The Four Best Strength Training Exercises For Runners
- By Linzay Logan
- Published Oct. 27, 2011
- Updated Feb. 1, 2013 at 9:04 AM UTC
Single-Leg Deadlifts
Holding free weights or a barbell in front of your body slightly, bend one knee, hinge forward at the waist and lift the opposite leg behind you. Lower the weights, keeping them very close to the tops of your legs until you reach just below your knees. Engage your hamstring and glute of the leg planted on the ground and come back to standing. Repeat eight to 12 reps and switch to the other leg.
Video–Monday Minute: Single-Leg Deadlift
“A lot of runners are hamstring dominant and don’t use their glutes,” explained John Martinez, assistant head doctor for the Ironman World Championships. “Runners figure out a way to run without using their glutes the way they should.”
Doing glute specific exercises such as the single-leg deadlift can build the glute muscles so they can be used when running. “Donkey kicks and the single-leg pelvic bridge are other good exercises to tire the glute muscles out.”
FILED UNDER: Injury Prevention / Training TAGS: core strengthening exercises / single-leg deadlifts / single-leg squats / Squats / strength training for runners / weight lifting
Linzay Logan
Linzay Logan is the copy editor for Competitor magazine and cares about punctuation probably a little too much. She particularly loves to avoid commas as well as add exclamation points whenever she can get away with it! She also loves to run marathons and half-marathons—probably a little too much. Don’t let her small size fool you; she’ll still try to outrun you anytime. Even though chances are she probably can’t.