20/10/2026
If you’re over 40 and you do one thing beyond running this year, make it strength training.
Muscle, power and tendon quality all decline with age unless you load them, and most of that decline is preventable. The catch is that light circuits and high reps don’t do the job. It needs to be heavy, low-rep work, twice a week.
My new article covers the four things I’d prioritise:
- A squat or deadlift pattern
- Single-leg strength
- Calf raises, both straight-leg and bent-knee
- Some jumping, once you’ve got three months behind you
There’s also a 40-minute session you can do at home. Mine is built around a Smith machine, a few dumbbells, an ab wheel and a step.
It’s one of five new articles on the Knowledge Hub, alongside:
- How fast should I run 1km intervals?
- What should I do the week before a marathon?
- Running hills in Wellington
- Does strength training make runners faster?
That’s 25 free articles now, covering training paces, race training, Wellington running, strength, masters running and getting started.
Read it here: awruncoach.co.nz/knowledge/strength-training-for-masters-runners
