Think results take months? Think again. You can get stronger in a week, shift your mindset in a day, and start seeing progress long before the scale budges. The key? Redefining what success looks like. If you’re tired of chasing quick fixes, it’s time to focus on the wins that actually matter—starting today.
A Stronger You: How Strength Training Improves Life in Unexpected Ways
Strength training isn’t just about looking good—it’s about building a stronger, more capable life. Beyond aesthetics, it enhances balance, resilience, and independence, helping you move with confidence and recover more easily from life’s physical challenges. From lifting everyday objects with ease to preventing injuries and staying active for years to come, strength training offers benefits that go far beyond the mirror. No matter when you start, the strength you build today will support you for a lifetime.
Unlock Your Running Potential: The STRONG Framework Every Runner Needs
Running is more than just putting one foot in front of the other. You need a well-rounded approach that goes beyond the miles to perform at your best, avoid injury, and enjoy the process. That's where my newly established S-T-R-O-N-G framework comes in. I created a system to help runners of all levels build strength, resilience, and consistency. Here, I'll break it down with concrete examples you can apply—and why even experienced runners sometimes need outside guidance and support.
S is for Strength Training
T is for Targeted Recovery
R is for Running Smart
O is for Optimized Nutrition
N is for New Mindset
G is for Growth Focused Plans
Strength Training for Real Results: Why and How to Build Muscle
What is strength training? It might seem like a silly question—it's training for strength, right? Yes, but there's often confusion about what that means.
I talk a lot on social media about the importance of strength training and its benefits beyond just building bigger muscles. Some people—primarily women—think they don't need strength training because they're not interested in getting "big." But strength training offers so much more than big muscles (although, for the record, my personal goal is to build big muscles, and that's okay, too!).
Strength training builds stronger bones by increasing bone density, which reduces the risk of falls and fractures now and as you age. It also helps protect and stabilize your joints by strengthening the muscles around them, reducing the likelihood of injury. Another major benefit? Strength training improves your metabolism. Muscles are metabolically expensive, meaning your body burns more energy to maintain muscle. Simply put, the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns just by existing—no extra cardio is required! A higher metabolism means you can eat more calories without storing them as fat because they are needed to maintain and grow muscle tissue.
Maintaining and building muscle as you lose fat reduces your risk of regaining weight because your metabolism stays elevated. Plus, muscles build confidence and give you that "toned" look many women desire.
Benefits of Strength Training
Strength training is more than building big muscles. While muscle growth is one benefit, the impact of strength training goes far beyond aesthetics:
Bone Health: Strength training increases bone density, reducing the risk of fractures and falls, especially as you age.
Joint Protection: Strong muscles stabilize and protect joints, reducing the likelihood of injuries.
Metabolic Boost: Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest, helping you maintain a healthy metabolism. This means you can enjoy more food without storing it as fat.
Confidence and Tone: Building muscle boosts your confidence and gives you the "toned" look many women desire.
Here's the truth: to look toned, you must build muscle. Toned equals muscle. As a personal trainer and health coach, I've met countless women whose goal is to get toned but then avoid the specific actions required to build muscle.
I get it—the fitness industry doesn't make it easy. The internet, social media, and fitness advertisements promise the same outcome (losing fat and gaining muscle) while selling 100 different (mostly ineffective)ways to get there. Strength training is one of the most effective and direct ways to build muscle and achieve that "toned" look.
Is This Strength Training? Let's Break It Down
When I talk to people about strength training, they often ask:
Is Pilates strength training?
Is Yoga strength training?
Does running hills count as strength training?
What about wearing a weighted vest while walking or jogging?
The answer is yes…and then no. Let me explain.
If you've never done hill running (or haven't in a while), starting to do it consistently can provide resistance for your hamstrings, glutes, and calves, helping to build strength and muscle. Hill training has many other benefits, including improving cardiovascular health and running performance.
However, the human body is an adaptation machine. When you stress your body with strength-building activities, it adapts, and you get stronger—hooray!
But here's the catch: to continue building strength, you must keep challenging your muscles by adding more resistance over time. That's why hill running is great for initial strength building, but it will only qualify as progressive strength training if you keep finding steeper hills (and even then, you'll eventually hit your limit). Not to mention, hill running is not full body strength training; balancing upper and lower body strength is key.
The same logic applies to Yoga and mat Pilates. These activities build strength initially because they require resistance (usually your body weight). However, unless you're increasing the resistance or difficulty over time, they stop being effective for building strength. Yoga and Pilates are fantastic for flexibility, balance, and overall health but don't provide the progressive overload needed for sustained strength gains.
The Key to Strength Training: Progressive Overload
The secret to strength training is progressive overload. It means continually challenging your muscles by increasing the resistance, volume, or intensity. Without this incremental increase, your body adapts, and you stop progressing, and it ceases to remain effective strength training.
