The strength and conditioning program of a distance runner is an essential part of any training plan when it comes to staying injury free and maximizing running performance. But it isn’t as easy as just going to the gym and banging out reps on the leg curl machine. The program should focus on correcting muscle imbalances and fixing incorrect movement patterns, while improving overall strength and explosive power. Distance runners will also benefit from performing explosive exercises in the same manner as sprinters.
A recent article in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports describes the effects of adding strength training to highly trained endurance athletes. They suggest that muscular and neuromuscular adaptations played a critical role.
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