In this episode of the A to Z Running Podcast we discuss the physiology of leg strength, ways to build leg strength, and ways runners can put it together to build leg strength that will help with running. From hill running, drills, functional movement, and weightlifting, we discuss all of it.

The Physiology of Leg Strength

What makes up leg strength?

• Bones
• Muscles – fast twitch fibers vs. slow twitch fibers
• Functional movement
• Coordination, stability, precision

The Ways to Build Leg Strength

While Running

Jogging → supports structural development and muscular endurance

Hill running → great for building power and muscular strength

High volume easy running → capillary development

Outside of Running

Precision drills → wiring proper movement paths (muscle memory)

Stability and coordination exercises → strengthening the muscles that support running motion

Functional movement exercises → strengthening and stabilizing the muscles performing the running motion

Plyometric and bodyweight lifting → power and precision strength building

Weightlifting → power and capacity strength building

How to Put It All Together

Priority #1: Precision and Structural Integrity

Proper Motion

• Wiring proper motion paths is key
• Takes more or less work depending on how bad current habits are
• Something all runners should be doing regularly for the rest of their lives
• Best means of doing this is through deliberate precision drills, pre-run activation
• We love Dave Hodgkinson’s Dynamic Activation (Warmup Routine)

Structural Integrity

• At the same time, the running side of things includes a whole lot of jogging
• The goal is load, the higher the better (within reason)
• Need to build slowly enough to avoid excessive stress, but not as slowly as conventional wisdom often states (so long as effort is low)
• While focusing on building leg strength, all efforts should remain minimal in order to grow resilience

Priority #2: Functional Movement & Stability

• Either at the same time or after getting started a bit with the running side of things
• This kind of work should be oriented around addressing each of the key areas for runners
• (1) Back/trunk (posture)
• (2) Hip girdle/upper leg
• (3) Foot/ankle/lower leg
• Exercises should be both addressing the functional movement of running and the supporting or stabilizing muscles and groups
• Often more emphasis is placed on the eccentric phase of an exercise vs. the concentric
• Example: while the functional movement aspects of the hip focus on anterior/posterior linear motion, the stabilizing aspects might involve rotational as well as lateral forces
• Check out our Stationary Leg Strength workout for a great yet simple routine.

Priority #3: Power and Explosion

• Often considered the least valuable to distance runners
• Certainly the last ingredient in terms of priority but not at all worthless
• The reason for this placement is that these kinds of workouts are substantially more valuable and even potentially less dangerous when performed after other strengthening work has occurred
• Greater risk of injury as well as substantial fatigue or soreness (and disruption to training)
• What is the benefit? Increased muscle output also helps improve efficiency
• Value increases the faster the race effort
• These include hill running, plyometrics workouts, and weightlifting
• For hill running, most of the benefit is best achieved with sustained uphill repeats
• Can increase the benefit with plyometric-type springing and bounding on hills (WARNING: this is very high-risk, especially for older runners or injury-prone athletes)
• General plyometrics are also effective and can reduce the risk (consider this Leg Strength Circuit example

• Note about weightlifting: to achieve this purpose, we recommend a high weight, low rep approach with substantial rest periods (at least 2-3minutes) between stimuli

Check out the complete AtoZrunning article with leg strength exercises, “Leg Strength Workout for Runners.”