What areas do runners need to strengthen? Quads, hips, and calfs all need to tolerate large amounts of load while running.

How often? 2x per week is great.

Sets/Reps? Getting started I recommended the standard 3×10 protocol. This is a great starting point and will help you get comfortable with the mechanics of each lift.

Great. Now you have the basics. Many of you have trouble getting into the gym. COVID has made things a mess, not to mention the time it takes to drive to and from the gym. Fitting strength training into your schedule can be difficult. However, you can do a lot from home.

Below are two body weight routines for beginners. These can be easily added to your current training and shouldn’t take more than 20mins to complete. Disclaimer If you’ve never lifted weights before it is important to have someone watch your form and technique with each exercise. The last thing we want is to cause an injury.

Sample home strength routine:

Day 1:

Air Squat 3×15

Double leg heel raises 3×20

Supine Bridge 4x30s

Push-ups 3×10

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Day 2:

Dowel Rod hip hinge 3×10

Single leg sit to stand 3×10

Lateral toe taps with band 3×10

Single leg heel raise 3×15

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To progress the routine you can add weight and up the band resistance. To do so, there are two pieces of equipment I think all runners should own. First up, a set of good mini bands. I love the Perform Better brand. Check them out here. Second, a kettlebell. For most women a 12kg is a good starting weight. For men 16kg.

Give it a try on one of your easy days and let me know what you think.

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