14
Running-Specific Strength Training
Running-specific strength training enhances six variables that are critical for running performance:
- The amount of vertical force applied to the ground per step
- The amount of horizontal propulsive force applied to the ground per step
- The angular velocity of the shank during ground contact
- The time required per step to apply vertical and horizontal propulsive forces and thus cadence
- The amount of vertical propulsive force added to the ground-contact leg by the swing leg
- Maximal vertical propulsive force (the key predictor of max running velocity)
It is essential to make strength training specific to running. Running-specific strength training mimics the mechanics of gait. Thus, the gains in strength that are attained translate directly and specifically into the movements of running.
In chapter 8, the Explosive Workout Routines emphasized applying propulsive force to the ground more quickly. The workout in this chapter focuses on increasing running-specific strength—specifically on applying more propulsive force to the ground during stance.
Previous chapters have explained the importance of the trajectory of the foot during gait in establishing proper form. The foot should travel in a pattern shaped like a kidney bean, with the front of the bean shaped like the point of a spear (figure 14.1a).
The spear point is itself extraordinary because it represents the fact that the foot and shin reach an optimal forward point and then are actively and dramatically brought back to the ground at high speed. This enhances ROS and the all-important ROS/MSA ratio, which provides an instant report card on a runner’s form.
Unfortunately, the average runner displays nothing resembling a spear point during gait. Runners more typically move the foot and shin forward and then (after reaching MSA), let the foot fall tragically to earth, with little ROS, a small amount of kinetic energy applied to the ground, and an injury-promoting heel-strike (figure 14.1b and c). Running-specific strength training can correct such flaws by improving control of the foot and ankle during swing, spiking the magnitude and velocity of ROS, and magnifying the quantity of kinetic energy imparted to the ground.
Figure 14.1 (a) During running, the pattern of foot movement creates a kidney bean shape with—optimally—a “spear point” at the front of the bean. (b) The runner with great form swings the foot well ahead of the body, but then (c) she brings it most of the way back to the body before letting it strike the ground, creating a “spear point” to the kidney bean.
Workout to Improve Running-Specific Strength
When performing the running-specific, strength-promoting exercises in this chapter, try to maintain a feeling that you are actually running. Don’t tense your upper body and gaze downward at your legs as you exercise; you wouldn’t do that while running. Also, perform the exercises rhythmically and smoothly, not with choppy timing and movements. After an adequate warm-up, carry out the following exercises.
1. ONE-LEG SQUATS
This exercise enhances vertical propulsive force during ground contact, promotes stability during stance, and upgrades running economy and fatigue resistance.
Repetition
Perform two sets of 12 reps on each leg, with a short break of about 10 seconds in between.
Action
Maintain good posture as you squat. Don’t lean forward with your upper body, rather let your torso descend during the squat until the hip of the squatting (support) leg is on a level with the knee. Then, straighten the leg and return to starting position. Balance the toes of the rear foot on a step or bench behind you, being careful not to bear any weight on the rear foot. During each squat, the knee of the non-support, rear leg should descend downward toward a line perpendicular to the support foot at the heel. Begin the one-leg squats with no added resistance. As strength and stability increase, gradually add resistance by holding steadily heavier dumbbells or by positioning a weighty bar on the shoulders (figure 14.2a and b).
Figure 14.2 (a) Starting position for the one-leg squat. (b) “Down” position for the one-leg squat.
2. RUNNER’S POSES
This exercise enhances the ability of the swing leg to assist the ground-contact leg in applying vertical propulsive force to the ground.
Repetition
Perform two sets of 15 poses per leg.
Action
To carry out this exercise, stand relaxed and straight, with your feet placed on either side of an imaginary midline running down through your body. Then, swing your right thigh ahead and upward until it is just above a position which would be parallel with the floor. Your right leg should flex at the knee as you do this, so that the lower part of the leg points almost directly at the ground, nearly perpendicular. Your left foot should support your full body weight. As you swing your right thigh ahead and upward, simultaneously bring your left arm forward, as you would during a normal running stride. In your support (left) leg, the hip, knee, and ankle should all be slightly flexed. Hold this position—with the right leg up—for a few seconds, while maintaining relaxed stability and balance. Then, bring your right foot back to the ground and your left arm back to a relaxed position at your side, thus completing one pose or repetition.
