BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING FOR RUNNERS!
We have all heard that strength training is good for us runners, but WHY⁉️
Running is an aerobic sport, so many athletes and coaches tend to focus so much on the running portion of building the aerobic system that they neglect strength training. You may be wondering why strength training is important is running is an aerobic sport. We want to share with you the benefits of strength training for runners because running is more than RUNNING! You must train the entire system to work together.
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✅INJURY PREVENTION: Strength training strengthens connective tissue and muscles to prevent injury! It also corrects muscle imbalances in the body that can contribute to injury. Imbalances can mean either one leg or glute is stronger than the other OR an imposing muscle group is stronger (like your quads are stronger than your hamstrings). Your body begins to compensate and favor the stronger side, which can lead to injury. 🤕 If you keep getting injured in a specific area of your body, getting specific exercises for YOUR particular imbalances/weaknesses from a physical therapist is KEY! You’ll keep getting injured if you don’t address the ROOT CAUSE☝️
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✅IMPROVES RUNNING ECONOMY: When your muscles are STRONG, they don’t need to expend as much energy to hit faster paces. This leads to your form staying intact throughout the entirety of a race, thus being able to hold onto that faster pace instead of breaking & slowing down! SMALL improvements in your running economy lead to BIG differences, especially over the course of longer races like half and full marathons 💪
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✅IMPROVED NEUROMUSCULAR CONNECTIONS: Strength training improves your POWER⚡️🔋by strengthening the mind to body connection. This allows your body to recruit MORE muscle fibers more quickly, and do so much easier which makes you more EFFICIENT!
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✅IMPROVES BALANCE: When running, you are either airbound or on one leg. There is potential for landing wrong and hurting ourselves. Our legs have many small stabilizing muscles that can help us navigate uneven terrain when they are STRONG! 💪
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