Marathon Strength Block

Your Strength Plan

3 days a week, built around your marathon training — for stronger, more defined shoulders and arms.

3/wkSessions
~40Minutes each
8–12Weeks to see it

The goal of this plan

You don't need this explained to lift the weight, but it's worth knowing what this plan is actually aiming at — because it's three goals stacked on top of each other, not one.

Shoulders and arms that show it

The direct goal. Lateral raises, rows, curls and triceps work three times a week, in the 8–15 rep range that actually builds visible muscle instead of just strength. This is most of why the plan looks the way it does.

A running body that holds up better late in a race

This isn't separate from the running — it's insurance for it. Stronger glutes and hamstrings protect against the injuries that end training blocks. Stronger lats and shoulders stop the torso swaying and the arms dropping in the last miles, which is exactly when form falls apart and pace does too.

Fixing the runner's hunch

High mileage rounds the upper back and pulls the head forward — your body adapting to hours spent leaning slightly forward and swinging the arms front-to-back. Left alone it gets more pronounced, not less. This plan builds in a short daily fix for it, on top of the rear-delt and upper-back work already in Upper B.

So: the lateral raises are for the shoulders you want to see. The RDLs and rows are for the runner you already are. The posture routine is for undoing what the mileage is doing to your back. All three run at the same time.

How this works

Every session runs Warm Up → Main Set → Cool Down. In the main set, tap any exercise to open its full tutorial: a video, what it’s for, how to do it, what it should feel like, the common mistakes, and how to know the weight is right. The starred movements ★ are your priority for the goal — they’re already open, and if a day is short on time, they’re the last thing to cut.

Fitting it around your running

Your running coach owns the running calendar — easy days, long runs, quality sessions. These three lifting days just need to slot in around whatever that calendar already says. Here’s how to think about each one.

Upper A No real constraint from the running — put this wherever it fits your week best.
Lower (Maintenance) Put this on one of your easy running days. It's kept deliberately light on purpose, so it won't cost you legs.
Upper B Same rule as Upper A — goes almost anywhere, just not right before your hardest run.

Three rules matter more than which exact day: lift after a run, never before · keep Lower on an easy day, and never within 24 hours of a long run or a quality session · the two Upper days barely touch the running at all, so they're flexible and can go almost anywhere else in the week.

Travelling, or the gym doesn’t line up on a lifting day? Swap in the Travel Session tab — same muscles, hotel-room version.

Posture Fix (its own tab, in red) runs underneath all of this — most days, regardless of what running or lifting is already on the schedule.

Download your printable training logOne page per session — pen and paper, so we can watch the numbers move

Upper A

Push · Side Delts · Triceps

~45 min

This is the session doing most of the work for the arms. Don't rush it.

Warm up · 5 minMain set · 37 minCool down · 3 min

At a glance

ExerciseSets × RepsRest
DB Bench Press3 × 8–102 min
Seated DB Shoulder Press3 × 8–1090 sec
DB Lateral Raise ★4 × 12–1560 sec
Rope Triceps Pushdown3 × 10–1260 sec
Overhead DB Triceps Extension2 × 12–1560 sec
Warm Up

2 rounds, no rest between moves. ~5 minutes. Skipping this is the fastest way to make the working sets feel worse than they should.

Band Pull-Apart15 reps

Why: Wakes up your rear shoulders and upper back so the shoulder blades are working before you load them.

How: Arms straight, pull the band apart to touch your chest, squeeze the shoulder blades. Slow return.

Open on YouTube
Scapular Push-Up10 reps

Why: Teaches shoulder-blade control — this is what protects the shoulder joint once you start pressing.

How: In a push-up position with arms locked straight, only the shoulder blades move — pinch together, then push apart.

Open on YouTube
Band Shoulder Dislocate10 reps

Why: Opens the chest and front of the shoulder so you can press overhead without arching your lower back.