Perform 14 more reps with your right thigh swinging upward, and then switch over to your left leg for 15 poses. Your right leg should now support your entire body weight. Repeat, with one more set on each leg. As you become stronger and more skilled and coordinated, increase the speed of the thigh-lift move, and then resist it with the use of a medium- to high-resistance stretch cord (figure 14.3a and b).
Figure 14.3 (a) Basic position for Runner’s Poses. (b) Thigh-up position for Runner’s Poses.
3. TOE-WALKING WITH OPPOSITE-ANKLE DORSIFLEXION
This exercise improves the strength of the “arch” and plantar structures of the foot, fostering more productive midfoot-strikes. It also augments the dynamic strength and mobility of the Achilles tendon and calf muscles, allowing the runner to carry out midfoot-strikes in a more controlled, stable, and energy-returning manner—with less risk of injury.
Repetition
Perform two sets of 20 meters, with a 10-second break between sets.
Action
Stand as tall as you can on your toes. Balance for a moment, and then begin walking forward on your toes with slow, small steps. Take one step every one to two seconds, with each step being about 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 centimeters) in length. As you do this, maintain a tall, balanced posture. Dorsi-flex the ankle and toes of the free, forward-moving leg upward as high as possible with each step—moving the toes of the swing foot as close to the shin as possible—while maintaining your balance on the toes and ball of the support foot (figure 14.4a and b).
Figure 14.4 (a) Stay high on the toes while carrying out this exercise. (b) Be sure to dorsi-flex the swing ankle as it moves forward.
4. LUNGES WITH BALANCE-CHALLENGING AND CORE-BUILDING BALL MOVEMENT
This exercise is great for leg strength, core strength, upper-body strength, and balance. It also helps runners build their core strength in a running-specific way and thus makes their upper bodies more stable during running. The result is better overall form and improved economy. Make progress with this exercise by gradually increasing the number of repetitions and the weight of the medicine ball.
Repetition
Perform two sets of 10 reps per leg.
Action
Stand in a running-ready position, with your feet pointed straight ahead and shoulder-width apart. Your ankles, knees, and hips should be very lightly flexed. The abs and buttocks should be slightly tightened, pulling the bottom of your pelvis forward. Shoulders should be relaxed and in a “down” position, not held up and forward. Hold a medicine ball that weighs about seven to 11 pounds (three to five kilograms) in your hands, depending on your strength. Take a long step forward with your left foot, landing in the midfoot area, and quickly yet smoothly move into a lunge squat so that your left thigh is parallel with the ground. As you do this, your right foot will rock up onto its toes. Preserve this position, and use your right foot only for balance, not for bearing weight. Hold the medicine ball on the outside of your left knee (figure 14.5a), and then with a very smooth action lift the medicine ball up, forward, and to the right, so that the ball ends up high above your right shoulder (and actually a little to the right) (figure 14.5b). Hold your trunk upright, and keep your arms relatively straight as you perform this movement; don’t allow the arms to flex at the elbows. This diagonal swing upward strengthens the core and upper body and is also destabilizing to the lunge position (thus enhancing leg strength and stability). Try to preserve a perfect lunge position and the stability of your trunk as you carry out the movement. Once the medicine ball has reached its highest point, return it quickly yet smoothly to the outside of your left knee (in a chopping motion) to complete one rep.
Complete 10 total reps in this way, and then change the lunge position. This time lunge forward with your right foot. Hold the lunge stance with the right foot as the support foot and the back, left foot serving as the balance structure. Otherwise repeat the basic movements of the exercise for 10 repetitions. This time the ball will be held outside the right knee and will be thrust forward, up above the left shoulder, and slightly to the left before being returned to the outside of the right knee with a chopping motion.
