Essential Exercises for Runners

Running is an excellent way to improve your cardiovascular health. It's also accessible, beginner-friendly, and—aside from a sturdy pair of running shoes—totally free.

If you've jumped on the running bandwagon and are looking for a few tips on enhancing your performance on the road or track, you've landed in the right place. In this article, we'll give you the lowdown on the very best exercises for runners, including both strength training and flexibility. Of course, injury prevention is always a top concern, so we have you covered there too.

If you are committed to your sport and are looking to take your runs to the next level, reach out. The specialist team here at JAG Physical Therapy is ready to help.

What Are the Best Strength Training Exercises for Runners?

Strength training—sometimes called resistance training—has a whole host of benefits for runners. It increases your muscle mass and connective tissues, which not only helps you run faster but also protects against injury. It also enhances your coordination and stride efficiency, which improves your running economy. In other words, you can up your performance with less effort—it's a win-win.

Convinced? Great. The next question is, where should you start? We suggest incorporating some of these essential moves into your running workouts:

Squats, which target your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes for improved stability
Lunges, which improve strength in your quads, hamstrings, and glutes while also sharpening your balance
Deadlifts, which are excellent at strengthening your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back
Core exercises, which help to stabilize your body as you run

How Can Flexibility Exercises Improve Running Performance?

Think about what your body is doing when you run. As you move through a stride, the joints in your lower leg and connective tissue become tighter. This creates the power you need to propel yourself forward while, at the same time, braces your joints for the oncoming impact. If your joints, muscles, and connective tissues are inflexible, they are more prone to injury.

One solution: flexibility exercises for runners.

Some must-do exercises include:

Hamstring stretches, which improve flexibility in the back of the thigh, reducing the risk of strains
Hip flexor stretches, which increase the range of motion in the hips
Calf stretches, which loosen tight calves to prevent Achilles tendon injuries and increase push-off strength
IT band stretches, which reduce tension in the iliotibial band, protecting against knee pain

What Are the Key Injury Prevention Exercises for Runners?

Shin splints, runner's knee, plantar fasciitis—these are the things of runners' nightmares. Unfortunately, many casual and advanced runners experience injuries that keep them off the road or track for weeks or months at a time.

The best exercises for runners can help you avoid this outcome. Here are some great options to try:

Glute bridges, which strengthen the glutes and lower back
Single-leg balance exercises, which improve balance to protect against falls
Ankle strengthening exercises, which increase ankle stability and reduce the likelihood of sprains
Foam rolling techniques, which alleviate muscle tightness and improve blood flow

Why Are Plyometric Exercises Important for Runners?

Plyometric exercises are explosive. You use your power to move your body fast through movements like jumping or skipping. This causes the number of fast-twitch muscle fibers to grow, which can enhance your sprint speed. Incorporating plyometrics into your running workout can make you faster and enable you to run up hills with greater ease.

Here are some plyometric running exercises to try:

Box jumps, which improve lower body power and speed
Jump squats, which enhance explosive strength in the legs for faster sprint speeds
Bounding, which increases stride length and power for better overall running efficiency
Skipping drills, which improve coordination, speed, and leg strength

Watch Our Running Preparation Series

Enhance Your Running with JAG Physical Therapy

Get the personalized guidance you need to achieve your running goals. At JAG Physical Therapy, we draw on years of experience to develop personalized exercise plans for runners at all stages of their journey. Our comprehensive and informed approach will boost your performance and minimize the risk of injury, so you can keep doing what you love.

Schedule an appointment today, and let's collaborate to build a first-place running exercise program.