Run & lift

Muscle & Fitness, July, 2008 by Jim Stoppani, Mark Thorpe

Exercise physiologists may not all agree on whether weight training benefits endurance athletes, but elite endurance runners aren't as wishy-washy: Most, including members of Team Running USA and many Olympians, include some kind of resistance training in their workouts. Although weight-training studies tend to be small, the results often indicate benefits for runners such as improvements in leg strength and running efficiency, and a reduction in the risk of injury.

EDITED BY JIM STOPPANI, PHD, AND MARK THORPE