Figure 14.5 (a) Starting point for Lunges With Balance-Challenging and Core-Building Ball Movement, with the ball held just lateral to the support knee. (b) Midway position for Lunges with Balance-Challenging and Core-Building Ball Movement, with the ball held with straight arms high above the shoulder opposite the support (lunging) leg.
5. BALANCE AND ECCENTRIC REACHES WITH TOES
This exercise enhances stability of the foot, ankle, and leg during ground contact and thus permits an increased angular velocity of the shank during stance as well as the production of greater vertical propulsive force. In addition, this activity enhances the strength of the Achilles tendon and calf complex and thus decreases the risk of injury when running with a midfoot-strike pattern.
Repetition
Perform three sets of 10 reps (that is, 10 straight ahead, 10 lateral, and 10 medial reps) with each foot.
Action
To carry out this exercise correctly, start by standing on your right foot as you face a wall or other structure, with the toes of your right foot about 30 to 36 inches (.7 to .9 meters) from the wall (you may need to adjust this distance slightly as you perform the exercise). Your left foot should be off the ground and positioned toward the front of your body, with the left leg relatively straight. Then, bend your right leg at the knee while maintaining your upper body posture in a relatively vertical position, nearly directly over your right foot. As you bend your right leg in a squatting movement, move your left foot toward the wall until your toes actually touch the wall, keeping your left leg relatively straight (figure 14.6a). End the movement by returning to the starting position. Repeat this action—squatting on the right leg while reaching forward to the wall with the left foot—10 times.
Next, conduct essentially the same activity, but this time move your left foot forward and to the left (diagonally and laterally), keeping your left leg straight as you attempt to make contact with the wall (figure 14.6b). As you do this, control your right, weight-bearing foot so that it does not roll sharply to the inside. Note that your left foot may not quite reach the wall, since you are moving in a frontal plane (from right to left) in addition to the straight-ahead, sagittal plane (from back to front). Make sure that you are completing a nice squat on your right leg as you reach with your left foot. As you complete this squat and reach, you should feel strong tension and a twisting action in your right Achilles tendon (actions which will ultimately enhance the strength and injury resistance of your Achilles). Repeat this movement (diagonal to the left) 10 times.
After the final rep, return to the starting position. Then carry out essentially the same activity, but with your left foot crossing over the front of your body medially and moving to the right as you attempt to touch the wall (figure 14.6c). As you do this, control your right foot and right ankle so that the right foot does not roll significantly to its outside edge. When you return to the starting position, you have completed one medial rep on your right foot. Complete 10 medial reps in all.
Throughout this entire exercise, keep your upper body straight and relaxed. Don’t lean backward or to one side or the other with your torso. You should continue standing tall, facing the wall, as you do each rep in all three versions (straight, lateral, and medial). Make sure that your support foot is also pointing directly toward the wall. Once you have completed a full set (10 straight ahead, 10 lateral, and 10 medial) on the right foot, complete a full set with your left foot as the weight-bearing foot and the right foot as the trotter that is moving toward the wall (first straight ahead for 10 reps, then laterally for 10 reps, and then medially for 10 reps).
Figure 14.6 (a) Balance and eccentric reaches with toes with each reach taking place straight ahead. (b) Balance and eccentric reaches with toes using a lateral reach. (c) Balance and eccentric reaches with toes using a medial reach.
6. HIGH BENCH STEP-UPS
This exercise enhances stability during ground contact and improves vertical propulsive force.
Repetition
Perform two sets of 10 reps on each leg.
