Rather than go over my Valencia training last week – which is going well, consistent and helping me find my level for Dec 3rd – I’m going to outline my periodised approach to S&C, for an ideal, everything works well, marathon build. There are lots of different ideas/ advice / suggestions around strength work. Some people will like below, some not, so this is a guideline, a starting point. Its something that I’ve come to rely upon, tinkered with, changed and adapted. It’s not for everybody but hopefully acts in a helpful way to shine a light on how to approach strength work for a marathon.
I’ll start with underlying principles, the different periods in the structure (strength / power / endurance) and then outline the actual routine I would (and have) followed.
PRINCIPLES
Everything rarely works well – but for the times that it does, or as a starting point I like to base strength work on the following principles:
- Focus on compound movements that not only translate to running, but help build and support general all round strength – and across the whole body
- Look at integrating push / pull / hinge / carry / twist
- Try and keep the lifts the same throughout the whole cycle, changing the weight / speed according to period. This allows a level of simplicity to help then focus on the nuance in how the lift has changed.
- Strength work usually the day after a hard workout (I’m not great at getting up early, running hard & then lifting in the evening), but never the day before a hard workout.
- Always done bare foot – to help feel the feet – are the toes gripping or relaxed? Relaxed being better. Are my feet grounded under big / little toe’s / heels. If something’s coming up, why. Shoes can hide this and don’t allow for muscles to be pre-stretched / utilised as well as possible
- All breathing done nasally. If I find a lift too hard & need to use my mouth during the exercise, I need to lower intensity – so reduce the weight or reps. On the section of a lift gravity is helping, breathe in – creating pressure to help exhale on the section of the lift where you are working against gravity (ie in a squat, inhale as you drop, exhale as you stand)
PERIODS
- Strength
- Power
- Endurance
STRENGTH:
The first 4-6 weeks are intended heavy lifting to build a solid base of strength. As the running that I’ll be doing is lighter – both in terms of time and load at the moment it is easier to create the neural fatigue that comes with lifting heavy weights. Practically this would look like lifting weights to an 8 rep max (4×6 reps / 3×8 reps with 90 secs rest between sets) and increasing weight by 5% or reps every 6th lift. I’d program this in every 3 days for the first 4- 6 weeks, to really help build that base strength regardless of whether on a 7 day (week long) or 3 x 3day (9 day cycle) .
POWER
I’ve generally transitioned away from pure speed / track running workouts at this point, transitioning to a combination of longer threshold / marathon runs supported with some 200’s @ 5k pace & flys. With a good solid base of strength built from the previous 4-6 weeks of S&C it’s time to change things up and look for new adaptations. So the next 4-6 weeks build into power so drop weight by around 60-80% and introduce plyo elements to each lift. If on a 7 day cycle I’d look at lifting twice / week in that cycle for a younger athlete. For me I’ll be usually working on a 3 x 3day cycle (so 9 days for a complete cycle) I’d still look at twice – with one of the 3 days having no lift at all, giving up to a clear 6 days before lifting again.
I prefer to have plyo in the middle of a lifting plan, as opposed to the end, as it can cause initial DOMS & is more aggressive on the tendons, which I like to avoid in the last 6 weeks of a marathon build, where the workload is at it’s highest and I want the strength work to complement / support the running as opposed to overwhelming it with fatigue.
ENDURANCE
Here the strength work is all aimed at supporting the longer runs. The last 4-6 weeks endurance / maintain – so something along the lines of weight being 16-20Rep max and look for time from 30 secs up to 60 secs with rest matched to work 1:1 ratio, with this getting longer every other lifting session up to a point that feels comfortable. So you could start at 30 secs for 2 weeks, then raise to 40 secs and feel that is enough. I take 90 secs between sets for this. With this in mind I’d look at lifting once / week in a 7 day cycle & once in a 9 day cycle, cutting out completely anywhere within 14 days of a marathon, regardless of the cycle followed.
ROUTINE
This is what I’ve found has worked well for me. I’ve divided up into each period as I was undecided on the best way to present. I’ve left the lift – with a note as to how it changes in each period. My warm ups and cool downs are exactly the same for each lifting session. This easy to change, but works for me at the moment, gets me warm and preps me well. Usually all told takes me around 70 mins to complete.
WARM UP
Core work so 24 reps each, no rest, of these 5 exercises – takes around 3-4 minutes
Marching plank (so hold a plank, lift arms, legs, tap shoulders, opp knee to opp elbow, lift arms, knee to same elbow) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHUyK2Omqvw / Windscreen wipers (so on back, legs straight up in air, turned from left hand side to right)https://youtube.com/shorts/4ittyIDn5iU?si=1UvRWenpwPj6rkuG / Russian twists with a light weight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyUqwkVpsi8/ Standing trunk rotation holding a light weight plate / weight out in front of you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnJTqLyH9ZI / Donkey toes (on all fours, up on toes, bring alternate legs up so thigh lvl with torso) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWocnxm1P9c
Wall Sit – 2 mins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cdph8hv0O0
90 secs rest before going into the main sets
COOL DOWN
3-5 mins coherent breathing, lying down, using the breathing app and a cadence of 6 secs inhale / 6 secs exhale. Calms my nervous system.
