Abstract
Traditionally, distance running performance was thought to be determined by several characteristics, including maximum oxygen consumption (V̇O2max), lactate threshold (LT), and running economy. Improvements in these areas are primarily achieved through endurance training. Recently, however, it has been shown that anaerobic factors may also play an important role in distance running performance. As a result, some researchers have theorised that resistance training may benefit distance runners. Because resistance training is unlikely to elicit an aerobic stimulus of greater than 50% of V̇O2max, it is unlikely that resistance training would improve V̇O2max in trained distance runners. However, it appears that V̇O2max is not compromised when resistance training is added to an endurance programme. Similarly, LT is likely not improved as a result of resistance training in trained endurance runners; however, improvements in LT have been observed in untrained individuals as a result of resistance training. Trained distance runners have shown improvements of up to 8% in running economy following a period of resistance training. Even a small improvement in running economy could have a large impact on distance running performance, particularly in longer events, such as marathons or ultra-marathons. The improvement in running economy has been theorised to be a result of improvements in neuromuscular characteristics, including motor unit recruitment and reduced ground contact time. Although largely theoretical at this point, if resistance training is to improve distance running performance, it will likely have the largest impact on anaerobic capacity and/or neuromuscular characteristics. The primary purpose of this review is to consider the impact of resistance training on the factors that are known to impact distance running performance. A second purpose is to consider different modes of resistance exercise to determine if an optimal protocol exists.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Wenger HA, Bell GJ. The interactions of intensity, frequency and duration of exercise in altering cardiorespiratory fitness. Sports Med 1986; 3: 346–56
Jones AM, Carter H. The effect of endurance training on parameters of aerobic fitness. Sports Med 2000; 29(6): 373–86
Costill DL. The relationship between selected physiological variables and distance running performance. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1967; 7: 61–6
Farrell PA, Wilmore JH, Coyle EF, et al. Plasma lactate accumulation and distance running performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1979; 11: 338–44
Daniels JT. A physiologist’s view of running economy. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1985; 17(3): 332–8
Morgan DM, Baldini FD, Martin PE, et al. Ten kilometer performance and predicted velocity at V̇O2max among well trained males runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1989; 21: 78–83
Bassett DR, Howley ET. Limiting factors for maximum oxygen uptake and determinants of endurance performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000; 32(1): 70–84
Bulbulian R, Wilcox AR, Darabos BL. Anaerobic contribution to distance running performance of trained cross-country runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1986; 18(1): 107–13
Noakes T. Implications of exercise testing for prediction of athletic performance: a contemporary perspective. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1988; 20: 319–30
Paavolainen L, Hakkinen K, Hamalainen I, et al. Explosive strength training improves 5km running time by improving running economy and muscle power. J Appl Physiol 1999; 86(5): 1527–33
Johnston RE, Quinn TJ, Kertzer R, et al. Strength training in female distance runners: impact on running economy. J Strength Cond Res 1997; 11(4): 224–9
Hickson RC, Rosenkoetter MA, Brown MM. Strength training effects on aerobic power and short-term endurance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1980; 12(5): 336–9
Hurley BF, Seals DR, Ehsan AA, et al. Effects of high-intensity strength training on cardiovascular function. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1984; 16(5): 483–8
Hickson RC, Dvorak BA, Gorostiaga EM, et al. Potential for strength and endurance training to amplify endurance performance. J Appl Physiol 1988; 65(5): 2285–90
Marcinik EJ, Potts J, Schlabach G, et al. Effects of strength training on lactate threshold and endurance performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1991; 23(6): 739–43
Hennessy LC, Watson AWS. The interference effects of training for strength and endurance simultaneously. J Strength Cond Res 1994; 8(1): 12–9
Bishop D, Jenkins DG. The influence of resistance training on the critical power function and time to fatigue at critical power. Aust J Sci Med Sport 1996; 28(4): 101–5