How: Very wide grip on the band. Take it slowly from in front of your hips to behind your hips, arms straight.

Open on YouTube
Arm Circles30 seconds

Why: Gets blood into the shoulder before the first working set.

How: Small circles building to large, forwards then backwards.

Open on YouTube
Main Set

Tap any exercise to open the full tutorial. Star ★ = priority movement, open by default.

1DB Bench Press3 × 8–10 · 2 min
Open on YouTube

What it’s for

Chest, front of the shoulder, triceps. Pressing balances out all the pulling and posture work below, and it builds the front of the shoulder that frames the arm.

How to do it

  1. Lie flat, feet planted on the floor, dumbbells at chest height.
  2. Elbows about 45° away from your ribs — not flared straight out to the sides.
  3. Press up and slightly together until your arms are straight, elbows soft at the top.
  4. Lower over 3 seconds until your upper arms are level with your torso.

It should feel like

A stretch and then hard work across the chest and the front of the shoulder. Triceps join in near the top.

It should not feel like: Pinching at the front of the shoulder joint. That means your elbows are flared too wide — bring them in.

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing the dumbbells at the bottom instead of controlling them
  • Elbows flared to a full 90° — the main cause of shoulder pain in pressing
  • Arching your lower back off the bench to move more weight
  • Half reps — not lowering far enough

Getting the weight right

The last rep is hard, but the dumbbells never wobble or drift apart from each other.

2Seated DB Shoulder Press3 × 8–10 · 90 sec
Open on YouTube

What it’s for

Front and side deltoids — the cap of the shoulder. Together with lateral raises, this is what actually builds the shape you're after.

How to do it

  1. Sit with your back flat against an upright bench. Dumbbells at ear height, palms facing forward.
  2. Elbows slightly in front of your body, not straight out to the sides.
  3. Brace: pull your ribs down toward your hips so your lower back stays flat against the pad.
  4. Press overhead until your arms are straight. Lower under control back to ear height.

It should feel like

Shoulders working hard, triceps taking over near the top.

It should not feel like: Straining or arching through the lower back. If your back peels off the bench, the weight is too heavy.

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back so it becomes an incline chest press
  • Going too heavy — this is a small muscle group, be honest
  • Stopping short instead of lowering all the way to ear height

Getting the weight right

All 8–10 reps finish with your back still flat against the bench.

3DB Lateral Raise ★4 × 12–15 · 60 sec
Open on YouTube

What it’s for

The side deltoid — and this is the most important exercise in the whole plan for what you want. The side delt is the rounded cap on top of the shoulder, and it's most of what makes an arm read as toned and defined. It was completely missing from your last two plans.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall, a small dumbbell in each hand at your sides, slight fixed bend in the elbows.
  2. Raise out to the sides leading with your elbows, not your hands.
  3. Stop at shoulder height — no higher.
  4. Lower over a full 3 seconds. The lowering is where much of the growth happens.

It should feel like

A burn on the outside and top of the shoulder within 8–10 reps. That burn is the exercise working — it's supposed to be uncomfortable.

It should not feel like: The tops of your traps (the muscle up toward your neck) doing the work, or any bounce coming from your hips.

Common mistakes

  • Far too heavy. This is the single most common mistake in any gym
  • Swinging your body to throw the weights up
  • Shrugging your shoulders toward your ears
  • Raising above shoulder height, which hands the work to the traps

Getting the weight right

Start with 2–4 kg. Genuinely. If you can't do 15 slow, still-bodied reps, it's too heavy. This one is about control, not load — going lighter here works better, not worse.

4Rope Triceps Pushdown3 × 10–12 · 60 sec
Open on YouTube

What it’s for

Triceps — the back of the upper arm. They're about two thirds of your arm's total muscle, so if the goal is arms, this matters more than curls do.

