A simple strength routine to support your running
Starting to run is demanding enough without adding complicated gym sessions. Two manageable strength workouts can build useful capacity alongside your runs, but they should support your training rather than promise to prevent every injury.
If you are new to running, strength work can feel like one more thing to fit into a busy week. A practical starting point is two short sessions built around basic movements for your legs, hips and trunk. You can do them at home with body weight, then add resistance as the exercises become easier. The routine below explains how to schedule those sessions, adjust the workload and judge whether they are helping without letting them take over your running plan.
What should a beginner strength session include?
Choose a few controlled movements that cover the main jobs your legs do while running: bending and straightening the knee, extending the hip, pushing through the ankle, and stabilising on one leg. A simple home session could include:
- Squats or sit-to-stands
- Glute bridges
- Reverse lunges or split squats, holding a support if needed
- Calf raises, progressing to one leg when comfortable
- A short plank or dead bug for trunk control
Start with body weight and a range of motion you can manage without pain. The NHS offers step-by-step examples of squats and lunges in its knee exercises for runners, while Newcastle Hospitals includes bridges, single-leg heel raises and dead bugs in its runner exercises.
You do not need to use every exercise in one workout. Select four or five, move deliberately and stop a set while you can still keep good form. If a movement causes pain, stop rather than trying to push through it.
How often should you strength train?
Aim for two sessions a week on non-consecutive days to start. That frequency also fits the NHS general advice to do muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days each week. Newcastle Hospitals suggests two to three weekly sessions for its runner exercises, but a beginner can begin at the lower end and see how it fits around running.
Leave enough time between harder leg work and your most important run to recover. You might strength train after an easy run, or on a separate day; there is no single schedule that suits everyone. If the extra work leaves your legs heavy for several runs, reduce the number of exercises or sets before adding more.
Does strength work reduce running injuries?
It is reasonable to include strength work to build physical capacity, but the evidence does not support promising that a routine will prevent injury. A randomised trial of 720 first-time New York City Marathon entrants tested a short, self-directed programme three times weekly. It did not reduce overuse injuries that stopped participants completing the marathon.
Injury risk is influenced by more than strength alone. Keep your running progression manageable, make changes gradually and pay attention to persistent pain or unusual fatigue. Strength training is a useful complement to the running itself, not a substitute for sensible training and recovery. For the wider progression from a first 5K towards longer distances, see how to build towards a running challenge.
How can you fit two sessions around your runs?
Keep the routine short enough to repeat consistently. For example, schedule one session after an easy run early in the week and another on a different day, away from your longest or hardest run. If you are following a beginner running plan, do not add several new workouts at once: first establish the running schedule, then introduce strength work at a manageable level.
For the first few sessions, use one or two sets per exercise and focus on smooth repetitions. When you can finish with stable technique and still feel ready for your next run, add a few repetitions or a set. The NHS recommends starting gradually and building over weeks; its general guidance gives 8 to 12 repetitions as an example for strength exercises, but you do not need to force that range if your form breaks down sooner.
What signs show the routine is working for you?
Look for practical signs rather than expecting a sudden change in pace: the exercises feel more controlled, you can complete a slightly harder variation, or the sessions fit without disrupting your running. Note how your legs feel during the next run and whether soreness lasts or changes your stride. If it does, scale back and allow more recovery.
Progress one element at a time: repetitions, sets, range of motion or resistance. Keep a simple record of what you did and how it felt. If you have an existing injury, a health condition that affects exercise, or pain that persists or worsens, ask a qualified health professional for individual advice before continuing.
Frequently asked questions
Will strength training stop me getting injured while running?
No routine can guarantee that. Strength work can help you build capacity, but running injuries have multiple causes, including how your running load changes. A randomised trial in first-time marathon runners found that its self-directed strength programme did not reduce overuse injuries that prevented race completion. Treat strength training as one part of a broader plan, not insurance against injury.
Can I do strength training at home without weights?
Yes. Body-weight squats, lunges, glute bridges, calf raises and planks can form a useful beginner session. Start with a version you can control and progress gradually. If an exercise becomes easy, you could add repetitions, slow the movement or use a resistance band or suitable weight, while keeping your technique steady.
Should I run and strength train on the same day?
You can, but choose a schedule that leaves you able to recover and run with good form. Some people prefer to strength train after an easy run; others keep the sessions separate. Avoid placing an unfamiliar, demanding leg workout immediately before a key or long run. If fatigue affects your running, reduce the strength workload or move the session.