If you’re wanting to improve your performance through strength training, but feel a little lost in the madness, here are a few of my favorite lifts, as well as some tips and tricks to help take your speed and endurance to the next level. Because a strong runner is a fast runner.
THE MOVES
Posterior-chain Exercises
Whether you want a stronger kick or the ability to pass your competition uphill, these exercises can help your climbing and acceleration game.
- Deadlift
The deadlift is the king of hip-extensor exercises. Every time you push off, you rely on your hip extensors. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes facing forward (or flared out slightly). With a kettlebell or barbell in your hands, hinge at your hip, sticking your booty back. Then drive your hips forward as you squeeze your glutes and tuck your chin.
- Hip Raises/Thrusts
Hip raises or hip thrusts are another great hip-extensor exercise. For a simple variation, start with your back on the floor, knees bent so your feet are firmly planted on the floor. Then press through your heels, lifting your hips up. Keep your chin tucked to avoid overly extending your lower back. For an added level of difficulty, try single-leg variations or add a mini band just above your knee.
- Hamstring Curls
Hamstring curls are the perfect bodyweight burner to increase hamstring strength and endurance. Lay on your back, with your hips off the ground, then place your feet on a suspension trainer, gliders, or a stability ball, pulling your heels in toward your glutes. Keep this motion controlled, and increase repetitions as your endurance improves.
- Lunges
Lunges are basically just an exaggerated form of running. Because of this, I prefer walking lunges over other variations for runners. On a track or in an open space, drop into a lunge, then lift your back foot, and take a giant step forward as you drop into another lunge. Doing this, instead of bringing your feet together in between lunges, will increase the similarity of running and increase your active hip mobility.
Core Exercises
Every good runner needs a strong core, especially for marathons, since you need a core that can hang with you for all 26.2 miles. Beyond just muscular endurance, I’d recommend focusing on core exercises that encourage a good range of dynamic hip flexion. Dynamic hip mobility is a huge differentiator between elite runners and amateurs, so these exercises focus on maintaining that mobility.
- Pikes
From a plank position, place your feet on either an exercise ball, gliders, or a suspension trainer. Once in the plank position, hinge at your hips, lifting your booty high while maintaining a flat back and straight legs. For an easier modification, add a bend in your knees for a tuck.
- V-sit
A v-sit is one of the best isometric exercises to improve core endurance. From a seated position, lift your feet off the ground to balance on your sit bones. As you become stronger, work on straightening your legs more and more, as well as lowering your upper body to bring yourself to a hollow hold position.
- Knee-to-elbow Plank
Knee-to-elbow plank is one of my favorite core exercises because it assists in hip flexion and dynamic hip mobility. Start in a high-plank position, then pull one knee up to the same-side elbow, while keeping your foot off the ground. Hold for 10–30 seconds, then switch sides.
Shoulder and Postural Exercises
Arm swing is a part of running that’s sometimes overlooked, but as I always tell my clients, your legs will follow where your arms lead. Good posture and strong arm drive can improve your running efficiency and greatly improve your overall performance.
- Back Extensions
Your erector spinae muscles do exactly as they sound. They keep your spine erect. Back extensions are a great no-equipment way to work these small, yet important muscles. Start by laying on your stomach, then lift your upper and lower body off the ground, so as little of your body is touching the ground as possible. For an added challenge, take your hands behind your head, add in flutters, or try a variation by making a snow angel motion.
- Reverse Flyes
Reverse flyes are a great way to work your rear deltoids and help open up your posture. Start in a hinged position with your back flat, then with a moderate to light dumbbell in each hand, lift your arms wide to form one straight line.
- Side Plank
Side planks are a great way to work on shoulder endurance, as well as get a little core work in. Try forearm and straight-arm variations to see what challenges you more. Work on steadily improving how long you can hold it for.
TIPS AND TRICKS
-
- Lift heavier in the off-season, and lighter during race season.
You’ll want to build a strong base, but when you’re racing and upping your mileage, you don’t need more breakdown in your muscles. After all, a sore racer isn’t a fast racer.
- Move in multiple planes of motion.
Running takes place predominantly in the sagittal plane. To improve your overall fitness, be sure to incorporate movements in different planes of motion, primarily the frontal and transverse planes. Think jumping jacks or any rotational movements.
- Listen to your body.
If you are overly sore, you won’t be able to push as hard during your running workouts, so you might want to adjust your routine to allow for an easy run after a heavy strength-training session. That way, your body has time to recover. As you add another stressor on your body, you’ll want to be sure to not overdo it.
- Lift heavier in the off-season, and lighter during race season.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to incorporate a few of these movements into your next strength-training workout. We’d love to hear how your training is going, so let us know your favorite movements from this list or if your runs improve.
Stay strong and best of luck!
Becca Capell
iFit Head Trainer
NASM, CPT
Runner and Marathoner
You might also like
.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Trainer Games Complete Collection: Every Workout. Every Episode. One Epic Experience.
