Strength training for High School Runners

Alexavier wrote:

I'm 16 and I have run a 16:20 5k during cross country season and I have opened up my indoor track season with a 4:46 mile. My weekly mileage currently is only 25 miles a week. So far with the team, the only speed workout that we did was 4x800s under 2:30 each. I'm looking for tips on how to lift and get stronger to acquire more track speed on top of the endurance I already have for events like the 400/800m. Also, how do I lift to have a stronger kick at the end of my race.

If it helps, the team does speedwork on Tuesday and Thursday and we usually race on Saturday.

This may help:

"The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle" -

- identifies six basic movements:

for upper body:

1. push

2 pull (e.g., chin-ups and pull-ups (which are great))

for mid-section:

3. twist (I think this could be torsional as well as a fold, if I recall)

for legs:

4. lunge

5. squat

6. hinge (e.g., deadlift)

For 5 & 6, I use a hex-bar, also known as a trap-bar, and the lift is a hybrid squat-deadlift, but to me it seems much safer than a back squat (weight loaded on the back) and doesn't scrape your shins or anything else the way a traditional deadlift might:

These are basic movements and there are many, many ways to perform them. A trainer once told me he believes there is a seventh basic movement: gait. That can be performed via walking or running.

I try to organize my strength training according to such a framework and work all the basic movements about equally.

I typically do a weight workout on Tuesday, a body weight/balance workout on Thursday, and a medicine ball/jumps (ballistic and plyometric) on Saturday or Sunday.

Good luck!

Read more:

Thank you so much for the high quality detailed answer I was looking for!

Alexavier wrote:

I'm 16 and I have run a 16:20 5k during cross country season and I have opened up my indoor track season with a 4:46 mile. My weekly mileage currently is only 25 miles a week. So far with the team, the only speed workout that we did was 4x800s under 2:30 each. I'm looking for tips on how to lift and get stronger to acquire more track speed on top of the endurance I already have for events like the 400/800m. Also, how do I lift to have a stronger kick at the end of my race.

If it helps, the team does speedwork on Tuesday and Thursday and we usually race on Saturday.

Stick to a bare bones approach.

Lift 1-2x a week. Same day as your hard running. Lift later in the day after your run.

Alternate workout A with workout B.

Workout A:

Squat

Bench or push-ups

Row or inverted row

Walking Lunges

Planks

Workout B:

Deadlift

Military Press or dips

Pull-up or assisted pull-up

Walking Lunges

Planks

For loaded movements:

*1 month light weight learning the movement, 3 sets of 10.

*Progress to doing one max set of 4-6 reps. As example: bar x 10, 95x5, 115x5, 135x5 (unable to do a other rep with good form).

*Do all reps with good form. Video yourself performing the lift. Look up how to actually perform the lift. Mark Rippetoe has good vids on YouTube for squat and deadlift.

Walking Lunges: 1-3 sets of 10 steps ea leg

Planks: 1-3 sets of 30-60s

Alan

Konigsberg gives the same response and it's always the right one. I'll take Schuler and Cosgrove over Rippetoe for a HS distance athlete.

Thanks for the detailed reply. May I ask what your body weight/balance workout consists of?

Hey, Alan, if I don't have a barbell, can I swap squats and deadlifts for Bulgrian split squat/weighted lunges and single-leg RDL?

And do you perform those workouts one by one or in a circuit manner?

Bump.

Cellar_Door wrote:

Thanks for the detailed reply. May I ask what your body weight/balance workout consists of?

Let's see:

pull-ups/chin-ups

push-ups

dips

all manner of ab/back work (on fitness ball, Russian twists, hanging exercises, Supermans)

step-ups onto a bench or some similar platform

balance work on a BOSU (squats, single-leg moves involving hinging, step-ups on a BOSU)

rope jumping

balancing on a moderate to firm medicine ball (don't break anything or anyone)(good for gripping abilities in lower legs especially)

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