“You’re a heel striker, that’s your problem.” It’s one of the most common things runners hear, usually followed by advice to start landing on the forefoot instead. It sounds convincing, and the idea is everywhere. But the research tells a more nuanced story, and for most runners, heel striking isn’t the villain it’s made out to be.

Tightness at the front of the hip is one of the most common things runners mention to me as a physiotherapist. The standard reflex runners (and most individuals) have is almost always the same: “I need to stretch this out more”. The trouble is, for a lot of runners, stretching never quite solves it. In this blog post, I’ll explain why stretching isn’t always the answer and what to do instead.

I can’t even count the number of runners I have treated with weak calves. This doesn’t only apply to beginners either. I have assessed marathon runners that were barely able to do 10 calf raises. Surprising, right?

When we think about strength training for runners, we often jump straight to our quads, hamstrings, and glutes. But what about your calves? These muscles are usually undertrained despite playing a critical role in running performance.

If you've been told that runners should only do high reps with light weights to avoid "getting bulky" or "slowing down," it's time to rethink that advice.

This myth has been circulating in the running community for years. Unfortunately, it's holding a lot of runners back from getting stronger, faster, and more resilient. The truth? Heavy strength training is not only safe for runners, but it's also essential.

If you've been told that runners should only do high reps with light weights to avoid "getting bulky" or "slowing down," it's time to rethink that advice.

This myth has been circulating in the running community for years. Unfortunately, it's holding a lot of runners back from getting stronger, faster, and more resilient. The truth? Heavy strength training is not only safe for runners, but it's also essential.

The role of strength training is starting to take more and more space within the running community. However, there are still a lot of misconceptions regarding this topic.

Find out WHY we should include strength training in our running training in this article. Once we understand what this can do for our bodies, we’ll be more inclined to make it a habit.

If you’re a runner who includes strength training in your running training or if you are considering getting on board with strength training, this post is for you.

When we strength train consistently, we should technically be seeing improvements in our capabilities over time. It’s nice to know we’re not putting in the work for nothing, am I right?

So, what are some easy tests we can come back to over and over again to keep checking into our progress?

Are you lifting enough weight or getting in enough reps to build strength as a runner? Find out if your current strength training routine is optimal to reach your strength goals in this article.