The fall race season officially began with the TCS Sydney Marathon on Aug. 30, and we have been thrown into the thick of racing, with cross-country season back in full swing and the BMW Berlin Marathon taking place on Sunday. As runners ramp up their training and increase the stress on their bodies on the roads, maintaining strength in the gym remains crucial to staying injury-free and optimizing performance. However, as training increases and races approach, staying healthy and maintaining strength without adding to your overall training load will be top of mind for many runners. So, we put together a few low-impact, easy-to-do exercises to help maintain fitness without adding too much extra stress to your legs.

Exercises you wouldn’t expect to help prevent shin splints

Sumo squat

The sumo squat is great for strengthening the glutes, quads and hamstrings—all areas that take significant load while running and are crucial for maintaining form and speed. Without racking up multiple plates, this exercise delivers the compound strength training you need without stressing your legs too much.

How to:

1. Widen your feet until they are slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointed at roughly a 45-degree angle.
2. Breathe out as you slowly bend your knees toward a 90-degree angle (or as close to it as you can comfortably get).
3. Focus on driving your heels into the ground and engaging your glutes as you push back up into the upright position.

Repeat for eight to 10 reps and 2 to 3 sets. To make the exercise more difficult, hold a dumbbell at chest height and close to your body for the duration of the excercise.

Romanian deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is a crucial exercise for strengthening the posterior chain: hamstrings, glutes and lower back. Strengthening these muscles can improve a runner’s hip extension, which is important for mobility and power output. However, focus on form to stay injury-free; improper form can increase the risk of lower back injuries, so start with lighter weights and increase as your form improves.

How to:

1. Using a dumbbell, kettlebell or barbell at a weight you can comfortably control, stand with your feet directly under your hips. If using a barbell, position it close to your shins.
2. Bend down, engaging your core and upper back muscles and deadlift the bar into a standing position.
3. Shift your hips backward as you begin leaning forward. Keep the weight close to your body and your spine neutral, with your chest open. Slightly bend your knees as you hinge your torso forward until you feel your hamstrings engage. *Note* If you feel your upper back begin to round, you have likely shifted too far or are using too much weight.
4. As you start to return to the upright position, slowly drive your hips toward the bar and push your heels into the ground. Lift your chest and squeeze your glutes as you return to the starting position.

Repeat for 8 to 10 reps and 2 to 3 sets.

Dumbbell rows

I bet you didn’t expect to see an upper-body exercise here. The upper body is just as important when strength training for running and can help improve running economy and endurance. Rows or pull-ups can improve upper-back strength and, consequently, posture when running, making your form more efficient.

How to:

1. With a dumbbell in your right hand, place your left hand and knee on a bench or a box; keep your right foot planted on the floor beside the bench.
2. Begin with your right arm extended so the dumbbell is about even with the height of the bench.
3. Retract your shoulder and bend your elbow at the same time, drawing the back of your upper arm and the dumbbell toward the sky. Complete the movement slowly. Don’t lurch your arm back.
4. At the top of the movement, try to keep your elbow pointed toward your spine–not away from your body. Pause for one second.

Repeat for 8 to 10 reps and 2 to 3 sets.

Step-ups

Yes, a step-up can be high-impact, but only if you step up too high and land too hard, so keep that in mind as we go through this excercise. Step-ups are a fantastic, easy exercise for runners that can improve your ability to tackle hills, drive your knees and maintain your balance. This makes them a useful and accessible exercise for keeping runners adaptable to a variety of race-day conditions, such as unexpected hills.

How to:

1. While facing a stair, box or stool no more than knee height, stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Bring your left leg onto the box, then step up with your right foot so that it is beside the left. Lean your torso forward and emphasize driving through your glutes.
3. Slowly lower your right leg back down to the ground, maintaining balance and control. Then repeat with your left.
4. Repeat, beginning with your right leg.

Repeat for ten to fifteen reps for 2 to 3 sets.