I love strength training. We talk a lot about it in the Run Your Best Life group and there’s so much angst about the topic.
“How much strength training should I do?”
”What do I do?”
“Why do I need to do it?”
What I focus on
But just like getting the training runs in, just like doing the mental work around training, you have to do your strength training. Now, don’t get me wrong, you do not have to become a body builder (unless that’s what you want!). I’m talking just two days a week and I always focus on building strength in the places I need it the most for running—booty, belly, and back.
I focus on legs too, but since I know I am building leg muscles when I am running, I try to focus on the places I know need to be strong to make my running form better and build my endurance. Glutes and abs are probably my biggest focus right now. Glutes to ensure I am firing from them to sustain longer running (rather than firing from my calves). Abs so that I can stay upright longer on the long runs and not hunch over. (Running is so much harder when that happens!)
I do boot camp class at least once a week (that works E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.) and then do weights and ab work at least one other day a week. On the weeks I don’t have a run longer than 5 miles scheduled, I up the intensity on the strength. But I end up really sore and pay for it when I run the next day.
Make a mental commitment to strength training
Last week I talked about my commitment to my training runs leading up to the Seattle Rock ‘N’ Roll Half Marathon. Well, I have the same commitment to my strength training. It helps that I really like it, but I truly believe that anyone can like it too. You have to find something that resonates with you and you can sustain (that’s why I love my boot camp class—it is so hard but so fun) and think about it just like you think about your training runs. Make it non-negotiable! Plus I feel like such a badass after getting my ass kicked for an hour in class and surviving it! More evidence for my brain that I can do whatever I put my mind to. And that’s where it all starts…in the mind.
Do you need to start changing your thoughts about strength training? What will make it a non-negotiable for you?
See you on the path!
Jen
