Why Endurance Athletes Should Lift Heavy and Train Speed and Power

Endurance athletes are often told to avoid the weight room, or to stick with light weights and high repetitions so they do not get “bulky” or slow. The research says otherwise. Heavy strength training and speed and power work can make runners more efficient, and they do not have to cost you your engine.

There is a catch, though, and it is one that headlines like “lift heavy” tend to skip. Strength training is a skill. You earn the right to lift heavy by learning how to move well first.

This post covers what the research says, why speed and power work belongs in a runner’s week, and how to bring both in safely.

Does Strength Training Actually Make Runners Faster?

Mostly yes, and the main reason is not bigger muscles or a bigger engine. It is efficiency.

Running economy describes how much oxygen you use to hold a given pace. Two runners with the same VO2max can perform very differently if one of them spends less energy at race pace.

A 2008 study by Støren and colleagues had well-trained runners add eight weeks of heavy half squats (four sets of four repetitions, three times a week) to their normal running. Running economy improved by about 5%, and time to exhaustion at maximal aerobic speed improved by 21.3%. VO2max and body weight did not change (Støren et al., 2008).

A systematic review of 24 studies found that strength training generally improved running economy by 2 to 8% compared with running alone, though not in every study (Blagrove et al., 2018). A separate meta-analysis in highly trained runners reached a similar conclusion (Balsalobre-Fernández et al., 2016).

These gains come without a change in VO2max. You are not building a bigger engine. You are helping the one you have use less fuel.

Why Heavy?

Heavy lifting trains your nervous system to recruit more muscle fibres, and to do it more efficiently. You can get stronger without getting much bigger. Each stride then costs a smaller percentage of your maximum strength, so the same pace feels easier.

Load matters. A 2022 meta-analysis of long-distance runners found a small benefit to running economy from heavy resistance training, while plyometric training on its own had a trivial effect. Programs using loads near 90% of one-rep max showed greater effects than lighter loads (Eihara et al., 2022). A 2024 meta-analysis found that high-load strength training improved performance in middle and long-distance runners, and that combining methods may help more (Llanos-Lagos et al., 2024).

One caution: the studies above enrolled runners who were already trained and, in most cases, comfortable with the lifts. They tell us what heavy loading can do once someone is ready for it. They do not tell a beginner to start there.

Strength Is a Skill: Build the Foundation First

If you are new to lifting and cannot yet hinge, squat or lunge with good control, we are not loading you heavy. Lifting heavy before you can move well is how people get hurt, and how they end up with technique habits that are hard to undo.

This is what we call the general physical preparedness phase. It is usually higher volume and lower load, and its job is to build capacity: learning the fundamental patterns, strengthening tissues that have not been loaded much, and building the work capacity to handle harder training later.

How long this takes depends on the person. In my experience, a true novice usually spends two to three months here, but it can stretch to five or more, especially if we only see each other once a week. That is a coaching observation, not a research finding. Frequency, previous training history, and how quickly movement quality develops all change the timeline.

Once the movements are solid, the weight goes up and the repetitions come down. Someone with a lifting background can reasonably get there much sooner. The standard is not a calendar date. It is being able to perform the main patterns with control, consistently, under fatigue.

What About Speed and Power?

Strength is only part of what a running stride asks of you. Your foot is on the ground for a fraction of a second, which is far less time than a heavy squat takes. Rate of force development (RFD) is how quickly you can produce force, and power work trains that.

In a well-known study, Paavolainen and colleagues had endurance athletes replace part of their training with explosive work, including sprints, jumping drills and fast leg press and knee extension exercises, for nine weeks. Their 5 km time, running economy and maximal speed on a treadmill running test improved, while a control group that only did endurance training saw no change. VO2max did not change in the explosive group (Paavolainen et al., 1999). The sample was small (10 vs. 8 athletes), so treat it as supportive rather than final.

A review by Rønnestad and Mujika (2014) agreed that combining endurance training with either heavy or explosive strength work improves running economy. Proposed explanations include better neuromuscular efficiency and greater musculotendinous stiffness. Our post on dorsiflexion in plyometric training goes deeper on how the ankle works like a spring.

Power work does not have to start with anything complicated. Snap downs and med ball slams are introductory drills that teach you to produce force quickly and with intent. From there, we can progress to pogos, skipping, box jumps, broad jumps and other plyometrics as your landing mechanics and tissue tolerance allow. If you run trails, our post on strength training for trail running covers how this applies to climbs and uneven terrain.

