The most common is to hear myths such as that training with weights is not positive for those who focus their activity on running, be it long distance or speed races, but nothing is further from the truth.
The mere activity of running causes a development of the legs , especially the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves, but we do not work them completely, leaving behind areas such as the buttocks.
Weight training will provide the runner with great benefits that will be extremely useful when it comes to improving their marks, considerably minimizing the possibility of injury and, ultimately, improving their health.
What benefits does weight training bring to the runner?
There are numerous aspects that favor the athlete this type of training, but we can highlight the most relevant from the sporting point of view.
On the one hand, the strength we gain from lifting weights will give us more speed . In addition, we will significantly improve sprints and gear changes, obtaining more attractive times. It will also help us to obtain a greater range of motion when running, thereby achieving broader strides, with the benefit that it supposes, above all, for speed runners.
An important nuance that we often do not pay due attention to is posture, which is especially important for runners. Maintaining a proper posture during the tour is essential, both to be more comfortable while practicing the activity and to achieve optimal breathing favored by the correct position of the shoulders. We will achieve this with specific exercises for the shoulders and traps.
And, of course, we must not forget an aspect of vital importance, preventing injuries. Having developed muscles will make us less likely to injure ourselves.
The importance of working the core for runners
We know that for runners it is important to develop good muscles in both the legs and the trunk, but there is a fundamental area, it is the core.
When we talk about the core we refer to the muscles that are in the middle zone, highlighting the abdominals, lumbar and hip muscles. The stronger we have these muscles, the more stability we will achieve in the race, the better posture we will acquire and the less risk of injury we will have.
What are the best exercises for runners?
Obviously, you have to train the whole body to achieve a correct proportion, but there are some exercises that will be especially relevant to improve our activity.
For the legs we will perform exercises such as squats, Romanian deadlift or lunges, using the military press, the lateral and posterior raises with dumbbells or dumbbell shrugs for the shoulders and traps. But there is a specific type of exercise that is very useful to improve the race, it is plyometrics, exercises that do not require anything more than our own weight, making explosive movements that will increase the power and speed of our legs.
Jumping onto a front-facing bench or jumping over a bar or object from side to side with your feet together are some examples of plyometric exercises.
conclusion
Although running is a wonderful sport that brings us great benefits in health and in the muscles of the lower body, it is necessary to complement it with a routine of exercises with weights and plyometrics to be able to carry out the activity with the greatest guarantees and achieve an adequate proportion in our body.