How to do it

  1. Rope attachment on a high cable. Stand close, a small forward lean from the hips.
  2. Pin your elbows to the sides of your ribs. They stay there for the whole set.
  3. Push down and slightly apart at the bottom, straightening your arms fully.
  4. Return under control until your elbows are at about 90°.

It should feel like

A clear burn along the back of the upper arm.

It should not feel like: Shoulders or upper back working. If you feel it there, your elbows are moving.

Common mistakes

  • Elbows drifting forward or flaring out — the most common fault
  • Leaning over the weight and using bodyweight to push it down
  • Not straightening fully at the bottom, which is exactly where the triceps work hardest

Getting the weight right

If you have to lean into it to move the stack, it's too heavy.

5Overhead DB Triceps Extension2 × 12–15 · 60 sec
Open on YouTube

What it’s for

The long head of the triceps, which only gets properly trained with the arm overhead. Pushdowns miss it almost entirely — and it's the part that gives the back of the arm its shape.

How to do it

  1. Seated or standing, hold one dumbbell with both hands, arms straight overhead.
  2. Elbows point forward and stay narrow — think of squeezing them toward each other.
  3. Lower the weight behind your head until your elbows are fully bent.
  4. Extend back up to straight without letting your elbows drift outward.

It should feel like

A deep stretch down the back of the arm at the bottom, and a hard contraction at the top.

It should not feel like: Pain in the elbow joint. If that happens, reduce the weight and the range.

Common mistakes

  • Elbows flaring out wide — this turns it into a different, less useful exercise
  • Doing only half the range
  • Too much weight, which always shows up as flaring elbows

Getting the weight right

You can keep your elbows pointing forward for all 12–15 reps.

Cool Down

~3 minutes. Not optional filler — the chest stretch counteracts the pressing, and the breathing genuinely speeds recovery.

Doorway Chest Stretch30 sec each side

Why: Pressing shortens the chest. Left alone, that pulls your shoulders forward — the opposite of the posture you want.

How: Forearm flat on a doorframe, elbow at shoulder height, step through gently until you feel a stretch across the chest.

Open on YouTube
Overhead Triceps Stretch30 sec each side

Why: Releases the triceps after direct work.

How: Reach one hand down your back, use the other hand to gently draw the elbow further back.

Open on YouTube
Diaphragmatic Breathing1 minute

Why: Shifts you out of training mode and into recovery mode. Small thing, real effect.

How: Nose inhale into the belly for 4, long slow exhale for 6–8.

Open on YouTube

Lower (Maintenance)

Legs · Core

~35 min

Goal here is to maintain, not build. Every set stops 2–3 reps short.

Warm up · 5 minMain set · 27 minCool down · 3 min

At a glance

ExerciseSets × RepsRest
Goblet Squat3 × 8–102 min
DB Romanian Deadlift3 × 8–102 min
Bulgarian Split Squat2 × 8 each leg90 sec
Single-Leg Calf Raise3 × 12–1560 sec
Core Circuit2 rounds—
Warm Up

1–2 rounds. ~5 minutes. The ankle work is doing real work here, not just ticking a box.

Air Squats10 reps

Why: Grooves the squat pattern before adding any load.

How: Arms out front for balance, sit down and back, heels stay down.

Open on YouTube
Glute Bridges10 reps

Why: Switches the glutes on. Runners very often let the glutes go quiet and load the lower back instead.

How: On your back, feet flat, drive your hips up by squeezing the glutes — not by arching your back.

Open on YouTube
Walking Lunges10 total

Why: Opens the hips and brings your heart rate up.

How: Long step, back knee toward the floor, torso tall.

Open on YouTube
Ankle Rocks10 each side

Why: Poor ankle mobility is the usual reason heels lift in a squat. It matters directly for your running mechanics too.

How: Knee toward the wall over the toes, heel stays glued down. Work the range gently.

Open on YouTube
Main Set

Tap any exercise to open the full tutorial. Star ★ = priority movement, open by default.

