Why stronger is faster
Strength training is a cornerstone, but misunderstood, essential of athletic development, often associated with powerlifting or bodybuilding. However, its significance extends far beyond these realms, especially for endurance athletes.
In this blog post, we'll explore why strength training is crucial for athletes, its impact on endurance sports, what it entails, and how to seamlessly incorporate it into your training regimen without compromising your primary sport.
Before we jump in, it is important to note that strenght training does NOT have to mean increases muscle mass. This misconception stops many athletes obsessed with weight gain from gaining the benefits.
The irony in this attitude is that not only is it ‘wrong’ physiologically, but quite often when endurance athletes do choose to strength train their belief (and what you will see on many free online programs) is that higher reps are better because they mimic endurance sport more closely. Not only is this wrong, the fact is that people are MORE likely to build unwanted muscle by using this approach than heavier weights.
The interesting point here, is that despite a fear of athletes gaining weight, it is not uncommon for athletes who build muscle (within reason) to actually perform better because you can be under muscled for performance. Muscle takes a long time to grow and also requires appropriate nutrition ‘tweaks’ so even if there is a fear here, trust us, giving it a try won’t be a disadvantage and give you the confidence to try strength training and see the benefits before worrying that you will wake up after a weeks training looking and performing like a bodybuilder.
Why Strength Training Matters for Athletes.
Enhancing Power and Efficiency.
Strength training builds the foundation for power development, a vital aspect for athletes across various disciplines. Whether you're a runner, cyclist, swimmer, or engage in team sports, the ability to generate force efficiently is paramount.
Benefits: Improved power translates to enhanced efficiency and performance. Stronger muscles can produce more force with each contraction, leading to better athletic output. This is particularly crucial for activities requiring explosive movements or sustained efforts.
Injury Prevention and Resilience.
A robust musculoskeletal system is your armor against injuries. Strength training targets not only major muscle groups but also stabilizing muscles and connective tissues, reducing the risk of common sports-related injuries.
Benefits: Injury prevention is a primary advantage. Stronger muscles provide better support to joints, reducing the impact of repetitive motions. Additionally, the improved balance and coordination gained through strength training contribute to overall resilience.
Economy of Movement.
Endurance athletes, in particular, benefit from improved movement economy. Strength training enhances biomechanics, ensuring that every movement is efficient and optimally utilizes energy.
Benefits: Economical movement is crucial for endurance events. Reduced energy wastage in unnecessary muscle actions allows athletes to maintain a steady pace for longer durations, contributing to improved race times and overall performance.
What Does Effective Strength Training Look Like?
Specificity and Periodization.
Effective strength training for athletes involves specificity and periodization. Exercises should focus on the primary muscles of the sport, but whole body training will still help most athletes.
Strenght training repetition ranges are commonly in the region of 3-5 reps, over 3-5 sets. This promotes the muscular and neural adaptations of strength training without spilling over into muscle gain.
Sessions can be structured with 3-5 exercises, and performed 2-3 time per week if training allows. There might be times in your calendar when you want to focus more on strength work when out of competition, and then back off to once per week when in competition for example… but always keep some in there.
Example: Runners may focus on exercises that primarily target the muscles used during running, such as squats, hamstring curls, glute bridges and lunges with upper body exercise that involve pushing and pulling. Periodizing strength training ensures that it complements rather than competes with your primary sport-specific training.
Progressive Overload and Adaptation.
The principle of progressive overload is central to strength training. Gradually increasing resistance challenges your muscles, prompting them to adapt and grow stronger over time. However, we don’t need to train until failure. Keeping 1-2 repetitions in reserve (or a perceived effort level of 7-8 out of ten) on each set will cause a sufficient stimulus without too much fatigue.
You can then progress the load when you can complete your number of target reps, say it’s 5, when you do the 5 reps but know you could do 7 comfortably.
Example: If you're starting with bodyweight exercises, progressively add resistance through weights or resistance bands. This continuous challenge ensures ongoing adaptation and improvement.
Note: We would expect some muscle soreness if you are new to strength work for a couple of weeks. This will disappear pretty quickly. It is also important to understand that soreness is NOT an indicator of an effective workout.
Core Stability and Balance.
Core strength is foundational for athletes. It provides a stable base for movements, enhances balance, and contributes to overall functional fitness. You can target this specfically, however most free-weight strenght training will also target your core.
Example: Incorporate exercises that target the core, such as planks, Russian twists, or stability ball exercises. Squats, Deadlifts, Lunges and Standing Pressing or Rowing movements will also create a strong challenge to the core.
Integrating Strength Training into Your Training Plan
Prioritize Recovery.
Strength training induces micro-tears in muscles, requiring adequate recovery. Ensure sufficient rest between strength sessions and incorporate rest days into your overall training plan. Try to spearate strength training from endurance training by as much time as possible.
Tip: If you are under time constraints and needing to perform strength training and endurance in the same session, try to combine strength with higher effort, shorter duration interval work.
Balance Intensity and Volume.
Avoid creating too much fatigue by balancing intensity and volume. Integrate strength sessions without compromising the quality of your primary sport-specific workouts.
Tip: Consider shorter, focused strength sessions that align with your overall training goals. Quality and consistency are key rather than training to oblivion.
Consult with Experts.
If you're new to strength training or want a customized plan, seek guidance from fitness professionals or certified strength and conditioning coaches.
Work with them to discover how to accomodate strength training into your plan and create year round strategies around your competition calendar. Physiology testing can also identify to what extent you need to focus on strenght & endurance during each phase of your training.
Tip: A personalized approach ensures that your strength training complements your unique athletic needs and addresses any specific weaknesses or imbalances.
Enhancing Longevity in Sports.
Strength training contributes to the longevity of an athlete's career. As the body ages, maintaining muscle mass becomes crucial for injury prevention and sustained performance as our ‘strong/power’ muscle fibres diminish rapidly with aging without training. Much quicker than our endurance capabilities.
Benefits: Regular strength training helps counteract the natural decline in muscle mass associated with aging. This is especially relevant for athletes participating in sports with repetitive motions, where muscular imbalances can lead to overuse injuries.
Conclusion
Strength training is a game-changer for many athletes seeking to enhance performance, prevent injuries, and optimize their overall fitness.
As you embark on your strength training journey, remember that the key lies in balance and specificity. Tailor your regimen to align with your sport, embrace the principles of progressive overload, and prioritize recovery.
The dividends of a well-structured strength training program extend beyond the weight room, influencing every stride, pedal, or stroke towards your athletic goals.
If you want to know if you are strong enough for your sport, how to balance strength & endurance training and help create a cohernet performance program then please contact us and let us know a bit about yourself.
About the Author:
Dr Paul Rimmer (BSc, MSC, PhD SENr) r Paul holds a degree in Sports Science, post-graduate degrees in Sport Rehabilitation & Sport Nutrition and a PhD in Biomechanics.
He is a SENr Nutritionist and has over a decades experience working with athletes. He has written thousands of articles, blogs on all aspects of health and fitness. He is a 'hybrid' athlete, competing in both ultra-endurance events and powerlifting, recently completing a 100km trail ultra-marathon.
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