Doing some additional strength training alongside your running training can be both beneficial to your health and performance. Resistance training with kettlebells can be a great way to add this into your training plan without needing to go to a crowded gym. Try some of these kettlebell strength exercises in your next workout. 8 Kettlebell Exercises For Runners

Why Kettlebell Workouts Are Beneficial For Runners

Health

The health benefits of resistance training are beneficial even if your already active and participate in running as a hobby or a sport. Its easy to get fixated on performance and put health out the window, but health is the foundation of performance so for those alwyas looking to improve performance make sure your doing it upon a solid foundation of health.

Variety

Training variety can be very important for training to be fun and refreshing, particularly after a big event that you have prepared for. If you’ve perfectly executed your marathon training plan and now its time to take a few months easy training adding some kettlebell work in can be a great addition to a more general preparation cycle rather than a race specific.

Developing A More Robust Body

There is no evidence to show that resistance training prevents injury, that being said, having a strong and capable physique can only play to your advantage especially if your undertaking challenging trails in the mountains.

Improved Performance

Increasing strength of your legs may be able to show some slight increases in performance as the strength you can exert in your stride will be greater, this is why some of the best runners in the world incorporate resistance training in their routines.

Common Questions

Which Kettlebell Exercises Are Most Effective For Runners?

This always depends on why the individual is doing the kettlebell resistance training, but that being said, I personally like the Kettlebell A-Stance Hold for Hip and Foot Stability.

Is Kettlebell Good For Runners?

Yes, but there is a very obvious point of diminishing returns that occurs relatively quickly.

Are Kettlebells Better Than Running?

No. No form of exercise is better than the other. Kettlebells are better for strength training, running is better for cardiovascular development. To compare them is non-sensical.

Kettlebell Workout Before Or After Running?

This depends on the difficulty of each part of the workout. If your doing an easy zone 2 run, you could do a difficult strength training before or after. If your doing a tough tempo run doing kettlebell work before may not be very sensible, whatever your doing remember that your body can’t differentiate the stress of kettlebell training and running, it just perceives it as stress

Kettlebell Workouts For Endurance Athletes?

Kettlebells workouts for endurance athletes can be done to both improve strength or maintain cardiovascular abilities in the off season. These workouts should be prepared by the athletes coach as only the coach will know how much volume the athlete can tolerate and what the goals of that specific cycle are.

8 Kettlebell Exercises For Runners