You've been doing everything right: logging the miles, following your training plan, and never skipping a long run.
But lately, you’ve hit a frustrating plateau. Your pace hasn’t budged in months. Or worse, a niggling pain in your knee or shin keeps creeping back, forcing you to take unwanted rest days. Sound familiar?
If you're nodding your head, you're not alone. Many runners fall into the trap of believing that running is the only exercise they need. This "running-only" mindset is one of the biggest misconceptions in the sport.
The truth is, running is a high-impact, repetitive motion sport. It’s incredible for your cardiovascular health, but it primarily works the same muscles in the same pattern, thousands of times per mile. This creates significant muscle imbalances, leaving critical supporting muscles weak and vulnerable.
The solution isn't to run less—it's to run smarter by incorporating supplemental training as the non-negotiable secret to becoming a stronger, faster, and more resilient runner.
And the best part? You don't need a massive commercial gym to get started. With a smart home gym like Speediance, you can tackle all of it without ever leaving your house.
At Speediance, we’ve spent years engineering smart fitness equipment rooted in the science of human movement and athletic performance. We understand what it takes to build a body that’s not just fit, but powerfully balanced and durable.
Why Runners Need Supplementary Exercises
So, what exercises should runners do to break through those barriers? It starts with understanding why supplementary work is crucial.
1. Injury Prevention
Think of your body as a high-performance car. Your legs are the powerful engine, but your hips, glutes, and core are the suspension and chassis. If you have a massive engine but a weak suspension, the car is going to break down.
Strength training addresses common muscle imbalances and strengthens the connective tissues—tendons and ligaments—that take a beating with every stride.
Stronger supporting muscles provide better shock absorption and stability, dramatically reducing your risk for common ailments like runner's knee, IT band syndrome, and shin splints.
2. Improved Running Economy
The measure of how efficiently you use oxygen while running at a specific pace—often called your body's miles-per-gallon rating. The better your economy, the less energy you expend, allowing you to run faster for longer.
A stronger core and glutes lead to more efficient energy transfer and better form, allowing you to go faster for the same amount of effort.
3. Increased Speed and Power
Want to improve your finishing kick or conquer hills with more authority? The answer lies in building fast-twitch muscle fibers.
While distance running primarily develops slow-twitch (endurance) fibers, resistance training, especially explosive movements, builds the powerful, fast-twitch fibers needed for acceleration.
The stretch-shortening cycle—where muscles work like springs during the contact phase of running—can significantly improve a runner's power and efficiency when properly trained.
4. Balance Muscle Development
Running is a sagittal plane (forward-and-backward) motion. This means you’re neglecting muscles that move you side-to-side and rotationally, like your adductors (inner thighs), abductors (outer hips), and obliques.
Cross-training for runners and targeted strength work help build a well-rounded, balanced physique, which not only prevents injuries but also improves overall athleticism.
5. Active Recovery and a Mental Break
Even the most passionate runner can experience mental burnout from the same routine. Introducing other activities can be a refreshing mental break.
Furthermore, low-impact cross-training for runners, like cycling or swimming, allows you to maintain and even build your aerobic base without the repetitive impact of running. This is a perfect form of active recovery, helping to flush out muscle soreness and prevent overtraining.
Exercises for Runners (Categorized)
Now for the main event. When you wonder what exercises runners should do, this is your blueprint. We’ve broken it down into the most critical categories.
Strength Training
Strength training for runners is not about getting bulky; it's about building functional, resilient power. It improves your ability to produce force with every stride and drastically reduces injury risk.
1. Bodyweight Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts
- Targets - Glutes, hamstrings, and core.
- Benefits - Enhances unilateral strength, improves balance, and reduces the risk of hamstring injuries.
How to Perform:
- Stand tall, keeping a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Hinge forward at your hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Focus on stability as you lower and return to the start.
2. Barbell Reverse Lunge
- Targets - Quads, glutes, upper back, and core.
- Benefits - This compound movement strengthens both lower and upper body muscles, promotes better posture, and boosts overall power and stability during movement.