Action
Begin in a standing position on top of a high bench or step—about six to eight inches (15 to 20 centimeters) high—with your body weight on your right foot. Your left foot should be free and held slightly behind your body. Using a squatting action with your right leg, lower your body in a controlled manner until the toes of your left foot touch the ground behind the bench, but continue to support all of your weight on your right foot (figure 14.7a). Then, push downward on the bench with your right foot and straighten your right leg (figure 14.7b). As you do this, swing your left leg upward and forward until your left thigh is parallel with the surface of the bench (similar to the stance you adopted when doing the “Runner’s Poses” earlier in this workout). As your left thigh swings upward, your left leg should be bent at the knee, and your right arm should swing forward naturally as your left leg swings up and ahead. Hold this position, with the left leg up for a moment; this completes one rep. Then slowly and smoothly squat with your right leg, and lower your left toes to the ground behind the bench, beginning your second repetition.
Continue in this manner for the prescribed number of reps, and then switch over so that your body weight is supported on your left leg as you complete the required reps. Maintain upright posture with your trunk throughout the entire exercise. Sustain good control of your body as you squat and lower one foot behind the bench—do not lean forward with your torso. The foot that is being lowered behind the bench should lightly touch the ground behind the bench; it is not used for weight-bearing at all. The foot is lowered not by reaching for the ground, but by squatting with the other, weight-bearing leg.
Make progress with this exercise by increasing the number of repetitions, by holding dumbbells in the hands, and by gradually increasing the weight of the dumbbells.
Figure 14.7 (a) “Down” position for bench step-ups, with the non-support toes just touching the floor behind the bench. (b) “Up” position for the bench step-ups, with the non-support thigh brought up.
7. BICYCLE LEG SWINGS WITH STRETCH BAND
This activity is great for improving control of the foot and shin during forward swing, promoting better ROS after MSA is reached, and upgrading the functional strength and fatigue resistance of the hamstrings.
Repetition
Perform two sets of 50 reps per leg.
Action
To perform these swings, stand with your weight fully supported on your left leg. Initially, you may place your right hand on a wall or other support to maintain balance. Begin by flexing your right hip and raising your right knee to waist height so that your right thigh is parallel with the ground (figure 14.8a). As you do this, your right knee should be flexed to 90 degrees or more. Once your thigh is parallel to the ground, begin to extend your right knee (swing the lower part of your right leg forward, with an un-flexed knee) until your knee is nearly fully extended and your leg is nearly straight. The right thigh should still be parallel to the ground. After your right knee nears full extension, allow your right thigh to drop downward and backward (figure 14.8b). Then begin flexing your right knee, “paw” or scrape the ground under your body with the right foot, and continue until the entire thigh and leg are extended behind your body (as if you were following through on a running stride) (figure 14.8c). As your right hip nears full extension and you approach the end of the backswing, raise your right heel by bending your right knee. Your right heel should move closely towards your buttocks as you do this. As this happens, begin moving your right knee forward until it returns to the appropriate position in front of your body, with your right thigh parallel to the ground. Repeat this entire sequence of actions in a smooth and continuous manner.
Once you are able to coordinate the overall movements, strive to perform the swings at a cadence of about 12 swings every 10 seconds or so. When you have achieved full coordination of the basic actions, attach a strong stretch cord to your swing (non-support) ankle at one end. Attach the other end of the stretch cord to a firm post, table leg, fence, railing, or other structure (at roughly knee height). Stand facing the post with enough distance between you and the structure so that the stretch cord significantly accelerates your leg forward during the forward swing. This enhanced forward acceleration will put your hamstrings under stress, which will ultimately strengthen your hamstrings.
Make progress with this exercise by increasing the number of repetitions and by using steadily heavier stretch cords. You will know that you are performing the exercise correctly if you experience significant fatigue in the hamstrings as you complete the movements.
Figure 14.8 (a) During Bicycle Leg Swings, the stretch cord pulls the non-support leg forward rapidly during swing. (b) At the end of ROS, the non-support foot “paws” the ground aggressively. (c) At the end of hip extension and back swing, the non-support leg is poised to move forward again.
8. REVERSE BICYCLE LEG SWINGS WITH STRETCH BAND
This exercise enhances MSA and the ability of the swing leg to augment the vertical propulsive force produced by the ground-contact leg. That is because it swings upward and forward more aggressively while off the ground which, per Newton’s Law, increases the downward force applied by the support leg to the ground.
