Running vs Strength Training: Which Should You Do?

For most people, the best answer to running versus strength training is to do both. Running builds cardiovascular fitness and endurance, while strength training builds muscle, protects against injury and improves body composition. They are not rivals, and combining them produces better all round health than either alone. You only need to choose one if you have a very specific single goal.

That is the honest answer. This guide compares the two fairly, lays out what each is best for, explains why combining them wins for most people, and helps you decide where to put your emphasis based on your goal.

THE ANSWER / AT A GLANCE

Running vs strength, in numbers

The honest truth: Running versus strength is a false choice for most people. They do different jobs, and the healthiest, most capable bodies do both. The only time to pick one is when chasing a single specialised goal.

THE COMPARISON / HEAD TO HEAD

What does each one do?

BEST FOR / BY GOAL

Which is better for your goal?

WHY BOTH WINS / THE SYNERGY

Why doing both beats choosing

Doing both wins because each covers the other's weakness. Running does little for muscle and bone, which strength provides. Strength training does little for cardiovascular endurance, which running provides. Together they build a body that is fit, strong, resilient and healthy, with the added benefit that strength work makes you a more injury resistant runner.

The synergy: Strength training cuts running injury risk, and running keeps a lifter's heart healthy. The combination is greater than the sum of its parts, which is why the choice is usually a mistake.

WHEN TO CHOOSE / THE EXCEPTION

When should you pick just one?

You should focus on just one when you have a specific, single performance goal in a defined window. Training for a marathon PB means prioritising running. Chasing a maximal strength or physique goal means prioritising lifting. Even then, the other discipline usually stays in the plan as support rather than disappearing entirely.

How Edge gives you both

Edge is built on the principle that most people should do both, which is why every plan combines running and strength rather than forcing a choice. You set your emphasis, more running, more strength, or a balanced blend, and Edge builds and sequences the plan around it, protecting recovery throughout.

If your goal shifts toward a race or a strength phase, the balance shifts with it. For the full picture, see our complete guide to hybrid training and our guide on how many days a week to run and lift. The verdict on running versus strength is clear. For most people, do both, and let Edge balance them. Over 11,500 UK users now train with Edge, and every day gets easier.