Can Weightlifting Help Your Running Speed?

Weightlifting & Running

As a runner, you're always looking for ways to improve your performance—whether it's running faster, increasing endurance, or preventing injuries. While most runners focus on traditional training methods like increasing mileage, speed workouts, or perfecting running form, there's a highly effective but often overlooked tool that can make a significant impact: weightlifting. The historical progression of world records in the 100m sprint highlights the significance of the 100m world as a benchmark for speed. The introduction of electronic timing has greatly improved accuracy and record-keeping in sprinting events

By incorporating weightlifting into your training routine, you can enhance your speed, power, stamina, and efficiency, all while reducing your risk of injury. In this detailed guide, we will explore the many ways weightlifting can improve your running performance, the specific benefits it offers, the best strength exercises for runners, and how to balance it with your running workouts. Let's dive in!

Understanding Average Running Speed

What is Running Speed?

Running speed is a measure of how fast a person can move their body over a certain distance, typically measured in meters per second (m/s) or kilometers per hour (km/h). In the context of track and field, running speed is a critical factor in determining an athlete's performance in events such as the 100m dash. The world record holder in the 100m dash, Usain Bolt, reached a top speed of 44.72 km/h during his record-breaking run in 2009.

Running speed is influenced by a combination of factors, including muscle power, technique, and aerobic endurance. Athletes who possess a high level of muscle power, particularly in their legs and core, are able to generate more force and speed when running. Technique also plays a crucial role, as proper running form and biomechanics can help athletes maintain efficiency and generate more speed. Finally, aerobic endurance is essential for athletes to sustain their speed over longer distances.

Average Human Running Speed

The average human running speed varies depending on several factors, including age, sex, fitness level, and running experience. Generally, the average running speed for an adult is around 8-10 miles per hour (mph) or 13-16 kilometers per hour (km/h). However, this can range from 5-15 mph (8-24 km/h) depending on the individual’s fitness level and running technique. For instance, a beginner might start at the lower end of the spectrum, while a seasoned runner could easily hit the higher speeds. Understanding where you fall within this range can help you set realistic goals and track your progress over time.

Factors Affecting Running Speed

Several factors can affect an individual’s running speed, including:

• Age: Running speed tends to decrease with age, with most people reaching their peak running speed in their mid-to-late 20s. As we age, muscle mass and cardiovascular efficiency decline, which can impact speed.

• Sex: Generally, men tend to be faster runners than women, due to differences in muscle mass and body composition. Men typically have more muscle mass and less body fat, which contributes to higher speeds.

• Fitness Level: Fitter individuals tend to be faster runners, as they have more efficient cardiovascular systems and stronger muscles. Regular training improves both aerobic capacity and muscle strength, leading to better performance.

• Running Experience: More experienced runners tend to be faster, as they have developed more efficient running techniques and have built up their endurance. Experience also helps in pacing and energy management during runs.

• Terrain: Running on flat, smooth surfaces tends to be faster than running on hilly or uneven terrain. Hills and rough terrain require more energy and can slow you down.

• Weather: Running in cool, dry weather tends to be faster than running in hot, humid weather. Extreme temperatures and humidity can affect your body’s ability to regulate temperature and maintain performance.

Why Track and Field Runners Need Stronger Legs—and Why Upper Body Strength Matters Too

When you run, the primary muscles doing the work are in your lower body—the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and hip flexors. These muscles are responsible for generating the power that propels your body forward, absorbing the impact with every stride, and maintaining balance and stability during the movement.

However, while the lower body does most of the heavy lifting, running is a full-body activity. Your upper body—including your arms, shoulders, and back—helps maintain form and balance, and it plays a critical role in stabilizing your core. The core muscles (abs, obliques, lower back) connect your upper and lower body, acting as the foundation that keeps you upright and ensures you move efficiently. A strong core helps you resist fatigue and maintain good running posture, especially during long distances.

In short, focusing on both lower body and core strength, while giving attention to upper body stability, is crucial for overall running performance. Different types of running, such as sprinting and jogging, have specific average speeds associated with them. Let’s explore the benefits of weightlifting for runners in greater detail.

