4 Essential Exercises for Every Marathoner

Are you a runner who's been struggling to improve your race times despite following a strict training regimen? Are you confused about which strength training exercises to include in your routine? If yes, then you're in the right place!
In this video, we discuss a groundbreaking paper published in 2022 that offers valuable insights into optimizing your strength training for better race times. We reveal the gym routines that you might be doing that are a waste of time and share examples of exercises that you should include in your routine.
We take Cody, a marathon runner, as an example to show you how runners should be adopting heavy resistance training instead of lighter, high rep, or isometric exercises. We debunk the myth that strength training will make you bulky and explain how it can enhance your running capabilities.
We also address the issue of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and provide strategies for dealing with it. We show you how to strategically place strength training throughout the week, so it doesn't disrupt your regular training.
If you're a runner looking to optimize your strength training and achieve better race times, then this video is a must-watch. Join us to learn how to run smarter, not harder!
Resources:
Paper 1: Heavy Resistance Training Versus Plyometric Training for Improving Running Economy and Running Time Trial Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36370...
Video 1: Researchers Uncover 4 Ways to Avoid Injury (Science Yet to be Published) • Researchers Uncover 4 ...
00:00 Intro
00:30 Myth of Lighter Exercises
00:59 Putting on Muscle
01:30 Runner vs Body Builder
01:50 Correct Running Exercises
02:24 Squat Technique
02:46 Lunge Technique
03:06 Calf Raise Technique
03:30 Deadlift Technique
04:00 Exercise Dosage & Progressions
04:34 Soreness Troubleshooting
05:10 Negotiating DOMS
06:07 Strength Timeframes & Weight
07:15 Troubleshooting Grip Issues
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[@gedr1524]

Solid and simple. Cheers Brodie.

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Just the way I like it haha

[@jakubczeczotka9611]

Clear, concise and actionable! Thanks!

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Glad you enjoyed Jakub 👏

[@idelkysquintanaramirez3269]

great video! neat and clear! Thank you!

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Thanks Idelkys

[@Kelly_Ben]

Great clear info, thanks! When I was in my 30s, I did several years of bootcamp style classes with heavy weights and high intensity. I loved it so much that I cut out several days of running to make room for classes. I was jacked AND cut a minute per mile off my pace, while running 3x a week! I need to get back to that. Thanks for the nudge.

[@82HEADCASE]

A great video and just in time. Thanks you very much

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

I hope they come in handy 👏 good luck with your training

[@garyknight8616]

100% with you!

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

I am glad 😅😅

[@steventhorpe1492]

I am literally Cody right now. Popped up on my recommended list - Perfect timing

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Haha welcome aboard! Hopefully you aren’t Cody in all videos because he goes through a fair bit of turmoil 😅😅

[@AHealthyMove]

Thanks so much - love how clear this explanation is… definitely going to include these training tips for myself!

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Thanks for watching 😇 I’m glad you found it useful

[@AHealthyMove]

@@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe also any recommendations on how many times per week to complete these exercises? I can't remember seeing it in the video -but I did note the progressions already. I'm training for a half marathon at end of the year. Thanks in advance!

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Depends how heavy you can tolerate. If you can only tolerate lighter exercises then 3x per week but once you progress, twice a week is better

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

@@AHealthyMove 2-3 times per week is recommended. Twice per week if you going really heavy

[@amwoodsy]

Grip strength- this is my current issue with deadlifts! Great advice, I'll try it 👍

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Good luck with it

[@bev9708]

I’m addicted to Body Pump, in my marathon taper I reduced from 5 or 6 times per week to just 4 and I took 7kg off my squats and 2kg off the rest 😂😂 Cause I LOVE it so much!!!! I won’t tell you how many km I ran that week cause you will tsk tsk at me for sure!! But I’ve got my first 50k ultra coming in June so will for sure taper better for that!! REALLY looking forward to your taper video Brodie!!! Before the end of May possible??? Hope your girlfriend is doing well, June will be an even BIGGER month for you both … and it’s coming up FAST!!!! 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Haha Megan loved this message 😅😅 most likely the taper video will be out before then. I’ll try my best for you 👏

[@bev9708]

@@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe 😂👍🏻👍🏻 THANKS!!

[@simoncourtney3674]

Very well explained Brodie 👍🏻

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Thanks Simon, based on these comments it seems like the simpler the better. I’ll definitely consider this for future videos

[@marcosperez3151]

Awesome video Brodie. Would you know of any upper body exercises that can help our running? I tend to do a lot of pushups and pullups.

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Thanks Marcos, I haven’t come across any research on the topic. I don’t think it would have too much of an effect other than assisting in posture 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Midlifesports]

I just completed the UTA 50 in May as my first ever distance longer than a half marathon. I’m week 3 into my first marathon training. My PT had written me out a solo session to add to my PT session and had a lot of these or similar. Differences would be raised sumo squats with weight, walking lunges, banded crab walks and Copenhagen planks. What are your thoughts on these differences? Thanks. A new subscriber but have found your channel very insightful

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Wow congrats on the UTA 👏 these exercises are great! I love crabwalks. I would keep them all in and just add some calf exercise. Then you are all set

[@Midlifesports]

@@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe thank you, mate. Appreciate the response and keep up the great content!

[@viruvannam]

I follow a lot of running channels, your's is one of the best with high quality content, Keep sharing, your channel is underrated. Q - Is 60 mins ST sessions enough per week (2 sessions of 30 mins full body workout)?

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Appreciate the kind words. Gives me the motivation to keep going 🤜🤛 I wouldn’t give a yes or no based on minutes because it depends what you’re doing in those 60 mins.

