Professional runners gym routine | helped me run 2.09 marathon

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This video shows my gym routine that I've adapted over the years, and is based on the same routine I completed 2-3 x per week when I ran a 2.09 marathon.
In this video, you'll learn about how the gym helps the runner improve their running speed and reduce injuries. Gym work for faster running is a must, and it can help you improve all your current running personal bests.
If you're looking for ways to improve your running speed, then be sure to watch this video! You'll learn about the benefits of the gym and how it can help you run faster and reduce injuries. Thanks for watching!
My strength and conditioning program that helped 2.09 performance at London marathon 2020.
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[@yolandacroes5491]

You’re an elite male marathon runner but this very average, middle aged female runner finds you very relatable. Thanks for all the honest and humble advice.

[@placeborhizomes6708]

This is the advice to heed. Strength pays off so much. When you're in the later stages and it feels like the wheels may come off, strength work keeps them on so you can kick it home.

[@eddiecasey3310]

Great video Stephen & great advice ,your so right about the gym work ,I spent so much time trying to get faster in marathons with no gym work ,got sub 3 but ended up injured for 12 months by continuing to bring my pb,s down ,gyming now & back running ! Well done & keep the advice for us amateur runners coming !

[@donnybeal2135]

Thanks I always appreciate these videos it's easy to forget how important all the gym stuff is

I am not a competitive runner. Anyway running helps my mental issues a lot and I have some personal goals. I am using resistance bands for my core strenght. It is a game changer. Highly recommended. I discovered most of my physical problems were caused by lack of core strenght. I learnt calf walks and medicine ball walks from this channel and I am grateful. Oh I don't have a medicine ball, I am using a 5 liter water tank :D Thank you!

[@josh.scoble]

Ever since stumbling across your videos a year or two ago I have implemented many of the things you talk about into my weekly routine. Specifically Gym work. Late last year I hit a long time goal of a sub 3hour marathon and later this year I'm giving a 100km trail race a go. Thanks for all your knowledge big guy ❤

[@xanderbreton1590]

I'm gonna smash my pb in Rotterdam. Thanks for all the help Stephen! I hope you will do great in London!

[@Kacper_C]

Thank you for being such an inspiration Scully. I'm coming back from being ill for 2 weeks, first two runs were brutal. Time to build back and focus on my main race, HM in 11 weeks. Definitely won't skip the gym :D

[@risenshine5278]

Thank you, Stephen, for being honesty even at your high level of running 🏃‍♂️ so helpful and inspiring 👏 👍 😀 I learn so much from your videos.

[@carlosvaz2663]

Thanks a lot for the video will definitely apply the ideas 🙏

[@prj259]

Great video!! Taking notes and adding these exercises into my routine. I’ve noticed a lot of aerobic improvements, but as my workouts are getting harder i can feel my body is breaking down a bit and i need more strength work. Appreciate all the tips and best of luck for your next race

[@AskSalTorres]

Thank you. Very helpful. I’ve been idle at 5:15 ~ 5:45 hour marathon for past 5 years. I’ve only been running for 7 years. Current age 47

[@MrEvirtue]

Bonjour du Canada!! I have just recently gotten into gravel riding, and also LOVE food, so I’m very excited to see what adventures you get to next.

[@ingagade951]

Very reliable information of the exercises that can help running more efiency and help developing the muscles in the body and legs in generally- thanks for your videoes Stephen.

[@TheStrijders]

Love the content! Maybe a tip for some people... Most calf exercises in the video are done with legs straight, what mainly targets the gastrocnemius muscle. (More fast switch fibers, shorter distances). But for marathon, the soleus muscle (more slow twitch fibers, endurance focused for longer distances). People can do the Bulgarian split squats with elevation of the front heel and go up and down or do bended calf raises with hands against the wall. Keep up the great content!

[@baq5261]

You look really healthy. Ur face is very alive, not sure how to describe. Got a sub! Great inspiration!

[@Jus10-born2Run]

So Truth! Thank you for this informative video! and resistance training builds bone density. If you don’t have strong bones, high mileage weeks can lead to stress fractures

[@clen7206]

Stickin' out Stephen. Thanks a million

[@Runnersunited-og7yr]

So much truth in this video. I go to the run hub strength classes in Ards with Norman Mawhinney. The classes when done with consistency have reduced my recovery time and helped with injury prevention.

