Running engages multiple muscle groups, but are there certain muscle groups runners should focus on strengthening more than others?
When you run, your bones, joints, and muscles absorb 3-8 times your body weight, so it’s crucial to keep them strong. Increasing your weekly mileage is one of the most effective ways to improve your running fitness. However, this also heightens the risk of injury due to the increased training volume. To safely increase your mileage, you need to build strength and resilience throughout your body to handle the demands of running more and longer distances. This is why runners who include strength training in their routines are 50% less likely to experience injuries than those who don’t.
Incorporating strength training into your routine helps develop essential strength and stability in the major muscle groups crucial for running.
Here are the top 5 muscles every runner should strengthen to help enhance running performance and reduce the risk of injury:
1. Quads
The quadriceps help extend your knee and flex your hip, making them key contributors to acceleration during running. Many runners are disproportionately strong in their quads compared to their hamstrings. If the psoas, one of the hip flexors, is weak, the rectus femoris (a quadriceps muscle) may become tight and overactive due to its increased role in the forward motion of the swinging leg during the gait cycle. This is why it’s important to regularly stretch the front of your thighs.
2. Glutes
Your gluteal muscles play several key roles in providing strength, power, and stability around the hip and pelvis in all three planes of motion. The gluteus maximus extends your leg, aiding in propulsion when you run and absorbing shock when your foot hits the ground. It also helps slow your trunk’s backward movement. The gluteus medius offers lateral stability, which helps prevent side-to-side swaying and improves running efficiency.
3. Hamstrings
The hamstrings are responsible for flexing the knee and extending the hip, which helps slow down the leg before ground contact. Hamstrings are often weaker compared to the quadriceps. This strength imbalance can affect muscle balance at the hips and knees, posing a potential injury risk. Thus, strengthening your hamstrings is essential for maintaining muscle balance and preventing injuries.
4. Calf Muscles
The calf muscles, particularly the gastrocnemius and soleus, are crucial during the propulsion phase of running. Regardless of your running style, your calves work hard. Conditioning exercises for the lower legs should include not just calf raises but also the intrinsic muscles of the foot, which are important for maintaining effective foot biomechanics.
5. Abs
The abdominal muscles are vital for stability and ensure the power generated by your legs is not lost through compensatory movements, which can cause injuries over time. A strong core supports your running posture and helps transfer energy efficiently throughout your body.
Takeaways
Strengthening these key muscles can significantly improve your running performance and reduce the risk of injury. For more information on how to strengthen these muscles or to get your running form evaluated, give our office a call at 619-260-0750 or email us at info@innovativept.net to schedule an appointment.