The 5 Best Compound Lifts for Runners (And the Science Behind Why They Work)

The Quick Answer

The five best compound lifts for runners are the conventional deadlift, back squat, hip thrust, single-leg Romanian deadlift, and Bulgarian split squat. These movements train the hip extensors, glutes, and single-leg stabilisers that directly improve running economy and reduce injury risk, based on research by Beattie et al. (2014, Sports Medicine) and Blagrove et al. (2018, Sports Medicine).

Why Compound Lifts Beat Isolation Exercises for Runners

Running economy, the measurement Blagrove et al. (2018) used, is essentially a measure of mechanical efficiency. How much force can you put into the ground with each stride, and how much of that force translates into forward momentum rather than wasted energy? Two physiological factors determine this: maximal strength and rate of force development (RFD).

Beattie et al. (2014) reviewed the evidence on strength training and endurance performance and found that improvements in maximal strength and RFD from compound strength work directly improve running economy and endurance performance. The key word is "compound." These exercises load multiple joints at once, replicate the multi-joint demands of the running stride, and stimulate the neuromuscular adaptations (better muscle recruitment, faster force production) that carry over to running performance.

Isolation exercises like leg extensions and bicep curls do not produce these adaptations in a meaningful way. There is no evidence base for them improving running economy. This is not a reason to avoid them entirely if you enjoy them, but it is a very good reason not to prioritise them over your 45-minute lifting window.

The 5 Best Compound Lifts for Runners

1. Conventional Deadlift

The runner-specific rationale: hip extension power from a loaded position mirrors the drive phase of the running gait. When your foot hits the ground and you push off, the glutes, hamstrings, and erector spinae are all firing to extend the hip and produce force into the ground. The deadlift trains exactly that movement pattern under progressive load.

Heavy deadlifts build the posterior chain in the specific way that matters for running: peak force production at full hip extension. Ronnestad and Mujika (2014, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports) found that 3-5 rep ranges at high loads produce greater neuromuscular adaptations relevant to endurance performance than higher-rep, lower-load work. For runners, the practical recommendation is 3 sets of 4-6 reps at 80-85% of your one-rep maximum, prioritising technique over load.

The most common mistake is rounding the lower back under load, which shifts work away from the glutes and hamstrings and onto passive structures that are not designed for it. If you cannot keep a neutral spine at a given weight, reduce the load.

2. Back Squat (or Goblet Squat as an Entry Point)

The runner-specific rationale: bilateral knee and hip extension strength is the foundation of single-leg force production. You cannot produce efficient single-leg power in running if you lack the bilateral strength base to draw from. Beattie et al. (2014) found that squat strength correlates with running economy improvement across multiple studies.

If you are new to barbell squatting, start with a goblet squat (holding a dumbbell at your chest). It is a safer entry point that teaches the movement pattern without the technical complexity of a loaded barbell. Progress to a barbell back squat when you are comfortable.

Sets and reps for runners: 3 sets of 5-8 reps. The common mistake is heels rising off the floor during the descent, which signals an ankle mobility deficit that is extremely common in runners who do not stretch regularly. If your heels rise, raise them slightly on a weight plate while you work on ankle mobility in your warm-up.

3. Hip Thrust

The runner-specific rationale: of all five lifts on this list, the hip thrust has the most direct translation to the push-off phase of the running stride. The movement isolates the glute max at full hip extension, which is the exact joint position and muscle demand of peak force output in the running gait. You are training the end range of hip extension under load.

This is the exercise most consistently associated with glute strength, and glute strength is the single most important factor in preventing the knee valgus (inward knee collapse) that causes IT band syndrome, runner's knee, and shin splints. If you were going to add one exercise from this list to prevent injury, the hip thrust is the case.

Sets and reps for runners: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. The slightly higher rep range compared to deadlifts and squats is appropriate because the movement is less neurologically demanding and allows more volume without excessive fatigue. The common mistake is hyperextending the lower back at the top of the movement, which compresses the lumbar spine rather than extending the hip. Think about driving your hips up by squeezing your glutes, not by arching your back.

4. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

The runner-specific rationale: running is a single-leg activity. Every stride lands on one foot and produces force from one leg. Bilateral exercises (deadlifts, squats) build the strength base, but single-leg work trains the hip stabilisers that prevent lateral pelvic drop and knee valgus in the single-leg loading position that actually occurs during running.

The single-leg RDL trains the glute and hamstring of the stance leg under a unilateral loading pattern while simultaneously training the hip abductors and external rotators that keep the pelvis level. This is the lift most directly associated with injury prevention. Runners who have recurring IT band syndrome, patellofemoral pain, or hip flexor tightness will often find their weak point exposed immediately when they attempt this exercise.

