A little strength training goes a long way as a runner, and if you're able to add a workout or two to your weekly schedule, the benefits can include improved performance and a lower risk of injury.
It’s not always easy to do, I admit. I can usually find the time to run 50 to 70 miles a week, but I often struggle to find the motivation to do even a 30-minute strength training session.
Having a good workout to follow that I know works and can do at home definitely helps me get moving, and this 35-minute dumbbell workout fits the bill. You'll need a set of dumbbells or the best adjustable dumbbells for the workout, as well as a bench or stool that you can stand on and support your legs for some of the exercises.
The routine was designed by YouTube fitness trainer Marie Steffen and she uses two 11lb dumbbells as a baseline, and lighter weights are the way to go as you'll be testing your balance as well as strength with most of the exercises, which is where adjustable dumbbells come in handy.
Watch Marie Steffen's Dumbbell Workout for Runners
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The workout includes a warm-up and cool-down as part of the 35 minutes. After the warm-up, you perform four supersets of two movements, one leg exercise and one core exercise. Then, you perform Bulgarian split squat drop sets before a core-focused finisher.
It’s a full-body workout that focuses on the leg and core exercises that runners need, but it’s definitely a great workout for anyone. I tried the workout one lunchtime to see what it could do for my running; here are my key findings.
You mainly do unilateral exercises
Unilateral exercises like deadlifts or single-leg squats work one side of your body at a time and are helpful for runners because you only have one leg on the ground at a time when you run. Unilateral movements can also help you identify if one side of your body is weaker than the other and then correct that imbalance.
Most of the moves in Steffen's workout are unilateral exercises, and while that means you have to use lighter weights than you might use in bilateral movements, it's handy for runners trying to target one leg or side of the body at a time.
It is a complex training
The work and rest periods change throughout the workout and you move from supersets to drop sets and then to a finisher, all of which may be new concepts to you – I had never done drop sets in the past myself, for example.
And while you can just follow Steffen's on-screen instructions, it's a tougher workout to follow than a simple circuit session. Runners looking for something simpler to add to their routine might want to try this six-move dumbbell workout instead.
Scan the video before you start
Rest periods are short during training (typically you only have 5 or 10 seconds of rest between movements) and you often have to completely change positions during this time, sometimes grabbing a bench to lean on or stepping onto for the next exercise.
I started the workout without checking and often had trouble getting into position for each move, or had to pause the video. I recommend quickly going through the workout before you start to make sure you have the equipment you need on hand and are prepared for the quick transitions between moves.
The workout tests your balance and stability
Most of the leg exercises you do during training involve balancing on one leg at times, and the session will definitely help you improve your stability. I noticed that I had more trouble doing moves like single-leg deadlifts and step-ups on my left leg than my right, and I plan to target my left side more in the future to address this imbalance.
It is also important to move slowly and with control during these exercises, because otherwise you will lose your balance and will not be able to complete the movement correctly. If you are unable to complete the set without falling, reduce the weight you are using and the speed at which you are moving.
I will do more drop sets
In the second half of the workout, you perform a set of Bulgarian split squats on each leg. For this, you work for 30 seconds with two dumbbells, then 30 seconds with one dumbbell, then 30 seconds of bodyweight squats.
I found this to be a great way to get 90 seconds of a challenging move on each leg, and I look forward to doing more tapered sets in the future. For more traditional tapered sets, you'd work to exhaustion before reducing the weight and continuing until you can't do any more reps, but this timed version is also worth a try.
I added more calf raises
No strength training workout for runners is complete without some calf raises, and while you do them as part of a combo move with barbell squats in Steffen’s workout, I thought it was worth adding them at the end because the calf is so important when running. I typically do single-leg calf raises at the edge of a step, doing three sets of 10 reps on each side.