1Goblet Squat3 × 8–10 · 2 min
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What it’s for

Quads, glutes and the whole trunk. This replaces the barbell back squat while you're learning. Holding the weight at your chest automatically corrects forward lean — the exercise largely teaches itself, which is exactly what you need right now.

How to do it

  1. Hold one dumbbell vertically against your chest, both hands cupping the top end.
  2. Feet a little wider than your hips, toes turned slightly out.
  3. Sit down and back. Knees track out over your toes, not inward.
  4. Go as deep as you can while keeping a flat back and both heels planted.
  5. Drive up through your whole foot.

It should feel like

Quads and glutes doing the work, trunk bracing hard to stay upright.

It should not feel like: Lower back. Also no pinching in the knees.

Common mistakes

  • Heels lifting off the floor — an ankle mobility issue, so do the ankle rocks properly
  • Knees caving inward on the way up. Cue: push your knees out toward your little toes
  • Rounding your lower back at the bottom — the fix is simply to not go as deep, yet

Getting the weight right

Mid-marathon-block, this should feel like you had 3 more reps in you. Never a grind.

2DB Romanian Deadlift3 × 8–10 · 2 min
Open on YouTube

What it’s for

Hamstrings and glutes — the muscles that actually drive you forward when running, and the best insurance you have against hamstring injury. It's also the lift where form most commonly falls apart, so it's worth being fussy.

How to do it

  1. Dumbbells in front of your thighs, feet hip-width.
  2. Knees stay soft but fixed — they don't bend further as the rep goes on.
  3. Push your hips backwards, letting the weights slide down the front of your legs, staying close to your body.
  4. Keep your back flat throughout. Stop when you feel a strong hamstring stretch — usually mid-shin, not the floor.
  5. Drive your hips forward to stand tall, squeezing your glutes.

It should feel like

A strong pulling stretch up the back of your thighs, then a glute squeeze at the top.

It should not feel like: Your lower back. If you feel it there, your back is rounding or you're going too low — stop the set.

Common mistakes

  • Turning it into a squat by bending the knees — by far the most common error
  • Chasing depth and rounding your back to get there
  • Letting the dumbbells drift away from your legs, which loads the lower back

Getting the weight right

Try this: stand about 15 cm in front of a wall and push your hips back until your backside touches it. That teaches the hinge in about thirty seconds — faster than any cue I could give you.

3Bulgarian Split Squat2 × 8 each leg · 90 sec
Open on YouTube
Alternative: Step-Up (use this instead if balance is the limiter)
Open on YouTube

What it’s for

Single-leg strength and stability. Running is really a long series of one-legged hops — this evens out left/right differences and is one of the best things you can do for knee and hip health.

How to do it

  1. Rear foot resting on a bench behind you, laces down.
  2. Front foot far enough forward that your front shin stays close to vertical at the bottom.
  3. Lower straight down until your back knee is just above the floor.
  4. Drive up through your front heel.

It should feel like

Front leg quad and glute. A stretch through the front of your back leg's hip.

It should not feel like: Knee pain at the front. Usually means your front foot is too close — step it further forward.

Common mistakes

  • Front foot too close, so the knee travels a long way forward
  • Leaning your torso to cheat the rep
  • Adding weight before your balance is solid — start with bodyweight only

Getting the weight right

If you're wobbling badly, drop the weight or switch to step-ups. Balance comes first.

4Single-Leg Calf Raise3 × 12–15 · 60 sec
Open on YouTube

What it’s for

Calves and the Achilles tendon. Straightforward injury insurance during a marathon build — calf and Achilles problems are among the most common things that end a training block.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the ball of one foot on a step, holding something for balance.
  2. Let your heel drop below the level of the step until you feel a stretch.
  3. Rise up as high as you can onto your toes. Pause for a beat at the top.
  4. Lower slowly back into the stretch.

It should feel like

Deep stretch at the bottom, hard cramping contraction at the top.