Won’t Lifting Make Me Bulky or Slow?

The research on runners suggests this worry is largely unfounded. In the Støren study, body weight did not change, and running economy improved without a change in VO2max (Støren et al., 2008).

Muscle gain depends on training volume, nutrition and total energy intake. A few heavy, low-repetition sets alongside high running volume is not a bodybuilding program.

The bigger risk is the opposite one: stacking hard lifting on top of too much hard running without enough recovery. That is a programming problem, not a reason to avoid lifting.

Does Lifting Prevent Injuries?

This is less clear than people claim. A large review of exercise interventions found strength training was the most effective single intervention for reducing sports injuries overall (Lauersen et al., 2014), but that review covered many sports, not only running.

For runners specifically, the evidence is mixed. I would not promise that lifting will keep you injury-free. What I will say is that stronger tissues tolerate load better, and that supervised, well-progressed training is a sensible way to build that tolerance.

Principles for Applying This

Learn the movements before you load them

Technique comes first. If you cannot hinge, squat, lunge and brace well at light loads, more weight will not help you. Build the foundation, then progress.

Start the session with speed and power

When we train this, I usually begin with speed and power work, then move into heavy lifting, then accessory work. Power needs a fresh nervous system. If you try to jump or throw after a hard set of squats, quality drops, and quality is the point of those drills. This is session order. It is separate from the long-term progression above, which still moves from foundation to heavier loading as you get ready for it.

Keep the aerobic base the priority

Strength and power work supports endurance training. It does not replace it. Keep most of your running easy while you develop your aerobic base, and use strength work to complement it. If time is tight, two sessions a week is a realistic starting point, and intensity and consistency matter more than frequency (see our post on whether two days of strength training is enough).

Key Takeaways

•          Strength training improves running economy, often by roughly 2 to 8%, without raising VO2max.

•          Heavy loading shows larger benefits than light, high-repetition work, but the studies mostly involved trained runners who were already ready for it.

•          Strength is a skill. Novices need a general physical preparedness phase to learn the movements and build capacity before lifting heavy, and that can take months.

•          Speed and power work trains how quickly you can produce force. Snap downs and med ball slams are good starting drills, with pogos, skipping, box jumps and broad jumps to follow.

•          Injury prevention evidence for runners is mixed. Expect better load tolerance, not a guarantee.

•          In a session, power work generally goes first, then heavy lifting, then accessories.

Work With Avos Strength

If you are a runner in Vancouver wondering how to fit strength and power into your training, get in touch and we can build a plan around your goals and race calendar.

References

Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Santos-Concejero, J., & Grivas, G. V. (2016). Effects of strength training on running economy in highly trained runners: A systematic review with meta-analysis of controlled trials. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(8), 2361-2368. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001316

Blagrove, R. C., Howatson, G., & Hayes, P. R. (2018). Effects of strength training on the physiological determinants of middle- and long-distance running performance: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 48(5), 1117-1149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0835-7

Eihara, Y., Takao, K., Sugiyama, T., Maeo, S., Terada, M., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2022). Heavy resistance training versus plyometric training for improving running economy and running time trial performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine - Open, 8, 138. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-022-00511-1

Lauersen, J. B., Bertelsen, D. M., & Andersen, L. B. (2014). The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48(11), 871-877. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2013-092538

Llanos-Lagos, C., Ramirez-Campillo, R., Moran, J., & Sáez de Villarreal, E. (2024). The effect of strength training methods on middle-distance and long-distance runners’ athletic performance: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 54(7), 1801-1833. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-024-02018-z

Paavolainen, L., Häkkinen, K., Hämäläinen, I., Nummela, A., & Rusko, H. (1999). Explosive-strength training improves 5-km running time by improving running economy and muscle power. Journal of Applied Physiology, 86(5), 1527-1533. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1999.86.5.1527

Rønnestad, B. R., & Mujika, I. (2014). Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: A review. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 24(4), 603-612. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12104

Støren, Ø., Helgerud, J., Støa, E. M., & Hoff, J. (2008). Maximal strength training improves running economy in distance runners. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 40(6), 1087-1092. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318168da2f

How to Train Like a Pro Without Overtraining: 3 Conditioning Mistakes Every Fighter Makes

Written by Evelyn Calado, MKin, CSCS, RKin

“You’re in shape… until you aren’t.”

