Most people who enjoy running love being outdoors. It’s part of the package. Unfortunately, running outdoors isn’t always an option. Busy schedules, time constraints, and accessibility can reduce the likelihood of exercising outdoors. But if you’ve got a goal to hit, then you still need to be training; this is where indoor training can be used as an alternative. Whether that’s doing your cardio on machines or incorporating strength work, the gym is useful for any runner.
Cross-training is also an important aspect of developing running performance. Strength training has been shown to improve your running economy. This is the amount of oxygen our body needs to run at a certain speed/intensity. The less oxygen you need the better. So, if you want to improve your running performance, it’s in your best interest to include strength work in your training program.
We have put together a list of our favorite gym machines for runners and the benefits of using them alongside running outdoors. We are sure that you will feel the benefits from a few of these machines.
Treadmill
Let’s say the rain is pouring outside, or it’s winter, and you don’t want to run in the dark after work. The treadmill is the next best thing if you can’t get outside for your run. It makes running more accessible and convenient and recruits all of the same muscles that you would use on an outdoor run. If you want to mimic a road terrain, then move your incline to +1. Another benefit to the treadmill is being able to easily alter the type of training you’re doing. If you don’t have access to a hill, you can perform hill sprints at home, you can even adjust the speed to accomplish interval training.
Airbike
If you want an intense cardio workout, then the air bike is the perfect piece of equipment. It’s great for high-intensity interval workouts where you want to elevate your heart rate and get a serious sweat on. Unlike traditional stationary bikes, the air bike is a full-body workout as you’re using your upper body alongside your legs. It’s great as a finisher at the end of a training session or can be used in conjunction with traditional running programmes to improve your power output.
Leg curl/extension machine
Running is a high impact exercise that places a lot of force through the knee joints. In order to keep your knees healthy, it’s important that the muscles around the joint stay strong. The quadriceps and hamstring muscles play a crucial role in knee health which is why the leg curl and extension machine should be a part of any runner’s strength training program. These single-joint movements isolate the muscles so you can really feel the burn.
Leg press/hack squat machine
The leg press and hack squat are both compound movements that recruit most of your lower body muscles, all of which are required in running. This machine not only strengthens your legs but also targets the extension and flexion of your ankles, knees, and hips. These movements are essential in running, and using a leg press or hack squat helps reinforce the specific positions needed for better performance in running.
Seated calf raise machine
People often assume that because your calf muscles are worked hard when running, you don’t need to work them in the gym. But that’s not true. In fact, if you can make your calves strong and mobile in the gym, this will only help you run faster and further. Calf raises on a Seated calf raise machine also strengthen the Achilles tendon which acts as a spring when you’re running.
Tibia dorsi machine
If you’ve ever had shin splints, then this is the exercise for you. Shin splints usually occur because of overtraining and cause shooting pains in the front of your leg. One way to combat this is by getting your shins stronger with a tibia dorsi machine. Tib raises strengthen the front of the lower leg and also stretch the calf muscles. This improves your strength so the impact of running doesn’t cause as much damage to your tibia.
GHD
Also known as the glute ham developer, the GHD is the ultimate machine for improving your posterior chain. It might be a big piece of equipment, but it’s multi-functional and can be used for glute hamstring raises, back extensions and various core exercises. It’s also really easy to progress these exercises with the built-in resistance band pegs, so you can load the exercise without relying on free weights.
Abduction/adduction machine
The abductor and adduction muscles are crucial for hip stability when you’re running. But they’re often forgotten about because they are small muscle groups. They are recruited in larger compound movements, but, if you really want to focus on them then the hip abductor and adductor machine is the way to do it. As well as strengthening the hips, this movement in the frontal plane also improves hip mobility.
Hip thruster
Your glutes are the driving force that pushes you forward when you run. You need strong glutes to be able to produce the power to help you run faster, and you can strengthen them in the gym with hip thrusts. The hip thruster machine makes the movement comfortable and allows you to really target your glute muscles with heavy loads.
Whether you’re training for your first 5k or an ultramarathon, strength training can have a hugely positive impact on your running performance. Using the equipment above in your home gym will give you stronger legs to power through when the race gets tough. It can improve speed, endurance and muscle condition, providing you with a platform to optimise performance and achieve your goal time. We recommend reading articles that cover exercises for these machines you can find those at Mirafit. We hope that you enjoyed this article read more on our blog.
