Looking to take your running game to the next level? Well, you’ve stumbled upon a goldmine of lower body exercises that will give your legs the strength they need to conquer any challenge.
But before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let’s address the elephant on the track—why should you even bother with strength training?
Listen up, because I’m about to drop some truth bombs. Strength training is not just an option for runners; it’s an absolute necessity.
If you want to keep those pesky injuries at bay and unlock your full running potential, hitting the gym is non-negotiable. We’re talking about serious gains here, people. If
you dream of shaving seconds off your race times and reaching your peak performance, I’m going to say it again for the folks in the back: you need to strength train.
Strength training will not only bulletproof your lower body against common running injuries like runner’s knee and stress fractures but also supercharge your running efficiency.
No more excuses, no more coconuts. It’s time to get down to business with a short, yet mighty leg strength workout designed specifically for runners like you.
In just 30 minutes, you’ll be putting those muscles to work and laying the foundation for your strongest, most resilient legs yet.
Get ready to tackle these eight runner-friendly exercises that will transform your lower body into a force to be reckoned with. From explosive plyometrics to targeted strength moves, we’ve got you covered. So, lace up those shoes, grab your water bottle, and let’s dive into this leg-sculpting adventure that will leave you feeling invincible on the track.
Let’s go!
Leg Exercise for Runners 1 – Lunges
Targeted Muscles: Glutes, quads, calves.
Begin by standing with your feet shoulder’s width apart while resting a bar on the back of your shoulders, or holding dumbbells at the side.
That’s your starting position.
Next, take a giant step forward with your right foot, keeping your left foot planted on the ground.
Bend your right knee at a 90-degree angle, while simultaneously lowering your left leg toward the floor.
To complete one rep, push back up to the starting position and switch sides.
Do 10 to 12 reps on each side to complete one set.
Aim for five sets.
Leg Exercise for Runners 2 – Calf Raises
Targeted Muscles: The calves.
Begin by standing with your heels hanging off the edge of a step or a sturdy box, holding two dumbbells by the side.
Make sure to stand as tall as you can with the back straight the entire time.
Next, drive the balls of your feet into the step, then raise your heels as high as you can, pause for a count of three, then slowly lower the heels down to the starting position.
Aim for five sets of 12 to 16 reps to complete one set.
Feel free to up the ante by increasing weight and number of reps if the exercise is not challenging enough.
Additional resource – Maintaining muscle during marathon training
Leg Exercise for Runners 3 – Squats
Targeted Muscles: Quads, glutes, calves and core.
Assume an athletic position with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward, and back straight.
Next, place a barbell across the back of your shoulders and traps, then squat down, bending the knees, until your thighs are parallel to the ground, pause for a moment, then push back up through your heels to return to starting position.
That’s one rep.
Make sure to keep your knees tracking over your toes through the squat motion.
Do 10 to 12 reps to complete one set.
Aim for five sets.
Additional reading – How to Prevent Overuse Injury
Leg Exercise for Runners 4 – Sumo Squats
Targeted Muscles: Inner thighs, and quads.
Assume a wider stand with the feet pointing further out than they would with the classic squat.
Make sure to load a barbell of a challenging weight and place it across the back of your shoulders and traps.
That’s the starting position.
Perform the sumo squat by sitting back until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then slowly come up to starting position.
Make sure to keep your back straight and knees tracking over the toes the entire movement.
You should feel your inner thighs on fire during this exercise; otherwise, you are not doing it right or are not using enough weight.
Do five sets in the 10 to 12 rep range.
Leg Exercise for Runners – 5 – Leg Presses
Targeted Muscles: Quads, glutes, calves, hamstrings.
Climb into a leg press machine, and place your feet hip-width apart on the platform.
Make sure that your heels are flat with the toes facing a bit outward.
To perform the move, slowly lower the platform until your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, then press the platform back up until your legs are nearly straight.
Please don’t allow for a full locking in the knees.
Do five sets of 12 reps each.
Leg Exercise for Runners 6 – Single-leg Deadlifts
Targeted Muscles: Hamstrings, glutes.
Stands tall with feet hip-width apart and hold a pair of light dumbbells in each hand.
That’s the starting position.
Next, bend at the hips and raise your right leg behind while engaging your core muscles, then hinge forward and gradually lower your torso down as far as possible, pause for a second, then return to starting position.
Shoot for 8 deadlifts on each side to complete one set.
Aim for 5 sets.
Leg Exercise for Runners 7 – Lunges With Rotations
Targeted Muscles: Quads, glutes, calves and core.
Stand with feet wide and parallel, grab two light dumbbells with arms straight out sideways, then step forward into a lunge.
Next, lower your body into the lunge and rotate your torso 90 degrees to the right, then another 90 degrees to the left.
Next, take another step forward and repeat the motion.
Aim for 10-12 reps on each side to complete one set.
Do 5 sets.
Leg Exercise for Runners 8 – The Cable Knee Drive
Targeted Muscles: Hip flexors and glutes.
Begin this exercise by securing a strap around your right ankle then attaching it to the low cable pulley.
Next, while standing 1 to 2 feet away from the stack on one leg, drive your right knee explosively up in front your chest.
Do 10 to 12 reps on each side to complete one set.
Aim for five sets.
Additional resource – Clamshells for runners
The Best Leg Workout for Runners – Conclusion
Here you have it! This is an amazing leg workout for runners you can do a few times a week reap huge gains.
This is a really powerful leg workout for runners. But you need to put it into action ASAP. The speed of implementation is what matters most.
In the meantime thank you for reading my blog.
David D.