Every boxer knows the feeling. You think you’re in shape, you’re sparring well, and then by Round 2 your legs feel like concrete. The problem isn’t effort. It’s the wrong kind of conditioning.

In combat sports, the difference between being fit and being fight ready is small but critical. Fighters often equate exhaustion with improvement. But fatigue is not the goal. The goal is to develop a system that lets you recover, repeat, and stay sharp under stress.

True conditioning teaches your body how to sustain power and recover faster between bursts. It builds the capacity to deliver the same output over and over without falling apart technically.

Mistake #1: Living in the “No-Adaptation Zone”

Most fighters train at one speed all the time. The intensity is too high to truly build aerobic qualities, yet not high enough to improve anaerobic power. This middle zone feels hard but does not create meaningful adaptation.

Training in this gray area leaves you constantly tired without improving the key factors that drive endurance. The aerobic system is the foundation for every other energy system. It is what allows you to recover between flurries, maintain composure, and control your pace.

When the bulk of training sits around 80 to 85 percent of maximum heart rate, the heart and muscles are working, but they are not being pushed to develop either side of the spectrum.

Fix:
Include one dedicated aerobic session each week. Keep the effort at a comfortable but steady pace where you can still breathe through your nose.

• 25 to 30 minutes at 65 to 75 percent of maximum heart rate, or RPE 4 to 5.

• Use light jogging, a spin bike, or shadowboxing flow work.

These lower-intensity sessions build the foundation that makes every other type of conditioning more effective later in camp.

Mistake #2: Mistaking Fatigue for Progress

If every session leaves you completely drained, you are not building capacity, you are burning it.

Fatigue by itself does not equal progress. When you constantly push to exhaustion, your coordination drops, timing slows, and recovery between rounds suffers.

Conditioning should improve the ability to produce high effort repeatedly, not the ability to survive pain. The aim is quality effort, not constant exhaustion.

Fighters often overload glycolytic, or medium-duration, efforts. They push too hard for too long and never develop the shorter, high-power system or the longer aerobic system that supports it. The result is a strong first thirty seconds and then a quick drop-off in speed and output.

Fix:
Introduce short, high-quality power intervals that target your explosive energy system.

• Perform 8 to 10 seconds of all-out work such as a bike sprint, heavy bag flurry, or sled push.

• Rest for 80 to 100 seconds at an easy pace before repeating.

• Complete 6 to 8 total efforts.

These efforts improve maximal power and nervous system efficiency while allowing full recovery between reps.

Mistake #3: Ignoring the Aerobic Engine

The aerobic system is what keeps fighters explosive through multiple rounds. It is also what allows the body to recover between rounds and between training sessions.

Aerobic training does not make a fighter slow. It develops the internal engine that supplies energy to every burst and every exchange. A well-developed aerobic system improves the ability to replenish ATP, clear hydrogen ions, and use lactate as a fuel source during sustained work.

The common idea that fatigue is caused by lactic acid buildup is outdated. Lactic acid does not actually accumulate in the muscles. Instead, it separates into lactate and hydrogen ions, and the resulting increase in acidity contributes to fatigue. Aerobic training improves the body’s ability to manage that acidity and maintain performance over time.

Fix:
Use structured aerobic capacity intervals once or twice a week.

• Work for 2 to 3 minutes at 80 to 90 percent of maximum heart rate or RPE 6 to 7.

• Recover actively for 2 to 3 minutes until your heart rate drops below 130 beats per minute.

• Repeat 4 to 6 rounds.

This type of interval work develops both delivery and utilization of oxygen, helping you stay relaxed and efficient even at higher outputs.

Why Smart Conditioning Wins Fights

The best-conditioned fighters are not always the ones who look the fittest in training. They are the ones who can stay calm, explosive, and efficient no matter how chaotic the fight becomes.

That calmness is a physiological skill. It comes from balancing the aerobic system that drives recovery, the anaerobic system that fuels sustained power, and the alactic system that supports short, explosive actions.

Smart conditioning develops all three systems in the right sequence and with the right intent. Build the base first, layer power on top, and taper the total load before competition.

Train Systems, Not Just Willpower

The difference between being in shape and being ready to fight is not about effort, it is about precision.