How Weightlifting Improves Running Performance

Weightlifting offers multiple benefits for runners that can directly enhance your speed. Whether you’re training for a 5K, a marathon, or just looking to improve your overall running performance, adding strength training to your routine can lead to faster times. Improving your average pace through weightlifting can also enhance overall running performance by enabling you to sustain faster paces for longer periods. Here’s how:

1. Increased Lower Body Strength and Power

The primary way that weightlifting benefits runners is by increasing muscle strength and power in the lower body. Historically, hand timed records in sprinting events highlighted the limitations of accuracy, as they were recorded only to a tenth of a second. Stronger legs mean more force production with each stride, allowing you to propel yourself forward with greater power and efficiency. This is especially important for running fast or sprinting, where explosive power in the legs is crucial. Strength training can also help runners achieve a good running pace by increasing leg power and efficiency.

Key exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, and step-ups target the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, which are the powerhouse muscles responsible for driving your stride. By strengthening these muscles, you can:

• Increase stride length: Stronger leg muscles allow for a longer and more powerful stride.

• Generate more force: With each step, you’ll be able to push off the ground more powerfully, which translates to faster running speeds.

• Improve endurance: Strengthening your legs helps delay fatigue, allowing you to maintain your pace for longer without tiring as quickly.

Compound exercises like squats and deadlifts are particularly effective because they work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, improving your ability to coordinate large, explosive movements.

2. Improved Running Economy

Running economy refers to the amount of oxygen and energy your body uses while running at a given pace. A runner with good running economy uses less energy to maintain a specific pace, meaning they can run faster or farther without tiring as quickly. Weightlifting helps improve running economy by making your muscles more efficient at using energy. Determining an individual's mile pace can provide insights into their running efficiency and help set training goals.

Several studies have shown that runners who incorporate regular strength training into their routine have better running economy than those who rely solely on running. Here’s why:

• Stronger muscles use less energy: Weightlifting builds stronger muscles that can produce the same amount of force using less energy.

• Improved muscle coordination: Strength training enhances neuromuscular efficiency (the communication between your brain and muscles), allowing for smoother, more controlled movements.

• Better form and posture: Strong muscles—particularly in the core and lower back—help maintain proper running posture, preventing energy loss through inefficient movement.

When you have better running economy, your body can sustain faster speeds with less effort, making it easier to maintain your target pace during long runs or races.

3. Enhanced Flexibility and Mobility

Another significant benefit of weightlifting is that it improves your flexibility and mobility. High altitude can also affect flexibility and performance in sprinting events, as lower air resistance at high altitudes can lead to better performance. Many strength-training exercises involve moving through a full range of motion, which helps stretch and strengthen the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This is crucial for runners because tight or inflexible muscles can lead to injury, poor form, and decreased performance. Improving walking pace through flexibility and mobility exercises can also contribute to overall running performance.

For example:

• Hip mobility: Exercises like lunges and hip thrusts improve flexibility in the hip flexors and glutes, allowing for better hip extension during running. This contributes to a longer stride and more efficient movement.

• Ankle flexibility: Movements like calf raises and deadlifts help improve ankle mobility, which is essential for proper foot strike and push-off. This reduces the risk of injuries like Achilles tendonitis and shin splints.

• Hamstring flexibility: Strengthening the hamstrings with exercises like Romanian deadlifts also improves flexibility, helping to reduce tightness that could otherwise limit your stride.

Improved flexibility and mobility help ensure a smoother, more efficient running gait while reducing the likelihood of injuries caused by muscle imbalances or tightness.

4. Increased Core Strength and Stability

A strong core is critical for maintaining good running posture and balance, which are key factors in preventing energy waste and maintaining speed. Your core muscles—the abdominals, obliques, and lower back—act as a stabilizing force, connecting the movements of your upper and lower body. When your core is strong, it prevents excessive side-to-side motion, keeps your torso upright, and ensures that your leg muscles can work more efficiently.

