Three reasons to strength train (like it or not)

Last week, we talked about circuit training (and suggested what we think is a darn good way to get it done).

If circuit training — or strength training in general — isn’t on your fitness radar, there are a few reasons that perhaps it ought to be.  Running is a tremendous form of exercise and not a half-bad way of life.  But that doesn’t mean it’s in your body’s best interest to run exclusively.

Here are quick three reasons to broaden your horizons with strength training, whether it’s through weights, cross-training, or circuit work.

Prevent injury.  Many “running injuries” aren’t so much caused by running as they are exposed by it.  If you have a potentially bad knee or a weak back, running can bring that budding injury to the surface.  Strength training will help you tackle the problem at its source, addressing potential problem areas before they get you into trouble.

Avoid boredom.  Running is repetitive.  Sometimes, that can be heaven.  Other times, it can be taxing.  If running ever begins to feel less like a groove and more like a rut, injecting some alternative training into your routine can help you vary your activity without losing sight of your fitness goals.

Get faster.  For some of our readers (and we love you), this is always the one that sells.  Building strength will help you increase your speed in a way that sheer mileage will not.  You can build muscle, cover more ground with less effort, and push through some of those training walls we hit when training through running alone.

Is anyone out there as enthusiastic about their strength work as they are their running?  Or maybe even more so?  Please let us know!