Fitness
Fitness Training
Beyond your legs: Find out what muscles work when you run
Strengthening the key muscles used during running will improve your technique, reduce your risk of injury and improve your performance.
What muscles really work when you run? There are lots of them involved in movement - including the biceps, quads, but also the abs and all the hamstrings. Knowing which parts of the body work the most when running not only helps you better understand the movement itself, but also allows you to complement your plan with strength training. Strengthening key muscles improves technique, increases performance and reduces the risk of injury. In other words, running becomes more efficient and the body becomes stronger and more resistant to overload.
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Running isn't just about leg strength
Whether on a treadmill or trail, technique is everything
© Naim Chidiac/Red Bull Content Pool
At the beginning, many new runners focus only on our legs, thinking that they do all the work. Isn't that true? Not really. Running is full-body workout at its best - from your feet to your shoulders. Every muscle gets involved, propelling you forward and giving you full power in every stride.
Leg muscles do most of the work in running
When running, it's the legs that drive the entire movement and are responsible for the dynamics of the run. The key muscle parts are:
- Quadriceps of the thigh - provide cushioning when the foot makes contact with the ground and stabilise the knee joints.
- Biceps, femurs, and other muscles of the back of the thigh - responsible for bending the knees, straightening the hips and accelerating during the stride.
- Triceps calf muscles - activate when the foot is resting on the ground, preparing it for the kick out, and then relax during the flight phase.
- Gluteal muscles - work mainly during the flight phase and their effort increases when running uphill or backwards.
- Foot muscles - stabilize the body and cushion the impact, working most intensely in the support phase, just before the run-up, when the soleus muscles tighten to the maximum to give power to the foot.
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Abdominal and core muscles that also work
The core, or abdominal muscles, play a key role in running. During running, the torso naturally rotates to the right and left, which activates the oblique abdominal muscles. A strong core stabilizes the torso, helping to maintain the correct posture, improving running economy and supporting the pelvis. The most important parts of the abdominal muscles to know and strengthen are:
Strong abs means stronger running, so get training them
© Markus Berger/Red Bull Content Pool
- The rectus abdominis muscles help maintain a stable, upright running posture.
- The oblique abdominal muscles activate the pelvis and work with the hip and lumbar muscles to enable slight, alternating left-right turns of the torso. This movement engages the oblique abdominal muscles and stabilizes the whole body during running.
- The deep muscles promote spinal stability and improve balance.
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Arm and upper body muscles, or strength and dynamics
It's not just the legs and core that do the hard work - the arms have a job too. The biceps, triceps, shoulders and pectorals work in rhythm with the run, helping propel the body forward. Many runners forget this, but proper arm movement not only maintains balance and technique but also increases running efficiency. Here are the main upper-body muscle groups that actively work during running:
Your arms do a lot of work when running – or should do
© Leo Rosas/Red Bull Content Pool
- Biceps and triceps - work together in the rhythm of the run to aid balance and propulsion.
- Shoulder and pectoral muscles - maintain correct posture and help with running dynamics.
- Back muscles (e.g. dorsal widest, extensors) - stabilize the torso and support arm movement.
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Additional muscle groups
When running, the deep and stabilzing muscles of the lower body also play an essential role. They ensure that leg movement is smooth and joints are protected from excessive strain. In particular, it is worth paying attention to:
- Gluteal and iliac-lumbar muscles - coordinate the movement of the legs and pelvis.
- Joint stabilising muscles - support the knees, ankles and hips when hitting the ground.
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Why introduce strength training into running?
Strength work not only helps your running form, but helps prevent injury
© Markus Berger/Red Bull Content Pool
Strength training = better running. Find out why
Whether you want to break your local park run record, improve your 10km time or achieve a specific result in a marathon, it's worth incorporating strength training into your plan. The primary goal of strength training for runners is to strengthen the muscles responsible for stability, propulsion and proper running posture. Improving speed, running economy and reducing the risk of injury are the natural effects of such strengthening.
"Strength training has ceased to be an add-on to running - it's become its full-fledged foundation. Running is a single-pronged sport in which every step requires stability and sufficient driving force. If this 'iron scaffolding' is missing, overloads occur more quickly and the running economy starts to fly downhill. The most important muscle groups to look after are the gluteal and calf muscles, the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius, the hip and lumbar muscles and the trunk muscles - especially those responsible for stabilization and anti-rotational control. They are the ones that keep our pelvis in check, allow us to transfer rebound effectively and ultimately run faster with less energy cost.
