How to Increase Your Speed

The Six Most Effective Strength Exercises for Endurance Athletes
James Ochse, MS, CSCS



At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Usain Bolt set a new world record when he ran a blazing 9.69 seconds in the men’s 100 meter. A combination of excellent genetics and smart training helped the Jamaican sprinter achieve this milestone. So what does this have to do with training for your next half marathon? A lot actually. You see, all types of runners, both sprinters and distance specialists, require a solid strength foundation on which to build power and endurance respectively. And the strength necessary to win (and stay injury free) is forged in the gym.

When you run, you simultaneously activate many muscles. An endurance athlete should select exercises like squats, lunges, and deadlifts. Skip the isolation exercises, like knee extensions, hamstring curls, and calf raises. These less-efficient moves reduce the level of coordination between the muscles of the hip, knee, and ankle. The goal here is injury prevention and function—not bodybuilding—so stick with exercises that involve multiple joints and require many muscle groups.

Tempo
We usually think of tempo as a running workout to improve stamina. Yet tempo, as it relates to your strength program, is the speed at which you perform the exercise. In the specific conditioning phase, tempo should approximate the speed of motion present when we run. Regardless of whether you’re on the trail, track or treadmill, be sure to maintain proper form. In the gym, try to mirror this speed when performing the exercises.

Repetitions
How many repetitions should be performed? Running does not require high levels of muscular strength, but it does require good strength base and muscular endurance. In order to develop muscular endurance and optimum carry-over to competition, perform between 12 and 20 repetitions for each movement.

Specific Exercises for Runners
Having considered the key factors that influence exercise selection for endurance athletes, let’s take a look at some smart moves. The exercises described here are intended to be used as a general guideline. There are literally hundreds of effective exercises that you can incorporate into your strength and conditioning plan.

> Box Step-Ups
While maintaining good upright posture, step up with your right leg onto a box. Now step down with your left leg—then back again with your left leg. Breathe normally and be sure to keep your belly pulled in throughout the exercise. Select a step height that allows you to keep your torso upright. A six-inch-high box is perfect for beginners.

> Stationary Lunge
Stand upright with a bar across your upper back. Step forward with your right foot and plant it squarely on the ground. Let the left knee bend until it touches the ground. As soon as this happens, push hard with your right heel into the floor and drive your body back to the starting position. Repeat with the opposite leg.

Keep your torso upright during the movement. When done properly, this exercise forces your gluteus maximus (aka buttocks) and hamstrings to work—a key benefit as these muscles are underdeveloped in most endurance athletes. To make sure that you are working your glutes, do not allow your front knee to extend past your ankle at the bottom of the exercise. When your knee moves past your ankle, the workload shifts away from your glutes and hamstrings and to your quadriceps. This common technique flaw could result in tendonitis or another overuse injury. Most endurance athletes have over-developed quadriceps muscles anyway, so it doesn’t make sense to add to the problem.


> Walking Lunge
A variation of the stationary lunge is the walking lunge. Maintain a stable, upright posture and walk with only deliberate strides. Keep your belly drawn in throughout the exercise and don’t hold your breath. At the bottom of each lunge your back knee should brush the floor, but your front knee should not pass over your ankle. If it does, you will be using your quadriceps and under-utilizing your hamstrings and glutes—resulting in a strength imbalance and potential injury.

> Single-Leg Squat
This is a difficult exercise, so go easy. While standing on one leg, squat as low as you can without falling over or lifting your heel off the ground. Pause at the lowest point of the squat and return to the standing position. If you have tight calves, you will find it almost impossible top squat very low without lifting your heel. If this is the case, try the standing calf stretch: Standing on a step, allow your heels to drop slightly below the step until you feel gentle pulling in your calves. Hold for 30 seconds. Master the box step-up and stationary lunge before trying the single-leg squat.

> Front Squat
Do you spend most of the day sitting at a desk or driving? If so it’s likely that you have tight hamstrings and, as a result, back pain. The front squat will strengthen your lower back so you eliminate these nagging aches for good.

Place your arms straight out in front of you. With your thumbs up, place the bar on your deltoids (shoulder muscles). The bar should lightly touch your throat. Slowly squat while keeping your arms as high up as possible and maintaining an arch in your lower back. It is crucial that you keep your weight focused on your heels at all times during the exercise. If your heels come off the ground, your buttocks will not be fully utilized. The buttocks are often the most underdeveloped area in endurance athletes. In particular, weak glutes can lead to overpronation and knock-knees.


How to Organize Your Program

For each movement, perform 3 sets of 12 repetitions. Choose a weight that allows you to complete the recommended repetitions while maintaining excellent technique. Above all, do not perform all of these exercises in the same session. Split them up with several days in between. Wait a day or two so you can access your body’s response. Gradually increase the speed of movement each week.

For best result do these exercises on a day when you have an easy run planned—and at least two to three days before track tempo running. On days when you run and perform resistance training, hit the weights after your run. As you adapt to the workouts, you will find you are able to recover much faster.

Even if you have an extensive background in resistance training, don’t be surprised if these moves cause muscle soreness a day or two after your workout. This discomfort is a normal side-effect. Simply wait until the soreness goes away (usually in 48 hours) before repeating the exercises. This is important because as you move into the racing season you don’t want muscle soreness to affect your performance.

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