Weightlifting exercises like planks, Russian twists, medicine ball throws, and deadlifts are excellent for building core strength. With a stable core, you can:

• Maintain proper posture: Strong core muscles prevent your torso from collapsing or slouching, which helps you maintain a smooth and efficient running form.

• Enhance stability: A stable core reduces the risk of lower back pain and other injuries caused by poor posture or overuse of secondary muscles (such as the hips or lower back).

• Improve energy transfer: A strong core allows for better energy transfer between your arms and legs, making every movement more efficient and helping you conserve energy during long runs.

By focusing on core strength, you'll not only run more efficiently but also avoid the common pitfalls of poor running posture and wasted energy.

Weightlifting as a Supplement to Running for the Olympic Games, Not a Replacement

While weightlifting offers numerous benefits, it’s essential to understand that it should complement your running training—not replace it. Running remains the most effective way to improve aerobic** fitness**, speed, and endurance. Weightlifting, on the other hand, enhances your strength, power, and stability, which are all critical to supporting your running goals. Weightlifting can also benefit the average person by improving their running performance through increased strength and stability.

For most runners, the ideal approach is to incorporate weightlifting into your weekly training plan 2-3 times per week. This allows you to build strength without sacrificing valuable running time or risking overtraining. By maintaining a balance between running and strength training, you can maximize the benefits of both and improve your overall performance.

Weightlifting Prevents Injuries

One of the key benefits of weightlifting for runners is its ability to prevent injuries. Running puts repetitive stress on the joints, muscles, and tendons, especially in the lower body. Over time, this can lead to common overuse injuries like runner's knee, IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and Achilles tendonitis.

Strength training helps prevent injuries by:

• Correcting muscle imbalances: Many runners develop muscle imbalances due to overuse of specific muscles (e.g., quads) and underuse of others (e.g., glutes or hamstrings). Weightlifting strengthens the muscles that support your joints and corrects these imbalances, reducing your risk of injury.

• Strengthening tendons and ligaments: Weightlifting helps strengthen not just your muscles but also your connective tissues (tendons and ligaments), which are crucial for absorbing the impact of running. Stronger tendons and ligaments are less prone to strains, sprains, and tears.

• Improving joint stability: Exercises like lunges, step-ups, and single-leg deadlifts help improve the stability of your hips, knees, and ankles, reducing the risk of injury from repetitive impact or uneven terrain.

By incorporating strength training into your routine, you'll build stronger, more resilient muscles and joints that can withstand the stresses of running, allowing you to train consistently without being sidelined by injuries.

Weightlifting Enhances Acceleration and Top-End Speed for World Record Holders

In addition to improving endurance and efficiency, weightlifting can significantly boost your acceleration and top-end speed. Stronger muscles generate more force, allowing you to accelerate faster and reach your maximum speed more quickly. This is especially important for sprinters, other track and field athletes, and distance runners who need to surge ahead during races or execute a powerful kick in the final stretch. False starts can have significant implications on sprinting performance, leading to disqualifications and affecting an athlete’s psychological state. Starting block sensors play a crucial role in preventing false starts and accurately measuring reaction times. Elite athletes incorporate weightlifting into their training regimens to enhance acceleration and top-end speed.

Explosive exercises like box jumps, power cleans, plyometric lunges, and kettlebell swings help develop fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for rapid, forceful muscle contractions. These exercises train your muscles to produce bursts of speed, which translates into quicker starts and faster sprint times. Even distance runners can benefit from explosive power training, as it helps improve your ability to surge up hills, pass competitors, or sprint to the finish line.

Will Weightlifting Make You Bulky or Slow? 

One of the most common concerns runners have about weightlifting is that it will lead to bulky muscles, which could slow them down. However, this is largely a myth. Strength training for runners focuses on building functional strength and power—key elements that can help achieve world record time in sprinting without adding excessive muscle mass.

When done properly, weightlifting will not make you bulky. Instead, it will help you become a faster and more efficient runner. Here's why:

• Lower weights, higher reps: Runners typically focus on lighter weights with higher repetitions, which builds strength and endurance without adding unnecessary bulk.

