Weight training Getting heavy
Why weight training is more important for female runners than many realise
Words Keri Wallace
Women have testosterone levels seven to eight times less than men, which contributes to muscle loss
When we are running, each foot comes into contact with the ground 80 to 100 times a minute on average, with the force of up to three times body weight passing through with every strike.
Each bone, each ligament and each tendon must therefore have the strength to cope with this repeated force. This reoccurring stress however, is also the training stimulus which strengthens our bones, soff tissues and muscles, enabling us to become stronger and faster runners. But with this stress comes a risk of injury.
Fifly to 75 per cent of running injuries are due to this constant repetition of the same movement, with high levels of recurrence compared to other sports. Yet runners oThen overlook the requirement to specifically target and strengthen their muscles, soff tissues and bones.
Strength stimulus
“Strength training is the best stimulus for bone and muscle growth,” says Emma Hebborn, a British-record holder in powerlifting and 2019 World Drug Free Powerlifting Championship winner. “Compared to running, lifting weights can be done in a controlled environment and in a very specific and measurable way, with the option of appropriate and safe rest periods.
“By adding more load than our own body-weight, we have the ability to become much stronger than if we only run, walk or swim,” says Emma. She is a L3 British Weightlifting Coach and owns Wolfhouse Gym in Fort William, where she delivers strength and conditioning for runners using weightlifting to improve running performance.