[@mattoniy2840]

So much knowledge that’s not being utilised by top runners.. they could get so much more out of themselves with stronger legs

[@sambarker5294]

That's my one advantage coming from weightlifting first and then getting into running just now in my late 20s. And I dont have all the wear and tear on my lower limbs like some of my friends do from running in HS and college.

[@mikestevenson1334]

I just started incorporating some strength work, and I feel much better overall, especially in my legs. Great video! =D

[@T1MB05L1C3]

1:29 the auto generated cc is ruthless today

[@topofthemountainfitness7245]

Haha and he still didn't win

[@bruncibanci]

haha

[@elfinzilla]

Thanks Stephen

[@pabita07]

would u be able to include a summary of the routine in future(including reps/sets)

[@ryanem969]

Pretty much everything you said at the beginning describes my life hahah. I have had periods where I was more gym focused, and squats were up around 90kg, but I'm sure if I started today, I'd go 50kg and get the DOMS. My paces are quicker these days, but my long run does break down quite a bit by mile 14.

[@Bigern2998]

Hey Stephen, I am sure you have mentioned it before but what do you average for your weight at peak fitness? And what is your height? I know you are a lean machine but of course you look buff next to a lot of other elite guys. I loved this upload. Thanks for everything.

[@TeethWhack]

Brilliant thank you!

[@colinmacguire]

Great video, thank you. Do you do any back/upper body exercises?

[@MrHaggyy]

Great video, strength with coordination and weight are the things that make you a faster runner. You can build that strength with running it's far less effort in the gym. While hitting calves first might be the best call for an elite runner it's usually better to work from big to small muscles. So on the legs quads, hamstrings, calves than stabelizers. Reason is coordination. The bigger the muscle and the simpler the movement the easier it is for the nerves and you will shake later. And when you do compound movements the weakest link will cause the whole chain to shake. So you either want to strengthen the whole chain or target the weakest link in the chain. Similar thing with the squads. You train an explosive movement in the range you are using while running. Any strength you gain from squatting deep will help you in your strength game for running, but it's not directly transferable to running. Building good strength is vastly important for runners. It's quite easy to keep on running in a state similar to shaking and damaging your body as a result. While this limit is necessary for world elite athletes you can limit the risk and less competitive runners can avoid damage to the weaker links with strength training.

[@liamheffernan1168]

excellent video

[@crankgreenwatts]

Great video and advice .. If there is a smith machine available that would help you stabalise with the squats

[@Stevenc1984]

I try to get in the gym twice and week and probably manage it 3 times every 2 weeks. It's tricky around racing, because I don't really want to do gym too close to a race.

[@jamescollins1160]

Great video as always. Why is this method of training more effective for running than a traditional strength routine? I currently train rather traditionally - heavy weights to failure. Why is this not recommended? Cheers!

[@leslie7922]

My physio said for single leg lunge being upright is more quads and a slight tilt forward is more glutes

[@rodlambert1425]

Fair play lads! Not sure I'd have the willpower to execute that session.

[@andyorourke8442]

Awesome content and great advice Stephen! As far as your Squat - watching you move and squat in the video - my observation is that you have limited ankle mobility. Specifically the ability to dorsiflex and get your knee well past your toes. If you work to improve this you will greatly improve your squat position and depth. This will also be very beneficial for the plantar fascia, achilles and calf. No weak links = improved running efficiency! Keep that shit up!

[@abigaill4527]

Oo, first in the comments!! love your videos, you inspire me to become a better runner

[@samster176]

legend

[@Waywaytoooldforthis]

I only ever quarter squat now 👌🏼

[@Marathon5151]

What are your thoughts on kettlebell swings? Heard they are good for runners due to it being a hip hinge exercise.

[@stockzy1]

Where was 0:58?? love that exercise with the base of the foot in full supination and the base of the foot flat on the floor to strengthen the ankle against collapsing

[@dedet.r.2993]

THX

[@sportslad9769]

Does anyone know how fast he has run in a marathon?

[@Skankster87]

2:09

[@xtrekrex]

He’s an absolute stud in the marathon. Which is why I respect his training advice more than many people that try to give training advice.

