DOR Podcast #90: Strength Training 101 for Runners and a Look at Topo’s New PEBAX Powered Trainer
Our very own Dr. David Salas is a certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS). In today's episode DJ & Nate give runners a host of information about the benefit of strength training for runners, how to get started, common pitfalls and more. They also take a look at an exciting new performance trainer from Topo: the Specter. It features a PEBAX-based midsole, surrounded by an EVA rim for some guidance. The result is an exciting, unique uptempo shoe with the potential to shake up the market!
We are excited to have this episode sponsored by Karhu. You might know they make a collection of running shoes, but for before or after the run, you can be sure to look good with Karhu's Lifestyle collection. They've recently released fresh seasonal colors to ensure you're stylin' going to and from the track.
Go to Karhu.com and use promo code DOR2022 at the time of checkout to receive 20% off from the lifestyle assortment when you purchase $100 or more.
0:00 - Intro & DOR Giving
4:38 - The Subjective: What's your favorite summer running gear?
5:54 - Topo Specter Review
27:30 - What a CSCS is
33:36 - How runners should be strength training
43:36 - Common pitfalls for runners starting with weight training
56:32 - How to get started with strength training at home
1:06:10 - Wrap-up & further resources
Science Blog:
Should Runners Lift Heavy
By Senior Contributor Nathan Brown
Steve Magness in his book “The Science of Running” offers some perspective: “Strength training evokes a polarized response from coaches, runners, and scientists with some emphasizing it and others completely neglecting it. Furthermore, among those who do strength training, there is no consensus on what the best approach is. Ask most distance runners, and they’ll say a high rep low weight approach is the best, but in reality that is far from the truth. The goals of strength training for endurance athletes should be to improve injury resistance, gain neural adaptations such as increasing muscle fiber pool, and improve rate of force development.”
He goes on to suggest that though strength training can help, it has to be implemented correctly, is highly individual, and not all runners need the same type of lifting. Some may need benefits gained through heavy weights such as improved neuromuscular control as well as improved bone health. However, you cannot just jump into heavy lifting if you haven’t trained the movements correctly or safely. To safely progress to heavy weights, Magness suggests the runner must progress themselves through body weight movement training as a base and then move to heavy lifting to achieve maximal benefit of lifting efforts.
So, should runners lift heavy? The short answer is probably, but it depends on your needs. How can you determine which lifts are most appropriate for your specific needs? One way is to work with a running specific physical therapist, another would be a very knowledgeable run coach, and thrid could be checking out Jay Dicharry’s “Anatomy for Runners” book.
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NEXT: Mizuno Wave Horizon 6