Is Weightlifting For Runners Really Required
The fear of bulking up is what keeps most of the long-distance runners away from weight training. Therefore, this is our attempt to debunk that myth with weightlifting for runners, which is a specially designed training workout that helps runners boost their athletic performance. Among the numerous benefits of weightlifting for runners is the strength and explosiveness to switch gears quickly and sprint faster. Let us check out the following resistance band workouts, which help build fatigue resistant muscle fibers and lead to improved speed and athletic performance..
Weightlifting For Runners: KB Duo Row
In this back-strengthening exercise, you will move closer to the mount or further away, depending on the level of resistance you need. Shoot for 15-20 rep failure sets, which means that stage when you are unable to continue the exercise due to momentary muscle failure and can’t do any additional reps. Push for 5 total sets, always maintaining proper form and avoid arching your back as leverage. When you begin to tire, walking a bit can make the weight slightly lighter, helping you maintain proper form. Also avoid curling your wrist as you fatigue and attempt to keep a great straight wrist, pull up and then decelerate down through each rep.
Weightlifting For Runners: Reverse Lunge Press
This core workout is performed with a lighter Ballistic Band and the trick here is to use your legs to accelerate your hands. Step on the band with your front leg and work back in a reverse lunge. The arm holding the band should stay chambered by your shoulder because you will use the forward movement to accelerate your arm up. Remember to use the momentum from the bottom up. Complete 10-12 reps on each side before heading for a break. At any point, resist leaning your hand forward, always maintaining the chamber high position. As you tire, your lunges will begin to fail as well, so ensure that your knee stays behind the toe during the lunges and work down on the hips. Keep the high arm on the chamber position and then accelerate that arm up. Almost 4-5 sets of this exercise are enough for effective core activation.
This workout improves the endurance, flexibility and balance. A reverse lunge by itself helps build hip stability and the overhead press helps challenge the shoulder stability. By combining these two exercises and increasing the intensity by adding a resistance band, you will get a little more of core stability function plus all the benefits mentioned in other core workouts.
Weightlifting For Runners: Squat Press
Grab one of your Ballistic Bands and stand in the middle of the band with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. Hold the band at shoulder height, with palms facing away from you and elbows bent. Place your hands up in front of your chest as your relax point. Take it down in a parallel position and then explode up, accelerating your hands above your heads. Use the power in your hips to build strength in your shoulders. Aim for a rep range of 10-12 reps and make sure you reach those rep ranges.
Weightlifting For Runners: Hamstring curls
Use the Fusion Wall Mount to loop the band around your ankle and work out a nice level of resistance using our wide range of Ballistic Bands. Start with a lighter band to get the blood flowing in that area. Lie down on your chest, walk away from the wall, and wrap the band around either heel. We will begin with single legs and move them back and forth for about 20-30 seconds. Take this all the way to the burn; if it doesn’t burn, it means that you need more resistance. Try to maintain a good range of motion and ensure that the Ballistic Band doesn’t cause your hips to leave the ground; that would mean that you have too much weight.
Complete these sets on both left and the right leg before switching to the double leg. If you need a little bit of more resistance, double up a lighter band or put on a thicker band and put both your feet in. Now try to build a little bit of strength here, increasing the resistance that you can hold, and working with both the legs at the same time. This section should also be about 20-30 seconds long. To complete the entire exercise, you have to do four rounds of back and forth movement of single legs and then one final round with the double legs with an increased resistance.
Weightlifting For Runners: KB Duo Curls
This particular drill targets the biceps. Anchor the KB Duo at a height above your head and walk down towards the mount to increase the amount of resistance. Remember that the closer we are to the mount, the more the resistance on our biceps. Elbows play a pivotal role in this movement, so use them fully. Curl your hands towards the forehead and straighten your hands to go through a full range of motion.
Do not let your hips drop – it causes you to lose momentum during suspension training. Utilize your body as a lever to get a little bit of extra weight. So while moving through KB Duo Curls, do not drop your hips back to throw your body weight up. Feel the resistance as the pull gets centralized directly in your biceps. Complete 20 reps, 15 rep, 12 reps and finally 10 reps, continually adding resistance with each set. Squeeze in a short 30-second break and continue to push the pace and add the weight that you think you can handle. Stay focused while working out and make sure you are working towards failure. Avoid using lighter resistance band since these will not take you to failure. Try to put on enough weight to get to the rep ranges suggested and it’s only when you completely fail that muscles begin to burn up. Weightlifting for runners helps them develop 100 percent muscular tension, which gives them the strength to run long distance marathons. Other Benefits of Weightlifting For Runners
Weight training and running go hand in hand - the benefits of weightlifting for runners are not restricted to just better core strength but also include an overall improvement in the athlete’s structural balance which helps prevent injury and chronic pain. Therefore, it makes sense to include these drills in your training workout. Watch out this space for more exciting workout drills to help you improve your athletic performance.