Bishop D, Jenkins DG, Mackinnon LT, et al. The effects of strength training on endurance performance and muscle characteristics. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999; 31(6): 886–91
McCarthy JP, Agre JC, Graf BK, et al. Compatibility of adaptive response with combining strength and endurance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1995; 27(3): 429–36
Gettman LR, Ayres JJ, Pollock ML, et al. The effect of circuit weight training on strength, cardiorespiratory function, and body composition of adult men. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1978; 10(3): 171–6
Gettman LR, Ward P, Hagan RD. A comparison of combined running and weight training with circuit weight training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1982; 14(3): 229–34
Haennel R, Teo KK, Quinney A, et al. Effects of hydraulic circuit training on cardiovascular function. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1989; 21(5): 605–12
Kaikkonen H, Yrjama M, Siljander E, et al. The effect of heart rate controlled low resistance circuit weight training and endurance on maximal aerobic power in sedentary adults. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2000; 10: 211–5
Paavolainen L, Hakkinen K, Rusko H. Effects of explosive type strength training on physical performance characteristics in cross-country skiers. Eur J Appl Physiol 1991; 62: 251–5
Stone MH, Wilson GD, Blessing D, et al. Cardiovascular responses to short-term Olympic style weight training in young men. Can J Appl Sports Sci 1983; 8(3): 134–9
Hoff J, Helgerud J, Wisloff U. Maximal strength training improves work economy in trained female cross-country skiers. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999; 31(6): 870–7
Saltin B, Astrand PO. Maximal oxygen uptake in athletes. J Appl Physiol 1967; 23: 353–8
Tabata I, Nishimura K, Kouzaki M, et al. Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and V̇O2max. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1997; 28: 1327–30
Finn C. Effects of high-intensity intermittent training on maximum oxygen uptake and endurance performance [online]. Available from URL: http://www.sportsci.org/index.html?jour/0201/0201.htm&1 [Accessed 2003 Mar 25]
Pate RR, Branch JD. Training for endurance sport. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1992; 24 (9 Suppl.): S340–3
Lindsay FH, Hawley JA, Myburgh KH, et al. Improved athletic performance in highly trained cyclists after interval training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996; 28(11): 1427–34
Wilmore JH, Costill DL. Physiology of sport and exercise. 2nd ed. Champaign (IL): Human Kinetics, 1999
Tesch PA, Komi PV, Hakkinene K. Enzymatic adaptations consequent to long-term strength training. Int J Sports Med 1987; 8: 66–9
Dudley GA. Metabolic consequences of resistive-type exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1988; 20(5): S158–61
Kraemer WJ, Deschenes MR, Fleck SJ. Physiological adaptations to resistance exercise: implications for athletic conditioning. Sports Med 1988; 6: 246–56
Sale D. Neural adaptations to resistance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1988; 20 5 Suppl.): S135–45
Tesch PA, Thorsson A, Essen-Gustavsson B. Enzyme activities of FT and ST muscle fibers in heavy-resistance trained athletes. J Appl Physiol 1989; 67(1): 83–7
Sale DG, Jacobs I, MacDougall JD, et al. Comparison of two regimens of concurrent strength and endurance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1990; 22(3): 348–56
Abernathy PJ, Jurimae J, Logan PA, et al. Acute and chronic response of skeletal muscle to resistance exercise. Sports Med 1994; 17(1): 22–38
MacDougall JD, Sale DG, Moroz JR, et al. Mitochondrial volume density in human skeletal muscle following heavy resistance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1979; 11: 164–6
Collins MA, Cureton KJ, Hill DW, et al. Relationship of heart rate to oxygen uptake during weight lifting exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1991; 23(5): 636–40
Burleson MA, O’Bryant HS, Stone MH, et al. Effect of weight training exercise and treadmill exercise on post-exercise oxygen consumption. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998; 30(4): 518–22
Beckham SG, Earnest CP. Metabolic cost of free weight circuit weight training. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2000; 40: 118–25
Hunter G, Demment R, Miller D. Development of strength and maximum oxygen uptake during simultaneous training for strength and endurance. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1987; 27(3): 269–75
Dudley GA, Fleck SJ. Strength and endurance training: are they mutually exclusive? Sports Med 1987; 4: 79–85
