When runners build strength strategically, they don’t just improve power. They reduce injury risk, enhance running economy, and create durability that carries them through high-volume training cycles and racing seasons.
Below is why smart strength work belongs in every runner’s offseason plan—and how the three key muscle-action types (concentric, eccentric, and isometric) each play a unique role in improving performance.
1. Strength Training Builds a More Durable Runner
Running is a repetitive, high-load activity. With every stride, forces up to 2–3x bodyweight travel through the foot, ankle, knee, and hip. When the tissues that absorb and transfer these forces—muscles, tendons, and fascia—aren’t strong enough, the risk of overuse injury skyrockets.
Offseason strength training allows runners to:
Restore tissue capacity after a long race season
Correct imbalances and movement inefficiencies
Build stronger tendons and connective tissue
Improve shock absorption and force transfer
Reduce the likelihood of common injuries like shin splints, IT band syndrome, and plantar fasciitis
Simply put: strong runners break down less.
2. Strength Training Improves Running Economy
Running economy—how efficiently your body uses oxygen at a given pace—is one of the strongest predictors of race performance.
Strength training improves running economy by:
Increasing force production per stride
Enhancing stiffness in the lower leg for better elastic recoil
Improving posture and mechanics during long efforts
Delaying fatigue in stabilizers such as glutes, core, and hip flexors
Research consistently shows that runners who incorporate strength training can run faster with the same or lower energy cost.
3. Offseason Strength Training Complements, Not Competes With, Running
During high-volume race preparation, runners often struggle to add strength work without feeling drained. The offseason solves this problem.
With running volume reduced, athletes can:
Train with heavier loads
Improve foundational strength
Address biomechanics
Build tendon capacity
Develop power and plyometric readiness
A good offseason program includes 2–3 sessions per week, gradually progressing from foundational strength to power and plyometrics as preseason approaches.
Understanding Muscle Activation: Concentric, Eccentric & Isometric Training
To build an effective offseason plan, it helps to understand the three major ways muscles work during exercise. Each plays a different role in running performance—and each can be trained intentionally.
Concentric Exercise: “The Lifting Phase”
Concentric muscle action happens when a muscle shortens while producing force.
Examples:
Standing up from a squat
Pushing off during a stride
Lifting a dumbbell in a biceps curl
Why it matters for runners:
Concentric strength improves propulsion, helping runners generate more power, accelerate better, and climb hills more efficiently.
Eccentric Exercise: “The Lowering and Control Phase”
Eccentric muscle action happens when a muscle lengthens under tension—essentially braking or controlling motion.
Examples:
Lowering into a squat
Decelerating when landing during running
The controlled lowering phase of calf raises
Why it matters for runners:
Eccentric training is critical for runners because it:
Strengthens tendons and connective tissue
Reduces injury risk
Improves downhill running
Enhances stride control and stability
Eccentric training is especially important for hamstrings, calves, quads, and glutes—all heavily used in impact management and deceleration.
Isometric Exercise: “The Hold or Stability Phase”
Isometric muscle action happens when a muscle generates force without changing length.
Examples:
Wall sits
Planks
Mid-stance stabilization during running
Why it matters for runners:
Running is full of micro-isometric contractions, especially during single-leg stance. Targeted isometric training:
Improves joint stability
Reduces tendon pain (e.g., patellar or Achilles tendinopathy protocols)
Enhances balance and running form
Builds strength with low fatigue
Isometrics are ideal for offseason rehab, tendon health, and foundational strength building.
Putting It All Together: A Balanced Offseason Strength Plan
A well-rounded offseason plan for runners typically includes:
Focus: isometric control + basic strength
Planks, bridges, wall sits
Goblet squats, deadlifts, step-ups
Focus: heavier loads + eccentric control
Barbell squats
Romanian deadlifts
Eccentric calf raises
Split squats/lunges
Focus: explosive concentric force + tendon elasticity
Box step-ups or low box jumps
Med ball throws
Hop progressions
Bounding
This roadmap prepares the runner’s body for a smooth transition back into race-season training with better durability, mechanics, and performance potential.
Bottom Line
Offseason strength training isn’t optional for runners who want to stay healthy and perform well—it’s essential. By intentionally incorporating concentric, eccentric, and isometric exercises, athletes create stronger, more resilient tissues, improve running economy, and build the foundation needed for a successful season.
If you’re unsure where to start, a structured movement assessment and personalized program can help ensure your training matches your goals, biomechanics, and injury history.
At Fuse Sports Performance and Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C., our professionals specialize in sports medicine services, including run specific evaluations and training to assess your risk for injury and assist in your performance goals.
