Bare Minimum Strength Training

Okay so it’s cold out.
and dark.
You have no equipment,
and no time,
and no interest.
You can’t remember more than 2 things!

I have good news. You, yes you, can still do the BARE MINIMUM and become a stronger runner. There are ONLY 2 exercises!

Exercise 1: Jump Rope (or hopping)

I’m hopping in this video because I’m inside and my ceilings are too low for a jump rope. I generally jump rope outside but I wanted to demonstrate how easy it is to hop instead. You don’t even need to invest $8 for a jump rope.

Work up to 100 hops in a row, over a few sessions. You can always do more sets and progress to single leg hopping/jump rope down the road. But that’s more than the bare minimum.

Exercise 2: Lunges

Would I prefer you do reverse lunges as well? Side lunges? My full lunge matrix? Yes. That would be better. But that wouldn’t be the bare minimum.

Work up to 10 lunges on each leg in a row, over a few sessions. Lunges can make the legs quite sore at first. This soreness proves how doing lunges recruits more muscles than simply running. You can always do more sets, progress to holding weight, wearing a weight vest, or doing the lunge matrix. But that’s a lot more than the bare minimum.

Best vs. Something
I’ve written a lot about the benefits of strength training on this blog and I think most runners know they should be strength training, even if they don’t totally understand why it helps. And understanding WHY something is important is a big step toward actually doing the strength training.

But many runners know how beneficial strength training is and they still don’t do it. I think that’s because it can quickly feel complicated and confusing. If you feel this way, I hope this program of 2 exercises is a helpful on-ramp for you.

Related Blog Posts:
Strength Training for Endurance Runners
Get Faster Without Running More

Post Script
I agree with anyone who says lifting heavy is ideal for runners. I think this program of 2 exercises is lacking in several areas. But doing these 2 exercises is a start. It is specifically designed for runners who are doing nothing right now. This is better than nothing, and can easily be progressed. This program is meant to help runners get over the psychological barriers more than anything.