Back squats vs front squats vs bulgarian split squats for middle/long distance runners

Back squat go heavy 3-5 rep range and try to move the weight quickly. Granted you wanted these sets to be as heavy as you can go and pretty close to failure. This will increase your power output and thus making you a much faster sprinter.

None. Instead emphasize horizontal movements with resistance bands. They are more specific to the running motion.

If pushed I'd say running is primarily about one leg at a time so I'd go bulgarian but why just choose one?

Full depth (or as near to as possible whilst maintaining a consistent back angle) back squats will be your bread and butter for most of the year. Most bang for your buck, good posterior chain development, good muscle recruitment.

Rep range: proper periodisation should begin with high volume and progress to high weight. If you were just going to do the same thing every session then 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps at the heaviest weight you can move 'powerfully' would be best as a runner.

Front squats can be good for targeted quad development or if you need an exercise that's going to fatigue your back and hamstrings less.

BSS is good for quad and glute development but due to the limited absolute weight it's not going to provide the same CNS benefit (muscle fibre recruitment).

Heavy quarter squats can also be used in-season to provide a CNS stimulus without the fatigue of a full depth squat but at this point you're getting the weeds and it sounds like you're looking for a relatively simple programme.

Are you kidding me? Bulgarian split squats all the way. Single leg, lengthens the hip flexors while strengthening them, even gets your lower leg involved too. I mean there are so many benefits for a runner specifically it's actually insane. Between this and the SL Deadlift it's the most runner specific exercise there is.

This. I'm running injury free (knee) after using only resistance bands and ankle weights.

Those that are pushing the resistance bands, what exercises are better for strengthening the hips, posterior chain, etc. than weighted exercises that you can do in the gym?

Bands are great when you’re just starting out or for easy days and activation but in my eyes, you won’t get meaningful strength gains like you do in the weight room. After a certain point, I think bands are a waste of time (for anything other than activation) once your comfortable lifting heavy.

With practice, and some lifting shoes to help with the balance, you can really load up split squats and treat them as a proper heavy lift.

Can't you just rotate through them all?

I have problems with one leg balance. (It's a common problem with... umm... aging.) So I do a variation of the Bulgarian squat.

I stand on the side edge of a bench and drop the free leg down until my weighted thigh is close to parallel and then stand up. I stand near the barbell cage so I can hold on to the side for balance. I'm able to get in more reps than I can do with the Bulgarian Squat. I can also give myself a little assist on the last rep that I wouldn't risk doing without the ability to pull myself up if my leg failed on the last rep.

I do some yoga positions every day (warrior 3) to keep my balance from getting any worse.

Yes, this is the answer. They all serve different purposes. Really mix it up early season to work on all your weaknesses. Towards the more serious racing, keep it simple and do things like 1/2 and 1/4 back squats or much lighter split squats.

The resistance band answers are nonsense and that's for guys who want to stay slow and weak.

trap bar deadlift, split squats, hip thrusts, and seated leg curls

+1. Best lift period for distance guys

This....The idea is to increase strength in a position that most closely simulates running...

Best is the Nigerian split coochie undersquat.

Agreed - there are some track cyclists doing crazy things with the split squat. However I'd still argue that for most people the very stable position of the normal back squat makes it the most effective exercise for building leg strength.

I tend to believe that unless there's a huge difference in strength between sides, it's not worth overly stressing about. You can also get too obsessed with being running-specific in the gym and end up missing the forest for the trees.

For 2 gym sessions a week, I'd propose:

Barbell back squat + single-leg Romanian deadlift

Barbell deadlift/RDL + Bulgarian split squat

Plus core, calves, hip flexors etc of course.

hear hear!

All of them have a purpose.

There is a place for general strength in all sports. If you are focusing just on strength within the limitations of the running motion then you will miss out on a lot of strength development.

Both the back squat and the front squat work the same muscles. The difference is in how much work is done by the muscles that connect on the knee joint vs the hip joint. There is also a difference in the acquisition and maintenance of proper technique.

I would suggest front squats over back squats because you can do a bad back squat or stripper squat and get the weight up. With a cross-armed front squat you are forced to keep your torso in the correct position....or the weight falls off your shoulders.

Bulgarian split squats or lunges or split squat is a great secondary exercise.

Trap bar deadlift is a deadlift variation which is hard to mess up in comparison to a straight bar deadlift.

As far as progression goes, just follow a basic linear progression for 6mo then focus on strength/power:

4-8 weeks: 3 sets of 8-12

4-8 weeks: 3 x 4-6

4-8 weeks: 3 x 1-3

After about 6mo you might actually know what you're doing. Then focus on either lower weight with more explosive/dynamic reps, a max effort set of 1-3, or you could do clusters.

Alan