Why are you not strength training?

TRAINING BREAKDOWN

“The benefits far extend your performance”

By Emma O’Toole

Hi there,

Many runners and cyclists adopt a 'stop-start' approach to strength training and will soon be thinking about jumping back under the bar in a couple of weeks.

Strength training carries numerous benefits to your running and cycling performance; however it needs to be individualized to you and your goals, and be a year-round integral part of your training to get the results you want.

Here are 5 benefits of strength training for runners and cyclists:

▸ Address muscular weaknesses & imbalances.

Do you always find your left leg aches more than your right, or maybe there is a visible difference in your power output picked up by your power meter on the bike? Strength training can help you address these weaknesses and imbalances with isolation and compound exercises targeting these problematic areas.

▸ Improve your power, speed & performance.

Strength training gives you a stimulus that you are NOT getting from your rides/runs. A high torque, low-cadence session where you’re doing 960 revolutions of the pedals in a 4×4 minute session at 60RPM is not eliciting the same stimulus as the 24 squats you are doing from 4 sets of 6 reps of the goblet squat exercise with load. To keep these improvements we need a year-round approach to strength training, as if you don’t use it, then you really do lose it!

▸ Improve your recovery and ability to train. 

A big one, and one that is often over-looked: your ability to recover from your running and cycling training will be improved with regular strength training. Joint position governs muscles function and performance. Strength training helps restore your homeostasis and allows the body to adapt to the extreme postures and positions we expose it to through running and cycling in order for our muscles to function optimally. In practice, this means your run/rides won’t leave you as sore and impact your ability to train the next day, (naturally this is supported by sleep, nutrition, hydration and adequate recovery).

▸ Tolerate your training volume.

You need strong tendons, ligaments and muscle tissues to be able to run and ride. As we begin to push our boundaries with a progressive training plan, we need to strengthen what actually enables us to partake in those activities: our bodies!

For instance, the calf muscle complex takes roughly 6-7 times our bodyweight when we run. If we’re increasing our running volume from 10km to 11km, we need to ensure we have the strength to tolerate that jump in distance, time and load on our bodies. Running/riding alone may get you there, but it won’t keep you there. 

▸ Reduce your injury risk.

One of the biggest reasons runners and cyclists come to me for strength training is the reduction to injury risk. Numerous studies have shown that a concurrent training program (endurance training supported by strength training) will reduce your risk of injury. Incorporating that 30 minute strength session 2x a week will keep you training more consistently in the long run- more on this here in Myth 2!

Here are 6 ways I help runners and cyclists with their strength training with my High Performance Coaching:

▸ Treat it as a non-negotiable.

▸ Varied and progressive sessions.

▸ Align to their endurance training & season.

▸ Share the vision with their strength training.

▸ Align to their availability to train/lifestyle commitments.

▸ Regular conversations on how both their body and mind feel.

I’ve got an opportunity for 2 runners and cyclists to improve their performance and reduce their risk of injury with strength training. If you are interested in finding out more about this opportunity, please reply to this email and I will get back to you to see if it is a good fit!

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