It should not feel like: Sharp pain in the Achilles. Dull work is fine; sharp is not.

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing through the bottom instead of pausing
  • Short, quick range of motion
  • Rushing — this one needs to be slow to be worth anything

Getting the weight right

If 15 reps is easy, hold a dumbbell in your free hand.

5Core Circuit2 rounds

What it’s for

Anti-movement core work — the trunk's real job in running is to resist movement, not create it. Better use of the time than shoulder taps or sit-ups.

The circuit

Side Plank30 sec each side

Why: Lateral hip and trunk stability — stops your hip dropping with every stride when you're tired late in a race.

How: Straight line from ear to ankle. Push your bottom hip up. Feel it in the side of your trunk and the underneath hip, not the shoulder.

Open on YouTube
Dead Bug10 each side

Why: Teaches your trunk to stay rigid while your arms and legs move — a precise description of what running is.

How: Lower back stays flat on the floor the entire time. The moment it lifts, shorten the range. Deep abs, not hip flexors.

Open on YouTube
Pallof Press10 each side

Why: Anti-rotation. Resists the twisting force that leaks energy on every stride.

How: Stand side-on to a cable, press the handle straight out from your chest and refuse to be twisted. Breathe throughout.

Open on YouTube
Cool Down

~3 minutes.

Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch30 sec each side

Why: Runners get tight hip flexors almost universally. Tight hip flexors shorten your stride and tug on your lower back.

How: Half-kneeling, squeeze the glute of your down leg first, then ease your hips forward. That glute squeeze is what makes the stretch work.

Open on YouTube
Deep Squat Hold2 × 30 sec

Why: Restores ankle, knee and hip range after loaded work.

How: Sit into the bottom of a squat, hold onto something if needed, relax and breathe.

Open on YouTube
Diaphragmatic Breathing1 minute

Why: Downshifts your nervous system before the rest of the day.

How: Nose inhale for 4, long exhale for 6–8.

Open on YouTube

Upper B

Pull · Rear Delts · Biceps

~45 min

Contains your actual route to a first strict pull-up.

Warm up · 5 minMain set · 37 minCool down · 3 min

At a glance

ExerciseSets × RepsRest
Lat Pulldown3 × 8–1290 sec
Eccentric Pull-Up ★3 × 3 reps90 sec
Chest-Supported DB Row3 × 10–1290 sec
Face Pull3 × 1560 sec
DB Lateral Raise ★3 × 12–1560 sec
DB Biceps Curl3 × 10–1260 sec
Hammer Curl2 × 12–1560 sec
Warm Up

2 rounds. ~5 minutes. The scapular pull-up is the important one — treat it like a skill, not a warm-up.

Band Pull-Apart15 reps

Why: Switches on your rear shoulders and mid-back before the pulling work.

How: Arms straight, squeeze the shoulder blades together, slow on the return.

Open on YouTube
Dead Hang2 × 20 sec

Why: Builds grip endurance and shoulder tolerance for hanging. Grip is often the hidden limiter on a first pull-up.

How: Just hang, arms straight, shoulders relaxed. Breathe. Build up over the weeks.

Open on YouTube
Scapular Pull-Up8 reps

Why: The genuine prerequisite for a pull-up. It teaches you to initiate the movement with your shoulder blades rather than yanking with your arms. Most people who can't do a pull-up are missing exactly this.

How: Hang with straight arms. Without bending your elbows at all, pull your shoulder blades down and back so your body rises a couple of inches. Lower. That small range is the whole exercise.

Open on YouTube
Main Set

Tap any exercise to open the full tutorial. Star ★ = priority movement, open by default.

1Lat Pulldown3 × 8–12 · 90 sec
Open on YouTube

What it’s for

The lats — the large muscles down the sides of your back. This builds the pulling strength that eventually becomes a pull-up, and strong lats stop your torso swaying side to side over a long run, which quietly wastes a lot of energy.

