Too often, runners try to improve by focusing solely on their running. You are attempting a faster workout, higher mileage, faster overall pace, or more frequent workouts. This approach can lead to injury as more exercise is inherently risky. (We don’t call them “overuse injuries” for nothing!) Instead, if runners focus on their ability to exercise more, they can eventually run more.

Capacity building training improves your ability to exercise even more, whether that means more volume, more intensity, or both. And the best way to improve your ability to run more is weight training.

A consistent strength program has many benefits for endurance runners:

• Faster end times, because you recruit more muscle fibers and therefore run more powerfully.
• Less injuries from overuse, because strength work improves the durability of your muscles, connective tissues and joints.
• Better running economy, because you are better coordinated.

In fact, strength training is so important to runners that it shouldn’t be considered cross-training – it’s part of the training that all runners must complete if their goal is to achieve their true potential.

But how do you start if you’re a runner who’s intimidated by the gym or has never done strength training?

It is important to keep the principle of progress in mind.

If you are new to weight training, where do I start?

Most runners understand that in order to improve, their training needs to get more challenging and complex over time. This is known as progression, and it helps runners gradually achieve more as they adjust to higher mileage and overall intensity.

Strength training is so important to runners that it shouldn’t be considered cross-training. It’s just part of the training runners need to do.

You can do this with your weight training as well. If you are new to strength work, start with relatively simple bodyweight exercises with an emphasis on consistency.

It is at this stage of your running career that it is most helpful to develop the habit of constant strength training. So start with a series of body weight workouts that follow each of your runs. When you finish each run with a small amount of basic resistance training, you build a long-term habit that will last.

Stick to basic exercises like:

• Squats (and their one-legged varieties)
• Deadlift (and one leg deadlift)
• boards
• bridges
• Lunges
• Step-ups
• pushups
• Press (and press)

The Mace single leg routine Below, many of these exercises are combined into a single workout that deals with the strength of a single leg:

And the Standard core routine is a “bread and butter” core workout specially developed for runners:

These routines will help you build strength in a way that will be challenging but accessible to most athletes. As you do a routine after each run, you build the basic strength required for a more advanced lift, if you so choose.

How to add weights and challenging movements

If you’re new to weight training, jumping into a series of heavy deadlifts on day one isn’t a good idea. Instead, start with the routines in the previous section, which are far more general.

General strength is the foundation on which gym runners can get to more advanced lifts. After 4 to 6 weeks of consistent body weight training, you can move on to more advanced exercises.

A valuable way to make the transition from bodyweight exercises to difficult workouts in the gym is to start with simpler equipment like bands, medicine balls, and kettlebells. These tools add weight to your body or only add a relatively small amount of weight.

Ultimately, runners don’t have to be afraid to lift weights. It doesn’t make you bulky or too stiff to run.

You practice many of the same movements that you did in the gym, but with less weight. Routines like that Tomahawk workout are great intermediate exercises when bodyweight exercises are too easy but you’re not ready to hit the gym.

After another 3 to 5 weeks of strength training with home equipment, you can move on to more advanced lifts in the gym. These more challenging gym workouts involve many of the same exercises (Squats, Deadlift, Press) but is done with a weighted barbell.

The planning is different too, as you can’t lift heavier weights every day, so you won’t keep track of every run with one of these workouts. Instead, you can lift fairly heavy weights at the gym twice a week and keep doing bodyweight training after your other runs during the week.

Strength building tips to remember

The goals of runners in weight training are simple: get strong, improve efficiency, improve injury resistance, and increase power to improve racing performance.

Rather than isolating specific muscles, runners should train movements.

Because of this, you don’t have to train like bodybuilders by focusing on single muscles and long workouts. It’s not that helpful for runners.

Rather than isolating specific muscles, runners should train movements. Compound multi-joint exercises like squats and deadlifts not only help runners get stronger, but also build coordination and general athleticism. So, skip the bicep curls and focus on the basic exercises.

And since our goals are efficiency and performance, you need to lift relatively heavy weights. Light weights don’t challenge your muscles and nervous system enough. You will need to lift challenging amounts of weight for these desired adjustments.

But with that said, prioritize your running. Lifting is secondary to running. When in doubt, lift a little less weight than you think. Runners do resistance coordination training when lifting weights, so the exact amount of weight is less important than good movement.

If you are too tired or sore to run from lifting weights, or if you are unable to get the pace or jumps you want while exercising, you are probably lifting too heavy. As you lose weight, you will likely find that your energy returns to running quickly.

Ultimately, runners don’t have to be afraid to lift weights. It doesn’t make you bulky or too stiff to run. But it makes you stronger, improves your body composition, increases your speed and running economy, makes you more efficient and reduces the risk of running injuries. And these are all things every runner wants.

