Many runners still see the gym as a "necessary evil" or, worse, as something that's going to make them bulky and slow. As a coach, your challenge isn't just to convince them to lift weights, it's to show them that your strength programming is the fuel they're missing to lower their times and stop getting injured.
The problem is that most of the strength plans for runners floating around out there are generic: three sets of lunges, some core work and a couple of squats. If you want to stand out and charge for the real value of your knowledge, you have to program what almost nobody else programs. Here are the pillars that will transform your athletes' performance and how you can sell them as a premium service.
1. The focus on running economy (not just the muscle)
A runner doesn't want to be a bodybuilder. Your sales pitch has to be running economy. Programming maximal and explosive strength improves the athlete's ability to use less oxygen at a given speed.
When you program exercises with heavy loads and low reps (yes, even for marathoners), you're working on motor unit recruitment and tendon stiffness. That makes every stride more efficient. Sell your athletes on the idea that they're going to "run with less effort" thanks to the weight room.
2. Plyometrics: the missing link
This is the point most coaches ignore. Running is, in essence, a series of single-leg jumps. If you don't include plyometrics in the strength routine, you're handing them an incomplete plan.
- Box jumps with an emphasis on landing: to work on impact absorption.
- Pogo jumps: to improve ankle reactivity.
- Lateral jumps: to strengthen stability in planes runners usually neglect.
Including these exercises positions you as a professional who understands running biomechanics, letting you justify a higher price for truly specific programming.
3. Unilateral work and rotational stability
Almost every basic exercise is bilateral (squat, conventional deadlift). But running is unilateral. If your athletes have imbalances (and I guarantee they do), a conventional squat isn't going to fix them.
You need to program Bulgarian split squats, single-leg Romanian deadlifts and step-ups. But what almost nobody adds is the anti-rotation component. A runner's core doesn't need to do a thousand crunches, it needs to stabilize the trunk while the limbs move. Exercises like the Pallof press or single-arm farmer's walks are what make the difference in fatigue during the last kilometers of a race.
4. The eccentric phase: insurance against injuries
Overuse injuries are the runner's biggest enemy and the main reason they drop their coaches. Programming eccentric work (especially for hamstrings and calves) is like taking out a life insurance policy for their tendons.
The classic Nordic hamstring curl or slow step-downs for the Achilles tendon are essential. If you explain to your client that this specific protocol is going to keep them away from the physical therapist, the perceived value of your training plan shoots up.
How to manage this differentiator without losing your mind
Programming at this level of detail can turn into chaos if you're using spreadsheets nobody understands. Your athletes need to see how to perform each plyometric or anti-rotation exercise so they don't get hurt and so they trust your method.
This is where ATHRIX comes in. You can upload your own videos explaining these advanced techniques, build the specific strength blocks and send them straight to their phone. When the runner sees that their strength plan is just as professional as their track workouts, they stop seeing it as an accessory and understand it as a core part of their success.
Conclusion: stop selling "routines" and start selling performance
The market is full of coaches sending runners to do three sets of ten of whatever. If you start programming maximal strength, real plyometrics, unilateral stability and eccentric emphasis, you'll be in the 5% of professionals who actually know what they're doing.
Not only will you get your athletes flying on the track or the hill, you'll build a solid business based on tangible results and technical differentiation. Start adjusting those plans today and show your clients why your coaching is exactly what they need to get to the next level.