Why Runners Should Strength Train and How To Do It Effectively - With Dr, Richard Blagrove Episode 18

Imperfect Progress with Anne Guzman

You're a runner or triathlete and you‘re putting in all the miles, but are you spending any time strength training?

If you're not strength training should you be? Why? And importantly, HOW?

It’s easy to get lost in a Dr. Google search about this question, flustered with the endless contradictory opinions and recommendations. I felt it was important to make sure you were getting the correct information, from an expert in the field who works with runners, researches the topic and wrote the book Strength Training for Endurance Runners, Dr. Richard Blagrove.

He’s one of the top experts when it comes to strength training for endurance runners.

Dr. Blagrove offers practical information including exact exercises and how to execute them and examples of

how to progress with resistance training using the principles of training specificity, overload, and adaptation.

Inside the podcast we cover many of your burning questions, including but not limited to:

· Will resistance training improve my running performance? How?

· If I’m new to running, shouldn’t I just run more? Can the novice benefit from

resistance training too?

· How many sets and reps should I lift and how often?

· Should I try to replicate the running motion in the gym, since I’m training for running?

· I’m worried about injuries, can targeting certain muscles in training may be worthwhile?

· What’s the posterior chain and why do I need to focus on training it?

· I don’t have time to train for an hour 2-3 times a week, so what can I do instead?

· What are some effective training exercises I can do at home?

· Will resistance training make me bulky? Why not?

· What if I want to gain muscle? Should I lift and do my running in any particular order?

· How may energy restriction in my diet be factoring into injuries and muscle building?

· How can I navigate through all of the adversities I’m facing as an athlete and in my life?

Check out Dr. Blagrove’s book Strength and Conditioning for Endurance Running. His newer book The Science and Practice of Middle and Long Distance Running, is for those of you who want to do a deeper dive into the science behind it all, an includes contributions from 30+ experts in the field of exercise physiology. You can also follow and learn more from Dr. Blagrove on twitter @richardblagrove.

Thank you so much for listening.

I would really appreciate if you could take a moment right now now and head over to Apple Podcasts here and rate my podcast and leave a comment.

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