By: Sydney Henderson, BS, NASM CPT
You lace up for a run and wonder if skipping leg day will catch up with you. Or maybe you crush your lifts but dread the thought of jogging a single mile. The truth is, you don’t have to pick a side. Strength training and running can work together to make you a stronger, faster, and more resilient athlete.
How Strength Training and Running Compliment Each Other
Two common stereotypes are that runners fear the weight room and lifters avoid cardio, but what if you want both? That’s where concurrent training comes in: the combination of strength and endurance work. Running and strength training are both effective on their own, but when paired together, they can elevate your performance even more. Whether your goal is to run faster, lift heavier, or simply build a well-rounded level of fitness, each discipline can support and enhance the other.
Why Concurrent Training Works
A myth that I want to bust right out of the gate is that lifting doesn’t make you slow, and running doesn’t erase muscle mass. It is quite the opposite: a stronger body leads to faster running, and better endurance leads to more work capacity in the gym. Whether your main goal is to be a faster runner, stronger lifter, or to simply enjoy the health benefits of having more strength and endurance for your everyday life, concurrent training supports it all.
How Strength Training Benefits Running
Research shows that when endurance athletes add strength training, it:
- Reduces the risk of injury
- Increases running economy
Running economy is the efficiency with which your body uses oxygen and is a key factor in running performance. Because running is a high-impact sport, strengthening the muscles, bones, and connective tissues in the legs is critical for injury prevention. Common issues like runner’s knee, IT band syndrome, and stress fractures become far less likely. And fewer injuries mean more time spent training consistently, which ultimately leads to faster running.
How Running Benefits Strength Training
The benefits aren’t one-sided: running also enhances strength training. It helps by:
- Improves cardiovascular fitness
- Increases muscular endurance
Better cardiovascular fitness means your heart and lungs can deliver oxygen more efficiently, allowing you to sustain effort during tough training sessions. Increased muscular endurance translates to shorter recovery times between sets and the ability to handle more overall training volume. And more training volume, when paired with proper recovery and nutrition, leads to greater muscle growth.
The Interference Effect
Your body’s energy resources are not endless, and one of the main ways it stores energy is through glycogen. Glycogen is the stored form of glucose in your muscles and liver and serves as a key fuel source during exercise. If you go for a run and then immediately move into a lifting session, much of your glycogen will already be depleted, leaving you with less energy for heavy strength work. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s important to recognize, adjust your training as needed, and make sure you recover and fuel properly to support the effort you want to give.
For example, if you run for an hour at an easy pace and then try to hit a one-rep max squat, the result will almost certainly be disappointing. Your body has already used most of its available energy, and it isn’t primed for a true maximum effort. A smarter approach is to either separate running and lifting onto different days or perform your max strength session first, followed by your run. Running and lifting on the same day is fine, but it works best to pair strength sessions with easy runs and, if possible, give yourself at least four hours between workouts.
While all this may seem like it would be better to avoid combining strength training and running, there are plenty of ways to strategically implement both in your weekly routine to get the most out of both. By understanding how the body uses energy and organizing your training strategically, you can combine these two modalities to take your fitness to the next level.
Principles of Balancing Strength and Running
When structuring a balanced workout split between running and strength training, there are a few things to keep top of mind.
- Separate intense sessions
- Prioritize recovery
- Match training to your goals
Making sure to keep these points in mind when developing a strength training and running plan is key to getting the most out of your training. Separating intense sessions lets you give your full effort in your workouts, whether that means hitting a max lift or pushing for a fast run, rather than working with only a fraction of your energy. Recovery should also be built into your routine. Prioritizing quality sleep, fueling your body strategically, and using methods like stretching, sauna, cold therapy, and low intensity sessions will help you stay ready for what’s next and prevent injuries. Finally, always keep your goals in mind and adjust your training as needed to make sure you are moving toward the results you want.
Sample Weekly Structure
Below are different options of weekly structured training with different goals: run-focused, strength-focused and and even split.
Practical Tips to Avoid Burnout
Burnout isn’t inevitable, and it’s important to get ahead of it before it gets ahead of you. Some things to keep in mind to avoid burnout are:
- Fueling Properly. Eat a balanced diet with protein for muscle repair, carbohydrates for energy, and healthy fats for hormone balance and long-term energy. For more personalized guidance on fueling around training, consider consulting a sports dietitian.
- Listen to your body. Use RPE (rate of perceived exertion) instead of always going max effort.
- Keep easy runs truly easy. Try using a heart rate monitor to ensure you’re not overdoing it.
- Don’t skip mobility/flexibility. Incorporate daily following your training sessions.
- Incorporating deload weeks. Scale back your training for a week-long period every 6-10 weeks, depending on intensity.
Signs You’re Overdoing It
Here are some signs to look out for in overtraining:
- Lingering fatigue. Trouble focusing and feeling constantly tired may be a sign you need to scale back.
- Steady strength decline. Occasional decreases in strength are completely normal, but if you notice a steady decline over several sessions, it may be a sign of overtraining.
- Slower run times. A single slow performance is fine, but repeated slower runs may mean you’re doing too much.
Conclusion
Concurrent training is a powerful way to elevate both strength and endurance without sacrificing one for the other. By balancing recovery, structuring your sessions wisely, and keeping your long-term goals in focus, you can become a stronger, faster, and more resilient athlete. Whether you’re chasing a new PR on the track, aiming for a bigger lift in the gym, or simply wanting to feel your best day to day, combining strength training and running can get you there.
If you want to get the most out of concurrent training and are having trouble knowing where to start, Sydney Henderson, BS, NASM-CPT, can help you get there.
Contact Information: sydney@getmomentumfit.com
Visit This Link to book your initial consultation, or visit our website to learn how we can support your fitness journey.
Resources
Prieto-González, P., & Sedlacek, J. (2022). Effects of Running-Specific Strength Training, Endurance Training, and Concurrent Training on Recreational Endurance Athletes’ Performance and Selected Anthropometric Parameters. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17), 10773. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710773
What You Need to Know About Running and Weightlifting. (2024, February 8). Usaweightlifting.org. https://www.usaweightlifting.org/news/2024/february/08/what-you-need-to-know-about-running-and-weightlifting
