Upper Body Workout for Runners: 8 Essential Exercises

If you’re like most runners, your strength plan is probably dialed in on the usual suspects: squats, lunges, planks, and glute bridges. But here’s the gap—almost no upper-body work. Instead of the usual “skip leg day,” we tend to “skip upper-body day instead.”

We assume running only needs legs and lungs, then wonder why our shoulders creep up, our arms cross over, and our posture collapses late in a long run. A stronger upper body helps you maintain form, breathe better, and stay efficient when fatigue sets in.

Ever finish a marathon with a sore neck, tight shoulders, or an aching lower back?

That’s often not a “running problem”—it’s a strength and stability problem. And if you carry a hydration vest, handheld bottle, or pack for trail runs, building upper-body strength becomes even more important for comfort and control.

Benefits Of An Upper Body Workout

If you need some convincing, here are just a few of the great benefits from throwing in some push-ups and rows to your strength routine.

Sure, we don’t need bulging biceps, but we need to be strong to run faster, healthier, and, in the end, happier. 

11 Exercises for a Great Upper Body Workout For Runners 

We should aim for 2 full-body strength training sessions per week. You can do more if you’d like, but two is sufficient to improve your overall strength.

You can add the following upper-body exercises to your weight training program. Cover each upper body muscle group, such as the back, chest, shoulders, and arms, in your full-body workouts. 

Each runner’s level will vary, but depending on your strength training experience, you can do anywhere from 8-12 reps of each exercise you choose for 2-3 sets. Be sure to rest a minute or two between sets to give your body time to recuperate.

Let’s start our workout with some back-strengthening exercises: 

#1: Superman 

All you need for this exercise is a mat for comfort; the rest is just bodyweight. 

1. Lie on your stomach, arms and legs extended behind you.
2. Simultaneously lift your arms, legs, and body off the ground, creating a slight arch.
3. Hold this position for a few seconds.
4. Lower yourself back to the floor to your starting position. 
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.  

Note: You can also perform this exercise with your arms extended in front of you, following the line of your neck and head as you lift. You can add dumbbells for an advanced version.

#2: Pull Apart

For this exercise, you will need a resistance band. 

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold the resistance band in your hands.
3. Extend your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height. 
4. Pull the band apart as you bring your hands out to the sides, keeping them in a straight line, feeling the tension build on the resistance band. Retract your shoulder blades. 
5. Pause for a couple of seconds in the open position and then return to your starting position.

Note: If this exercise doesn’t feel challenging enough, position your hands closer together toward the center of the resistance band to create more tension.

#3: Suspension Inverted Row

1. Grab the suspension device with your arms extended, feet out in front of you, and body completely extended, parallel to the floor. 
2. Engage your core and pull yourself up by bending your elbows until your chest reaches the handles. Open your chest and retract your shoulder blades. 
3. Hold for a couple of seconds, then lower yourself to your starting position with control.

Note: If this position is too difficult for you, you can walk your feet back until your body is diagonal to the floor, not parallel, and perform the exercise from there. Find your sweet spot, and as you advance, lower yourself down each time to increase difficulty.

#4: Bent Over Row with Dumbbells

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in, and hands by your sides. 
2. Bend at the waist, keeping your back completely straight. 
3. Pull the dumbbells up to your chest, your elbows bending behind you.
4. Hold this position for a couple of seconds and lower the dumbbells with control back to your starting position. 

Note: You can also do this in a unilateral fashion by working one arm at a time and then switching sides. 

Let’s switch over to the other side now and work that chest: 

#5: Push-Up

In this version of the push-up, we will keep our hands right next to our chest and bend our elbows straight back, not out to the sides. 

1. Lie on your stomach, palms on the ground lined up on either side of your chest, and your feet hip-width apart as you balance your weight between your hands and your toes.
2. Push through your hands, extending your elbows as you raise yourself up, keeping your body as straight as a board.
3. Lower yourself back down controlled, bending your elbows until your body is barely above the ground. 

Note: To work up to this exercise, you may begin by performing push-ups against a wall, on your knees, or on a bench for extra help. 

