Running is a high-impact exercise and strength training exercises can help you avoid injuries and improve your performance. Personal trainer Kathleen Trotter explains, and offers some exercises.

Q: How can strength training improve running performance?

A: Strength training can help runners improve their performance in two ways:

1. Running is a high-impact activity, which often leads to overuse injuries of the joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles. Strengthening the muscles of the lower body, ankles and core can help the body properly absorb the impact, (also called ground reaction forces), that the body has to endure when running. This absorption can help to partially alleviate the impact on the runner's joints, helping the runner to stay injury-free. Being injury-free is priceless for a runner because it allows them to maintain training consistency. Lack of injury and the resulting training consistency will, simply by default, help to improve a runner's performance.

2. Strong muscles can also help athletes maintain proper form as they run. A runner's form often deteriorates during long runs and/or when exhaustion sets in. When a runner's form deteriorates the result is a decline in performance and an increased risk of injury.

Let me provide a few examples of how strength exercises can positively affect a runner's form. 1. A strong core can help a runner maintain proper alignment of their lower back and torso. 2. Strong glutes and pelvis muscles can ensure the hip does not jut out to the side when the runner's foot hits the ground. 3. Strong ankle and foot muscles can guard against the probability of ankle breaks and sprains.

Q: Is it best to do these exercises every time you run?

A: No. Do these exercises two to three times per week. If you already do strength training at the gym, it may be easiest to just add these exercises into your regular strength training program. If you don't belong to a gym these exercises can easily be done at home. All you need is a mat and a resistance band. If you don't have a mat and/or a resistance band, a towel can be substituted for both.

Q: Can you recommend some exercises?

Standing Balance Exercise with Wood Chop
Equipment: A medicine ball, small hand weight or a soup can.
Purpose of this exercise: This exercise strengthens the ankles, hips, and core as well as training the athlete's proprioception.
Execution: Stand on your right leg. Hold the weight in both hands, arms straight, positioned to the outside of the right hip. Arc your arms to the left shoulder and then return your arms to the starting position. Keep arms straight. Repeat 10 times and then switch legs.
Main thing to focus on: Focus on keeping your standing ankle stable and don't let the hip of the standing leg jut out to the side.
How to make it harder: Close your eyes.

Resistance Band Ankle Exercise
Equipment: Resistance band or towel.
Purpose of this exercise: This exercise strengthens the little stabilizing muscles of the foot. These muscles are often ignored during traditional strength training routines.
Execution: Lie on your back. Left leg bent with your foot on the floor. Right leg fairly straight with the resistance band wrapped around the ball of your right foot. Make sure your shoes are off. Slowly point and flex your right foot. Repeat 15 times and switch legs.
Main thing to focus on: Go slowly and try to feel all the muscles in your foot. Try to differentiate between the muscles within the arch of your foot and your toes.
How to make it harder: Lie on a foam roller to challenge your balance.

Bridge with Leg Lift
Equipment: A mat or towel.
Purpose of this exercise: This exercise strengthens the muscles of the hips, core and legs. These muscles help maintain a strong running gait. As discussed above, they also help with the absorption and transference of shock.
Execution: Lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet on the floor. Engage your butt muscles and core to lift your hips up. Keep your hips raised off the ground as you lift the right leg and foot. Hover that right foot off the ground for five seconds. Return the right leg to the ground and then return your hips to the ground. Lift the right leg for five repetitions and then switch and lift the left leg.
Main thing to focus on: As you lift your right leg do not let your left hip go out to the side or your right side of your pelvis to drop. Imagine balancing a tea cup on your pelvis. As you lift a leg do not let the tea cup fall off or the tea slosh around.
How to make it harder: Lift your right leg up and down 5-10 times without letting your hips lower down in between reps. Then repeat on opposite side.