Even if you're holding weights or your workout feels hard, it doesn't necessarily mean you're strength training. To build strength, you need to lift heavy weights with proper progression. Sweating, being out of breath, or feeling tired and sore doesn't automatically equal strength training.
While excellent for overall fitness and fun, many group fitness classes don't provide the structure for true strength training. Are you lifting progressively heavier weights? Are you increasing the difficulty of your exercises over time? Are you taking adequate rest breaks between sets? If the answer is no, it's likely not effective strength training.
Why Most Classes and Modalities Don't Count as Strength Training
Group fitness classes, Yoga, boot camps, and similar activities offer numerous benefits for fitness and health, but they typically fall short of progressive strength training. Here's why:
Lack of Progression: Are you lifting heavier weights or doing more advanced exercises over time? If not, the stimulus remains the same, and your muscles stop adapting.
Insufficient Rest: Many classes emphasize continuous movement, which prevents your muscles from fully recovering between sets. Recovery is key for strength development.
Focus on Cardio or Endurance: Just because something feels hard or makes you sweat doesn't mean it's building muscle.
This doesn't mean you should avoid these activities—they're excellent for cardiovascular health, flexibility, and overall fitness (and fun). But they're not a direct path to building strength and muscle.
How to Get Started WITH STRENGTH TRAINING
I'm not saying you should ditch your favorite class, Pilates, Yoga, or hill running—these activities have many benefits and can be part of a balanced exercise routine. But if your goal is to build muscle, get stronger, or achieve that toned look, you must prioritize progressive strength training.
It doesn’t take much. Hit all major muscle groups two times per week to start seeing results—plenty of time to get in your flexibility or cardio classes for their specific benefits.
So, how do you do it?
Focus on resistance exercises that challenge your muscles. Lift heavy enough weights that the last two reps of your set feel difficult but doable. If you finish a set and feel like you could do five more reps, it's a sign you could go heavier.
Implement progressive overload by gradually increasing your weight, reps, sets, or intensity. It might mean adding a few pounds to your lifts, slowing your tempo, or progressing to more advanced exercises.
Give yourself adequate rest between sets. You might not be lifting heavy enough if you can jump right into the next set without resting.
Stick to the basics and repeat the same exercises consistently. "Muscle confusion" is a myth. The best way to build strength is to repeat foundational exercises and progressively add resistance over time.
Three Questions to Determine If You're Strength Training
To assess whether your activity qualifies as strength training, ask yourself:
Is it providing resistance?
Can I continually increase the resistance over time?
Am I allowing for adequate rest between sets?
If you answered yes to all three, congratulations—you're strength training!
The Lifetime Benefits of Strength Training
Strength training may help you look great now, but its real power lies in how it sets you up for a long, healthy, independent life. Building muscle improves your strength, stability, and confidence at every stage of life. As you age, it becomes even more critical for maintaining mobility, reducing injury risk, and staying active.
Need Help? Let's Get Strong Together
If you’re ready to take your fitness to the next level and start 2025 strong, join my 6-week Kick-Start Challenge in January! This program includes one-on-one Zoom coaching for habits and accountability, workouts, nutrition guidance, a body composition scale, and a heart rate monitor—all designed to help you build strength and confidence.
Not sure if it’s right for you? Let’s talk! I’m offering a free consultation call—no strings attached. This isn’t a sales call, and I won’t try to convince you of anything. My only goal is to hear your story, understand your goals, and genuinely help you decide if this program aligns with what you’re looking for. It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay. I’ll only invite the people I believe I can help make a real difference. Are you in? Click here to schedule your free call on my calendar. I’d love to chat with you!
Do you know someone who might benefit from this blog post? It helps me when you share with your friends and followers.
Questions? I’d love to help.
I am a master health coach, personal trainer, and running coach, dedicated to helping YOU get strong, body and mind!
BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE!
Improve Your Potential with the Push Pull Legs Strength Programming for Runners
A Simple, Effective Approach to Building Strength for Runners
Strength training for runners doesn't have to be complicated. It shouldn't be!
Many runners don't do strength training because they overcomplicate it, looking at bodybuilder workouts on Pinterest or niche workouts from influencers on Instagram.
If you stick to the basics and work to increase your weight to get stronger over time, you will get the best results—there is no need for muscle confusion or complicated programming. The basics are the best way to get results.
As a runner, your goal is to complement your running, not replace it. That's where the Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) programming comes in—a balanced, straightforward strength-training approach that targets all major muscle groups, improves running economy, and reduces injury risk.
Whether you're new to strength training or looking for a system that fits seamlessly into your running routine, push/pull/legs programming is incredibly effective and simple to implement.
What Is the Push/Pull/Legs Programming
The PPL method divides strength training into three types of repeatable workouts:
Push Workouts: Focus on muscles used for pushing movements—chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Pull Workouts: Target muscles for pulling—back and biceps
Leg Workouts: Strengthen the lower body—quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
By alternating these workouts, you ensure balanced muscle development, allow adequate rest between muscle groups, and reduce imbalances that often lead to injuries.
