Strength Training for Trail Runners: Top Exercises to Include

As with any sport, strength training is beneficial for runners. Trail running is a particular subset that uses muscles and joints differently. To maximize your trail running performance and to minimize injuries, learn how to build muscle specifically for this sport.

About Trail Running

Trail running simply means running off-road. Running a dirt or wood-chipped path in your local park counts as trail running, but so does 20-plus miles on a rugged mountain path. There is a lot of variety in this sport, which means it’s great for runners of all abilities and fitness levels. 

It’s a simple concept with a lot of benefits. Trail runners love their chosen activity for many reasons: 

• All types of running are great for cardiovascular fitness and burning calories. 

• Trail running gives you a chance to enjoy natural spaces, even if it is via a city park. 

• It’s easier on the joints than running on asphalt or concrete. 

• The uneven surface of a trail requires more balance, engaging the core. It also puts more stress on the calves and ankles, strengthening them more than road running. 

• Running up and down hills builds glute and quad strength. 

• Ligaments and tendons also get a workout during trail running due to the need to move quickly around and over obstacles. 

Cross training is important for all sports. Here’s a cross-training plan specifically for trail runners. 

The Importance of Strength Training for Trail Runners

Trail running itself builds strength in unique ways, even when compared to road running. However, as with any workout routine, it’s important to include focused strength training for optimal results. 

The benefits of adding strength workouts to a trail running routine are much the same as for other sports, even if the most important exercises are a little different: 

Strength Training Improves Running Performance

This is true for all types of running, but strength training is especially impactful for the trail runner. To run a trail, you have to be able to move your body in more different and awkward ways. It requires quick decisions and movements, for instance, to make a sharp turn on the trail or to leap over a trip hazard. 

These kinds of movements require strength, agility, and balance. Focusing a couple of weekly workouts on building muscle strength will allow you to move more efficiently and quickly. Strength also helps build endurance on the trail. With stronger muscles, you’ll be able to delay the onset of fatigue. 

Strength Training for Trail Runners Aids in Injury Prevention

All those quick, awkward movements mean that trail runners face injury risks. Stronger muscles and joints reduce the risk of running injuries. For instance, trail running requires significant core strength to maintain balance and avoid falls that can cause serious injuries. 

Stronger ankles and calves help you safely maneuver the quick changes in direction required in trail running that might otherwise cause a strain or sprain. 

Getting Stronger Aids Recovery

Trail running can be tough on the body. It is more technical than running on a road and puts stresses and strains on the body in different ways. By building strength the right way, you build a more resilient body that can bounce back faster after challenging and technical runs. 

Core strength is essential for all runners, but especially those that need to maintain balance on a trail. Check out this core strength training program for runners. 

A Strength Training Routine for Trail Running

Any strength training will help, but prioritize the muscles that are most important for this unique sport for the best results. Consider adding these exercises to your next strength workout:

Calf Raises

Often overlooked in other strength training plants, calf raises are great for trail running. The small movement strengthens the calves, of course, but it also builds strength in the small muscles and connective tissue of the foot and ankle. 

The uneven surfaces in trail running require a lot of strength in these areas. If your ankles and feet are weak, it’s easier to twist or turn your ankle. You’ll also feel fatigued sooner. Do single-leg calf raises on an elevated surface for the most intense workout. 

Single-Leg Jumps

Another way to build calf, ankle, and foot strength and endurance is to jump on one foot at a time. Start with calf raises and build up to this to avoid injury. Include jumps that go side-to-side and diagonally to mimic the types of quick movements you need to make on a trail. 

Step-Ups

Step-ups are simple but powerful for building the big quads needed to make it up hills and over big rocks or logs on a trail. Start small and progress with a higher step and by holding dumbbells in each hand to add weight. 

Add variation by doing lateral step-ups. Train running requires movement in more directions than road running, so any opportunity to change the plane of movement will be helpful. 

Single-Leg Squats

Start with standard squats if necessary, but it’s worthwhile building up to the single-leg variation. A single-leg squat works the glutes and quads, which are essential for powering up hills on trails. It also requires balance, a skill you must have when hopping between unstable surfaces on a trail. 

Deadlifts

Deadlifts are among the best exercises for engaging the entire posterior chain, including glutes and hamstrings. In trail running, you engage the posterior chain to maintain balance when going downhill. Try single-leg deadlifts to add balance and core training to the exercise. 

Jumping Lunges

This is a great exercise for building important muscles and increasing your power and stability. Starting in a lunge position, jump up and switch the legs, landing in a lunge position on the opposite side. This works the glutes, quads, and hamstrings and improves your balance while building power for uphill running. 

Plank Variations

Any type of plank variation will help build important core strength that provides stability and balance on the trail. Try standard planks, side planks, mountain climbers, plank twists, shoulder taps, and any other variations to build big core strength. 

Learn more: Running Shoes Set the Foundation for Proper Movement

Tips for Adding Strength Training to Your Routine

There are some potential pitfalls when including a strength workout in your regular running routine. These added workouts can cause fatigue or soreness, for example, that interfere with running. Consider these factors as you incorporate strength training into your routine: 

• Don’t start strength training toward the end of a racing season. If you’re in the last month or weeks of preparing for a trail race, strength exercises could cause more problems than they solve. 

• Do start your strength workouts at the beginning of a training cycle or during your off season.

• Run before a strength session, not the other way around. If you do strength or resistance training first, you might not have energy for your more important running training. 

• Allow for plenty of time for recovery. Especially when starting out with strength training, you’re likely to get sore. Make sure you have adequate recovery time before your next run. 

If you’re interested in starting trail running, or are already into the sport, don’t neglect strength training. Runners tend to be passionate about their sport and are loathe to take time away from it to do other types of workouts. Don’t make the mistake of avoiding strength training. It is essential for performance and safety, so you can keep running trails for years. 

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