Resistance training should no longer be considered a form of cross-training for runners – it’s essential! Learning the best ways to assess your body and integrate strength work into your running season will make your resistance training more efficient and effective.
I regularly encourage runners to think of themselves as “athletes who focus on running” to make their training less one dimensional. Getting out of your comfort zone – whether in the weight room or by trying a new sport – can make you more well-rounded as an athlete.
Durability for a lifetime of running comes from building a strong foundation – and this requires more than just running. Whether you regularly use body weight exercises or lift heavy in the gym, strength training will make you more injury resistant to the repetitive impact of running
This week’s guest on the podcast frequently pushes himself out of his comfort zone to learn more about himself as an athlete. Seton Hall Strength and Conditioning Coach Angelo Gingerelli has worked in the field for two decades and has extensive experience working with kids, collegiate athletes, and professionals.
Angelo Gingerelli on Resistance Training for Endurance Athletes
Angelo Gingerelli is the coauthor of the new book, Finish Strong: Resistance Training for Endurance Athletes. But Angelo’s athletic history is a less common one – he came from a powerlifting background and later developed a love of running, leading him to multiple 26.2 finishes.
Angelo’s work in the strength and conditioning field, combined with his personal experience as a runner, gives him a unique perspective on how best to integrate the two. His recent book focuses on helping runners and other athletes use the exercises that are most sport-specific, and address common weaknesses.
But this isn’t just a talk about strength routines. Angelo digs into a variety of topics we don’t often think about in our typical run training, including the following:
- The evolution of Functional Movement Screening and how to apply movement assessments to your running
- Common movement dysfunctions for runners and other sport-specific athletes
- The six essential foundational exercises for greater strength and athleticism
- How we can learn from college athletes that there is no off season, just strategic downtime from your primary sport
- What are anti-rotation exercises and how do they benefit runners?
Angelo’s ideas for how to periodize resistance training, as well as seek out new challenges, will be beneficial to all athletes – not just runners! You’re sure to come away from our discussion with some useful concepts to apply to your own training.
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Thank You InsideTracker!
This episode is brought to you by InsideTracker, one of the most reputable blood testing companies in the world. They were founded in 2009 by aging, genetics, and biometrics scientists to help you analyze your body’s data and get a firm idea of how well you’re responding to training.
Understanding your body’s biomarkers, from stress hormones to testosterone to Vitamin D, can help you figure out if you’re over-training, under-training, optimally training, or if you have a health issue that might be affecting your running. But the best part is that they give you personalized optimal ranges for each of these biomarkers and a host of ways to improve these markers through diet, lifestyle, or exercise changes.
I’ve personally gotten three Ultimate tests from them and the process is simple, easy, and very eye-opening if you haven’t done a deep dive on your biomarkers yet. Of all the investments you can make in your running, this one is like getting a detailed checkup or regularly scheduled maintenance for your internal physiology.
If you’re ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, get 25% off any of their blood tests with code STRENGTHRUNNING at InsideTracker.
Thank You ROLL Recovery!
ROLL Recovery is a Boulder, Colorado company that makes innovative massage and recovery tools that are so good, many are FDA-approved medical devices. They’ve consulted physical therapists and elite athletes to make the highest quality recovery products I’ve ever seen and their unique design makes them not only easy to use but so effective.
I have the R8 Plus, the R3 foot roller, and my favorite foam roller – the R4Body Roller. Thank you ROLL Recovery for these unique tools! I’m using them almost every day and I feel like my muscles are more supple and ready for running. See for yourself at rollrecovery.com. You can also listen to an interview with their cofounder, pro runner Adriana Nelson, in episode 236.