Experience the full intensity of Trainer Games in one place. The Trainer Games Complete Collection brings every episode, workout, and behind-the-scenes moment together inside the iFIT fitness app, so you can train, watch, and stay inspired alongside elite trainers from start to finish.
February 16, 2026
Explore Heart Rate Training with the ActivePulse™ Training Series
When it comes to a customized, interactive workout experience, it doesn’t get better than heart rate training. Our new, groundbreaking feature called ActivePulse uses your heart rate to personalize your workout. It’s the newest way to experience an interactive, personalized experience with iFIT. What is ActivePulse? ActivePulse is iFIT’s first heart rate training feature, designed for users who want to get the most out of their workouts. With ActivePulse turned on and a Bluetooth®-enabled heart rate monitor connected to your treadmill, the intensity of your workout will be automatically adjusted, based on your target heart rate zone. You will automatically be sped up or slowed down in order to maintain the ideal heart rate zone for your workout. This includes recovery, speed, or strength runs! Ready to explore ActivePulse? Try the ActivePulse Training Series! If you’re ready to try this new feature and put heart rate training to work for you, join the ActivePulse Training Series that covers all the basics of ActivePulse and heart rate training as you explore beautiful San Diego. Filmed in 2019, this six-part program is led by iFIT Trainer Tommy Rivs Puzey. Together, you’ll run through San Diego as you learn how to use the ActivePulse feature. You’ll also learn about the five heart rate zones, cardiac drift, and how your heart responds to stress. As you explore different zones, Tommy will continue to adjust your workout in order to set the perfect intensity for your fitness level. Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFIT assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article. Always follow the safety precautions included in the owner’s manual of your fitness equipment.
March 30, 2021
New Feature: Connect iFIT to your Favorite Fitness Apps
Whether you’re out running your favorite trail or cycling at home, every single workout is important. We believe tracking your fitness journey in a single location is a key component to chasing your goals. You can now connect your iFIT account with Apple Health™, Garmin® Connect, Google Fit™, and Strava, so all of your workouts are in one place! Note: Only iFIT workouts from the iFIT Library will count toward your iFIT Milestones. Important update 12/31/2025: Google Fit™ is a deprecated service and is no longer supprted by Google. As a result, iFIT no longer supports new Google Fit connections. We’re actively working toward supporting Google Health Connect, Google’s replacement platform, in a future update. Ready to get connected? Here’s how you can connect your favorite fitness apps to iFIT. Apple Health Garmin Connect Google Fit™ Strava How to connect iFIT to Apple Health: Launch the iFIT app on your iPhone.Tap the three lines in the top left corner to access the menu, then tap on Settings.From Settings, navigate to Connected Apps.On the Connected Apps screen, select Apple Health, then tap Connect.You'll be taken to the Health Access page where you can enable sharing data from iFIT to Health. You can control which types of information iFIT will read and write to Health. How to connect your iFIT and Garmin Connect accounts: Launch the iFIT app on your iPhone or Android phone. Tap the three lines in the top left corner to access the menu, then tap on Settings.From Settings, navigate to Connected Apps.On the Connected Apps screen, select Garmin Connect, then tap Connect.Sign in to your Garmin Connect account.After signing in to your Garmin Connect account, toggle on the preference to share activity data from Garmin Connect to iFIT.Tap the Agree button to connect your iFIT and Garmin Connect accounts.After connecting, you can set your desired preferences to automatically sync your Garmin Connect activities to your iFIT account. Important update 12/31/2025: Google Fit™ is a deprecated service and is no longer supprted by Google. As a result, iFIT no longer supports new Google Fit connections. We’re actively woring toward supporting Google Health Connect, Google’s replacement platform, in a future update.How to connect iFIT to Google Fit™: Launch the iFIT app on your iPhone or Android phone.Tap the three lines in the top left corner to access the menu, then tap on Settings.From Settings, navigate to Connected Apps.On the Connected Apps screen, select Google Fit™, then tap Connect.You’ll be prompted to select the Google account you would like to connect. Tap the Allow button to allow iFIT access to your Google Fit™ account.After connecting, you can set your desired preferences to automatically sync activities between iFIT and Google Fit™. How to connect your iFIT and Strava accounts: Launch the iFIT app on your iPhone or Android phone. Tap the three lines in the top left corner to access the menu, then tap on Settings.From Settings, navigate to Connected Apps.On the Connected Apps screen, select Strava, then tap Connect.Sign in to your Strava account.After signing in to your Strava account, tap the Authorize button to connect your iFIT and Strava accounts.After connecting, you can set your desired preferences to automatically sync your activities between your iFIT and Strava accounts. We hope you enjoy this new feature as you chase your fitness goals with iFIT! Google Fit™ is a trademark of Google LLC. Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFIT assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article. Always follow the safety precautions included in the owner’s manual of your fitness equipment.
September 2, 2021