STRENGTH
Front landmine squat – 3 x 8 reps @ off 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 8 rep max. I use a slanted board to raise my feet on, this helps open my ankles and gives a greater range of motion. I also prefer a front squat to a back squat as it is safer to execute. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSbQifT2OJw
Hex bar deadlift – 3 x 8 reps off 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 8 rep max https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jC_nqcSCp8
Bulgarian split squat – 3 x 8 reps on either leg then 90secs rest between sets. Weight, held in either hand OR using a hex bar – 8 rep max https://youtube.com/shorts/bwhl_9jN_3o?si=tCX9HCzXXDcD_wcO
Kettlebell swing – 3 x 12 reps off 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 16 rep max https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cVT3ee9mgU
Rainbow med ball slam – 3 x 8 reps each side off 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 10 rep max https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ0I7FmJ1A0 I use a slam ball – not a medball so you get no bounce when it lands.
Suitcase carry – 60 secs each arm before 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 75 sec carry max https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAnCoDrvXc4
Seated single leg soleous lift – 3 x 12 reps off 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 16 rep max I have calves that need support – so this is always in. I also use Gary Ward’s wedges under big toe / little toe’s to ensure that they remain in contact with the ground & I can really feel the soleous engage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZy2szwthwg
Single arm row – 3 x 8 reps on either leg then 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 8 rep max https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmOMMbpq8iI
Bench press – 3 x 8 reps on either leg then 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 8 rep max https://youtube.com/shorts/Oy85yiXfYkg?si=mG0zBVRawz52yhB-
POWER Same warm up / cool down as strength period
Front landmine squat – 3 x 6 reps, drop down with weight and forcibly explode up @ off 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 20-30% of the weight finally lifted in the strength period.
Hex bar deadlift – 3 x 6 reps, drop down with weight and forcibly explode up @ off 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 20-30% of the weight finally lifted in the strength period.
Bulgarian split squat – Replace with split squat dumbell push press. 3 x 5 reps on either leg. 90secs rest between sets. Weight – light resistance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tCaD42ghlc Difference here is you start in a split squat stance, as you push the dumbells up you switch feet to land wiht oppiste foot forwards.
Kettlebell swing – 3 x 6 reps off 90secs rest between sets. Weight – same as previously used, focus on explosively pushing bell away
Rainbow med ball slam – Replaced with medball twist and cut 3 x 8 reps each side off 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 10 rep max. I can’t find a video of this. Stand with med ball held in front of you, move the med ball round and away to your left and then forcibly pushing medball up and laterally across your body, extending your left arm to push the ball away shoulder height. Repeat on the other side.
Suitcase carry – Replaced with medball triple bound 3 x 3 reps 90secs rest between sets. Weight – comfortable resistance. Another without a video. Start with medball held chest high, Throw the ball forwards as hard as possible whilst launching into a forward bound, repeated with 2 more bounds
Seated single leg soleous lift – 3 x 12 reps off 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 16 rep max I have calves that need support – so this is always in. I also use Gary Ward’s wedges under big toe / little toe’s to ensure that they remain in contact with the ground & I can really feel the soleous engage
Single arm row – Replaced with pull ups 5 / 4 / 3 /2 / 1 reps with 60secs rest between sets. Weight – body weight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p40iUjf02j0
Bench press – Replaced with press up, explode up and clap 3 x 6 reps on either leg then 90secs rest between sets. Weight – body weight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k53ogCacHIQ&t=2s
ENDURANCE – for all below I take 90 secs between sets. Same warm up / cool down as strength period
Front landmine squat – 40 secs performing exercise on off 40secs rest between sets. Weight – 20 rep max. I use a slanted board to raise my feet on, this helps open my ankles and gives a greater range of motion. I also prefer a front squat to a back squat as it is safer to execute.
Hex bar deadlift – 40 secs performing exercise on off 40secs rest between sets. Weight – 20 rep max, HOLDING WEIGHT ONLY IN HAND OF SMAE LEG RAISED UP ON BENCH .
Bulgarian split squat – 40 secs performing exercise on off 40secs rest between sets. Weight – 20 rep max.
Kettlebell swing – 40 secs performing exercise on off 40secs rest between sets. Weight – 20 rep max.
Rainbow med ball slam – 40 secs performing exercise on off 40secs rest between sets. Weight – 20 rep max.
Suitcase carry – REPLACE WITH Waiters carry 40 secs either arm off 40secs rest between sets. Weight – 60 secs max. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R_Qm3ps1J8
Seated single leg soleous lift – 3 x 12 reps off 90secs rest between sets. Weight – 16 rep max I have calves that need support – so this is always in. I also use Gary Ward’s wedges under big toe / little toe’s to ensure that they remain in contact with the ground & I can really feel the soleous engage
Single arm row – REPLACE WITH Single arm bird dog row 40 secs performing exercise on off 40secs rest between sets. Weight – 20 rep max. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrMVMZoQum4
Bench press – REPLACE WITH PRESS UPS. 40 secs performing exercise on off 40secs rest between sets Weight – body weight
