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There are a lot of amateur athletes out there who are “allergic” to weight training.

That’s unfortunate, because when you practice long-distance or short-distance sports like running, cycling, swimming, or rowing or do triathlons, and focus exclusively on cardiovascular work without strengthening your legs or your upper body, you won’t be able to achieve your maximum performance.

Strength is a basic physical ability you have to build, even if you are only into endurance sports. This is why professional athletes train with weights. From champion marathon runners to cyclists, all of them include weight training sessions in their workout schedule, even though they don’t focus on the same thing. For example, a marathon runner will work on building his endurance strength, while a cyclist will basically work on building his explosive power.

Forget the myths that weight training will make you heavy or slow. Here at Sportize.me we recommend a basic, very simple workout routine for increasing the strength in your legs.

Elliptical

10 minutes at a medium-low pace

Floor crunches

2 sets x 25 reps

Hip raises

2 sets x 15 reps

Squats with barbell

3 sets x 10 reps

Dumbbell scissors

3 sets x 10 reps

Hamstring curl

3 sets x 10 reps

Heel raises on step

3 sets x 20 reps

Quad stretch

2 sets x 20 seconds

Ischiotibialis stretch

2 sets x 20 seconds

Calf stretch

2 sets x 20 seconds

We recommend that you include training sessions like this into your workout routine at least once a week as a complement to your cardiovascular sport. In just a short time, you’ll see your sports performance improve!

And if you’d like your very own personalized workout plan that is adapted to your goal, all you have to do is register for free at Sportize.me by clicking here, and go into your Private Area. From there, you’ll be able to track all your workout sessions on the calendar.