Strength Training for Women: What the Science Really Says, and Why Every Runner and Triathlete Needs It

Whether you’re a runner, triathlete, cyclist, or everyday athlete, lifting weights can transform your performance, your health, and how you feel in your own skin. For women, it’s not just about building strength,it's about building resilience in a body that faces different physiological challenges and, historically, has been left out of the research.

Below we dive into the why, the how, and the science of strength training for women, with specific takeaways for endurance athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike.

Why Women Should Strength Train

Muscle, Strength, and Metabolism

Lean muscle is metabolically active tissue. Strength training builds it, burns more calories at rest, and supports fat loss,especially important for women as estrogen shifts with age (Willis et al., 2012). Lifting helps preserve lean mass and combats sarcopenia, a major cause of frailty and injury later in life.

Hormonal Health and Bone Density

Resistance training is one of the most effective tools against bone density loss,critical for women at increased risk of osteoporosis (Kohrt et al., 2004). It also improves insulin sensitivity, growth hormone production, and stress resilience,countering hormonal fluctuations from PMS to menopause.

Confidence, Autonomy, and Body Image

Strength training has been shown to improve self-esteem, decrease anxiety, and increase body satisfaction in women across age groups (Bennie et al., 2019).

The Gender Gap in Strength Research

Despite growing participation, women remain underrepresented in sports science research. A 2014 review found women comprised only 34% of study subjects in exercise science, with even less inclusion in strength-related studies (Costello et al., 2014).

Why does this matter? Because female physiology, especially across the menstrual cycle, affects recovery, tendon laxity, and injury risk (Sung et al., 2014). Most strength guidelines are based on male-centric data, yet we know women adapt just as well to strength training when protocols are individualized (Hubal et al., 2005).

Strength Training for Endurance Athletes

Many runners, triathletes, and cyclists avoid lifting weights out of fear it will make them bulky or interfere with endurance gains. But research consistently shows the opposite. Strength training improves running economy, cycling power, and injury resilience. It enhances neuromuscular coordination, helping maintain form under fatigue, and it builds joint and connective tissue strength, especially important for high-mileage athletes.

A 2013 meta-analysis found that strength training reduced overuse injury risk by 50% (Lauersen et al., 2013). A 2017 meta-analysis also found that strength training improved time-trial performance in both runners and cyclists (Berryman et al., 2017).

The Posterior Chain: The Foundation Women Often Miss

The posterior chain refers to the muscles on the backside of the body: glutes, hamstrings, calves, spinal erectors, and upper back. These muscles are essential for posture, power, and propulsion,yet are often underdeveloped, particularly in women, due to lifestyle habits, injury history, and quad-dominant movement patterns.

For endurance athletes, a strong posterior chain supports proper hip extension, reduces reliance on the lower back and knees, and improves gait efficiency. Weak glutes and hamstrings can lead to overuse injuries such as IT band syndrome, Achilles tendinopathy, and low back pain.

Exercises like deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, glute bridges, and hip thrusts are critical to restoring balance and ensuring that the powerhouse muscles are doing their job.

Understanding Rep Ranges: 12–20 vs. 4–8

Higher Reps (12–20): Not Just for Beginners

Even in peak and race phases, higher-rep strength work plays a vital role. It improves muscle endurance and postural control under fatigue (Andersen et al., 2005). It supports tendon and ligament health through greater time under tension (Kjaer et al., 2009). It also minimizes central nervous system stress and soreness compared to high-load, low-rep sets (García-Pallarés & Izquierdo, 2011).

During race season, higher-rep accessory work can help maintain movement quality and durability while reducing risk of overload or missed sessions due to fatigue.

The Big Lifts: Best Strength Exercises for Women

For strength and performance, compound lifts that engage multiple joints and muscle groups are the most effective. These include:

• Hack Squat or Back Squat – Develops glute, quad, and core strength
• Trap Bar or Conventional Deadlift – Targets the posterior chain and improves total-body power
• Hip Thrust / Glute Bridge – Isolates glutes for stability and pelvic control
• Pull-ups / Rows – Strengthens upper back and postural control
• Overhead Press / Push-ups – Builds upper body and core integration
• Romanian Deadlifts – Reinforces hamstring length-tension and durability

Strength workouts should prioritize these lifts in 2–3 sets, 2–3 times per week, adjusting intensity across training phases.

HIIT, Hybrid Classes, and Strength: Are They Enough?

Bootcamps, CrossFit, and other hybrid formats combine cardiovascular conditioning with resistance training, often in a high-intensity format. These classes have value but also limitations.

Benefits

• Time-efficient for general fitness
• Improve aerobic capacity and metabolic conditioning (Paoli et al., 2012)
• Useful during off-season or when time-constrained

Limitations

• Often lack true progressive overload or adequate recovery between sets
• Do not typically build maximal strength or improve neuromuscular output
• May overemphasize speed and fatigue over technique

While these classes improve muscular endurance and general fitness, they should not replace dedicated strength training,especially for athletes aiming to build long-term resilience and sport-specific performance.

Concurrent Training: Lifting and Endurance Together

Can you train strength and endurance simultaneously? Yes, but with intention. Concurrent training refers to the integration of strength and endurance work in the same cycle or session. The concern is that one may impair adaptations in the other. A 2012 meta-analysis (Wilson et al.) found that endurance work performed before strength training in a session could blunt strength and hypertrophy outcomes.

However, when properly programmed, concurrent training supports both strength and endurance goals. For endurance athletes, this means:

• Lifting on non-long run or ride days
• Separating cardio and strength sessions by 6 or more hours when possible
• Using low volume, high-quality strength work during peak periods

Programming Across the Season

Strength programming should align with the athlete’s race schedule, fatigue levels, and individual needs. Even in race season, one well-placed session can maintain gains and support injury prevention.

Take Away

Strength training supports health, improves performance, and equips the body to handle both the stress of endurance sports and the demands of life.

For women athletes, strength work is more than lifting weights, it’s about reinforcing the systems that allow for freedom of movement, resistance to injury, and resilience over time. Regardless of where you are in your athletic journey, strength training will elevate your performance and support your health for years to come.

References

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Beattie, K., et al. (2014). The effect of strength training on performance in endurance athletes. Sports Medicine, 44(6), 845–865.
Bennie, J. A., et al. (2019). Muscle-strengthening activities and associated health benefits: a systematic review. BMC Public Health, 19, 701.
Berryman, N., et al. (2017). Strength training for middle- and long-distance performance: a meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 47(5), 963-980.
Costello, J. T., et al. (2014). Where are all the female participants in sports and exercise medicine research? European Journal of Sport Science, 14(8), 847-851.
García-Pallarés, J., & Izquierdo, M. (2011). Strategies to optimize concurrent training of strength and aerobic fitness for rowing and canoeing. Sports Medicine, 41(4), 329–343.
Hubal, M. J., et al. (2005). Variability in muscle size and strength gain after resistance training. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 37(6), 964–972.
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Kohrt, W. M., et al. (2004). Physical activity and bone health. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 36(11), 1985–1996.
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Sung, E., et al. (2014). Menstrual cycle and performance: current perspectives. Sports Medicine, 44(2), 165-183.
Willis, L. H., et al. (2012). Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults. Journal of Applied Physiology, 113(12), 1831-1837.
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Yamamoto, L. M., et al. (2008). The effects of resistance training on endurance distance running performance among highly trained runners. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(6), 2036-2044.