[@cochise6345]

😂😂😂😂 he tells you in every video…..sarcasm is real…😊

[@74G56]

He runs marathons?

[@harshad.k14]

What about upper body? Would you recommend training your core and upper body 3-4 times a week and lower body two times a week?

[@daleygraham844]

I come from a strength background in powerlifting, and i have been running for last 3 years. Is strength work as important if you already have strong legs?

[@TheFiku]

i mean these movements are great, i feel like you would benefit even more by upping the ante on many of these moves, they seem too easy for such elite atlete, like for example you could hold like 10kg plate on your waist while doing the hamstring hold, or something that I do is lunge squat walk circuit with 16kg on both hands The thing I learned from the original video is the medicine ball explosive walk thingy that thing is sweet, tieng some core work in there.

[@stephenscullion262]

Agree, but given the lack of gym lately, I’ve had to strip it all back to basics again.

[@TheFiku]

@@stephenscullion262 fair enough, best of luck in the future endeavours, you are an enormous motivatiotor and help with things related to running 👍👍👍

[@QQA741]

I wish to quite full time job and dive in to running professionally ahh 😭

[@chrissmyth4371]

Are the 1/4 squats a byproduct of not wanting to stress the knees, something I imagine is a big problem for runners as they increase volume? Then the thrust compensates for load on the glutes somewhat. Maybe putting 2+2 and getting 5 here, but I think it would be a smart workaround for knee issues without skipping squats entirely.

[@slowestfastguy]

I'm curious if you have an opinion on higher intensity lifting for runners. I train very close to failure twice a week, roughly 3-6 sets per muscle group (Quads, Hams, Calves, Tib, Adductor, etc) per session. I've noticed a big improvement in my running, but it does seem to come with a higher recovery bill. Is it just that for an Olympic runner you can't afford the recovery necessary for this style of training? Any input would be appreciated, I am curious to hear your perspective on this.

[@DMGC529]

You shouldn't be training close to failure. Lift heavy stuff sometimes but only for 5 reps. You are aiming to gain strength not muscle size.

[@abernardes2]

Stephen, what’s your opinion on Pilates and yoga for runners?

[@stephenscullion262]

I was told be the worst at yoga in the class, but keep showing up. I wish classes were 30 mins to be honest.. maybe 60 etc can make you tired for training

[@HS99876]

Thank you , Strength exercise very important, specially Core exercise. BUT no body talk about how to use the Core power, every one is just talking about Core exercise. If you don't use Core power, you are just SWINGING your arms, hips and legs with no power. In kickboxing, the knee kick is done with core power, so much force and power in that kick, use that power in running!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!💪💪 I used to concentrate on each induvial moment of my arms, hips and legs, but not any more , I just concentrate on my Core movement, your core synchronize the upper and lower body movement. Stephen just look at your Core muscles, your core lift up the hips and legs with power.

[@vladmarchenko3748]

Прикольно! А месячный беговой объем у вас сколько километров?

[@elslanedog1264]

Greatest cross country cyclist in history Nino Schurter does squats exactly the same as you. Got to be something in that.

[@admaga]

As an older runner I find that if I do gym work on my legs they are still tired for my actual runs. Is this just a barrier that I need to get past?

[@damialao5420]

How do you feel about runners doing a couple burpees pre or post run as a form of strength training?

[@mattoniy2840]

It’s just not going to do anything at all..

[@rubiobeatz2958]

🙌🏼

[@c.a.a.d.d]

My gym doesn’t let me take my shoes off - will I get the same benefits wearing shoes ?

[@busalman1239]

What about feet strengthening? I think it will mitigate plantar fasciitis.

[@andreobradovic4822]

❤

[@hman2912]

No upper body stuff?

[@namebutler]

As long as Mo didn't start the conversation with "Alberto told me this tip....."

[@Party-pants]

😂

[@krakhour2]

I think your struggling to do hamstring hold because these strength drills are on top of a professional work out weekly routine of 120 miles plus. I wouldnt be able to move after I had to run with mo farah for a week

[@stephenscullion262]

Yeah, trust me ha, I know. It’s bloody hard, but somehow that’s what people can handle now, or more, or at altitude etc.. and it was me opened my big bloody mouth lol, and said I wanted to compete with these guys.. poor body

[@clinton61]

2.09

[@matriaxpunk]

I wanted to ask you something. All the studies show that endurance athletes should train max strength in the gym, as in very heavy weights for very low reps. And yet, I've never seen a pro endurance runner doing that kind of training, and you are clearly not doing it either. Can you explain why? It's the science just wrong or am I missing something here? Do you think you would see some running improvements if you started training with heavy weights? Thank you in avance and keep it up.

