Coach’s Corner |12 Minute Strength Workout for Ultra Runners

by Chase Parnell — January 2, 2020

If you are anything like me, strength training is the last thing you want to do. It’s kind of like flossing. There are a few odd runners out there that actually enjoy strength, but most of us want to be out on the trails, doing what we love. But just like flossing, strength work is something we know we’re supposed to do and is obviously beneficial in the grand scheme of things. I’ve found that it really helps with injury prevention. I once went and saw a physical therapist that was literally shocked by the strength discrepancy in my running vs. non-running leg muscles.

Because doing strength sucks so bad, to give yourself a fighting chance, I think its super important to find the type and style that works for you. If you hate the gym and you see it as a stinking cesspool of machismo, then don’t go to the gym, just don’t. And if, alternatively, you know that you’ll never get anything done unless you go to the gym where other people are doing the same thing, great, fine, go to the gym. 

I’d like to stress again that you don’t need to find a type of strength training that you ENJOY. I’m saying you need to find a regimen and routine that you don’t hate, something that you can visualize yourself doing consistently and that only sucks really bad a little bit. 

I’ve done spurts in the gym but never last because I don’t enjoy the environment, paying for a membership, or the special trip required. I did P90X at one point in time. That worked for awhile and have nothing bad to say about sliding in a DVD and doing your work that way. I’ve done yoga classes when the studio was conveniently across the street from my work. But for the last 2-3 years, I’ve been doing the following 12 minute routine. It feels sustainable and I’ve been pretty darn consistent with it.

How Often Should Runner’s Do Strength?

Here’s what I do. 2-3 times a week, immediately after I return home from my run (usually on shorter easier days) I go directly to the rug in front of my fireplace and do my exercises. I am flexible with the reps and intensity based on how I’m feeling that day. In short, it’s not a rigid 2 x 15 reps sort of thing. Typically, for example, I’ll start doing abs and go until it starts to hurt and then I’ll go a little longer and call it good. I’m trying to stress the muscle groups a little bit but nothing crazy. Again, for me, strength needs to remain something that isn’t god-awfully terrible so I’m not going to spend a lot of time or really all that much effort doing it either. In keeping it fairly lax, I’m able to remain consistent, and that is what matters the most in my opinion. 

Additionally, my routine is based on trigger points for runners. In my running career, the vast majority of my running injuries have been in my feet or as a result of having weak hips and butt. I still don’t have an ass but its slightly more curvy than it once was, which is not only good for my running but its good for my marriage. That’s right, Nikki likes a little booty in her life. Before, my butt was really more of an upper hamstring. I’m still working on this. #lifegoals 

What Exercises Should You Do?

So let’s get into the nitty gritty. What’s in the secret sauce that has led me to many years of injury free running? Here we go.

Two sets of the following: 

*I’ve included the time where you can find each exercise in the video below.

• Pushups (0:10)
• Downward Dog (0:25)
• Child Pose (0:41)
• Abs (whatever type you want) (1:05)
• Side-lying clamshell (2:05)
• Side-lying hip adduction (2:40)

One set of the following:

• Foam roll (8:26)
• Single-leg run motion with dumbbell floor tap (both sides) (10:20)

Here’s the video. Feel free to follow along at my exact pace or just use it to see how you do each of the exercises. 

Customize and Do What Works For You

If you don’t like one of these exercises, take it out and replace it with something else. If you have a chronically weak muscle group, include a couple additional exercises to address that. If I’m in a hurry or just not jazzed about doing the work, I’ll only do one set. No biggie. My motto with strength is something is better than nothing.

In general, I think this is a solid routine. I do the pushups for a touch of upper body strength to keep from getting complete spaghetti arms, I do downward dog and child pose because I have terribly inflexible calves and hips, the abs because core is key, the clams and hip adduction to keep the hips and butt supporting my lower legs well, the single-leg dumbbell to hit the hips again but also to strengthen the foot as it strains to stabilize, and then finally, foam rolling as self-massage and to break down adhesions and scar tissue. 

What do you all think? Sometimes I think I should add in a back exercise because my low back tends to get pretty fatigued when I’m running a lot of vert. I’ve done the superman exercise in the past, and you know what, now that I mention it, I should probably add that back in. Boom. Done.

Alright, thanks for checking out my 12 minute strength workout for ultra runners. Let me know if you try it out in the comments below!

Stay healthy my friends.

---

If you found value in this article and video, consider doing one (or all) of the following: 

1. Share this article on your social media, email it to your crazy step-sister, or tell your barista about it. 
2. Subscribe to our weekly Rise & Grind Newsletter. You’ll receive an email from us every Thursday morning with life updates, running news, and all our latest articles and videos. 
3. Become a Patron! For as little as $2 a month, you can join the crew and help make sure Treeline Journal continues to pump out good stuff well into the future.