"You don't need heavy weights or a gym membership to build strength": A physical therapist shares a wall-based workout for runners

A woman performs a wall sit exercise at home, wearing leggings and a vest. Her back is against a wall, her knees are bent, and her hands are clasped in front of her as she performs the move. In front of her a tablet is propped up and there is a wooden staircase behind her.
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It might sound counterintuitive, but to be a better runner, you need to do more than just run. Incorporating a small amount of strength training into your exercise routine will make running feel more comfortable and improve your speed and power.

Physical therapist Sam Caddick recently shared a routine designed to do just that. It features six moves you can do from home.

How to do Sam Caddick's wall strength routine for runners

A post shared by Sam Caddick | Rehab • Running • Mobility • Performance (@sjc.physio)

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The main thing you'll need to complete this workout is access to a wall. On top of this, you'll need some weights—this could be a pair of dumbbells, but if you don't have any Caddick recommends filling up a backpack and using that.

Caddick outlines the repetitions (reps) for each movement in his video, advising you to complete three to five rounds in total.

He also discusses RPE, which is the rate of perceived exertion, AKA how hard you feel like you're working (where one is minimum effort and 10 is maximum). For this workout, Caddick recommends aiming for a seven or an eight on each exercise.

The moves are:

  • Wall sit
  • Kickstand Romanian deadlift
  • Single leg glute bridge isolation hold and calf raise
  • Wall drive
  • Leg bridge to wall catch
  • Quadruped hip swing out to kick out
  • Loaded hip airplane

The benefits of strength training for runners

Adding strength exercises to your weekly routine is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your body as a runner. It will build muscle around load-bearing joints like your ankles and knees, which can prevent injuries. If you want to run long distances, strength training is a must.

It could help you run faster, too, particularly if you practice plyometric exercises. These exercises are designed to improve your explosive power by targeting and training your fast-twitch muscle fibers. Examples include the leg bridge to wall catch, demonstrated above, and jump-based exercises like box jumps and squat jumps.

Alice Porter
Contributor

Alice Porter is a freelance journalist covering lifestyle topics including health, fitness and wellness. She is particularly interested in women's health, strength training and fitness trends and writes for publications including Stylist Magazine, Refinery29, The Independent and Glamour Magazine. Like many other people, Alice's personal interest in combining HIIT training with strength work quickly turned into a CrossFit obsession and she trains at a box in south London. When she's not throwing weights around or attempting handstand push-ups, you can probably find her on long walks in nature, buried in a book or hopping on a flight to just about anywhere it will take her.

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