How to do it

  1. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width.
  2. Sit tall, chest up, with a slight lean back — and hold that angle.
  3. Start the pull by driving your shoulder blades down, then pull the bar toward your collarbone.
  4. Pause briefly at the bottom. Return slowly and let your shoulders rise fully at the top.

It should feel like

The sides and middle of your back. Biceps assisting.

It should not feel like: Only your arms and forearms. If it's all biceps, you're pulling with your arms first — reset and lead with the shoulder blades.

Common mistakes

  • Leaning far back and heaving the weight with your bodyweight
  • Pulling the bar behind your neck — never do this, it's bad for the shoulder
  • Not letting your arms straighten fully at the top, which cuts out the most useful part of the range

Getting the weight right

You can pause for a beat at the bottom of every rep without the weight yanking you back up.

2Eccentric Pull-Up ★3 × 3 reps · 90 sec
Open on YouTube
Alternative: Broader beginner pull-up progression
Open on YouTube

What it’s for

This is your actual route to a first strict pull-up, replacing the 4 × 4–6 weighted pull-ups in the old plan. Muscles are roughly 40% stronger lowering a weight than lifting it — which means you can train the movement properly long before you can pull yourself up even once. Doing 4–6 weighted pull-ups you can't yet do produces swinging half-reps: no training benefit and real shoulder risk.

How to do it

  1. Use a box or step to get your chin above the bar.
  2. Take your feet off the box and hold the top position for a moment.
  3. Fight gravity on the way down for a full 5 seconds.
  4. Let your arms straighten completely at the bottom.
  5. Step back up and repeat. Only 3 reps — quality over quantity.

It should feel like

Back and arms working hard the whole way down, and a real stretch through the lats at the bottom.

It should not feel like: Nothing much, because you dropped fast. If the descent takes 2 seconds, it was falling, not training.

Common mistakes

  • Dropping quickly — this is the whole exercise, so control it
  • Not going all the way to straight arms
  • Doing these late in the session when you're already tired. Do them early, while fresh

Getting the weight right

Progression: once 5 seconds feels manageable for 3 × 3, move to 3 × 5 reps. Then start attempting one strict pull-up at the start of each session. Realistic timeline from where you are now: 8–16 weeks. That's normal, not slow.

3Chest-Supported DB Row3 × 10–12 · 90 sec
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What it’s for

Mid-back and rear shoulders. Because your chest is supported on the bench, your lower back is taken completely out of the equation — which is why this is far better than bent-over rows while you're still learning to hold position under load.

How to do it

  1. Set an incline bench to roughly 30–45°. Lie chest-down on it, dumbbells hanging straight below.
  2. Row the dumbbells up toward your hips, driving your elbows back.
  3. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top and pause.
  4. Lower all the way until your arms are straight and you feel a stretch.

It should feel like

A hard squeeze between your shoulder blades.

It should not feel like: Your lower back — and if your chest comes off the pad, that's exactly what's about to start happening.

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging the weights up toward your ears instead of back toward your hips
  • Lifting your chest off the pad to generate momentum
  • Cutting the range short at the bottom

Getting the weight right

Your chest stays glued to the pad for every single rep.

4Face Pull3 × 15 · 60 sec
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Alternative: More detailed coaching version
Open on YouTube

What it’s for

Rear deltoids and rotator cuff. Arguably the single best exercise for shoulder health and posture, and it directly balances all the pressing from Day 1. It was in your original plan for good reason — it stays.

How to do it

  1. Set a rope attachment at roughly face height. Grip with palms facing inward, thumbs back.
  2. Pull the rope toward your forehead, separating your hands as it comes in.
  3. Keep your elbows high and drive them back.
  4. Finish in a double-bicep-pose position. Pause, then return slowly.

It should feel like

Back of the shoulders and across your upper back.

It should not feel like: Front of the shoulder or lower back.

