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 Running itself is the best endurance training for muscles, they
write in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. But to improve
speed as well as oxygen and energy use, studies show that
"explosive" heavy-resistance exercises should be an important part
of a runner's routine.
"Research tells us that runners have certain beliefs around running
injury risks, injury prevention and performance that are in contrast
to current research evidence," said James Alexander of La Trobe
University in Melbourne, Australia, the lead author of an
infographic based on reviews of existing research.
"It is these beliefs which drive runners to continue to pursue
ineffective or non-optimal strategies within their running training,
whether it be static stretching for injury prevention or low-load
strength training for performance," he told Reuters Health by email.
Alexander and his coauthors are physiotherapists and researchers who
run most days of the week and work with runners of all abilities
daily. In talking with clients, Alexander said, he and colleagues
often spend time correcting misunderstandings and educating them on
best practices when it comes to strength training.
They have created a series of five "Running Myth" infographics that
will be published in the journal in coming months.
In the first one, the authors suggest, strength training should be
completed two to three times per week for six weeks or more to
improve endurance running performance, running economy and maximal
sprint speed. Studies have shown that strength training programs
enhance running economy - meaning oxygen and energy use - by 2%-8%,
as well as time trial performance by 2%-5%, which could shave a
minute or two off 10k races, they note.
Consistency is the key, they add. Performance benefits improve as
the program continues and fall away within about six weeks after
training stops.
Specifically, they recommend lifting loads at 60%-80% of
one-repetition maximum, or the heaviest weight that can be lifted
with maximum effort in a single repetition, for three to six sets of
5-15 reps. For distance runners, training to repetition failure is
not recommended, they add.
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These strength exercises could include barbell squats, deadlifts,
step-ups, lunges and calf raises. In addition, runners should allow
more than three hours of recovery time between running and
resistance sessions and 24 hours of recovery after strength training
before a high-intensity running session.
Exercise selection, weight, sets, reps and recovery depend on an
individual's needs, injury history, goals, ability and training
experience, the authors note, so it's important to seek guidance
from an experienced health professional or coach. Those without
strength training experience, should gradually increase training
loads to reduce the risk of injury and overtraining.
"Another myth is that strength training-induced muscle hypertrophy
might make runners heavier, which could compromise running economy,"
said Benedito Denadai of Sao Paulo State University in Rio Claro,
Brazil, who wasn't involved in the infographic.
"However, there is a phenomenon known as concurrent effect that
blunts the ability of muscles to expand when strength training and
aerobic training are performed conjunctly," he told Reuters Health
by email. "Gains in muscle mass are not an issue for runners who
perform strength training."
"Endurance running and strength training exercise sit at opposite
ends of a training continuum, therefore it seems counterintuitive
and illogical for a distance runner to add strength work to their
training program," noted Richard Blagrove of Loughborough University
in the UK, who also wasn't involved in the infographic.
"Many exercises performed in gym settings bear little resemblance to
the running action, therefore it is often assumed they shouldn't be
used because they aren't 'specific' enough," he told Reuters Health
by email. "These assumptions are myths that require addressing."
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2Mkf4b5 British Journal of Sports Medicine,
online September 25, 2019.
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