Blog #5: Ultimate Guide to Injury Free Running
How to Make Running Sustainable
There is an old adage in the run community:
“There are two types of runners: those who have been injured and those that will be.”
Running is inherently a high impact sport, and it can be tricky to nail down, especially if you are just starting with the sport. If you are dealing with hip, low back, knee pain, or excessive stiffness from running, this blog is for you.
Oftentimes, people decide to kickoff their transformative weight loss journey with running, but I would actually advise against that. Running, and more importantly how you run, can put substantial stress on the joints and connective tissues. However, this stress can either be minimized or exacerbated depending on how you take your steps. The short answer is that the key to running injury free is:
Perfecting your run form and
Executing a well-rounded strength training program.
Run Form and Programming
First off, running should be a smooth, efficient, and stable activity. Runners that bounce up and down (high vertical oscillation), step in front of their center of mass, heel strike, or allow their pelvis to drop on one side are opening themselves up to numerous injuries. If this describes you in any way, it is not too late to make some small adjustments and hone a more sustainable run form. One of the best ways to improve your run form is to film yourself and pinpoint any inefficiencies or abnormalities. Make small mental notes and incremental adjustments as you continue to develop in running.
I am by no means a running expert, and running nuances are not the focus of this blog. I would encourage runners to explore resources like books, run-specialists, and online video tutorials. Regardless, here are some widely accepted points for run form:
Maintain Good Posture
Use a Mid-Foot Strike
Step Underneath Your Center of Mass
Maintain a High Cadence (150-180 BPM)
Slightly Lean Forward
Runners should also evaluate their overall training program. A common rule of thumb is to never increase run volume by more than 10% per week. For example, if you are sustaining a weekly volume of 3 miles, it would be risky to attempt more than 3.3 miles the following week. The purpose of this safeguard is to reduce the risk of overtraining, which can cause injuries like tendon degradation, stress fractures, and muscle strains. Bones and connective tissue require more time to fully recover than muscles, so soreness is not always an accurate level of stress tolerance.
Another dimension of run programming is intensity. Ideally, you would want to balance volume and intensity through an inverse relationship: as volume rises, intensity tends to decrease, and vice versa. The particular dosage of intensity for fitness improvement is highly unique to the individual, but you should never simultaneously increase both volume and intensity.
Stretching is best done following a run workout to maintain reasonable flexibility and mobility. However, stretching should not be done in isolation. It is best accompanied by a consistent strength training program, as discussed below. The reason is that muscles often stiffen because they are weak or even brought about by muscular imbalances. Cardio and stretching are fantastic, but we need to make sure muscles are challenged with resistance too.
2. Functional Strength Training
The second strategy, and perhaps the most important one, is following a well-rounded strength program. A well-rounded program is a strength sequence that challenges the body in all three planes of motion (Sagittal, Frontal, and Transverse. Running is a one dimensional sport: we only go forward. Thus, it is crucial that runner supplement their run training with not only squats and dead lifts, but with hip abduction and external rotation, for example. Check out the other blog dedicated to developing a well-rounded strength program for more details.
Adequate strength training is not only for building muscle and power but also connective tissue strength and resilience. Running tends to break the body down more than it builds it up, primarily due to its repetitive nature and low loading scheme. Strength training is crucial for improving muscle and tendon load capacity (the amount of weight it can sustain).
Since running is a high velocity sport, muscles are exposed to high loads even though we are only moving our body weight. To make matters worse, if our run form is inefficient we could be placing extreme loads on certain muscle groups and connective tissue without realizing. Thus, we need some form of strength training to build up muscle and connective tissue resilience so that when we run, it is not a shock to the system.
Two Scientifically Proven Training Types:
1. Incorporating plyometrics (with good form) into your routine.
This could be something like squat jumps, jumping rope, or rowing.
This type of stress improves the body’s energy loading for maximal force and overall resilience.
Key benefits here are stiffer tendons, which helps prevent injury, and greater power production, which will translate to lower times.
2. Working with heavy, slow resistance training.
This is traditional strength training, involving lifting loads roughly 6-12 times (depending on your goal) and working close to failure.
Maintain a tempo of about 3-5 seconds on the eccentric, 2 seconds on the concentric, and a pause at the top or bottom if you like. The important thing is to maintain muscle tension and really control the weight.
Sessions can be done 1-3 times a week on non-consecutive days and as soreness yields.
Key benefits are building load tolerance, tendon elasticity (vital for tendon health).
Recommended Exercises:
Plyometrics
Squat Jumps (Progress to Dumbbells) - Challenges muscles all used in running.
Jump Rope or other forms of “calf jumps” - Builds resilience in Achilles Tendon, a common site of injury.
Scissor Squat Jumps - Challenges coordination and stability.
Ice Skaters - Develops frontal and transverse plane recruitment.
Bulgarian Jump Squats - Isolates legs and helps shore up imbalances between them.
Lunges - Develops explosiveness, especially in quadriceps.
Resistance Exercises
Side Lying Leg Raises - Strengthens Glute Medius, a muscle crucial for pelvic stability in running and walking.
Romanian Dead Lift - Improves hamstring and Glute Max strength, the primary drivers of running.
Hamstring Curl - Prevents hamstring injuries and prevents one of the most common injuries facing runners.
Calf Raises and Bent Knee Calf Raises - Build strength and resilience in the Achilles Tendon by challenging both gastrocnemius and soleus.
Cable Hip Flexion - Strengthens muscles like the Psoas and Illiacus.
Squats - The most functional and integral movement to master. Strengthens nearly all muscles in the lower body.
Hip Airplanes - Challenges the hip in the transverse plane by developing strength and mobility in muscles like the piriformis, gemellus, and more. These muscles are very commonly neglected. If weakness in this area persists, runners can experience numerous problems like sciatica, restricted hip function, and deep gluteal pain.
Planks - Core stability in Sagittal Plane
Bird Dogs - Core stability in Transverse Plane.
Side Plank - Core stability in Frontal Plane
About the Author:
Hello, my name is Ethan Gendron, and I am a Certified Personal Trainer, based in Naples FL, through W.I.T.S., an NCCA accredited institution. I have years of experience working with clients of all ages and backgrounds, ranging from seniors to children. My firsthand experience in training and competing in triathlons has given me insight into the practical application of injury prevention, corrective exercise, and strength training for performance enhancement. No matter your current fitness-level, I believe everyone should think of themselves as an athlete and, therefore, train like one.
