Try some traveling lunges or some squats. Look up the correct posture, thought, b/c you can mess up your knees and back if you're out of alignment.

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"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." - T.S. Eliot

Scott Jurek recommends half-squats, one leg at a time, with weights, 20-25 reps, several sets.


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George Beinhorn
www.fitnessintuition.com[/URL" target="_blank">
The wisdom of the heart
in exercise and sports training

Jesse, you're a closet powerlifter! You need to go over to Powerandbulk.com.

http://This message has been edited by Gregolowe (edited Aug-30-2007).

No no no, Powerandbulk.com is a real website, for strength athletes of all kinds. It's got a hilirious board called the rant but I think you have to register to be able to access it. Too funny. I used to be a powerlifter before I started running. And the weightlifting scene is WORSE in regard to nutrition about what makes for gains, in my humble opinion. They are preyed upon by supplement companies. Both groups are equally confused on the topic of nutrition because nobody really knows what exactly is the optimal diet for man. There are many ways to reach your goals if you think, read, and try different things.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by aharmer:
Greg & Jesse,

What's up guys...have a question regarding leg strength specifically for running. Keep in mind that while I've never been a bodybuilder, I was an avid weightlifter for many years so I'm the last guy that will bash weightlifting. However, I've heard some knowledgeable people say that the best strength exercises you can do for running, by far, are hill workouts. What do you guys think?<HR>

I'm not Greg or Jesse, but do run a lot of hills (some mtns) and do some strength work. I think the context for the question / answer is important. I'll reply from trail running / older person (60f) perspective.

I think targeted strength work can be extremely beneficial for those with muscle imbalances or are older (reduce rate of muscle loss) or who live in areas that are topographically challenged or the mountains are hard to run in winter. And even some that do train on and race on mountains benefit. This includes elites like Matt Carpenter. There are others who have been running ultras for years (decades?) and just do their hill runs - sometimes 10,000ft of up/down in one run. Ultras may have 10-50,000ft of hills.

What % do strength training vs not, I don't know. Some believe in keeping their running simple and just running; others really want to finish a particular race with lots of elevation change and live in a relatively flat area, so do the strength training for both ups and downs, esp. the downs is what toasts people in many hilly races.

Many point to the Kenyans and point out that they just use hills and body weight. OTOH, I haven't seen any Kenyans in the mountainous ultras (probably no money).

FWIW, I seldom run much less than 2000ft (vertical) of hills in a week although most gain in a run/hike has been 4000ft - sometimes small, steep rolling hills; sometimes 1000-3000ft hills. Strength and power work has definitely helped me, although I usually do it early in base to make the snowshoe running easier. With strength work you can target some weaknesses that are hard to address with hill work alone. But once I start hills or do much snowshoe running on hills, my ability to do significant strength work decreases. But my ability to do more increases each year as strength training helps with hills then hills provide better base for next year's strength, ....


I should have added that the perceptions I've gotten on benefits of strength training vs just hills is that beginners or inactive people may make the most gains in running from strength training - as much for injury prevention as anything else. There probably comes a time when volume concerns make it more desirable to focus on running and mostly drop strength. For some folks (high mileage, elite, whatever), there may be a point where appropriate strength may be beneficial again - or not.

But the answers really need to be put in context of types of races, runner's training history, age, etc. - as well as individuals respond differently.

http://This message has been edited by AKTrail (edited Sep-01-2007).

It is such a common claim that hills improve strength. I realy can't see this because hill running alone lacks the most important element in a strength training program- Progressive overload!

You can become very efficient at running even the steepest hills. Where do you go from their? Once you adapt to that really steep hill thats about as far as it will go. With using weights you can always increse the resistance and continue to make more gains in srength beyond that of anything you will face running. For it to relate to running keep most exercises functional meaning running specific. One leg squats, lunges, one leg deads, dumbell arm pumps. This requires balance so you stimulate better proprioception. Believe me better proprioception can make a huge difference. Also explosive exercises like hang cleans, jump squats, deadlifts etc.. As I mentioned eariler the dead lift has been the best strength builder for me. I can feel it in my posture while running. Their is no doubt in my mind that deadlifts(if done right) can't be carried over into real life activites of all sorts.

I have found(actually it was already found) for stability/agility/power and flexibility,running often over "real" cross country courses works the best. Bound the steep hills, jumping tree stumps, through the mud etc.. Without a base level of strength doing that was a nightmare for me(injury wise). Now that I have decent strength I'm getting into this more and more and it becomes easier.