"Strength training should be part of every runner's routine, from beginners to elite athletes. You don't need to use heavy weights or an elaborate gym right away. For a start, working with your own body weight and a slower-paced exercise that immediately increases difficulty and muscular involvement is sufficient. The base should consist of simple movement patterns: split squat, squat, single-leg deadlift, hip thrust and various plank variations. The key is regularity - even one decent workout a week can reduce the risk of injury, improve running economy and simply make running more fun," explains Dominik Tabor, a physiotherapist, osteopath and leading Polish mountain runner.
Advice from experts:
Dominik Tabor is a physiotherapist, osteopath and leading Polish mountain runner. He combines clinical practice with the experience of an elite athlete to create a modern, science-based approach to training and injury prevention.
Dominik Tabor
© Dominika Rakszewska
"Strength training is a very important part of a runner's preparation, regardless of whether they're running on asphalt or in the mountains. Running alone is not enough to develop athletically and maintain musculoskeletal health. Strength is the foundation on which speed, endurance and technique are built. Strengthening stabilizing structures - such as the knees, hips or spine - significantly reduces the risk of injury, while improving running economy. Improved power and stride dynamics directly translate into higher speeds, while a stable pelvis and strong core support technique and body alignment during running.
"Thanks to strength training, the runner can also complete higher training volumes without overloading the body, strengthen tendons and deep tissues that are particularly prone to micro-injuries and, additionally, improve their running strength on uphill and downhill runs," adds Piotr Komorowicz, a motor preparation coach specializing in running who promotes a holistic approach to training, combining running with strength, stretching and rolling exercises.
Piotr Komorowicz
© Aleksandra Szmigiel
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Sample strength training that will improve your running
Below are tried-and-tested strength training suggestions for runners - both examples of specific exercises in the form of super-series from Dominik and an annual strength plan from Piotr that takes into account the different phases of the season. This ensures that every runner, regardless of level, can consciously incorporate strength into their training program and maximize their body's potential.
Strength training proposal for runners from Dominik
Exercises are performed in super-series, combining one exercise with another. Each exercise is repeated in three sets of 8-12 repetitions, and the interval after completing two exercises in a super-series is 30 seconds to one minute. This approach maximizes your training time by doing more work in less time.
Superseries 1: Bulgarian squat and push-ups strengthen the legs, glutes and upper body while improving trunk stabilization.
Super-series 2: Hip thrust and Russian twist focus on glutes and abdominal muscles to stabilize the pelvis and support core work during running.
Super-series 3: Drop jump and banded monster walk develop leg dynamics, explosive power and lateral strength, which are crucial for hip stability.
Super-series 4: Toe climb and side plank clamshell strengthen the calves, ankle-stabilizing muscles and lateral core.
Super-series 5: Romanian deadlift and pogo jump work on the posterior muscle band, explosive strength and motor coordination.
Switching on your body and stretching before a run is vital
© Markus Berger/Red Bull Content Pool
Strength training suggestion for runners from Peter
Planning strength training throughout the year should account for the runner's changing needs. During the winter, when building a strength base, it is best to perform 2-3 strength sessions per week, using heavy weights and low repetitions to develop overall strength. In spring, during the transition period, it is advisable to limit training to 1-2 sessions per week, with a focus on dynamic strength, plyometric and speed exercises. In the summer, during competitions, the gym should be supportive: one short session per week with lighter loads and greater emphasis on mobility and preventive work is sufficient. After the season is over, there comes the recovery time, during which mobility and corrective exercises become a priority, allowing you to rebuild muscle balance and prepare your body for the next training cycle.
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Strength training - the secret to good running
Running is, in fact, a full-body workout - although the main work is done by the legs and glutes, without a stable torso and active work of the arms, each step would be less effective, and the risk of injury would increase significantly. This is why it is so important for the runner to understand the role of individual muscles and who is responsible for stabilization, propulsion and technique. Running training is not just about running; it is about consciously strengthening the entire musculoskeletal system. Strengthen your body, and it will reward you with a faster pace and better technique. Every step will become more dynamic and safer!
