How Strength & Plyometric Training Improve Running Performance

Feb 4

Strength and plyometric training produce powerful adaptations in the muscles, tendons, and nervous system that make running more efficient, economical, and resilient. These changes help runners generate more force with less effort—allowing you to run faster, farther, and with a lower risk of injury.

Key Adaptations from Strength Training

1. Enhanced Neuromuscular Efficiency

Strength training improves the ability of the brain and muscles to communicate. Better muscle recruitment and coordination reduce unnecessary movement and lower the energy cost of running.

2. Greater Tendon Stiffness

Stronger, stiffer tendons improve force transmission and increase elastic energy storage. This allows the body to recycle more energy with each stride, making running mechanics more efficient and economical.

3. Improved Force Application

Stronger leg muscles generate force with less effort. This reduces oxygen consumption, delays fatigue, and boosts both speed and efficiency—especially during hills, accelerations, and sprints.

4. Increased Muscular Endurance

Strength training enhances fatigue resistance in key running muscles, helping runners maintain pace, form, and efficiency over long distances.

Key Adaptations from Plyometric Training

Plyometric exercises train the body to produce force rapidly, improving reactive strength and reducing ground-contact time.

Common plyometric drills include:

Countermovement Jumps (CMJ)
Drop Jumps (DJ)
Bounding Drills

Why Plyometrics Matter

1. Improved Muscle–Tendon Stiffness

Plyometrics enhance the energy storage and recoil capacity of tendons during ground contact, reducing the energy cost of running.

2. Enhanced Neuromuscular Efficiency

These fast, explosive movements train the nervous system to activate muscles quickly and powerfully, improving stride mechanics and running economy.

3. Increased Leg Spring Stiffness (LSS)

Higher LSS allows runners to maintain better posture and force output with each step, resulting in more economical running patterns.

4. Greater Explosive Power

Plyometrics improve acceleration, sprint capabilities, and hill-running performance—all essential for race surges, passing competitors, and maintaining pace late in a run.

Strength + Plyometrics = Maximum Running Performance

Research shows that combining heavy resistance training with plyometric training produces the greatest improvements in running economy, making it a crucial component of any endurance runner's program.

These adaptations increase:

Power output
Efficiency
Fatigue resistance
Tissue resilience and load capacity

Even a short, structured routine—just 15 minutes twice a week—can dramatically reduce injury risk and boost performance.

Essential Strength & Plyometric Exercises for Runners

To maximize performance, include these foundational exercises in your training program:

1. Heavy Resistance Training

Squats
Deadlifts
Lunge variations (forward, reverse, lateral)
Split squats / Bulgarian split squats

Research shows that increasing your 1-rep max (1RM) in squats improves running economy, making you a more efficient and powerful runner. Unilateral exercises help correct imbalances, improving efficiency and reducing injury risk.

2. Plyometric Training

Countermovement Jumps
Drop Jumps
Bounding
Pogos
Single-Leg Hops
Skipping Drills

These movements build explosive strength, tendon stiffness, and reactive capacity—all essential qualities for efficient running mechanics.

Need Personalized Guidance?

At KAUNO, we use Force Plate Technology to eliminate guesswork and provide precise, individualized data about your strength, symmetry, power output, and tissue capacity.

Our team of physical therapists and strength coaches designs data-driven training and rehab programs tailored to your unique needs—helping you train smarter, not just harder.

Take your running to the next level.
Run stronger, faster, and injury-free.

References

Dorn TW, Schache AG, Pandy MG. Muscular strategy shift in human running: dependence of running speed on hip and ankle muscle performance. J Exp Biol. 2012.
Beattie K, Carson BP, Lyons M, Kenny IC. The effect of strength training on performance indicators in distance runners. J Strength Cond Res. 2017.

Dr. Tiara Dunson

Tiara is passionate about helping patients achieve their goals. She believes every individual requires a unique and tailored approach that is built on teamwork, trust, and great communication. She is an active learner who is constantly researching and seeking new ways to help her patient’s achieve their goals. A previous NCAA Division I Basketball player, Tiara has a love for strength and conditioning and believes in bridging the gap between rehabilitation and performance. When Tiara isn’t helping patients reach their goals she enjoys playing basketball, running, rock climbing, and collecting records.

https://kauno.health/tiaradunson