This Upper-Body Workout for Runners Can Help You Pick Up the Speed
We get it: An upper-body workout for runners probably sounds a bit, uh, pointless. After all, running is a leg-centric sport, so training other muscles won’t do a whole lot of good...right?
While this is a belief held by a lot of runners, it’s actually not true: Running is a full-body activity, which means upper-body strength does matter. And there are several reasons why.
“Having a strong upper body is really about improving your efficiency,” Kaila DeRienzo, a NASM-certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach in Orlando, tells SELF. Think of your torso and upper body as your base of support when running—weakness in these areas can negatively impact your stability, control, and balance while striding, says DeRienzo.
It can also contribute to pain while running, she adds. Say, for example, your shoulders hunch forward when you get tired on a long run, and you don’t have the strength in your back muscles to pull them back into the correct position—down and back. This hunching could trigger pain in your shoulders, back, or elsewhere. But if those upper-body muscles are strong enough to help you maintain proper posture and running form, that can help reduce your chances of feeling pain when you get fatigued.
There’s also a performance reason for runners to train their upper body. A strong upper body can also improve your arm drive. Running with a good arm drive—where your elbows move forward and back parallel to your body instead of swinging side to side across your torso—expends less energy. The result? You run more efficiently and aren’t wasting precious energy in movement that’s actually hindering you.
Last, upper body strength is “absolutely vital” for running fast, says DeRienzo, since a good arm drive can be an important source of power propelling your body forward.
With these benefits in mind, DeRienzo recommends runners schedule upper-body strength work one to three days a week. If you’re doing more than one session a week, make sure to schedule at least 48 hours in between them so your muscles have enough time to recover.
As for which specific upper-body muscles to focus on? The chest, back, and shoulders are key, says DeRienzo. These muscles are crucial for good posture and contribute to core stability (which yes, runners should prioritize too). It’s also a good idea to work the triceps and biceps, DeRienzo adds, since these muscles are important for a strong arm drive.
In the five-move dumbbell workout below, which DeRienzo created for SELF, you’ll target all of those upper-body muscles and also get a solid dose of core work. Before jumping into this routine, do a five-minute warm-up to get your heart rate up and activate your muscles—moves like chest opening stretches, shoulder rolls, high knees, and jumping jacks can do the trick.
So, runners: Are you ready to fire up your upper body and improve your running efficiency in the process? Keep scrolling for a simple yet effective upper-body workout for runners that might just become the new staple in your fitness routine.
The Workout
What you need: An exercise mat for comfort, and a set of dumbbells. You may want to use two sets of dumbbells for this workout—a heavier set for the moves that target your chest and back, and a lighter set for those that hit your shoulders and arms.
- Z-Press
- Pullover
- Cross-Body Single-Arm Curl
- Alternating Single-Arm Chest Press
- Triceps Kickback in Plank
- Do 8–12 reps of each exercise. Rest 30 seconds to 1 minute, then move onto the next exercise. Do the entire circuit 3 times, resting 1 minute in between rounds.
Demoing the moves below are Nathalie Huerta (GIFs 1–2), coach at The Queer Gym in Oakland; Denise Harris (GIFs 2 and 5), a NASM-certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor based in New York City; and Harlan Kellaway (GIF 4), a trans bodybuilder based in Queens.
Kelsey McClellan1Z-Press
- Sit with your legs straight in front of you, torso upright, and heels dug into the floor. Engage your core and hold a light dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other. Place the weights at your shoulders.
- Press the weights up as you straighten your arms, keeping your back straight. Resist the urge to lean back.
- Return the weights to starting position. That’s 1 rep. Do 8–12 reps.
The Z-press is a challenging exercise for your shoulders, since the seated position eliminates any aid you’d get from leg drive. It also works your traps and triceps.
Kelsey McClellan2Pullover
- Lie on your side on a mat with a heavier dumbbell in front of you. Grab the weight with both hands, hold it to your chest, and turn flat on your back. Keep your feet hip-width apart.
- Grip the dumbbell securely at each side with each hand. (If your dumbbell is larger/heavier, it might feel safer to hold it vertically, with both hands around one end.) Lift it into the air directly above your shoulders, keeping your arms straight. This is the starting position.
- Slowly bring the dumbbell over your head and gently touch it to the floor.
- Bring the weight back to starting position, engaging your core as you move the weight. That’s 1 rep. Do 8–12 reps.
This pulling exercise is super important for your lats in your back, and also targets your core, chest, and triceps.
Katie Thompson3Cross-Body Single-Arm Curl
- Stand with your arms at your sides, holding a light dumbbell in each hand with a hammer grip (palms facing each other). This is starting position.
- Keeping your palms facing each other, curl your right arm up to your right shoulder as if you were doing a regular hammer curl. Then cross the weight over to your left shoulder, then down to your left hip, then to back to start, drawing a C as the weight crosses the body.
- That’s 1 rep. Do 8–12 reps, then repeat on the other side.
This move works your biceps, which are important in arm drive.
Katie Thompson4Alternating Single-Arm Chest Press
- Lie faceup with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a heavier dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your legs and your elbows on the floor bent at 90 degrees so that the weights are in the air.
- Press one weight toward the ceiling, straightening your elbow completely and keeping your palm facing your legs.
- Slowly bend your elbow and lower it back down to the floor.
- Now do the same thing with your other arm. That’s 1 rep. Do 8—12 reps.
This move works your chest as well as your triceps. Because it’s a single-arm move, it’s also helpful in identifying and correcting strength imbalances.
Katie Thompson5Triceps Kickback in Plank
- With light dumbbells in your hands, walk your body out to high plank position.
- Once in a plank, raise your right elbow to your rib cage, arm bent.
- Straighten your arm to perform a kickback. Try to keep your hips as stable as possible.
- Bring your arm back to your chest, then place the weight on the floor to return to plank position.
- Repeat on the left side.
- That’s 1 rep. Do 8—12 reps.
If this move is too challenging, you can modify it by dropping your knees to the floor. This move works your core as well as your triceps.
Related:
SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
