Most runners understand that strength training can be helpful, but figuring out what to do and how to do it is easier said than done. With limited time and energy, it’s easy to let lifting fall off the plan. We want you to make the most of your training, though, so this page will remove some of those barriers and make your strength workouts quick and easy.

Download Your Workouts

COROS Coaches have designed two strength workouts for athletes to download. They’re simple, efficient, and designed specifically for runners.

• Strength Session A – Squat & Accessory Lifts
• Strength Session B – Deadlift & Band / MedBall Work

You can load them directly to your COROS watch using the Training Hub or COROS app. Your watch will walk you through the workout, track your sets, and show an avatar demo of each movement.

How Often and When to Strength Train

Start with 1 session per week if you're new to strength training. Most runners will benefit from progressing to 2 sessions, which is often the sweet spot for consistency and impact. That might not sound like much, but for most runners, two quick sessions per week is all you need. If you enjoy lifting, there's no harm in adding a third. More than that, though, and you're likely shifting the focus away from running.

In most cases, strength sessions can fit on almost any day of the week. Some runners prefer to keep hard days hard by lifting on the same day as workouts. Others use strength on easy or cross-training days to spread the load. The one exception is your long run day, which is typically the most fatiguing and the least compatible with strength work.

The best schedule is the one you can repeat consistently from week to week, so prioritize the times that work best for you. Doing a couple "okay" sessions every week for a year beats doing a "perfect workout" for three weeks and falling off.

How to Do the Workouts

Each session is broken into three parts: a warm-up, a main lift, and mini circuits. This structure keeps things simple, time-efficient, and aligned with your running goals. The warm-up gets you moving and prepped, the main lift is the core strength stimulus, and the mini circuits add variety and build support around the major muscle groups.

Warm-Up

• Start with 2–3 minutes of light cardio (spin bike, jog, jump rope) and some dynamic stretches. If you just ran, this part's already done.
• The workout begins with 2–3 warm-up sets of the main lift, listed in your plan.Start with light weight (just bodyweight or an empty bar).Gradually increase the load across sets, but none should feel difficult.
• Between warm-up sets, do the optional prep movements listed in the plan (e.g., plank, lunge hold).These help activate supporting muscles without adding fatigue.

Main Lift

• This is your main focus. Do one lower-body compound lift (squat, deadlift, or variation).
• 3–4 sets of 4–6 reps at a challenging weight.You should finish each set with 1–2 good reps left in the tank.
• Rest 90 seconds to 2 minutes between sets

Mini Circuits

After the main lift, you will move into the "mini circuits" section. These are short groupings of 2–3 exercises each. (For example: Single-Leg RDL, Shoulder Press, Plank)

• Do the exercises in a circuit style: move from one to the next with minimal rest.The exercises target different muscle groups so each can recover while moving.
• Complete 2–3 rounds of each circuit before moving to the next.
• Your plan includes about 6 accessory movements total.

Session A leans on traditional strength work. Session B mixes in bands, mobility work, and medballs for variety. Both are designed to support your running and fit easily into your weekly schedule.