Sample Dumbbell Workout for Runners
Distance runners should focus the bulk of their weight training on core and lower body strength. Below is a good run-specific workout with dumbbells.
Walking lunges
Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Under control, take a step forward with a bent leg and land on the whole foot as you stretch your hips forward. Make sure your knee is moving in the same line as your front foot, not caving in or out. The back knee will be a few inches above the ground at the bottom of the lunge. Don’t let it touch the ground. Keep your torso upright and don’t lean excessively forward or arch your lower back. Push hard with your front leg to apply force down to return back to a standing position. Don’t rely on your back foot to push you forward. Alternate lead legs on each lunge. Aim for 4 sets of 12 lunges (6 per leg). Increase the weight as you get stronger.
Goblet squats
Hold one heavy dumbbell at chest level with your hands on the top head of the weight. Your fingers should wrap around the dumbbell head and the heels of your palms should be facing each other. With your feet just outside shoulder width and your feet turned slightly out, slowly bend at the hips and knees to descend into the bottom of a squat. Keep your knees moving in line with the feet; don’t let them cave in or out. Make sure to apply pressure through the whole foot. Many people let their heels come of the ground; don’t make that mistake because your balance will fail and your squat will become too quad dominant. From the bottom of the squat, apply force down and stand back up. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the rep to make sure your hips are extended. Aim for 5 sets of 8 squats.
Romanian deadlifts
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with the backs of your hands facing forward. Feet are shoulder width apart, toes facing forward. Bend the knees very slightly without letting your knees drift forward. Your shin should be perpendicular to the ground at all times during this exercise. Under control and with a straight back, lower the weights by pushing your hips straight back. The weights should stay close to the legs as you descend. When you feel a big stretch on your hamstrings and your lower back start to round, forcefully drive your hips forward to a return the standing position. Squeeze your glutes as the hips come forward to fully extend. That’s one rep. Aim for 5 sets of 8 reps. People doing these for the first time will be very sore the next day if done correctly.
Dead bugs
Using very light dumbbells (2.5 lbs for beginners) lie on your back and lift your legs to a 90-degree angle at the hips and knees. Arms are straight up with the weights directly above the shoulders. That’s the starting position. Keep your lower back forcefully pressed against the ground throughout the entire exercise. Arching your back takes tension from your abdominal muscles and will defeat the purpose of the exercise. From the starting position, extend one leg out so it is straight with the heel a few inches above the ground. As you extend the leg, extend the opposite arm (so left leg with right arm, or right leg with left arm) backwards so the weight is a few inches from the ground. You should feel your abs wanting to lose tension. Maintain a slight crunch as you return the leg and arm to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side. Aim for 3-4 sets of 12 reps per set (6 reps per side).
Calf raises
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and with the feet 2 inches apart, rise up by contracting your calf muscles until you are on the balls of your feet. Very slowly return to the starting position by lowering your heels under control. You can stand on the edge of a step to increase the range of motion. Do 2 sets of 20 reps with your legs straight. Then do 2 sets of 20 reps with your knees bent and keep the knees bent as you complete the movement. The bent-knee version targets your soleus muscles, which many runners neglect to train.
