Strength Training for Runners: A Simple 2-Day Gym Plan

Adding strength training for runners to your week is one of the most useful things you can do if you already run regularly and want to stay consistent, feel stronger late in a run and keep niggles away. Yet many runners avoid the gym because they worry about getting bulky, feeling heavy legged or simply not having time.

The good news is that you need far less than you think. Two focused sessions of 30-45 minutes a week is enough for most recreational runners, from parkrunners to people training for a half marathon. Below is what to train, a simple plan and how to schedule it around your runs.

Why runners need strength work

Every running stride is a single leg landing that loads your calves, knees, hips and feet with several times your body weight. Running builds endurance, but on its own it does not build much strength. Strength training helps by:

• Making tissues more robust. Stronger muscles and tendons tolerate repetitive load better, which helps reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
• Improving running economy. A stiffer, stronger leg wastes less energy with each stride, so a given pace can feel easier.
• Holding form when tired. Strong glutes and a solid trunk help stop your hips and knees collapsing late in long runs.
• Supporting long term health. UK guidance recommends strength work on at least 2 days a week for all adults, runners included.

As for bulk, adding meaningful muscle takes high training volume and a calorie surplus. Two sessions alongside regular running will not turn you into a bodybuilder.

The best strength exercises for runners

Focus on movements that match what running demands: single leg strength, a strong hip hinge, resilient calves and a stable trunk.

Single leg work

Running happens on one leg at a time, so train that way. The Bulgarian split squat is my first choice for runners, with step-ups a close second. Both build the quads and glutes while challenging balance. See my guide to step-up benefits for setup.

Hip hinge

Hamstrings and glutes drive you forward. A Romanian deadlift with dumbbells or a barbell builds them through a long range. The single leg Romanian deadlift adds hip stability as well.

Calves and shins

Your calves absorb a huge share of the load in running. Do both straight leg and bent knee calf raises, slow and heavy. Tibialis raises for the front of the shin are a useful extra, especially if you are prone to shin soreness. Here is how to do the tibialis raise.

Trunk and hips

Side planks and the Copenhagen plank train the side of the hips and inner thighs, which help keep your pelvis level as you run. Dead bugs or Pallof presses cover the front of the trunk.

A 2-day strength plan for runners

Warm up with 5 minutes of easy cardio and a few bodyweight lunges and leg swings. Rest 90-120 seconds between heavier sets. Choose weights that leave 2-3 reps in reserve.

Day A: heavier

1. Goblet squat or trap bar deadlift: 3 x 6-8
2. Bulgarian split squat: 3 x 6-8 each leg
3. Romanian deadlift: 3 x 8
4. Straight leg calf raise: 3 x 10-12, 3 seconds down
5. Side plank: 3 x 30 seconds each side

Day B: single leg and stability

1. Step-up: 3 x 8 each leg
2. Single leg Romanian deadlift: 3 x 8 each leg
3. Bent knee calf raise: 3 x 12-15
4. Tibialis raise: 2 x 15
5. Copenhagen plank (short lever to start): 3 x 15-20 seconds each side
6. Dead bug: 2 x 8 each side

Add a little weight or a rep or two each week while the reps still look clean. Upper body work like rows and push-ups is welcome too, but the lower body is the priority.

Want help with this? I coach busy professionals who want to keep running while getting stronger, and I set the plan around their running week rather than against it. Book a free consultation and bring your running schedule along.

How to fit strength training around your running

The main rule is to keep your hard days hard and your easy days easy. Some simple options:

• Same day as a hard run. Do intervals or tempo in the morning and lift later, or lift straight after. This keeps your easy days truly easy.
• Avoid heavy legs before key runs. Leave at least a day between a heavy leg session and your long run or speed session.
• An example week: Monday Day A, Tuesday easy run, Wednesday intervals, Thursday Day B, Friday rest, Saturday long run, Sunday easy run or rest.

Most of your running should still be at an easy, conversational effort. My post on zone 2 training explains why that matters.

Adjusting strength work through a race build

In the base phase, months out from a race, push your strength sessions harder and aim to add load steadily. As running volume peaks, keep the same exercises but trim to 2 sets and stop further from failure. In the last 7-10 days before a race, do one short, light session or skip it. After the race, ease back in over a week or two.

If you have an existing injury or keep getting the same niggle, see a physiotherapist first and build the plan around their advice. For coaching in person, you can work with a personal trainer in North London who programmes around your running.

Frequently asked questions

How often should runners do strength training?

Twice a week is the sweet spot for most recreational runners. Two sessions of 30-45 minutes is enough to build strength and resilience without leaving your legs too tired for running. During heavy race training or a taper, one shorter session a week can be enough to maintain what you have built.

Should runners lift heavy weights?

Yes, once you have learned good technique. Heavier, lower rep work such as 3 sets of 5-8 builds strength and tendon stiffness without much extra muscle mass or fatigue. Start with moderate weights for a few weeks, then progress gradually. You do not need to lift to failure for it to work.

Should I lift before or after running?

Do whichever matters most to you that day first. If the run is a key session, run first and lift afterwards or later in the day. If strength is the focus, lift first and keep any run short and easy. Avoid heavy leg work the day before a long run or race.

Will strength training make me a slower runner?

Not if it is planned sensibly. For most runners strength training supports better running, because stronger legs handle the load of each stride more efficiently and stay in good form for longer. Short term heavy legs after a new session are normal, which is why timing your sessions around key runs matters.

Start your transformation

SYP Fitness is a private 1-to-1 personal training studio at 2-4 Navigator Square, Archway, London N19 3UB, 2 minutes from Archway tube. Rated 5.0 from 100+ Google reviews.

Apply for a free consultation · WhatsApp Artem · Call 07301 512215 · See prices