The Best Strength Training Split for Runners
“Coach Briana, what is the best strength training split for runners?”
This is a great question and it's one that comes up a lot. Before I answer, I want you to know that I'm very happy people are starting to see and acknowledge the importance of strength training for runners and how runners could benefit from a true strength training program that's not solely based on bodyweight movements and resistance bands.
As usual, this answer isn't very cut-and-dry and it really depends on your goals and the type of runner you are. So first, there are usually two primary goals that one may have. The first is a strength-based goal, and the second is a running base goal. For example, as a runner, you may have identified that your strength is a primary limiter to your run progress and if that’s the case then you may approach program design with a primary focus on strength.
On the other hand, you might know that your strength is not a major concern or an issue but in terms of your work capacity or your aerobic capacity you find yourself gassed towards the end of your runs; or unable to handle your weekly volume on an aerobic level. You also may realize that your legs are feeling heavy or your tempo runs aren't going as well as you would like, and your running technique is something that you really want to focus on.
So in the first example, this is obviously a situation where you would want to focus on strength training primarily. In the second example, running should be the primary focus. In the tertiary example, you really could go either way. You have to decide for yourself which goal you want to focus on first. Why? Because you can’t ride two horses with one ass.
Strength Focus:
So the first thing you want to think about when deciding on a strength training split is how many days you need to recover. This is something that runners overlook all the time and it really can make the difference between you hitting a personal-best for an upcoming race, and feeling gassed out and having to take two to three weeks off from training. Recovery is oftentimes correlated with training age. So, if you are a novice runner I would suggest having at least two days of recovery (preferably three) during the week. If you are more advanced you could probably get away with one or two.
With this information we know how many days per week we will be training, so now we have to decide how many days we are going to dedicate to strength training and how many to running. In most cases, I do not have clients running and strength training on the same day. Why? Well, it’s suboptimal. And if your program is designed well and you're not prepping for an upcoming meet or competition, then there’s really no need for it.
Whether you have dedicated 1 2 or 3 days to recovery if you are prioritizing strength I highly suggest you dedicate 3 Days To strength. This will maximize your Potential to put on as much strength muscle (AKA gains) as possible in the shortest amount of time. That being said, this is a long process. Muscle isn't built in a day, so if this is your goal you should dedicate at least 6 months to this process.
What does this look like?
So, if you dedicate two days to recovery that means three days should go-to strength training, leaving you with two days to run. In terms of running volume, this may not sound like a lot but if programmed effectively, this is plenty for you to still see results week-after-week.
Running Focus:
If your primary focus right now is still running, maybe it’s your aerobic capacity, speed, technique, whatever then I would suggest flipping the strength focus program on its head. Dedicate 2 days to strength training, and depending on how many days you've carved out for recovery, you can then schedule your run days accordingly. Two days of well-programmed strength training is more than enough for you to sustain any strength and muscle you do have. As mentioned above, if you want to prioritize gaining strength and building muscle two days of the week probably isn’t enough (especially if you're more advanced).
Now, if you go back to the examples I provided earlier and you are someone that falls into that final example, you’re probably unsure if you should focus on strength or running. If I were you, I would ask myself “What are my primary goals?” As a hybrid athlete, someone who wants to be strong and a good runner whether it be in endurance or speed, you are going to need to train both qualities. But, right now you need to choose one.
For most runners, I suggest they focus on strength first. Strength training is something that is often overlooked in the running community but if you run a couple of times a week, and strength train a few times a week, you're going to build a really strong base so that you can then put your attention primarily on running. In my experience, most cardio-based activities yield results far faster than strength training ever will. Strength training takes time, building muscle takes time. This may not be the answer you want to hear but I'm not here to bull crap you, I’m here to tell you the truth so there it is.