Should I do a strength workout before a hard training session?
We know that strength training complements running, but when do you fit it in to your weekly exercise plan? Two accomplished runners discuss whether lifting weights before a run will benefit or hamper your performance
Kimberley Morrison is a professional triathlete and INCUS Performance ambassador
As a professional longdistance triathlete, I think it’s best to do a strength workout before a hard training session.
If you do the strength workout and the run on the same day, there’s a clear argument for doing the strength workout first. The body’s adaptive response (the result you see from doing the workout) is greater for the exercise that finishes the workout. This means that doing a strength training session before the run will enhance the body’s aerobic endurance and the main adaptation will be for cardiovascular fitness rather than packing on muscle, which is likely your primary goal as a runner.