To get better at running, you must run. However, using running as your only training method isn’t the most effective way to improve performance and remain injury free. With no strength training at all, you put yourself at risk of exacerbating muscular imbalances and injuries and possibly stunting your progress. Runners often neglect strength training because of a dislike for the gym or because you are unaware of the benefits of supplementing your running with strength training or you simply don’t know how to do go about starting.

This doesn’t mean you need to start lifting really heavy weights and become a gym monkey, but adding one or two sessions including the following exercises can complement your training. The aim of strength training is to enable you to tolerate training loads and therefore maximise your exposure to running training, this means being robust enough to withstand the technical and fitness training without getting injured.

These 3 key strength training exercises can be performed at home without equipment two to three times a week on non-consecutive days and on days off running.

Straight and Bent Leg Calf Raises

The calves are composed of two main muscles – the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The two heads of gastrocnemius continue upwards across the back of the knee. The soleus, like the gastrocnemius, attaches distally to the heel bone via the Achilles tendon, but does not cross the knee, instead attaching under the knee to the tibia and fibula. This anatomical difference means that the soleus contributes more to force production during running than the gastrocnemius because during running the calf has to deal with loads whilst the knee is bent. The calf muscle plays a crucial role in stride length and pace, helping initiate the push-off phase of the running stride and playing a key role in absorbing impact as your foot hits the ground. Eccentric calf strengthening will increase the resilience and shock absorbing properties of your calf, while concentric and plyometric strengthening will increase the power generation and stretch shortening cycle ability. The calf needs to be able to withstand up to eight times your bodyweight on each stride. Weak calves are often the leading cause of running injuries, Achilles tendinopathy, shin splints, calf strains and plantar fasciitis and can be the reason your pace slows on longer distances.

Straight Leg Calf Raises – Gastrocnemius

• Stand on the edge of a step, the balls of your feet firmly planted on the steps and your heels hanging over the edge
• Stand up tall with your feet hip width apart, legs straight but knees not locked
• Raise your heels a few inches off the floor coming all the way up onto tiptoes
• Hold this top position for a moment
• Try to evenly distribute your weight through all 5 toes on each foot, try not to favour your big toe or little toe
• Slowly and with control, lower you heels back towards the floor as much as your ankle mobility allows
• 3 sets of 15-20 reps – to progress, increase the number of repetitions, go up on two legs then down on one, go single leg calf raises.