Conditioning should make you faster, more efficient, and more durable. It should leave you confident that your body can keep up with your skill. Hard work matters, but only when it builds something specific.

“Hard work is only as good as what it builds.”
— Joel Jamieson

Take the Guesswork Out of Your Conditioning

Knowing what to train is only half the battle. Knowing when and how to train each energy system is what separates a well-conditioned fighter from a tired one. A structured plan designed around your schedule, fight calendar, and current fitness level turns theory into progress.

If you’re serious about improving your fight conditioning, click here to explore our custom programs for fighters— designed to help you train smarter, recover faster, and perform your best when it matters most.

References

• Jamieson, J. (2009). Ultimate MMA Conditioning.

• Bott, C. (2023). Uncovering Limitations in Work Capacity.

• Robergs, R. et al. (2004). “Biochemistry of Exercise-Induced Metabolic Acidosis,” American Journal of Physiology.

• Brooks, G. et al. (2005). Exercise Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and Its Applications.

Why Dorsiflexion Matters in Plyometric Drills

Written by Evelyn Calado, MKin, CSCS, RKin

In plyometric drills—whether it’s bounding, skipping, or pogo hops you’ll often hear the cue:

“Dorsiflex your foot!”

But why does that matter?

Dorsiflexion (pulling your toes up toward your shin) might seem like a small technical detail, but it has a big impact on performance, coordination, and injury prevention.

You can see in the above video how I dorsiflex my foot (by pulling my toes up) as I’m in the air, before I land again for the next pogo hop.

1. Prepares the Ankle for Stiffness and Quick Rebound

Dorsiflexion creates a rigid lever at the ankle joint, allowing the lower leg and foot to act like a spring. This increases reactive strength—your body’s ability to quickly absorb and release force—which is essential for explosive movements. The result? Shorter ground contact times and a faster, more elastic rebound off the ground.

📚 Weyand et al. (2000) showed that faster sprinters generate higher vertical forces during short ground contact times, a quality supported by stiff ankle positions.
📚 Nagahara et al. (2014) observed that dorsiflexion supports greater horizontal force during sprinting due to increased ankle stiffness.

2. Optimizes Force Transfer

A dorsiflexed foot puts your lower leg in the right position to transmit force efficiently. When your foot is loose or pointed downward (plantarflexed), energy leaks through the ankle, reducing your power output. Dorsiflexing locks the chain in place so every contact helps drive you forward instead of absorbing momentum.

3. Enhances Neural Readiness and Coordination

Dorsiflexion activates key stabilizing muscles like the tibialis anterior, reinforcing good joint alignment and movement mechanics. It trains your body to better coordinate the timing of your stride or jump, improving motor control for athletic skills like sprinting, decelerating, or changing direction. Over time, this improves both performance and efficiency.

📚 Fong et al. (2011) and others note that anterior tibialis activation is essential for controlled foot placement and efficient ground interaction in gait and athletic movement.

4. Encourages Safer Movement Patterns

A dorsiflexed position encourages midfoot or forefoot landings, reducing heel striking and lowering the impact forces on joints like the knees, hips, and lower back. It also places the ankle in a more stable and neutral position, which may reduce stress on the joint and contribute to safer mechanics.

• Improved dorsiflexion range correlates with better movement quality

  Malloy et al. (2015) found that limited dorsiflexion increases knee valgus angles during landing—a known risk factor for ACL injury.

• Restricted dorsiflexion is associated with compensations and faulty loading

  Research links poor ankle mobility to increased loading on the knees and altered jumping/landing strategies (Macrum et al., 2012).

• There’s indirect evidence of injury risk reduction

  While not a guarantee against injury, dorsiflexion encourages mechanics that are commonly associated with reduced strain on the ankle, shin, and knee.

• Causal proof is still limited

  There are no large-scale RCTs proving dorsiflexion prevents injuries—but its contribution to stable, efficient movement is well established.

Final Takeaway

Dorsiflexion isn’t just about how your foot looks—it’s about how your body moves. It helps you jump higher, land better, and sprint faster while reinforcing movement quality that may help reduce injury risk. In high- speed, high-impact movements, the little things make a big difference.

Train. Play. Repeat.

Curious how small technical tweaks can level up your movement? Book a session at Avos Strength and let’s break it down.