Photo: Skumer (Shutterstock)

By the end of week three, I try to learn how to like to run – something I’ve hated for most of my life – for my entire month. “Lifehacker Fitness ChallengeI have to report a few hiccups and an incredible, practically incredible success.

First, the hiccups, of which there were several. I ran exactly once last week, even though I gave myself one Goal of three runs last week::

My goals for the next week are three runs, at least one of which is on a scenic trail. My longest run / walk this week was just over 20 minutes. So if I can get that down to 25 minutes it would feel like progress. And I hope that at least one run will appear on or near a “two” on the mood card.

There are legitimate reasons for this, namely that my parents and my grandfather came to visit the city last weekend. It was the first time in a year that I had seen her in person. And then, because I told myself I could train in a way that I enjoy, I decided on my elliptical trainer on Monday.

On Tuesday, Lifehacker’s editor-in-chief Jordan Calhoun and I interviewed each other Jason Fitzgerald of Strength Running for Lifehackers Podcast, The upgrade. (This episode is scheduled to be released on Monday. Then I’ll come back and drop the link here.) We were talking about this very subject – how do you get started as an adult? – and Jason was very kind and encouraging to me, even after Jordan told him how My ankles don’t bend properly.

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There were some important personal lessons for me from this conversation. First, in order for you to start running happily, you need to give him 30 days. (I ran into just the right time!) Second, that you’ll probably hate it for the first two – maybe three – weeks. (I had just that much time and still wasn’t a fan!) And then there would be a turning point; My body would feel different. My legs would feel stronger and the whole thing would become a little more natural and I would be on my way to enjoy it. I could tell that he really believed that, I could see that he wanted this for me, and I allowed myself to believe that it might actually be possible. After all, he’s the expert.

Newly motivated, I left the Zoom meeting, laced up my sneakers and started running. I needed a change of scene, so I went to the neighborhood next to me – one that’s beautifully bordered by huge sycamore trees and a little hilly but not quite as hilly as mine. I walked for a few minutes and then started jogging. I had the tight-fitting thing back and I said, “Oh, damn it, here we are again,” but then they loosened up and I left.

After a few minutes, I began to wonder if I should slow down as my body usually insisted that I do it after a few minutes. And yet I felt pretty good. I wasn’t particularly out of breath or unwell, so I just kept running. I haven’t timed myself, but my best guess is I ran 12-13 minutes in a row without stopping. And if I hadn’t had to turn around to go uphill at this point, I probably could have continued for longer. Walking a few minutes at the beginning and end took me to 20 minutes and I got home feeling pretty happy with myself.

Jason was right. My body felt different. My legs felt stronger. I felt less like I was running than I was actually running. And I kind of liked that feeling.

I gave myself a “two” from 1-5 on my Running Moods Scale. (In case you don’t remember, five is, “Fuck that shit right to hell” and one is, “Yay! Running is the best!”) Two was another goal of mine for this week, and it’s the one of that I didn’t think I’d reach

Now back to the hiccups (the figurative kind). Like I said, this was the only run I’ve done this week – although in fairness it’s only Thursday when I write this. The main reason I didn’t run yesterday or today is because my right ankle was a bit sore when I woke up yesterday. Not like an injured type of wound, but tight enough that I’m nervous about running on it. It’s my own fault; I haven’t warmed up enough, even though I know my ankles aren’t flexible. Jason also stressed that people try to do too much too soon and can make injuries worse. So I’ll give it another day or two before trying a run.

Asinine ankle or not, I call this week a win.

Do you remember HDTV? Full 1080p? Well those days are long gone baby Now 4k is the minimum acceptable definition that you want to see. What else are you doing with your eyes?

4K is also known as UHD (“Ultra High Definition”) or 2160p (that’s double 1080p for you math whizzes out there). This means that the screen you are currently viewing is 3840 x 2160 pixels. Most new televisions and computer monitors currently support this resolution. However, there are a few extra steps you need to take to ensure that the content you’re viewing is actually playing in all of its 4K glory.

First, make sure that the platform you’re streaming from actually supports 4K. For example, HBO Max only recently started streaming 4K content. If you’re using a FireTV Stick, you’ll need to make sure you have a 4K model. Netflix lets you upgrade your plan for the full UHD experience.

Then you need to check that the show you want to see is in 4K. Some older shows weren’t up-converted and sometimes you have the option to choose the HD version or the 4K version.

Finally, make sure that all of your cables, connections, and ports support 4K. Some TVs only have dedicated HDMI connections for 4K. So be sure to connect them. Have fun streaming!

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