RIDGEWORK

Strength

Strength, at home or in a gym

Every plan has one strength day a week in the build. Each exercise below is marked home or gym, and every plan has a home version that needs nothing more than a step, a chair and a backpack.

Three rules

  1. Stop two reps before your form breaks.
  2. When the top of the rep range is easy, add two reps or a little weight — not a new exercise.
  3. Sore for two days afterwards means you did too much. Do less next week, not more.

What each plan uses

The build weeks are shown. In the race-specific weeks the same moves get heavier and slower. In the taper the session shrinks to a short reminder.

20 km trail

At home

2–3 rounds, a minute's rest between

In a gym

2–3 sets of each, 2 min rest on the heavy lifts

50 km ultra

At home

2–3 rounds, a minute's rest between

In a gym

2–3 sets of each, 2 min rest on the heavy lifts

100–120 km ultra

At home

2–3 rounds, a minute's rest between

In a gym

2–3 sets of each, 2 min rest on the heavy lifts

Easy base

At home

2–3 rounds, a minute's rest between

In a gym

2–3 sets of each, 2 min rest on the heavy lifts

Alpine day · Multi-day alpine route · High-altitude expedition · Kilimanjaro trek

At home

2–3 rounds, a minute's rest between

In a gym

2–3 sets of each, 2 min rest on the heavy lifts

At home

Home

A stair, a chair, a wall, a backpack. Nothing to buy.

In a gym

Gym

Dumbbells, a barbell or trap bar, and a couple of machines. Heavier, so fewer reps.

Why it is in the plan

Adding strength work to running improves running economy in middle- and long-distance runners — that is the main finding of a 2018 systematic review in Sports Medicine (Blagrove, Howatson and Hayes). For trail, the work that pays is single-leg, slow on the way down, and hard enough that the last two reps take effort. None of it needs a gym.

See the strength day inside a real week →All plans →

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Ridgework writes training weeks for trail and mountain. It is not a medical device, not healthcare, and not a substitute for a clinician, a guide, or rescue. Research citations inform the week structure; they are not prescriptions. You remain responsible for safety in the mountains and in training.