The Offseason Is Where Strength—and Progress—Are Built
Norton Physical Therapy in Washington DC specializes in helping runners get out of pain and perform their best!
The past two years of marathon training were incredible—and a lot. This spring, I’ve been embracing my offseason: more free time, fewer miles, and new ways to move (often inspired by my 4-year-old’s idea of fun = chaos!).
And because I can’t help myself... I ran through the same movement screen we use with our running clients.
Let’s just say: yikes.
Even as a physical therapist, lifting consistently—and with intention—hasn’t always come easy. There’s so much noise out there about the “best” way to train, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, stall out, or not even begin.
So I went back to basics. I wanted a strength plan that:
Didn’t take forever
Used movements that actually made me more resilient and improved my running performance
After 16 years working with runners and busy professionals, I’ve heard the same struggles I was feeling: inconsistency, confusion, and that subtle dread of “what should I actually be doing today?”
Runners tend to treat strength training like my son treats brushing his teeth: he knows it’s good for him—but he’s not doing it without some convincing.
Norton Physical Therapy in Washington DC specializes in helping runners get out of pain and perform their best!
Here’s the good news: to build strength and muscle, you don’t need a complicated or time-consuming program. Research shows you can make solid gains with just 1 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps at an intensity of 5 to 9/10 RPE (rate of perceived exertion), twice a week(1).
However, if you’ve been lifting for a few months or years, the intensity needs to be higher to keep seeing progress. And rest between sets matters too—just like you'd tweak rest intervals for mile repeats vs. VO2 max intervals. To improve strength, most studies recommend 2 to 3 minutes of rest between sets.
And you don’t need to “train like a runner.” General, compound movements—like squats, deadlifts, pushes, and pulls—go a long way. If you want more carryover to running, layer in unilateral strength or power: single-leg squats or skater hops help your body learn to generate and absorb force efficiently.
Honestly, I like to keep my workouts snappy. I use circuits that pair strength work with mobility or flexibility drills—a great way to stay moving while still giving muscles at least 2 minutes to recover between sets.
Here’s an example of a strength circuit I’ve been doing:
Lower Body Strength: Single-Leg Squat to a box (with a weight I can lift 5 times but not 10)
Push or Pull: Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press (same rule)
Ankle/Foot Mobility: Plantar foot massage x 30 sec/side
Hip Mobility: Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch – 45 sec/side
That’s one circuit. Then I repeat it three more times.
During my self-screen, I found weak gluteus medius strength, sad single-leg bridge tolerance, and locked-up hip flexors. So I added a second circuit to hit those more isolated hip and core muscles:
Hip Abductor: Side Plank from knees with hip abduction lift x 10/side
Hip Adductor: Plate Drags x 10–12/side
Calves: Single-leg heel raise off a step x 8–12/side
Upper Back: Scap T’s x 8–12
That’s another circuit I do 3–4 rounds of, twice a week. Nothing fancy—just effective.
This kind of training checks all the boxes: it’s efficient, improves performance, and makes daily life easier. It’s also been shown to boost longevity, help manage conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, and make runners faster and more resilient(2).
And strength training isn’t just for injury prevention. A 2018 systematic review found that runners who consistently lifted 2–3 times per week improved their running economy, time trial performance, and maximal sprint speed—without gaining unwanted mass or interfering with their aerobic training(3).
And if you're wondering whether strength training actually prevents running injuries? Two recent studies found that runners who followed a consistent strength program had significantly fewer injuries than those who didn’t—especially when it focused on hip and core strength or compound movements like squats and deadlifts(4,5).
If you’re not training for a race right now, consider that a good thing. The offseason isn’t just spent on the couch. It's time invested to rejuvenate and enhance. Your next peak starts here.
Ready to train smarter and come back stronger? Reach out—we’ll help you turn your offseason into your biggest advantage yet.
References:
Schoenfeld BJ, et al. Resistance training volume enhances muscle hypertrophy but not strength in trained men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019.
Li R, et al. Resistance exercise reduces risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2022.
Blagrove RC, et al. Effects of strength training on the physiological determinants of middle- and long-distance running performance: a systematic review. Sports Med. 2018.
Leppänen M, et al. Hip and core exercise programme prevents running-related overuse injuries in adult novice recreational runners: a three-arm randomised controlled trial (Run RCT). Br J Sports Med. 2024.
Desai P, et al. Effectiveness of an 18-week general strength and foam-rolling intervention on running-related injuries in recreational runners. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2023.