[@viruvannam]

@@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe that's fair. Restructuring my question: 2 sets of these exercises, 1-2 reps away from failure: Lower: seated calf raise machine (m/c), single leg deadlift with dumbbells, barbell squats, hamstring curl m/c Upper: overhead press m/c, bicep curl m/c, chest fly m/c, lat pull down I do this in quickly in 35 mins, as I switch btw upper & lower exercise. So i don't take a lot of Rest in btw exercises. sometimes i even switch exercises btw sets e.g., in this sequence Set 1: squat, Set 1: bicep curl Set 2: squat Set 2: bicep curl. 1. Is this style of switching exercises after one set is ok. ? 2. Is 35 mins duration ok or the duration of the workout counts as much?

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

That sounds perfect! If you had a little extra time I’d add some sort of single leg stepping-type exercise like a lunge or weighted step up 💪

[@viruvannam]

@@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe sure. Thank you.

[@jameskerr1802]

Quick question on this, would you stick with the lunge or look at the split squat as was mentioned in the other strength video from a couple of months ago? Pros and cons of each?

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Good question! I’d assign either a lunge, split squat or weighted step up to a runner. I’d say the Bulgarian is more challenging and works the quads/glutes more (pro) and some people cannot go as heavy because they lack the necessary balance (con) or they don’t have the hip mobility to achieve full range. Id also consider there personal preference and what they enjoy most.

[@DavidLEE-lb7pf]

I watch this video very regularly as it seems to contain one of the most valuable lessons for running improvement. I usually use a smith machine for calf raise to set up easily rather than doing it on the ground. Would it make a big difference?

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Shouldn’t make a difference. Thanks for the kind words and for your support 😍

[@kentm7731]

I’ve always incorporated strength training during my marathon training cycle. I’ve been told that strength sessions should decrease as the race day and taper week approaches. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Hey Kent, I’ll need to do a video on the taper so thanks for the reminder. Yes, I would move from 2x a week to once a week closer to race day. And then the week of the race probably no gym at all.

[@AndrB7]

Hi Brodie, I was looking at your weekly strength schedule (at 5:48) and it reminded me to ask about rehab exercise schedules. Apologies if you have covered this in a video, but I'm wondering what is the correct approach to integrating rehab exercises with running days. For example, at the moment I run on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, and do my (achilles) rehab strengthening exercises on the four other days. I wonder, though, if I should have one day of no exercise, or do rehab exercise the same day as running followed by a rest day or possibly do rehab exercises every day? Any suggestions (or a video!) would be very welcome 👍

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Great question. You can definitely rehab on a run day (preferably run AM then rehab PM in my opinion) and then see how symptoms behave to then see if it was tolerated. Rehab 4 times a week is quite a lot, eventually you’d want to progress those rehab exercises and reduce then frequency. Have you seen my 10 video series on rehabbing injuries? You can find it on my playlist page and I bet you’d find it really helpful.

[@AndrB7]

Thanks Brodie. Yes, I've watched all your videos (probably more than once) and found them really useful. Do you think this would be a good schedule?: Sun - Run Mon - Rehab Tue - Rest Wed - Run & Rehab Thu - Rest Fri - Run & Rehab Sat - Rest

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

That looks good to me 👏 but like I mentioned earlier, hopefully at some stage your rehab progresses to a point where it’s too challenging to do every second day and therefore would reduce to 2x per week (similar to strength training). Thanks for watching those videos too 👏

[@jameskerr1802]

Hi Brodie, Quick question about these exercises and junior athletes. One of my 11 year old boys who is a keen runner and already much faster than me over 5-12kms is keen to start strength training. There is always the concerns about children and weights, but was wondering if doing these with just body weights was an option? Otherwise what should we look at for the younger athletes? Thanks James

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Great question James. Working with kids isn’t my area of knowledge unfortunately so I haven’t had a look at the research. I do know that the whole ‘weights will stunt your growth and does damage to the growth plates’ has been busted. I don’t think there is any worry if the runner is keen to do it, start with body weight, and provided they continue with good quality and technique (and without signs and symptoms of overuse) then it should be safe.

[@mosheweizman6125]

Sounds very professional and interesting. Is it possible to purchase strength training programs for the marathon?

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Not that I have come across. I am sure there are plenty out there if you look. But like the video mentions. It doesn’t have to be complicated if you want to do it yourself.

[@mosheweizman6125]

@@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe Thanks mate. My only hesitation is how much weight to add and how much weight to start with the various exercises

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Nothing wrong with starting really conservative and building up from there. It’s the safest option if you haven’t done these exercises before

[@davidvimpany2783]

Personally, I’ve run many times with leg doms and the extra blood flow actually repaired my legs faster! 👌🏽

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Amazing! 🤩 thanks for sharing David

[@scottbeesley894]

Trust me, if you want to get good at running up hills, you need strength training. Also, in my experience, going for a medium to long run is really great for DOMS from strength training. I’ll do my heavy lifting one day, then go for an easy run the next. The first 5-10 mins is a bit stiff, but I quickly loosen up. By the time I’m done my legs feel great and I have basically no DOMS.

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Couldn’t agree more. I did CrossFit for 6 months and flew up the hills when doing trail events. Also just completed a run this morning with severe hamstring DOMS and was fine by minute 5 🤣🤣

[@MysticMac000]

false. DOMS is a result of muscle tears. You dont fix that by putting your mucles under further stress...

[@thejeffinvade]

I thought I should do strength training on the same day of hard workout runs such as vo2max intervals or tempo, to keep hard day hard, easy day easy.

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

That’s fine too. We call that ‘polarised training’ and works really well for some people