Owner's Manual: Fully Armed

Arm strengthening for runners

Thursday, July 12, 2007, 12:00 am

When we hear about a runner having "sloppy form," we immediately think about his or her arms looking uncoordinated. Until recently, there was little scientific research to describe what happens when a runner begins to "fall apart" near the end of a race. Thanks to a recent study, we are getting a better idea of what happens to the muscles of the arms and shoulders and how this affects movement as runners "lose form" during high-intensity running.

The study examined how the electrical activity of different muscles changed during 5K-intensity running in highly trained runners, and how these changes affected the motions of the runners’ bodies as they became exhausted. Although fatigue affects runners in different ways, there are some general trends which many athletes display as their form begins to "break down." This includes "dropping the arms," where the athlete bends the elbows less, and "crossing over" when the athlete’s wrists come closer to the body’s midline. Runners also tend to swing their arms less as they tire.


Why is this important? Science has shown that the momentum of the arms is important for lifting the body upwards off the ground, and also balancing out the body’s rotation with each stride. When the shoulder and arm muscles become fatigued, arm motion changes and this decreases the whole body’s running efficiency, translating into wasted energy and slower times.

To delay or prevent muscular fatigue, maintain running form, and get to the finish line faster, running-specific strength training exercises are recommended. Zach Sabatino, a member of the U.S. World Cross Country Championships team, is a perfect example of a runner whose proper form in the weight room has resulted in functional muscle, smooth running mechanics and fast times. "As a long distance runner I believe that a strong upper body is crucial to running efficiently and fast," he says. "There is no need to be bulky, but we do need upper body strength. Even though we are running with our legs, the arms, back and chest do a lot of work."

"Running-specific" exercises work the muscles in motions similar to those of actual running, so any gains in muscle mass will help you run faster, rather than slow you down. These four exercises work the specific muscles necessary for running effectively. The next time you cross the finish line, throw your arms up in the air in victory. Show off those muscles — after all, they helped you get there faster!

Running-Specific Arm Exercises

For all four exercises, use bands or tubing for resistance. The resistance source should be set at the level of your elbow. A cable system may also be used as long as it is set at the correct height.

Be sure to stand upright or slightly lean forward, as you would during running. Leaning backwards or excessively forward decreases the effectiveness and specificity of the exercise. For added challenge and specificity, perform the standing exercises on one leg while trying to keep your body stable.

Make sure you perform both parts of each movement slowly. Do not let the tubing snap your arm back to the starting position — slowly resisting on the way back is half the exercise.

To start, do 2 to 3 sets of each of these movements. Try to do 12 to 15 repetitions per set to start, and focus on doing them slowly (2 seconds up, 2 seconds down) concentrating on proper form. After regularly doing this, you may increase the speed (while staying in control) so the tempo is closer to actual running speed. At faster speeds, control is the key — make sure you are still using the target muscles and not using other parts of your body for momentum.

Front Arm Pulls. Place a padded strap connected to a weight pulley or resistance tubing just above your elbow joint. Face away from the resistance anchor so that you are pulling your arm forwards. Keeping your elbow bent, pull until your arm is about even with your upper body. During distance running, the upper arm stays behind the torso for most of the stride cycle, so focus on this range of the movement.

External Shoulder Rotations. As runners get tired, their wrists begin to cross in front of their bodies. To remedy this, work the rotator cuff muscles. Keep the inside of your elbow about one hand width away from your body. While keeping your elbow still, rotate your arm outward so that your wrist travels from the center of your body to the outside of your body.

Rear Arm Pulls. These are performed the same as front arm swings, except you must face towards the resistance source. Again, keep most of the movement behind your torso. [photo below]



Incline Dumbbell Hammer Curls. These target the brachioradialis muscle, which is one of the key muscles used to bend the elbow during running. To target this muscle, make sure your palm is facing inwards and your thumb pointed up. Even though this is not performed in the upright and unsupported posture specific to running, performing these using an incline keeps your shoulder joint extended (behind your back), as it is during running.