Lower Body Exercises for Runners

If you’re not already doing some strengthening as part of your training routine, you’re missing out on a lot of benefits of strength training for runners. Regular strength training can improve your running efficiency, endurance, speed, and help reduce your risk of injuries.

These simple lower body exercises for runners will strengthen your quads, calves, glutes, and hamstrings, and can help prevent injuries, especially for those who are prone to knee pain. You don’t need to go to a gym or use any special equipment to do them — they’re all basic bodyweight exercises.

Forward Lunge

The forward lunge is a great exercise for strengthening your quads (front thighs), glutes, and even your core.

Here’s how to do a forward lunge:

1. Start by standing with good posture. Your feet should be hip to shoulder width apart, and your arms should be at your sides.
2. Take a big step forward, keeping upper body as straight as possible.
3. Lunge until your front thigh is parallel to the ground and your back knee is close to the ground.
4. Your front knee should be bent at approximately 90 degrees. Make sure your front knee doesn’t go past your toes.
5. Keep your eyes looking straight ahead, and don’t look down. You can reach your arms straight up, over your head, or leave them at your sides.
6. Return back to the standing position, alternate legs and repeat. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps on each side.

Donkey Kicks

Donkey kick exercises help build strong glutes or butt muscles.

Here’s how to do a donkey kick exercise:

1. Start on your hands and knees, with your abdominal muscles drawn in toward your spine.
2. Lift your left leg up behind you, keeping your right knee bent, and raise your leg until it is in line with your body.
3. Bring your left leg back to the starting position.
4. Repeat 12 to 15 times on each leg.

Calf raises

A very simple and easy-to-do exercise, calf raises build calf strength and improves ankle stability, which is important to proper knee alignment.

Here’s how to do a calf raise:

1. While standing, lift both of your heels off the ground so that you’re on the balls of your feet.
2. Slowly lower your heels to the starting position.
3. Do 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
4. To increase the difficulty, do the exercise one leg at a time.

Wall sits

Wall sits are an easy and efficient way help strengthen your hamstrings, quads, glutes and abs in one shot.

1. Stand about two feet in front of a wall and lean your back against it.
2. Slowly bend your knees and lower your body until your thighs are parallel with the floor, keeping your abs contracted for 30 seconds.
3. As you build strength, increase the amount of time you hold the position.

Straight Leg Raises

Straight-leg raises strengthen your quadriceps muscles (thighs) to help support your knees. This is a perfect leg strengthening exercise for anyone who experiences knee pain while running, especially around the knee cap.

1. Lie on your back with your arms at your side, right leg straight, left leg bent, and left foot flat on the floor.
2. Contract your right quad and slowly raise your right leg to the height of your left knee.
3. Keeping your right thigh contracted, slowly lower your right leg back to the starting position.
4. Do 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions on each side. When that becomes too easy, hold in the up position for a count of 5.

More Strengthening Exercises for Runners:

• Core Strengthening Exercises for Runners
• Calf Strengthening Exercises for Runners

Running coach, avid runner, and fitness writer Christine Luff is an RRCA-certified running coach and ACE-certified personal trainer. Founder of the website Run for Good and author of the book Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, she coaches runners, from beginners to advanced, who are training for races, from 5Ks to marathons.