Can strength training improve pace

The answer is yes, but the premise is that you practice in the right direction and match it accurately with your running speciality. If you practice heavy squats blindly, you may become heavier as you run.

There was indeed a lot of controversy in the running circle in the past. In the early years, many amateur runners believed that "the most important thing is to accumulate running volume, and training for strength is a waste of effort." I have an old runner next to me who has been running for 5 years. Before, the whole marathon was always stuck at 4 hours and 30 minutes, and the monthly running volume was 300 kilometers, and his knees were still hurting. Signs of patellar tendonitis appeared from time to time. Later, I trained with a coach who retired from the provincial team. I spent 40 minutes on two days a week to practice core, hip abduction strength and ankle stability. I did not add half a kilometer of running. Three months later, I broke 4 in the marathon. The pace in the second half of the race only dropped by 5 seconds, which was more than one and a half points more stable than before.

Of course, not everyone will see an increase in pace after practicing strength. I have seen young men who have just joined a running group blindly follow fitness bloggers to practice bodybuilding leg training. They squat 100kg barbell three times a week to make their quadriceps so big. After practicing for a month, running 10 kilometers is 2 minutes slower than before. As soon as they take a step, they feel that their legs are too heavy to lift. This is completely misdirecting the direction of strength training. Some people's so-called strength training is just to do ten or twenty crunches before going to bed. The intensity is not strong enough to support the demands of running, so naturally no effect will be seen.

To give a very simple analogy, compare running to driving a car. The amount of mileage you run is to improve the fuel efficiency of the engine. Strength training is to strengthen the chassis of the car and adjust the steering and suspension. If the engine is more powerful, the chassis will be loose and wobbly. Not only will it not run fast, but it will also break down halfway. When running, your core shakes and your ankles soften, which consumes the energy you should use to push forward. If the strength is in place, the force exerted in each step can be steadily transferred to the forward momentum, the pace will naturally increase, and you will be less likely to suffer sports injuries.

Some studies now hold different views, mainly focusing on top elite marathon runners. The muscle strength of this group of people is sufficient to support running needs. Too much heavy strength training will increase lean body mass and increase resting oxygen consumption, which will in turn hinder long-distance endurance. Strength, so their strength training will account for a lower proportion, and they will focus more on endurance-type special strength with small weight and multiple repetitions. In the early years, many people said that "strength training is useless". In fact, they applied the training logic of elite athletes to ordinary runners. If they fit the wrong group of people, the conclusion is naturally untenable.

To put it bluntly, don’t worry about whether strength training can improve your pace. First, figure out what your current shortcomings are. If your core shakes as soon as you run, your waist collapses in the second half of the race, and your ankles are soft when you land, don’t pile on the mileage. Take some time to practice the corresponding strength. Your speed will really increase much faster than running stupidly.