#6: Alternating Single-Arm Chest Press

1. Lie face-up on a bench with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent at 90 degrees. 
2. With a dumbbell in each hand, bend your elbows and place the dumbbells on either side of your chest. 
3. Extend your right elbow and lift the dumbbell straight up above you. 
4. Bring the right dumbbell back to its starting position and repeat on the left side. 

#7: Up Down Plank

1. Being in a high plank position with your shoulders, elbows, and hands in a straight line. 
2. Engage your core, lower your left arm into an elbow plank, then do the same with your right arm. You should now be in an elbow plank position. 
3. Take your left arm back to a full plank arm position, extending the elbow. Do the same with your right arm. You should be back in a full plank position. 
4. Alternate sides.

#8: Renegade Row

Let’s mix up a plank and some rows for a full-body workout. This will work not only for your strength but also for your stability, as you should try to keep your body as stable as possible throughout each movement. 

1. Being in a full plank position, propped up on a set of dumbbells, one in each hand. 
2. Keeping your body as stable as possible and engaging your core, lift the left dumbbell off the ground, bringing it into a row, and raise your left elbow above your shoulder blade. 
3. Return your left dumbbell to the ground, then return to your full plank position and repeat on your right side.

#9: Tricep Dip

1. Place a bench or any other stable surface behind you.
2. While facing away, grab the bench with your palms to support yourself.
3. Walk your feet out in front of you until your knees are extended. Your weight will now be distributed between your hands and your heels. 
4. Bend your elbows and lower yourself down until you are just above the floor. 
5. Extend your elbows and return to your starting position. 

Now for some shoulder work: 

#10: Lateral Raise

1. Stand tall with your feet at hip-width apart. 
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. 
3. Depending on your level, either keep your elbows slightly bent (more challenging) or bend them at 90 degrees (less challenging). 
4. Using your shoulders, lift your arms to your sides (45-degree angle), bringing them in line with your shoulders. 
5. With control, lower them down to your starting position. 

#11: Dumbbell Shoulder Press

1. Stand tall with your feet at hip-width apart. 
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
3. Bend your elbows and bring each dumbbell to shoulder height, palms facing each other. 
4. Extend your elbows and bring the dumbbells over your head, elbows extended by your ears. 
5. With control, bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.

The incorporation of upper body training into a runner’s regimen is a great way to enhance overall performance and minimize the risk of injury.

By focusing on exercises that target the upper back, back muscles, and shoulders, runners can significantly improve their running form and technique.

Strengthening these muscle groups not only promotes proper posture and spinal alignment but also facilitates efficient spinal rotation, thereby improving stride length and minimizing energy expenditure during running.³Drum, S. N., Rappelt, L., & Donath, L. (2019). Trunk and Upper Body Fatigue Adversely Affect Running Economy: A Three-Armed Randomized Controlled Crossover Pilot Trial. Sports, 7(8), 195. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7080195

Additionally, engaging in upper-body training serves as cross-training, keeping you fit on your days off from running, and complements the cardiovascular benefits of running with targeted muscle strengthening.

Make sure to include a full range of motion and proper form during the exercises, along with an appropriate number of repetitions for your current fitness level. If you don’t know where to start, consider working with a personal trainer or coach.

If you are looking for hamstring, lower back, or just general lower body exercises to add to your workouts, check out our:

Squats for Runners Guide: How To, Benefits, + 20 Variations To Try

References

• 1
  Hong, A. R., & Kim, S. W. (2018). Effects of Resistance Exercise on Bone Health. Endocrinology and Metabolism, 33(4), 435. https://doi.org/10.3803/enm.2018.33.4.435
• 2
  Lee, J., Kim, D., & Kim, C. (2017). Resistance Training for Glycemic Control, Muscular Strength, and Lean Body Mass in Old Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Meta-Analysis. Diabetes Therapy, 8(3), 459–473. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-017-0258-3
• 3
  Drum, S. N., Rappelt, L., & Donath, L. (2019). Trunk and Upper Body Fatigue Adversely Affect Running Economy: A Three-Armed Randomized Controlled Crossover Pilot Trial. Sports, 7(8), 195. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7080195