How to Perform:
- Step one foot backward into a lunge, lowering your hips by bending both knees.
- Keep your core tight to maintain balance throughout the motion.
- Drive through the heel of your front foot, using your glute and quad, to return to the starting position
- Breathe out as you exert force, inhale as you lower down.
- Move slowly and with control for maximum muscle engagement.
3. Single-Leg Glute Bridges
- Targets - Glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.
- Benefits - This exercise strengthens the posterior chain, which is essential for boosting running power and reducing injury risk.
How to Perform:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart.
- Your arms should be at your sides, palms down.
- Engage your core and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- At the top of the movement, lift one foot a few inches off the floor without letting your hips drop or twist.
- Hold for a moment, then lower your foot and repeat with the other leg.
- Maintain a steady, controlled pace.
4. Deadlifts
- Targets - Posterior chain, core, upper back
- Benefits - Develops overall body strength and improves efficient force transfer from the ground through the hips
How to Perform:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the middle of your feet directly under the barbell.
- Bend at your hips and knees to grasp the barbell with your hands just outside your shins, about shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your back straight, chest up, and maintain a neutral neck position by keeping your gaze on the floor a few feet in front of you
- Inhale to brace, then exhale as you powerfully extend your hips and knees, lifting the barbell along your legs. Stand tall and squeeze your glutes at the top.
- Hold the glute contraction for 1-2 seconds before lowering. Avoid rounding or hyperextending your spine.
Mobility and Flexibility
Mobility isn’t just about touching your toes. It’s about having a full, functional range of motion in your joints. Tight hips, ankles, or a stiff upper back can severely limit your stride length and lead to compensation injuries.
1. Standing Cable Hip Abduction
- Targets - Gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and outer hips.
- Benefits -Enhances lateral hip strength and stability, crucial for preventing common running injuries by supporting the pelvis during the single-leg phase of running.
How to Perform:
- Attach the strap to one ankle and stand with the cable machine to your side, holding onto the machine for support.
- Keep your feet hip-width apart and maintain an upright posture.
- Slowly move the strapped leg directly out to the side, away from your body, without leaning or rotating your torso.
- Pause at the peak of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position.
- Exhale as you move your leg out, inhale as you bring it back.
2. Seated Spine Dynamic Scroll
- Targets - Upper back, shoulders
- Benefits - This exercise promotes spinal flexibility and balance, improves arm swing and breathing efficiency during runs
How to Perform:
- Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position.
- Begin to gently draw a large circle with your torso, leaning forward, to the side, and backward in a smooth, continuous motion. As you move, keep your glutes grounded on the floor.
- After several circles in one direction, switch and repeat in the other.
3. Ankle Mobilizer
- Targets: Ankles, calves
- Benefits: Enhances ankle mobility, reduces the risk of plantar fasciitis, and improves push-off strength.
How to Perform:
- Begin kneeling with your back leg rotated 90 degrees behind you.
- Keep your lead foot flat and shift your weight forward to increase ankle flexibility.
- Push your knee over your toes while maintaining heel contact with the floor.
- Breathe steadily throughout.
4. Supine Hamstring Stretch
- Targets - Hamstrings, lower back
- Benefits - This stretch boosts flexibility and helps ease tightness after running
How to Perform:
- Lie on your back with both legs extended.
- Raise one leg toward the ceiling, keeping it straight.
- Grasp the back of your thigh or calf with both hands (avoid pulling on the knee) and gently pull the leg closer to your chest until you feel a gentle stretch in your hamstring.
- Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, breathing deeply.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Avoid bouncing or forcing the stretch.
Core Stability
Your core is the foundation of every movement you make. A strong, stable core acts as a rigid lever, allowing power to be transferred efficiently from your lower body to your upper body and preventing energy leaks.
1. Plank with Shoulder Taps
- Targets - Core, obliques, shoulders
- Benefits - Improves core strength and stability, essential for better running posture and balance.
How to Perform -
- Start in a plank position with a straight back.
