Science, Technology & Health: October 2017 Archives

Strength Training Prevents Running Injuries

I love to run (15 miles per week) and lift weights (3 times per week), and I've been fortunate to have avoided many injuries from either.

Combined, capacity and load limits determine how resilient a runner's tissues are. When those limits are low, the odds for injury go up and performance can go down. This is where strength training comes in.
A 2016 meta-analysis of five studies on the impact of strength training on running found a "large beneficial effect" on running economy -- the ability to use less oxygen at the same pace -- three to four percent less, in fact. Most of the five studies included two to three strength sessions per week at low- to moderate-load in the range of 40 to 70 percent of one-rep max. In general, the studies involved two to four different exercises plus plyometric jumps and sprints.