Is muscle strengthening essential if you want to improve your running skills?

On February 18, 2024, Méline Rollin broke the French marathon record by crossing the finish line in Seville in 2 hours 24 minutes and 12 seconds, more than two minutes shy of her previous record set a year earlier in Amsterdam (2h26'55'' on 15/10/2023). Between the two races, her preparation hadn't really changed... With one exception: the implementation of muscle strengthening.

" It was a fundamental element in my progress. I was doing roughly the same number of kilometers, the same sessions, but I was going faster in all sections ," says the Ardennes native.

After the Amsterdam Marathon, Méline Rollin learned her lessons and realized that her muscles were struggling to push through the hilly climbs. The athlete then called on a fitness trainer and incorporated two to three strength training sessions per week. " I quickly felt like I was doing well on my runs, even when there was a slight climb. I felt stronger, and visually, my thighs were more defined ," she observed.

Frenchwoman Méline Rollin. (Sports Press)

Muscle strengthening has gradually become an integral part of the preparation of high-level athletes, regardless of their discipline. Coach Bruno Gajer was among the first to work on this aspect in 1995 when he joined the muscle strengthening resource unit at the INSEP research laboratory. Over the years, he has observed the evolution: " When you see Faith Kipyegon (1,500m world record holder in 3:48.68, on July 5, 2025), she's not an anorexic running. Before, we saw very thin people, now, even in long-distance running, athletes' bodies are defined, it's more effective ."

The interest in muscle strengthening, according to Bruno Gajer, lies in propulsion. " We will put more force into the support and better resist crushing, it is a more mechanical than physiological vision ," explains the former coach of the 800m world champion Pierre-Ambroise Bosse. Convinced that this is an essential factor in progress in running, whatever the level of practice, coach Frédéric Belouze has written a book entitled Running renfo : Physical preparation in running . Inside, the main areas improved by muscle strengthening are detailed: running economy, endurance, better resistance to fatigue and maximum speed.

Running economy is achieved by optimizing muscle use. Strength training improves the motor signal that instructs the muscle to contract. " Better conduction of this signal promotes the ability to use more muscle mass for the same effort," explains Frédéric Belouze. The muscles used promote " the forward movement of the pelvis on the support ," adds Bruno Gajer. Athletes feel stronger when their feet are in contact with the ground.

"Before I started strengthening, from the 2,000m onwards, I would put my foot on the barriers because I was tired. Now I go straight over the 35 obstacles."

This is the case for Pierre Fieux, 37, double French Master 0 champion 2024 in the 3000m steeplechase and 5000m. " I notice that I am much stronger at the take-off on the obstacle and, on the ground, I can push better. The support remains on the ankle-knee-pelvis axis ," he relates. A stride that remains clean is more efficient and therefore less energy-consuming. When the end of the race arrives, fatigue decreases. "Before I started strengthening, from the 2000m, I put my foot on the barriers because I was tired. Now I jump straight over the 35 obstacles ," rejoices Pierre Fieux.

You can start with bodyweight exercises at home. (Y.-M. Quemener/Presse Sports)

Fitness coaches specializing in running also work on increasing speed. Bruno Gajer divides his cycles into two: first, an increase in weight with increasingly heavier weights, then the introduction of dynamism into the exercises. " It's a strength/speed relationship. The support times of even a marathon runner are between 250 and 300 milliseconds, so you have to produce force in this very short time ," he explains. By increasing an athlete's maximum speed, they will be able to have a higher average speed over a longer period of time.

" When you do 80% of a max that's 30km/h, it's not the same as if you do 80% of a max that's 20km/h ," demonstrates Frédéric Belouze. Athlete Elisa Tripotin, a cross-country and 3000m steeplechase specialist, has also discovered after 15 years of athletics that she could improve in this area. "I was always told that I was limited in speed, even though I just beat my records in the 800m and 1500m ," says the athlete, who started strengthening muscles a month and a half ago.

Every runner, regardless of their level of experience, can benefit from muscle strengthening. However, it must be balanced with the rest of their training. According to Frédéric Belouze, " the ideal ratio is one strengthening session for every three running sessions ." To start, it's entirely possible to perform exercises at home using body weight. " A typical session works all muscle groups: 15 minutes on the lower body (legs and glutes), 10 minutes on the upper body (arms, back, torso), and 5 minutes of abs and core training ," explains the fitness trainer, who emphasizes not neglecting the upper body, which is essential for running dynamics. " The frequency of arm movement helps lighten the body and aids the propulsion phase. We see this with the high jump, for example, where the arms are very active in freeing the body from the effects of gravity."

During his strength training sessions, Bruno Gajer focuses on developing exercises specifically geared towards running. " The full squat isn't very useful, for example. I prefer the quarter squat to be close to the running angle and to be able to transfer muscle development into the stride," explains the coach. For her part, Elisa Tripotin works a lot in unipodal with her physical trainer Francis Pamerleau, who notes that " we often forget that propulsion is done on one leg each time when running. The Bulgarian squat is a good unilateral exercise, for example. "

Among the benefits, everyone also observes a reduced risk of injury thanks to strengthening. " No study proves that it reduces injuries, but in practice, we see that people who do it get injured less," says Frédéric Belouze. Strengthening also guarantees a certain longevity. At 37, Pierre Fieux has just broken his records in the 800m and 1500m, disciplines he started... 20 years ago.