Over the last 40+ years, I’ve had the pleasure of creating effective strength training programs for many runners over 50 who came to me for personal training or online coaching. Some of them are looking to improve their 5k time; some were training for their first marathon; others just had chronic aches and pains and heard that proper strength training could help get rid of them.
Runners are some of my favorite athletes to work with because they are not scared to push themselves and understand that hard work is what elicits improvement in your body and your performance.
But it seems like there are still many serious runners over 50 out there who don’t recognize how much a properly structured strength training program specifically for runners can help their running performance, and help minimize injuries.
This post will cover the benefits of strength training for runners over 50, how to get started, and how to coordinate strength training with your running schedule.
What are the benefits of strength training for runners?
There are tons of reasons why runners over 50 should be strength training, but there are two main ones:
- The most important benefit of strength training for a runner is the decreased chance of injury. In a sport where overuse injuries are so prevalent, stronger muscles, tendons and ligaments are of the utmost importance to keep you healthy and able to run.
- The second benefit of strength training is increased performance. Running economy and time can both be improved through resistance training. Speed can be increased because of the muscles’ increased force output, and endurance can be increased through better running economy. A stronger muscle uses less energy to propel a runner across the ground than a weaker muscle, and stronger muscles can help you hold good posture, even when you’re tired.
What kind of strength training should runners over 50 do?
So what should an over-50 distance runner’s strength training program look like? You should have 2 full-body workouts that you alternate. These workouts should address the needs of the runner, as noted in the examples below.
A good strength training program for runners over 50 would look something like this:
Workout 1:
- Leg Press or Dumbbell Squat – lower body power
- Hip Adduction – injury prevention
- Calf Raise – lower body power
- Chest Press – arm swing, upper body endurance
- Row – arm swing, upper body endurance
- Low Back Extension – running form, core strength
- Abdominal Crunch – core strength
Workout 2:
- Leg Extension or Lunges – lower body power
- Leg Curl – lower body power
- Hip Abduction – injury prevention
- Dorsiflexion (pulling the toes up) – injury prevention
- Shoulder Press – arm swing, upper body endurance
- Pulldown or Chin Up – arm swing, upper body endurance
- Trunk Rotation – running form, core strength
These two workouts cover nearly all the muscles in the body, including the major muscles in your upper and lower legs, hips, midsection and upper body. Each repetition should be performed in a slow and controlled fashion, and to muscular failure for the safest, most efficient and most effective results.
How many times a week should runners over 50 strength train?
You should perform these workouts twice a week, with at least 2 days in-between workouts, at times when running volume is low. If running volume is high, such as when preparing for a race, cut back to once a week, alternating between workouts.
TIP: if you’re not seeing progress on a workout-to-workout basis on most of your strength training exercises, decrease the frequency of your strength training workouts from twice a week to 3 times every 2 weeks, or just once a week.
How do you structure running and strength training?
There are two effective ways to structure your overall running program to include strength training.
First, you can strength train immediately after one of your runs. This is a time-efficient method that also maximizes recovery time; the downside is you’ll obviously be pretty tired for your strength training after running.
The other way is to strength train 1-2 days per week (with no running that day), and run 3-4 times a week with no strength training that day.
Pick the one that works best for your schedule and running goals.
Common myths about strength training for runners
There are two common myths about strength training for runners:
Myth #1. “I don’t want to lift because I don’t want to get big and bulky; it will slow me down.”
This is not true! Fat is what makes you big and bulky, and as we established earlier, muscle will actually help you run faster!
Myth #2. “There’s no time to lift between all of the running that I’m doing.”
This is a poor excuse. Kind of like somebody not saving money because they can’t afford to. In reality, they can’t afford not to!
Go back to benefit #1: increased resistance to injury. Injuries are so common in runners, and strength training is the best way to help prevent those injuries.
Summary: Get started on a safe, effective strength training program to enhance your running
- The most important benefit of strength training for a runner is the decreased chance of injury.
- The second benefit of strength training is improved performance.
- A good strength training program for runners would consist of 2 full-body workouts that you alternate.
- These workouts should address the needs of the runner, such as lower body power, injury prevention, upper body endurance, running form, and core strength.
- You should perform these workouts twice a week, with at least 2 days in-between workouts, at times when running volume is low.
- If running volume is high, such as when preparing for a race, cut back to once a week, alternating between workouts.
So there you have it, a safe, sustainable, time-efficient strength training program for runners over 50. Get started today!
