Running training: is there a strength recipe that works?

Improving running performance has traditionally focused on endurance training. The longer, the harder and the faster, the better. This usually takes of the form of optimizing mileage, long runs, interval training, and training intensity distribution. And unsurprisingly, most of the work takes place in the form of running – and for good reason because this approach works and it works really well.

The reason this training approach is so successful is that it develops the metabolic characteristics necessary to run fast for extended distances. Successful runners have to produce a lot of energy over longer periods of time, and endurance training helps their body learn to do so. However, there are other factors that are critical to improving performance. Specifically, runners have to be able to create force quickly in order to generate the speed necessary to run fast. All the endurance in the world won’t do much good if a runner can’t generate any speed!

The importance of neuromuscular factors

Because of their focus on endurance training, many runners often ignore the neuromuscular factors that influence performance. They tend to ignore a powerful strategy for improving running performance, which is strength training. It seems counter-intuitive, but performing very short work periods at very high intensity can help runners improve their speed over middle- and long-distances. This has been confirmed anecdotally in the practice of successful runners as well as confirmed in the research.

However, there are different types of strength training that can be performed. While it’s clear that strength training can improve performance, what’s less clear is the impact of different types of resistance training. Are some more effective than others? Which should athletes use? Are there certain types of runners that benefit more or less from strength training? Can strength training have a negative impact on the metabolic performance factors? These are questions that require clear answers to guide how runners should train for optimal performance.

Recent research

An international group of researchers recently performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the impact of strength training on performance in middle-distance and long-distance runners⁽¹⁾. The goal was to determine how different types of strength training impact running performance, and whether differences exist between different strength training strategies. The researchers included 38 studies in the analysis, with a total of 894 subjects: 298 of the subjects were highly-trained athletes, 272 were well trained, and 324 were moderately trained.

The researchers considered four different types of strength training:

• High load strength training was characterized by loads that were 80% of 1-rep max.
• Moderate load strength training was considered to be when the resistance was between 40-79% of maximum. Any type of strength training that focused on jumping exercises was labeled as plyometrics training.
• Mixed training was when these different strategies were combined to improve performance.

What they looked for

While strength training in general has been shown to improve performance in previous studies, it’s not clear why strength training positively impacts performance. Therefore, as part of the analysis, the researchers sought to determine whether any of the major determinants of performance are positively impacted by strength training. VO2max, a measure of aerobic capacity, was analyzed, as was vVO2max, which is the speed at which VO2max is achieved. The latter measure integrates both running speed and aerobic capacity. The researchers also looked at the impact of strength training on the maximal metabolic steady state, or the highest speed runners could achieve without accumulating metabolic waste products. Finally, sprint capacity, the ability to achieve very high speeds, was included in the analysis as well.

The researchers also investigated the impact of several different moderator variables. A moderator variable is a secondary variable that can influence the primary outcome. They wanted to know if the characteristics of the individual performing the training influenced the outcomes, as well as whether the characteristics of the intervention influenced performance outcomes.  It’s possible that different types of runners may have a different response to strength training. Factors such as sex, age, body mass, height, strength training experience, performance level, and VO2max where investigated. Similarly, not all training interventions are the same, even if they include the same type of training. The analysis examined whether the number of sessions per week, the number of weeks the program lasted, or the total number of sessions influenced performance.