• Dynamic and explosive movements: Exercises like jump squats, plyometrics, and kettlebell swings emphasize speed and power, not muscle size.

Weightlifting improves your ability to generate force and power without slowing you down or making you feel heavy. The goal is to build lean, powerful muscles that help you run faster, not add bulky mass that could hinder your performance.

The Training Regimens of Elite Athletes and World Record Holders

World record holders in the 100m dash, such as Usain Bolt and Noah Lyles, typically follow a rigorous training regimen that includes a combination of sprinting, strength training, and conditioning exercises. Their training programs are designed to improve their muscle power, speed, and endurance, as well as their technique and overall athleticism.

A typical training day for a world-class sprinter might include a morning session of sprinting drills, such as 20-50 meter sprints, followed by a strength training session in the afternoon. The strength training session might focus on exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and lunges, which help to build power and strength in the legs and core. The athlete might also incorporate conditioning exercises, such as plyometrics and agility drills, to improve their speed and agility.

Sample Weightlifting Routine for Runners

Here's a sample 2-day weightlifting routine designed specifically for runners. This routine targets the legs, core, and upper body stability, helping you build strength, power, and injury resistance while complementing your running workouts.

Athletes often use routines like this to prepare for the world athletics championships.

Day 1: Lower Body Strength and Core Stability

1. Squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps

2. Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 10 reps

3. Walking Lunges: 3 sets of 12 reps per leg

4. Calf Raises: 3 sets of 15 reps

5. Plank: 3 sets of 45-60 seconds

6. Russian Twists: 3 sets of 15 reps per side

Day 2: Explosive Power and Upper Body Stability

1. Box Jumps: 3 sets of 8-10 reps

2. Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8 reps

3. Kettlebell Swings: 3 sets of 12-15 reps

4. Push-ups: 3 sets of 15-20 reps

5. Side Plank: 3 sets of 30-60 seconds per side

This routine is designed to build lower-body strength, core stability, and explosive power while reducing injury risk and improving running form.

Creating a Weightlifting and Interval Training Program for Runners

Periodization and Progressive Overload

When creating a weightlifting program for runners, it's essential to incorporate periodization and progressive overload to ensure that the athlete continues to make gains in strength and power over time. Periodization involves dividing the training program into specific phases or periods, each with a specific focus or goal. For example, a runner might focus on building strength and power during the off-season, and then transition to a more maintenance-based program during the competitive season.

Progressive overload involves gradually increasing the weight or resistance used in exercises over time to continue challenging the muscles and promoting strength gains. This can be achieved by increasing the weight used, the number of repetitions performed, or the number of sets completed.

For example, a weightlifting program for a runner might include exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and lunges, with a focus on building strength and power in the legs and core. The program might be periodized into three phases:

Conclusion: Weightlifting as a Game-Changer for Runners

Maximizing Average Speed

To maximize your average running speed, it’s essential to focus on building up your endurance, strength, and running technique. Here are some tips to help you maximize your average speed:

• Hill Sprints: Incorporate hill sprints into your routine, which involves sprinting uphill at maximum intensity. This builds leg strength and power, crucial for faster running.

• Tempo Runs: Include tempo runs in your routine, which involve running at a moderate to high intensity for a prolonged period. This improves your lactate threshold, allowing you to run faster for longer.

• Core and Upper Body Strength: Strength training exercises that target your core and upper body, such as planks and push-ups, are essential. A strong core stabilizes your body, improving running efficiency.

• Proper Technique: Focus on proper running technique, including posture, foot strike, and breathing. Efficient form reduces energy waste and helps maintain higher speeds.

• Flexibility Exercises: Incorporate flexibility exercises like stretching and foam rolling to improve your range of motion and reduce the risk of injury. Flexible muscles and joints allow for a smoother, more efficient running gait.

By following these tips and incorporating weightlifting into your training routine, you can significantly improve your average running speed and overall performance.