By Stan Tsoy, Rhapsody CrossFit Coach

You’re all signed up for the big race – now it’s time to lace up your sneakers and log some miles. Whether this is your first couch to 5K or annual marathon, I am here to tell you that your training can only be enhanced with a supplemental strength training program.

cough…CrossFit…cough

Hear me out. At its core, CrossFit focuses on improving intramuscular coordination through gymnastics, weightlifting, as well as aerobic and anaerobic training. Through functional movements, such as squats, deadlifts and pull ups, you fire dynamic muscle fibers (Type I and Type II) from head to toe, which will lead to improved running performance.

When we run, we want our biggest muscles to initiate the stride and do the heavy lifting with the smaller muscles finishing the job. Having a stronger torso and limbs will allow you to have a more efficient posture and produce a more powerful stride as you run.

Coach Stan Tsoy at Rhapsody CrossFit in Charleston, SC.

Not only will strength training help you be a more proficient runner, but it is also critical to injury prevention.

Common running injuries include Achilles tendonitis (11%); back pain, compartment syndrome, groin pull, and hamstring injuries (7%); iliotibial band syndrome (14%); shin splints and plantar fasciitis (15%); and, the big one, runner’s knee (a whopping 40% of running-related injuries).

Incorporating CrossFit into your running program will increase your overall strength and ability to move your body through space, which ultimately improves your ability to absorb force as you move. When it comes to running, not only will strength training help you propel yourself and maintain your posture, but it will also allow your body to better weather the strikes you take with each stride.

If you’ve ever done a CrossFit workout, you know it’s not just about picking up heavy things and putting them down – there is a metabolic conditioning component in most workouts.

Through CrossFit programming, we tap into various metabolic energy systems that our body uses during exercise. Most people are more proficient in one energy system than the other due to the type of exercise they choose to do.

For example, a long-distance runner has a much more developed aerobic capacity compared to a 100m sprinter who primarily relies on the anaerobic energy systems. Long short, the types of workouts we gravitate toward tend to better us as a sprinter OR a marathoner; whereas CrossFit challenges both types of conditioning.

CrossFit workouts vary in duration from 2 to 40 minutes forcing athletes to train in different energy systems, which (whether they like it or not) improves their ability to consume oxygen and perform better during races and competitions.

Finally, CrossFit is the spice of life you need to put one foot in front of the other. Mile after mile, progress can stall due to the lack of variance in your training plan.

CrossFit, by definition, is high-intensity, constantly varied functional movement that employs numerous skills and exercises in multiple combinations to deliver the maximum results within the minimal amount of time. In addition to logging your miles, CrossFit provides the variety you need to work new muscles and switch up the stimuli as efficiently as possible.

Do you have a race on the books? We welcome the chance to chat through your training plan and talk about how Rhapsody CrossFit in Charleston can help you run your best race to date. Reach out to us today for a free consultation or drop-in for a workout on us.

CrossFit provides the variety you need to work new muscles and switch up the stimuli as efficiently as possible.