Common mistakes

  • Too heavy, so it becomes a row instead of a face pull
  • Elbows dropping down, which turns it into a back exercise
  • Rushing. This one wants control and a pause

Getting the weight right

Go light. This is a rotator cuff exercise — 15 controlled reps beats 8 heavy ones every time.

5DB Lateral Raise ★3 × 12–15 · 60 sec
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What it’s for

Yes — again, twice a week. Side delts respond well to frequency, and this is the priority muscle for your goal. Same execution as Day 1: light weight, lead with the elbows, stop at shoulder height, three seconds down.

How to do it

  1. Slight bend in your elbows, raise out to the sides leading with the elbows.
  2. Stop at shoulder height. Lower over 3 seconds.
  3. No swinging, no shrugging.

It should feel like

Burn on the outside of the shoulder by rep 8–10.

It should not feel like: Traps or momentum from your hips.

Common mistakes

  • Too heavy — still the number one error on this exercise

Getting the weight right

Same as Day 1. 2–4 kg is a completely respectable working weight here.

6DB Biceps Curl3 × 10–12 · 60 sec
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What it’s for

Biceps — the front of the upper arm. Straightforward, and completely absent from your current plan.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall, dumbbells at your sides, palms forward.
  2. Elbows pinned to your ribs — they don't move forward or backward.
  3. Curl up without swinging your torso. Squeeze at the top.
  4. Lower over 3 seconds all the way to straight arms.

It should feel like

Front of the upper arm, especially in the lower half of the movement.

It should not feel like: Your lower back or shoulders taking over.

Common mistakes

  • Swinging your torso to launch the weight — this is the classic ugly rep
  • Elbows drifting forward, which hands the work to the front delt
  • Not straightening your arms at the bottom. The bottom half of the curl is where most of the growth is

Getting the weight right

If your body moves at all during the set, the weight is too heavy. Full stop.

7Hammer Curl2 × 12–15 · 60 sec
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What it’s for

Brachialis and brachioradialis — the muscle underneath the bicep and the top of the forearm. Building the brachialis pushes the bicep up and adds visible thickness to the arm. The neutral grip also matches the exact position your arms hold when running.

How to do it

  1. Same as a curl, but your thumbs stay pointing up throughout and palms face each other.
  2. Elbows pinned, no swing.
  3. Lower slowly to fully straight.

It should feel like

Front of the arm and the top of the forearm.

It should not feel like: Wrist strain. If your wrists hurt, lighten the load.

Common mistakes

  • Rotating your wrists during the rep — the whole point is that they don't
  • Swinging

Getting the weight right

Usually the same weight or slightly heavier than the standard curl.

Cool Down

~3 minutes.

Doorway Chest Stretch30 sec each side

Why: Balances out the pulling and helps pull your shoulders back into a better resting position.

How: Forearm on the doorframe, elbow at shoulder height, step gently through.

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Dead Hang2 × 30 sec

Why: Decompresses your spine and builds toward the pull-up at the same time. Two birds.

How: Relax into it, breathe, let your shoulders stretch.

Open on YouTube
Diaphragmatic Breathing1 minute

Why: Recovery switch.

How: Nose inhale for 4, long exhale for 6–8.

Open on YouTube

Travel Session

Hotel Room · Dumbbells · Bands

~30 min

Use this whenever you're away from the gym. Do it twice if it's a long trip. Pack a set of resistance bands — they weigh nothing and they're what makes this session actually work.

Warm up · 4 minMain set · 23 minCool down · 3 min

At a glance

ExerciseSets × RepsRest
Push-Up3 × 8–1290 sec
Band Lateral Raise ★3 × 1560 sec
Band Row3 × 12–1560 sec
Band Overhead Press3 × 1060 sec
Band Triceps Pushdown2 × 12–1560 sec
Band Biceps Curl2 × 12–1560 sec
Goblet Squat + Side Plank2 × 12 / 2 × 30 sec—
Warm Up

1–2 rounds. ~4 minutes.