[@jicalzad]

I basically train this way because I just want to continue to build or preserve my strength to as much as possible as I get older, even though my primary focus is to improve my half marathon time in the nxt 12 months. I picked up running later in life and was previously a weight lifting gym rat because I enjoy it, so it’s just hard to give up my strength training routine even though I only lift, full-body once or twice a week nowadays

[@matriaxpunk]

​@@jicalzadyou can train max strength once or twice a week no problem, it's more about the training style and the loads being used. Stephen is clearly not pushing himself enough and he is not using weights heavy enough to train his max strength and his neurological pathways, which is what every scientific study recommends. That's what my question is about.

[@jicalzad]

@@matriaxpunkyeah I tend to agree with u. Depending on how much time I have, I try to do around 4 sets (sometimes 5) but my rep range is only between 4-8 because I’m going fairly heavy with a fair amt of rest between sets. I do this about twice a week but am not sure if it’s holding back my half marathon training. I’m gonna do it anyway just because I enjoy strength training. There are periods of the yr where I take a break from running but I never take a long break from weight lifting

[@matriaxpunk]

@@jicalzad that seems good to me. But in the video Stephen is doing more of a strength endurance/stability workout, not max strength by any means. The only thing close to a real strength training that he's doing are the plyometric jumps. I'm not hating here, I just wanted to know why most of the pro endurance runners that I have seen don't actually train how the scientific literature suggests that it's best.

[@jicalzad]

@@matriaxpunk yeah, i agree. i don't see many elite runners on KZbin posting strength routines that are very different from what he's doing in this video. I'm newer to running, so i don't know if it slows down gains from a running or recovery perspective or not. Maybe it's because i've been lifting for years before i started running consistently that it doesn't affect my ability to recover and run the following day or even the same day. Not really sure.

[@nikitaw1982]

you wouldn't drive cross country without upgrading the suspension.

[@jbsnyder3477]

What's your best marathon time again?

[@-es2bf]

If you only had 4-5 hrs a week for training do you still think going to the gym is useful? I believe running 4-5 hrs per week will make you faster than running 1hr per week and going to the gym 3-4 hrs a week.

[@anneliesevoelker2502]

I ran a marathon in 2009 and did it just under 5 hours. Would not want to run it any faster. I ran a half marathon in under two hours.

[@davidculliton2615]

🫡👌👌

[@Cynosure477]

Why are you so handsome?

[@gweflj]

Funny eh, from a cyclist perspective, calves are a great place to loose weight😁 I guess runners need more ankle stability though.

[@Rnx-lt9hw]

Macho macho showing off. Isn’t that what the gym is about? At least that’s the general consensus for most of the people at my gym

[@toddapplegate3988]

ROM

[@samyoung8880]

Gym is not for everybody. Gym makes some runners slower!

[@Chriscrusty]

so much of this is a waste of time. just squat deep for strong legs, glutes and hip mobility

[@nickvledder]

Deep squatting is a very complete exercise in that it does a lot of good: flexibility, strength and recovery-wise. Deep squatting is also a very easy exercise anyone can do anywhere. I also do one-legged alternating hops.

[@Jellybane411]

Telling an Olympic athlete who is spreading his knowledge it’s a waste of time 🤣😂🤣 I think I’ll listen to the Olympian 🤣😂🤣

[@Chriscrusty]

@@Jellybane411 ok listen to the olympian and spend hours in the gym doing ineffective exercise

[@Jellybane411]

@@Chriscrusty versus doing only deep squats for hours 🤣😂🤣 Because you can’t do more than one exercise at a time in a training routine 🤣😂🤣 I’ll take my chances listening to the Olympic athlete 🤣😂🤣

[@Chriscrusty]

@@Jellybane411 stay weak

[@Blacks676]

Hi Stephen, really appreciate your videos! Been following for 6 months now. Do you have a follow along version of this gymroutine?