Why Push/Pull/Legs Works Well For Runners
Improves Running Economy:
Strength training enhances your efficiency by building stronger, more resilient muscles, allowing you to run faster and longer with less effort.
Reduces Injury Risk:
Strengthening muscles, tendons, and ligaments protects joints from the repetitive impact of running. Muscles stabilize joints, and strong muscles reduce injury risk.
Targets Key Muscle Groups:
The PPL programming ensures that you don't neglect any muscle groups, addressing common weaknesses like glutes, shoulders, and back strength that are vital for runners.
Fits Into a Runner's Schedule:
With five 30 sessions per week, PPL is easy to integrate into a busy training plan.
How to Structure a PPL Week FOR RUNNERS
A typical PPL week for runners might look like this:
DayWorkoutDetails
Monday: Push + core
Tuesday: Pull + core
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Push + core
Friday: Pull + core
Saturday: Long Run or Rest. Depending on your run training schedule
Sunday: Rest
Then, you would alternate the workouts, starting with Legs the following Monday. This schedule is for phase one. I recommend doing the same exercises for three weeks during phase I. Then, as you move into phase II, alternate the exercise to a more advanced version that works the same muscles or adjust the rep range.
Exercises for Each Category
Push + Core Workouts:
Overhead press
Floor or Bench Press
Incline Push up
Plank variation
Pull + Core Workouts:
Deadlift
Bent Over Row
Inverted row or pull-up
Around the world (core)
Leg Workouts:
Single-leg glute bridge
Goblet squat
Side lunge
Single leg deadlift
How to Progress
Choose the Right Weight: Pick a weight that feels challenging by the last 2–3 reps. If you can easily do 4–5 more reps than the target, it's time to increase the weight.
Track Your Progress: Keep a log of your workouts, noting the weights, sets, and reps. Aim to gradually increase the weights, sets, or number of reps over time.
Tips for Success
Focus on Form: Quality matters more than quantity. Proper form prevents injuries and ensures you're targeting the right muscles.
Rest and Recover: Allow your muscles time to repair and grow stronger. Follow your PPL workouts with proper nutrition and rest.
Keep It Simple: Don't overcomplicate your routine. Stick to the basics and stay consistent. If you miss workouts often, this may not be your best program.
ADAPT TO YOUR FITNESS LEVEL
The push/pull/legs program is versatile and can be adapted to suit both your schedule and fitness level while working together with a running plan.
Beginners can adapt the program to their fitness level by completing the strength workouts three days a week, alternating with running days. A three-day option is perfect for runners less experienced in the gym or those with tight schedules, as it allows you to hit each major muscle group once per week while leaving ample time for running and recovery. The three-day plan reduces the risk of overtraining and ensures that strength sessions complement rather than compete with running performance.
More advanced runners or those with more strength-training experience might choose a six-day option, performing Push-pull and leg workouts twice weekly for increased volume and progression. Ensure you allow at least one full weekly rest day.
The Push/Pull/Legs programming can be a game-changer for runners who want to build strength without overhauling their training routine. Dedicating three to six days a week for targeted strength workouts can enhance your running performance, reduce injuries, and feel stronger overall.
Ready to give it a try?
Start with light weights, master the movements, and build from there. Your stronger, faster, injury-resistant self will thank you!
a dumbbell program built for runners
FREE DOWNLOAD FOR EVERYONE
To take what you learned here and complete the program independently, you can download a FREE informational PDF about the PPL program. This option is perfect for someone with more experience because it's free!
$7 Option: Essential Strength Access
For just $7, you’ll unlock:
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Workout Details: Access specific instructions for reps, sets, and rest periods to maximize your results.
Weight Tracking: Easily log and track the weights you use for each exercise so you can monitor your progress and continue to challenge yourself.
Foundational Knowledge: Ideal for runners who want an affordable way to incorporate strength training into their routine without guesswork.
This option is perfect if you're looking for guided workouts and tools to track your progress—all for about the cost of a fancy coffee.
You'll have everything you need to start confidently and build a solid foundation for running success.
Click here to grab your $7 three-week Phase One program today and start building strength that complements your running!
Need even more personalized help and coaching? Fill out a coaching application and schedule a free consultation call! Let's see if we are a good fit.
Do you know someone who might benefit from this blog post? It helps me when you share with your friends and followers.
Questions? I’d love to help.
I am a master health coach, personal trainer, and running coach, dedicated to helping YOU get strong, body and mind!
BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE!
If you've ever wondered whether you're addicted to sugar, this blog post is for you. The good news? You have more control than you might think. With a few mindset shifts and intentional habits, you can train your brain to enjoy sugar without feeling controlled by it—finding balance without deprivation for a healthier, more sustainable approach.