Stats on running can be pretty scary: As many as 66 percent of runners get injured — that’s even more than football players! And guest poster Jason Fitzgerald says that may be due to not spending enough time in the weight room. Runners need to be the whole package: strong, fast, and with plenty of stamina.

The good news is it may take only 10 to 20 minutes of strength training per day to see benefits. Strength training for runners should increase structural fitness, or the ability of your bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles to withstand the impact of running. Body weight exercises — like squats, lunges, pull-ups, planks, and push-ups — are perfect for building structural strength. Add in some deadlifts and bench presses for good measure!

The Takeaway: Adding strength training a few times per week (or as little as 10 to 20 minutes per day) could help runners stay injury-free and boost performance.

Speed Up!

Strength training is just one of many ways to pick up the pace! Here are 24 other ways to run faster.

Fun Fact

A 140-pound woman will burn 2,777 calories running a marathon at a 10-minute-mile pace.