Strength Training for Runners

Is Strength Training Important for Runners? What About Runners Trying to Lose Weight?

Many dieters shy away from strength training. They fear building muscle is akin to building bulk and adding on pounds. As a runner, however, it is important to strive for balance between running and strength training. Dieters know that an hour of intense cardiovascular training burns more calories than an hour of strength training. If you’re pressed for time it would seem that running would provide more bang for your buck, leading to greater weight loss than pumping iron. The truth is that taking time to add strength training to your routine a few days a week has many benefits that can actually boost weight loss. Studies have shown that strength training can improve body composition by helping maintain or increase your lean body mass thus decreasing your percentage of body fat. Less fat makes you look leaner and burns additional calories. Here’s how it works:

Muscle Burns More Calories

Typically, your body uses 4.5 to seven calories per pound of muscle every day. But fat burns almost nothing at rest. It follows that if a 160 pound runner with 20 percent body fat increases his muscle mass and decreases his body fat to 15 percent, he’ll burn an extra 36 to 56 calories a day at rest, simply by adding muscle.

In addition, runners benefit from strength training since it helps you to be more efficient, and to run faster and longer. Runner who strength train are less injury prone, too. Strength training increases your joint stability and strength.

Both runners and dieters can benefit from strength training. There are many free online resources to help you find a lifting regimen that will work for you. Good luck!

Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/spine/546150140/

July 24th, 2009 by Aspen Streetman | Posted in Tips, Training | (1)