Sets and reps: 3 sets of 6-8 reps per side. The common mistake is rotating the hips open as you hinge forward, which removes the hip stability challenge and defeats much of the purpose. Keep the hips square and level throughout the movement, even if that means using a lighter load initially.

5. Bulgarian Split Squat

The runner-specific rationale: the split squat trains the hip flexor of the rear leg under eccentric load and the glute and quad of the front leg under high tension. For runners, the combination is particularly valuable: weak hip flexors and adductors are a common contributing factor to IT band syndrome, and the split squat loads both in a position that reveals left-right strength imbalances that bilateral squats tend to mask.

If your left leg is noticeably stronger than your right, or vice versa, the split squat will find it. That information is worth having before your body finds it for you at kilometre 32 of a marathon.

It is also worth noting that GAA players who also run distance (a more common combination in Ireland than people realise) use this exact lift in off-season strength blocks for the same reasons: unilateral loading that transfers to field sport and endurance running alike.

Sets and reps: 3 sets of 6-8 reps per side. The common mistake is letting the front knee drift excessively past the toes under fatigue, which overloads the patellar tendon and reduces the glute activation that makes the exercise useful in the first place.

How to Fit These Lifts Into Your Running Week

Two strength sessions per week is the minimum effective dose, based on the research reviewed by Blagrove et al. (2018). Three sessions per week produces marginally better results but the diminishing returns do not justify the additional recovery cost for most recreational runners.

The key scheduling principle is the interference effect: doing a long run and a heavy strength session within the same 24-hour window reduces the adaptation from both. The solution is to place strength sessions on non-long-run days.

For parkrun athletes: if parkrun is Saturday and your long run is Sunday, lift on Tuesday and Thursday. Here is what a clean two-session week looks like:

This structure separates your hard running days from your heavy lifting days, keeps easy days genuinely easy, and gives each system enough recovery time to adapt. For a deeper look at the scheduling logic, see our full guide on how many days a week you should lift and run.

Do You Need a Barbell?

No. Deadlifts can be performed with dumbbells or a trap bar, both of which require less technical precision than a conventional barbell and are available in most gym facilities. Single-leg RDLs and Bulgarian split squats require only dumbbells. Hip thrusts can be done with a dumbbell placed on the lap instead of a barbell across the hips. A full training programme built around these five exercises is achievable with a set of adjustable dumbbells and a bench.

If you are starting from scratch and want a complete structured programme, see our free 8-week strength training programme for runners, which uses dumbbells throughout for exactly this reason.

FAQ: Compound Lifts for Runners

What exercises help runners the most?
Compound lifts targeting the posterior chain: the deadlift, back squat, hip thrust, and single-leg work. These movements improve running economy and reduce the injury risk associated with hip weakness and lateral instability.

Should runners do compound or isolation exercises?
Compound lifts, based on the evidence. Beattie et al. (2014) and Blagrove et al. (2018) both found that compound movements improve running economy; isolation work has no meaningful evidence base for this outcome.

How many times a week should runners lift?
Twice per week is the minimum effective dose from the research. For more detail on scheduling, see our full how many days a week should I lift and run guide.

Will compound lifting make me too bulky to run?
No. Endurance runners doing 2 strength sessions per week at 3-5 rep ranges build neuromuscular efficiency rather than hypertrophy. Blagrove et al. (2018) found running economy improvements without significant changes in body composition. For a direct answer to this question, see does lifting weights make you slower.

Can I deadlift without a barbell?
Yes. Dumbbell deadlifts and trap bar deadlifts are effective alternatives and require less technique than conventional barbell deadlifts.

The Bottom Line

Heavy compound lifting improves running economy by approximately 8% (Blagrove et al., 2018). The five movements that produce this result are the conventional deadlift, back squat, hip thrust, single-leg Romanian deadlift, and Bulgarian split squat. Two sessions per week at 3-6 rep ranges for the main lifts is the minimum effective programme.

You do not need a barbell. You do not need a commercial gym. You need 45 minutes twice per week and a willingness to accept that being briefly tired in a gym is significantly better than being injured on the road.

For recovery nutrition to support these sessions, see our guide to the best protein powder for runners in Ireland. For a complete weekly schedule that integrates lifting and running without one destroying the other, see how many days a week should I lift and run.

Sources: Beattie, K. et al. (2014). Sports Medicine, 44(6), 845-865. Blagrove, R.C. et al. (2018). Sports Medicine, 48(5), 1117-1149. Ronnestad, B.R. and Mujika, I. (2014). Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 24(4), 603-612.