Repetition
Perform two sets of 50 reps per leg.
Action
This exercise is exactly like the Regular Bicycle Leg Swings prescribed previously, except that you are facing away from the post where the stretch cord is attached. The cord then resists forward leg swing, instead of enhancing it. Make progress by gradually increasing the number of repetitions and the resistance of the stretch cord (figures 14.9a and b).
Figure 14.9 (a) This time, the forward swing of the leg is resisted—not aided—by the stretch cord, thus building tremendous hip-flexion strength. (b) The cord actually pulls the leg back for full hip extension prior to the next forward swing.
9. PARTIAL SQUATS
This exercise enhances stability during ground contact and also augments maximum vertical propulsive force.
Repetition
Perform one set on each leg.
Action
Stand with your right foot directly under your right shoulder, keeping your right knee just slightly flexed and maintaining a relaxed, upright posture. If desired, hold light dumbbells in your hands. Incline your whole body forward just slightly from the right ankle. Your body weight should be directed through the midfoot of the right foot. Your left leg should be flexed at the knee so that the left foot is not touching the ground at all (figure 14.10a). The left foot should be suspended in air—however, as you carry out partial squats you may occasionally need to briefly touch the floor with your trailing leg for balance as you complete this exercise.
If you were carrying out a traditional one-leg squat, you would bend your right leg at the knee at this point and lower your body until the right knee reached an angle of about 90 degrees between the back of your thigh and lower leg. At this point, your thigh would be almost parallel with the ground. However, for this partial squat, simply descend about halfway to the ground so that the angle between the back of your thigh and lower leg is roughly 135 degrees (figure 14.10b). Then, return to the starting position (with a nearly straight right leg), maintaining upright posture with your trunk.
Continue in the manner described above until you have completed 10 partial squats. Then, without resting, descend into the 11th partial squat but, instead of immediately rising upward, hold the partial-squat position (the 135-degree position) for 10 seconds. This is a static hold position.
After holding this static position for 10 seconds, immediately (without resting) perform 10 more partial squats, maintain another static hold for 10 seconds, perform 10 more reps, and then maintain another static hold for 10 seconds. This completes one set.
To summarize, a set proceeds as follows (with no recovery during the set):
- 10 partial squats
- 10 seconds of holding your leg and body in a static down position
- 10 partial squats
- 10 seconds in a static hold
- 10 partial squats
- 10 seconds in a static hold
Once this set is complete, carry out a similar set on your right leg. If you can complete a full set on each leg without having to stop, you may then increase the weight of the dumbbells. About 2.5 pounds (one kilogram) per dumbbell can incrementally increase the weight. Each time you are able to complete one set per leg without major problems, you may continue to add weight for subsequent workouts.
Figure 14.10 (a) Beginning position for the partial squat. (b) Down position for the partial squat.
Carry out this complete strength training workout to improve running-specific strength approximately twice per week during the strength-building phase of your training. Then conduct the Explosive Workout routine from chapter 8 about two times per week during the speed-building phase of your overall program. See chapter 15 to understand how to integrate form drills, running-specific strength training, and explosive training into your overall program.
Summary
Running-specific strength training has a profound effect on key running-form variables. Running-specific strength training can increase swing and thus maximum shank angle (MSA), the breadth and velocity of reversal of swing (ROS, or sweep), the amount of vertical force applied to the ground during stance, the amount of horizontal force applied to the ground during stance, the angular velocity of the shank during ground contact, the time required to apply optimal vertical and horizontal force to the ground during stance, and the amount of vertical propulsive force added to the ground-contact leg by the swing leg. Running-specific strength training also increases maximal vertical propulsive force, the key predictor of maximal running speed.
Thus running-specific strength training provides a great number and variety of benefits for running form, performance, and injury prevention and should be a fundamental foundation of the overall training program.