- Lift one hand to tap the opposite shoulder without letting your hips twist.
- Keep your body stable and engage your core throughout.
- Complete 3 sets of 20 taps to build endurance and control.
2. Dead Bug
- Targets - Core, lower back
- Benefits - Primarily strengthens the core and lower back, enhancing pelvic stability and overall core control. It’s excellent for training your body to maintain stability even when limbs move separately.
How to Perform:
- Lie flat on your back with your arms and legs raised.
- Slowly lower the opposite arm and leg toward the floor.
- Keep your lower back pressed firmly against the ground throughout.
- Repeat for 3 sets of 12 reps on each side.
3. Russian Twists
- Targets - Obliques, core
- Benefits - Improves rotational power, which supports enhanced running posture and efficiency.
How to Perform:
- Sit on the ground, leaning slightly backward with a straight spine
- Hold a weight (or use a Speediance cable for dynamic resistance) to increase the challenge.
- Rotate your torso side to side in a slow, controlled manner
- Prioritize form over speed to maximize engagement
- Complete 3 sets of 20 repetitions for best results
4. Bird Dog
- Targets - Core, lower back, glutes
- Benefits - This exercise enhances balance and coordination, which are crucial for maintaining stability during the single-leg phases of running.
How to Perform:
- Begin on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
- Extend your right arm forward and left leg backward simultaneously.
- Hold briefly, maintaining a stable core.
- Return to the start, then switch sides.
- Complete 3 sets of 10 reps per side.
Cardiovascular Cross-Training
Cross-training for runners is essential for building your aerobic engine without the constant pounding. It provides a physical and mental break, aiding in recovery and preventing burnout.
Cycling
Cycling strengthens the legs intensely and improves cardiovascular fitness without any impact on your joints. It’s an excellent low-impact alternative that helps build endurance and power, contributing to better running efficiency without the pounding stress.
Swimming
Swimming offers a comprehensive workout that engages multiple muscle groups while remaining gentle on joints. Ideal for recovery periods, it also boosts lung function and overall stamina, making it perfect for runners needing a full-body, low-impact exercise.
Elliptical Training
Elliptical machines simulate running movements while significantly reducing joint impact. This makes them ideal for runners handling minor aches or injuries, allowing them to maintain cardiovascular conditioning without aggravating vulnerable areas.
Other Options
Incorporating activities like hiking, stand-up paddleboarding, or barre workouts introduces beneficial variety. These exercises enhance cardiovascular health and muscular balance while keeping training enjoyable and reducing the risk of burnout.
How Speediance Makes It Effortless to Train Like a Pro Runner
We know that life is busy. Finding time to go to a gym on top of your running schedule can feel impossible. This is where Speediance becomes a runner's ultimate training partner.
1. Precise Digital Resistance
No more clanking weights. Instantly adjust the resistance with the touch of a button, allowing for perfect progressive overload, which is key for strength training for runners.
2. Guided, Runner-Specific Workouts
Our platform takes the guesswork out of the equation. Choose from expertly designed programs focused on injury prevention for runners or exercises to run faster.
3. The Time Crunch Solution
We know runners are busy. The Speediance Gym Monster 2 lets you get in a targeted, effective strength session in just 20-30 minutes, right in your living room.
4. Data Tracking
See your progress in real-time. Our app tracks your strength gains, helping you connect your work in the gym to your improved performance on the road.
5. Space-Saving Design
Get a full gym's worth of exercises in a sleek, compact system that fits anywhere in your home.
Recommended Reading: Home gym vs gym membership: which one should I choose?
Run Strong, Run Long
The journey to becoming a better runner doesn't just happen on the trail or the track. The answer to "what exercises should runners do?" is clear: a balanced diet of strength, mobility, and smart cross-training.
Stop thinking of running and strength training as separate activities. They are two sides of the same coin, working together to build a body that’s as powerful and resilient as your running spirit.
Ready to build a body that's as strong as your running spirit? Explore the Speediance ecosystem and discover how we can be your partner in every PR, every mile, and every recovery day.
