I’ll be honest…
For years, I thought strength training would make me bulky and slow.
I believed that if I wanted to be a better runner, I should just… run more. Plus, I genuinely had no idea what I was doing with weights and felt intimidated walking into a gym.
But the truth is, that mindset cost me dearly!
It led me to dealing with injuries, hitting performance plateaus, and watching my running form suffer during longer efforts.
Everything changed when I finally embraced what I’d been avoiding:
Why Most Runners Skip This (And Why That’s A Problem)
Here’s what I see come across in our Personal Best community: Runners who log 30+ miles per week but spend no time on strength and mobility.
The result? Weak glutes, unstable knees, and that familiar cycle of getting hurt just when training starts going well.
As sports performance coach Kyle Long puts it:
“If you just randomly run every day, and the distances were all over, you’re going to get fit, sure, but you’re not going to perform that well when it comes to race day. The same goes for strength training.” (You can watch our full conversation here)
You need a plan, not just good intentions.
The 20-Minute Solution
Here’s what former professional runner Ryan Hall taught me about getting started:
“Easing into it is super important. For the first week, stop if you feel like you could do 10 more reps if you wanted to. It’s got to feel super easy because you’re gonna get super sore. Just keep it fun; the way to be consistent is to love your training and have a good time with it.”
You can watch my full interview with Ryan here where we dive deep into his approach to strength training for runners.
I started with just 20 minutes, twice a week. Bodyweight squats, lunges, planks – nothing fancy. The key was consistency, not intensity.
Follow Along Strength Videos:
Here are some simple follow along videos that coach Kyle Long put together:
- 10 minutes – Body weight only, leg and core workout
- 10 minutes Activation and prehab workout
- 10 minutes Push Pull Strength workout
Remember: You’re not training to become a powerlifter.
You’re building the foundation that will keep you running strong for decades.
Keep it Simple
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee emphasizes that effective strength training doesn’t require gym memberships or hour-long workouts.
In our conversation, he advocates for weaving simple movements into existing daily routines, like doing squats while your coffee brews or performing calf raises during other morning activities. His approach centers on creating “micro-habits” that lower the barrier to entry rather than viewing strength training as a separate, intimidating activity.
Chatterjee promises that consistent daily practice of just “10 squats, 10 lunges on each leg, and 10 calf raises” will make “your legs significantly stronger” within weeks.
This method exemplifies his philosophy of habit stacking, attaching new behaviors to established routines to make them automatic and sustainable, proving that foundational strength can be built through small, consistent actions rather than complex equipment or gym sessions.
Lastly, Don’t Forget Mobility
Here’s something I learned the hard way: Strength without mobility is a recipe for injury.
Spend 5-10 minutes after each run doing basic hip circles, ankle mobility, and gentle stretching. Your future self will thank you.
As strength coach Ben shared in one of my podcast interviews: “If you want to run for a long time, there are certain non-negotiables, and incorporating strength work or activation work is key.” (You can find more insights from Ben here)
The runners who stay healthy and keep improving year after year? They all do this consistently!
Speaking of strength training…
I’m excited to share that we’ll be releasing a dedicated strength training podcast episode later this month. I’ll be diving deeper into specific exercises, common mistakes, and how to integrate strength work seamlessly into your running routine. Keep an eye out for that!
Also, if you have any questions about strength training… Send them over by replying to this email. I’ll ask the best ones to our guest expert in the upcoming podcast episode!
Cheers,
Floris Gierman
P.S. Here are some interesting links for the week:
1. Great response to last weeks Extramilest Show “How to Run Longer Without Hitting the Wall with Aaron Kubala”. You can watch it here.
2. Last week on a coaching call an athlete mentioned that her energy levels have completely come back after she took a blood test, identified some deficiencies and took one supplement to get it back in range. I’ve personally. been using Function Health, an all-in-one health platform that starts with over 100 advanced lab tests covering your entire body—heart, hormones, liver, kidneys, thyroid, autoimmunity, cancer signals, toxins, nutrients, and more. Function currently has a waitlist, but they are offering my audience the chance to skip it. Go to https://functionhealth.com/FLORIS to skip the waitlist!
3. In our Personal Best Program, we provide specific strength training routines designed for runners of all levels. No gym intimidation, no guesswork – just simple, effective exercises that complement your running. Our members consistently report fewer injuries and breakthrough performances after adding this missing piece. Ready to become a more complete runner? Check it out here.
4. One of my favorite Instagram accounts to follow.