Hortobagyi T, Katch FI, Lachance PF. Effects of simultaneous training for strength and endurance on upper and lower body strength and running performance. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1991; 31: 20–30
Kraemer WJ, Patton JF, Gordon SE, et al. Compatibility of high-intensity strength and endurance training on hormonal and skeletal muscle adaptations. J Appl Physiol 1995; 78(3): 976–89
Sale DG, MacDougall JD, Jacobs I, et al. Interaction between concurrent strength and endurance training. J Appl Physiol 1990; 68(1): 260–70
Nakao M, Inoue Y, Murakami H. Longitudinal study of the effect of high intensity weight training on aerobic capacity. Eur J Appl Physiol 1995; 70: 20–5
Yoshida T, Udo M, Iwai K, et al. Physiological characteristics related to endurance running performance in female distance runners. J Sports Sci 1993; 11(1): 57–62
Conley DL, Krahenbuhl GS. Running economy and distance running performance of highly trained athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1980; 12: 357–60
Daniels J, Daniels N. Running economy of elite male and elite female runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1992; 24: 483–9
Johnston RE, Quinn TJ, Kertzer R, et al. Improving running economy through strength training. Strength Cond 1995; 17(4): 7–13
Dolezal BA, Potteiger JA. Resistance training for endurance runners during the off-season. Strength Cond 1986; 18(3): 7–10
Cavanagh PR, Kram R. Mechanical and muscular factors affecting the efficiency of human movement. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1985; 17(3): 326–31
Anderson T. Biomechanics and running economy. Sports Med 1996; 22(2): 76–89
Hakkinen K, Komi PV. Effect of explosive type strength training on electromyographic and force production characteristics of leg extensor muscles during concentric and various stretch-shortening cycle exercises. Scan J Sports Sci 1985; 7(2): 65–76
Kyrolainen H, Komi PV, Kim DH. Effects of power training on neuromuscular performance and mechanical efficiency. Scand J Med Sports 1991; 1: 78–87
Green HJ, Patla AE. Maximal aerobic power: neuromuscular and metabolic considerations. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1992; 24(1): 38–46
Paavolainen L, Nummela A, Rusko H, et al. Neuromuscular characteristics and fatigue during 10km running. Int J Sports Med 1999; 20: 516–21
Kyrolainen H, Belli A, Komi PV. Biomechanical factors affecting running economy. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001; 33(8): 1330–7
McArdle WD, Katch FI, Katch VL. Exercise physiology: energy, nutrition, and human performance. 3rd ed. Philadelphia (PA): Lea & Febiger, 1991
Hakkinen K. Neuromuscular adaptation during strength training, aging, detraining, and immobilization. Crit Rev Phys Rehabil Med 1994; 6: 161–98
Paavolainen LM, Nummela AT, Rusko HK. Neuromuscular characteristics and muscle power as determinants of 5-km running performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999; 31(1): 124–30
Noakes TD, Myburgh KH, Schall R. Peak treadmill running velocity during the V̇O2max test predicts running performance. J Sports Sci 1990; 8: 35–45
Houmard JA, Costill DL, Mitchell JB, et al. The role of anaerobic ability in middle distance running performance. Eur J Appl Physiol 1991; 62: 40–3
Kolbe T, Dennis SC, Selley E, et al. The relationship between critical power and running performance. J Sports Sci 1995; 13: 265–9
Tanaka H, Swensen T. Impact of resistance training on endurance: a new form of cross training? Sports Med 1998; 25(3): 191–200
Scringeour AG, Noakes TD, Adams B, et al. The influence of weekly training distance on fractional utilization of maximum aerobic capacity in marathon and ultramarathon runners. Eur J Appl Phys 1986; 55: 202–9
Billat LV, Koralsztein JP. Significance of the velocity at V̇O2max and time to exhaustion at this velocity. Sports Med 1996; 22: 90–108
Paavolainen L, Nummela A, Rusko H. Muscle power factors and V̇O2max as determinants of horizontal and uphill running performance. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2000; 10: 286–91
Rusko HK, Nummela AT. Measurement of maximal and sub-maximal anaerobic capacity: concluding chapter. Int J Sports Med 1996; 17Suppl. 2: S125–30
Rutherford OM, Greig CA, Sargeant AJ, et al. Strength training and power output: transference effects in the human quadriceps muscle. J Sports Sci 1986; 4: 101–7
Wilson GJ, Murphy AJ, Walshe A. The specificity of strength training: the effect of posture. Eur J Appl Physiol 1996; 73: 346–52
Acknowledgements
The author received no funding in the writing or preparation of this manuscript and has no conflicts of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jung, A.P. The Impact of Resistance Training on Distance Running Performance. Sports Med 33, 539–552 (2003). https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200333070-00005
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200333070-00005