Like most runners, I am way better at finding time to run that I am at finding time for strength training. As I age and become more susceptible to injury, I know I need to make the time for strength training workouts that support my running. Making time for strength training is critical to marathon success.
Even though I’ve been a personal trainer for more than a decade, I prefer to follow someone else’s plan– it’s better for my accountability. And it also means I can learn new ways to support my body as I pile on the miles of marathon training.
But with all the strength training programs on the market, where do I start? I started looking for a strength training for runners book to guide my workouts.
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The Best Strength Training for Runners Book
I came across the book Quick Strength for Runners by longtime running coach and Runner’s World writer Jeff Horowitz. I hit the jackpot! Horowitz uses his decades of running experience to put together a runner’s strength training program that is quick, effective, and focused. The book is well laid-out, simple to follow, and (most importantly) succinct.
Here’s the deal: most runners want to run. They don’t want to strength train. If you write a runner an exercise program where they need to spend 2-3 hours a week in the gym, they aren’t going to do it.
But Quick Strength gives runners 16 workouts, each about 30 minutes, that can be done at home with minimal equipment.
This strength training for runners book does a good job assuming that runners need to start at the beginning:
Knowing how your body works while running makes it easier to focus on doing the exercises correctly.
The Bulk of the Strength Training for Runners Book– the Exercises
Once a basic overview of muscle groups and their locations and roles in the running body was given, there is a big section devoted to the individual exercises that make up the workouts.
The exercises focus on hips, core, and legs, which make sense for a runner’s workout. Each exercise is clearly explained with helpful photographs. The form cues were clear and easy-to-understand.
I really liked that advanced forms of most exercises were included, which allows the book to be useful well beyond its 8-week program lifespan.
Finally, the exercise program is laid out. It is two workouts per week for eight weeks. The workouts are easy-to-follow. In fact, there are times where the workouts repeat exercises in short circuits. Rather than saying “do exercises 8-11 again”, they are written out in full. It makes the book incredibly user-friendly for even the most novice exerciser.
In all of my years of trying to be good about including strength training, this is the first program I have followed start-to-finish in the prescribed time-frame. I admit that some of the exercises were on the easy side for me, but I never finished a workout feeling like it was a waste of time. Certainly, I could have chosen the harder versions of exercises or used heavier weights to give myself more of a challenge.
What Equipment Do You Need for Quick Strength for Runners?
Because the book is progressive, you can begin the strength training program with just yourself. That’s right! Horowitz begins with bodyweight exercises to improve running form and efficiency.
You will need some basic equipment for some of the harder exercises. A resistance band will suffice. I suggest the red (medium resistance) or green bands to suit most people for most exercises.
But if you want to get the most out of the workouts, you will also need some dumbbells. You will get the most use out of 3 pound, 5 pound, and 10 pound dumbbells. While that may not sound like a lot of weight, remember that your goal is to work your muscles…not bulk them up!
Quick Strength for Runners also uses one of my very favorite pieces of at-home exercise equipment: the BOSU. With a flat side and a domed side, it’s really two tools in one. And it is indispensable for challenging core exercises and balance work that will develop the small muscles in your ankles. (Critical for injury minimization!) If you’ve never used a BOSU before, you’re going to love it!
A stability ball is important for some of the later exercises, too. And it is something you can use not only during your workout but for sitting on while working. Your core muscles will thank you!
Is Quick Strength Enough Strength Training for Runners?
I was so impressed with the book, especially in its usability thanks to clear photos and clear workout layout, that I bought my dad (a former American Record holder at 50 miles) a copy for his Father’s Day present.
I recommend Jeff Horowitz’s Quick Strength for Runners to any runner who wants to add some quality strength training to their workouts without feeling like you’re taking precious time away from your running. Marathon training already takes a lot of time, so I appreciate these short, efficient workouts.
The program is enough to improve your form and running economy, and it’s a strength training program for runners that you can do at home.
While a lot of strength training books won’t deliver the results you want, this is specifically a strength training for runners book so it hits the mark.
Karen Shopoff Rooff is an ACE certified personal trainer and health coach with more than 20 years’ experience running marathons and ultramarathons. The Marathon Finish Line blog is for informational purposes. Please seek advice from a medical practitioner before engaging in a new fitness program.