Are you a runner struggling to lift? Your legs feel like jello. They’re always heavy, sore, and bro splits just keep leaving you in the dust, crushing your runs, and you feel like you can never actually balance lifting and running in a way that complements your running without leaving you feeling toasted every single day of the week.
Today, I’m breaking down three lifting splits that work for runners to help manage soreness, help you keep pushing your running goals, and don’t leave you feeling totally wrecked at the end of the day.
Whether you’re training for your first 5K, your next marathon, or crushing the trails, this guide is for you.
Many of you might be trying to mimic the world of bodybuilding with bro splits, or you’re just trying to slap your running on top of a lifting program that doesn’t factor in the fact that you’re also a runner trying to run.
My first tip for you: ditch the bro splits.
There’s nothing wrong with bodybuilding or hypertrophy work, but I find that bro splits are incredibly time-consuming, involve an excessive amount of volume that makes it really hard to recover when you’re also balancing running, and aren’t necessary to get 90-98% of the things you actually need to make you stronger, gain muscle, or support your running goals.
The Biggest Mistake: Following lifting plans made only for people who lift—not factoring in that you’re also trying to run.
You need to know there’s going to be compromise when you merge these things together. Whether you’re trying to be a hybrid athlete or a runner who lifts, there’s always going to be a degree of compromise or sacrifice in order to get both things in while focusing on your primary goal—which for most of you is probably running.
That’s why I love these three splits. Let’s dive in.
If you only have 2 days a week to lift—which I recommend as the minimum for all runners, at least 30 minutes or more at a time to meet exercise guidelines and support your running goals—this is a great place to start.
I suggest starting with two full-body lifts.
When I say full-body, I mean you’re picking an exercise that targets all of the major muscle groups of your body:
You can also include plyometrics in your full-body workouts. In fact, I encourage you to do this. This will help support your running goals, make you run faster, help reduce injury risk along the way, and you should include these as part of your whole-body training program.
Of course, you can include core and any running support or rehab exercises you need to keep you strong within that program.
If you have time for three lifts a week, you have two variations of this option that I think are amazing.
| Option | Structure | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Option A: 2 Full-Body + 1 Upper |
Full-Body Full-Body Upper Body Only |
Consolidates leg stressors to just 2 days per week. Extra upper body day spreads out volume and gives your legs more recovery time between runs. |
| Option B: 3 Full-Body Days |
Full-Body Full-Body Full-Body |
Spreads volume and frequency across the week. Easier to recover from because there’s less volume in any single session. |
What do I mean by spreading out the volume across the week?
Instead of doing back squats, lunges, AND step-ups all on the same day on Monday, you do:
That way they’re spread across the week so you’re not hitting all of that in the same session. This distributes the volume, making it easier to recover from because it’s less in one single session. You’re not feeling the total “I can’t sit down” burning fire of your quads from doing too much legs in one day and then trying to go out for a run.
Why I Love 3-Day Splits for Runners:
These give you flexibility to rearrange things across the week as needed. They also give you the option of missing a lift if you need to. Some weeks life happens—you don’t have enough time, you’re not recovering, or maybe you’re training through a race and need to remove a lift to prepare for that weekend’s effort.
With three-day splits, you can always drop the third full-body lift or the upper body day if you can’t get it in and still get most of what you need in just those two days.
For those of you who prefer and insist upon lifting more days per week, I hear it. I get it. But I want to encourage you to think about keeping your days fewer but higher quality.
Quality Over Quantity:
I think too many runners are used to lifting plans that give them a ton of high-rep, high-volume stuff that leaves you underloaded. Instead of doing 4×10 of every exercise with 6-9 exercises per workout, think about doing 4-6 really quality exercises for 2-3 sets, but actually taking them to a 7, 8, or 9 out of 10 effort.
You’ll find that when you take it to a higher, harder effort, you can get more quality and more out of those sessions with less. Doing more isn’t always inherently better. Runners would benefit from doing things that are more intense and less volume—it’s typically the volume that’s making you fatigued and sore, not the intensity or lifting heavy.
But if you absolutely love, want, or need a 4-day split, here’s what I recommend:
| Day | Option A: Upper/Lower | Option B: Mixed Split |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Upper Body | Full-Body |
| Day 2 | Lower Body | Full-Body |
| Day 3 | Upper Body | Upper Body |
| Day 4 | Lower Body | Lower Body |
This way you’re not totally destroying your legs three days a week in the gym. Again, I typically don’t lean on a 4-day split for most runners I work with—you’re usually having a hard enough time balancing lifting and running as is. But if you insist upon it, that’s what I’d recommend.
| If You Have… | Best Split | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Limited time or just getting started | 2 Full-Body Days | Efficient, hits everything twice per week, minimal time commitment |
| Moderate time and want more upper body volume | 2 Full-Body + 1 Upper | Protects legs while building upper body strength |
| Want to spread volume across the week | 3 Full-Body Days | Easier recovery, flexible schedule, can drop a day if needed |
| Love lifting and want maximum frequency | 4-Day Upper/Lower | More lifting volume while managing leg fatigue |
If you’re still struggling with balancing lifting and running after reading this, I’ve got your back.
Free Resource: Check out my Strong Runner Series—an absolutely free tool and resource that walks you through daily mini-lessons on:
If you’re looking for a program that does all of this thinking for you, join us at The Lyss Method. The Lyss Method is my signature program that’s notorious for helping runners and hybrid athletes balance it all in a way that actually feels realistic and recoverable—and doesn’t blow you up along the way.
We have tons of options from lifting plans and running plans combined together to help you meet yourself where you’re at in your training. If you’re not quite sure what program is right for you, email us anytime at hello@thelyssmethod.com to have a coach help you figure out what program is the best fit for your goals and timeline.
I’m Exercise Physiologist, sports nutritionist, weight lifter, and ultra runner. I am here to bring science to your training in a no-nonsense way. I have helped thousands of women crush big lifting goals, cross race finish lines, and even do both. I’m here to help you do the same!
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