Strength exercise ideas

G-Money

I'm due to start Hal Higdon's Novice 10K training programme next week with an aim of finishing it the week of the Great Ireland run. Some of the workouts require "strength" training days which he says can be push-ups, pull-ups etc or working in the gym.

I don't have a gym membership and I have no plans to start one anytime soon but I was wondering if anyone here could suggest some strength type exercises that I could do at home?

I do have a few dumbbells and plates as well as a barbell and a bench but space issues will kind of mean that I can only really use the dumbbells.

I guess I could also do with performing some exercises that work on my quads. My knees tend to give me a bit of jip from time to time, not helped by my weight but I also seem to have very tight quads.

I guess I was thinking of perhaps some body weight exercises like squats, push-ups etc and perhaps some stuff that I could use dumbbells for. I really dislike strength training so I'll need something that I'd be able to stick to and something that's not complete torture. For example my upper body strength is shocking and because of my weight and fitness, doing normal push-ups are extremely difficult to the point where I have to use my knees for support.

Training plan is below.

http://www.halhigdon.com/10ktraining/10knovice.htm


Cheers.

RayCun

There are some exercises suggested on the Higdon site.
I would guess that you should focus on strengthening your core. a quick google turns up this set of exercises.

menoscemo

One legged squats would be great for building up the muscles around your knee and would also help with flexibility and balance.
Other ideas are, Pushups, situps, dips, planks, Burpees etc.

Google bodyweight excercises, there are loads of routines on youtube that you could do in your living room.

Ryder

I do a core type circuit twice a week after a 30 min run
3 circuits to failure of ; bent over row, stability ball push up, dumbbell clean and press and single leg squat (with reach to ground), and side bridge with leg raise. Between each of those exercises I do either bicycle crunches or stability ball crunches.

I had ITB issues last year and I think that this has helped...

Mr Slow

As you're starting off you could just work on your abs, latts and back muscles, strengthening these will help with your form and lessen the chances of discomfort and injury in these areas, don't jump into it though, just like running you need a base to start from.