Fitness Tips: Should Runners Weight Train? - Toronto NewsFIX

1Dec

Avid runners and cyclists are typically very lean. They spend their workout sessions pounding the pavement, not hitting the weights. Many runners and cyclists fear that lifting weights will bulk them up and slow them down. But they are misled.

A sound weight-training program can greatly assist an athlete’s performance by preventing injury, building up the “shock absorbers” (muscles surrounding the joints), stimulating muscle growth, which counteracts runners’ proneness to muscle loss, improving speed by strengthening the fast twitch muscle fibers and improving endurance by strengthening the slow twitch muscle fibers.

Should Runners Weight Train?

Two Types of Muscle Fibers

There are two types of muscle fibers in our bodies, type 1 and type 2.

• Type 1 (slow twitch) fibers have a low strength output, generally show little growth, but have a high capacity for aerobic work and don’t fatigue quickly. More of these fibers are found in aerobic athletes such as runners and cyclists.


• Type 2 (fast twitch) muscle fibers are more susceptible to muscle growth (hypertrophy) and develop greater force, but have a low capacity for aerobic work and fatigue quickly. Many of these fibers are found in athletes that concentrate primarily on weightlifting.

Both fiber types are present in every body, but it is the location and percentage that makes the difference between individuals. Research on whether an individual is born with a set number of each fiber type is inconclusive; however, the recruitment of the two types can be influenced through proper training.

Type 1 Fiber Training

Runners and cyclists want to primarily engage in type 1 fiber training. This would include exercises that focus on the primary running muscles such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calf muscles. This training involves lighter weights and more repetitions. Choose a weight that makes it a challenge to complete 15 to 20 repetitions per exercise using good form.

Type 2 Fiber Training

Type 2 fiber training can also benefit runners and cyclists. This training involves heavier weights and fewer repetitions. Choose a weight that makes it a challenge to complete only eight to 12 repetitions per exercise using good form.

Runners and cyclists who engage in a weight-training program that conditions both muscle fiber types will not only see improvement in their running stride and strength but will also realize an improved physique. The program should not neglect the upper body. Increasing the strength of the chest, back and arm muscles strongly influences running stride and stamina.

To further put fears to rest of bulking up, runners and cyclists must remember that the substantial amount of cardiovascular exercise they typically engage in will not allow large gains in muscle size.