain. Specific hip muscles, called the gluteal
muscles, control hip adduction. However, there is no evidence that strengthening the gluteal
muscles will reduce hip adduction during running. In fact, there is little evidence that weak
gluteal muscles are even associated with hip adduction during running. Studies suggest that
highly structured programs that retrain a runners gait can reduce hip adduction, but these
programs focus on improving the coordination of the hip during the actual task of running.

5. Runners should do multi-joint exercises that are “functional

It may be tempting to mimic the movement patterns of running in the weight room by doing multi-joint, “functional” exercises. But, “good
mechanics” practiced during resistance training exercises do not seem to transfer to running (see myth 4 above). In fact, single-joint
exercises may be preferable to attain running-relevant levels of muscle forces. For instance, a single leg squat is a great strengthening
exercise for the hip and thigh muscles. However, a squat minimally loads the calf muscles and requires far less ankle range of motion
than what is typical during running. In contrast, a single leg heel raise isolates the calf musculature and enables the runner to move the
ankle through a full range of motion. The Achilles tendon, which transmits muscle forces from the calf musculature to the heel, can
experience forces as high as 6-8x a runner’s body weight during running. Therefore, a runner’s resistance training program should consist

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of a mix of multi- and single-joint exercises to ensure that their muscles and tendons are loaded
adequately.

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For more great running resources from La Trobe Sports and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, click here

References

Almonroeder, T., J. D. Willson and T. W. Kernozek (2013). “The effect of foot strike pattern on achilles tendon load during running.” Ann
Biomed Eng 41(8): 1758-1766.

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Bohm, S., F. Mersmann and A. Arampatzis (2015). “Human tendon adaptation in response to mechanical loading: a systematic review
and meta-analysis of exercise intervention studies on healthy adults.” Sports medicine-open 1(1): 7.

Devita, P., R. E. Fellin, J. F. Seay, E. Ip, N. Stavro and S. P. Messier (2016). “The Relationships between Age and Running Biomechanics.”
Med Sci Sports Exerc 48(1): 98-106.

Ferber, R., B. Noehren, J. Hamill and I. S. Davis (2010). “Competitive female runners with a history of iliotibial band syndrome
demonstrate atypical hip and knee kinematics.” J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 40(2): 52-58.

Hamner, S. R., A. Seth and S. L. Delp (2010). “Muscle contributions to propulsion and support during running.” Journal of biomechanics
43(14): 2709-2716.

Karsten, B., L. Stevens, M. Colpus, E. Larumbe-Zabala and F. Naclerio (2016). “The Effects of a Sport-Specific Maximal Strength and
Conditioning Training on Critical Velocity, Anaerobic Running Distance, and 5-km Race Performance.” Int J Sports Physiol Perform 11(1):
80-85.

Kulas, A. S., T. Hortobagyi and P. DeVita (2012). “Trunk position modulates anterior cruciate ligament forces and strains during a single-
leg squat.” Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) 27(1): 16-21.

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