Band Pull-Apart15 reps

Why: Wakes up your upper back.

How: Arms straight, squeeze your shoulder blades.

Open on YouTube
Air Squats10 reps

Why: General warm-up.

How: Sit down and back, heels down.

Open on YouTube
Arm Circles30 seconds

Why: Shoulder prep.

How: Small to large, both directions.

Open on YouTube
Main Set

Tap any exercise to open the full tutorial. Star ★ = priority movement, open by default.

1Push-Up3 × 8–12 · 90 sec
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Alternative: Incline push-up — hands on a bed, desk or chair if full ones are too hard
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What it’s for

Chest, front shoulders and triceps — your travel stand-in for the bench press.

How to do it

  1. Hands slightly wider than your shoulders, body in one straight line from head to heels.
  2. Elbows at about 45° to your body, not flared wide.
  3. Lower until your chest is close to the floor, then press up.
  4. The higher your hands, the easier it is — use a bed or desk to regress.

It should feel like

Chest, front of shoulders, triceps, plus your core working to hold the line.

It should not feel like: Lower back. If your hips sag, your core has given up — regress to an incline.

Common mistakes

  • Hips sagging or piking up
  • Half reps
  • Flared elbows

Getting the weight right

Pick a hand height where 8–12 reps is hard but every rep is full range.

2Band Lateral Raise ★3 × 15 · 60 sec
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What it’s for

Side delts. Never skip this one, even while travelling — it's the priority muscle for your goal.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the middle of the band, a handle in each hand.
  2. Raise out to the sides leading with your elbows, to shoulder height.
  3. Lower slowly against the band's pull.

It should feel like

Burn on the outside of the shoulder.

It should not feel like: Traps or swinging.

Common mistakes

  • Band too thick — use the lightest one
  • Going above shoulder height

Getting the weight right

If you can't get 15 controlled reps, use a lighter band or stand with your feet closer together.

3Band Row3 × 12–15 · 60 sec
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What it’s for

Mid-back and rear shoulders — your travel version of the chest-supported row.

How to do it

  1. Anchor the band around a door handle, or sit and loop it around both feet.
  2. Pull the handles toward your ribs, driving your elbows back.
  3. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, then return slowly.

It should feel like

Squeeze between your shoulder blades.

It should not feel like: Shrugging in your neck.

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back to generate force
  • Short range

Getting the weight right

Step further from the anchor to make it harder.

4Band Overhead Press3 × 10 · 60 sec
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What it’s for

Shoulders — travel substitute for the seated dumbbell press.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the band, handles at shoulder height.
  2. Brace your ribs down and press straight overhead.
  3. Lower under control to shoulder height.

It should feel like

Shoulders, then triceps at the top.

It should not feel like: Lower back arching.

Common mistakes

  • Arching your back to press
  • Band too heavy

Getting the weight right

Your ribs stay down for all 10 reps.

5Band Triceps Pushdown2 × 12–15 · 60 sec
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Alternative: Bench dip — off a chair or bed if no band is available
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What it’s for

Triceps — back of the arm.

How to do it

  1. Anchor the band high — a door frame or the top of a door.
  2. Elbows pinned to your ribs, push down until your arms are fully straight.
  3. Return under control to 90°.

It should feel like

Burn on the back of the upper arm.

It should not feel like: Shoulders working.

Common mistakes

  • Elbows drifting forward
  • Not straightening fully

Getting the weight right

Your elbows stay glued to your ribs the entire set.

6Band Biceps Curl2 × 12–15 · 60 sec
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What it’s for

Biceps — front of the arm.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the band, palms forward, elbows pinned at your sides.
  2. Curl up without swinging, squeeze at the top.
  3. Lower slowly to fully straight arms.

It should feel like

Front of the upper arm.

It should not feel like: Body swinging.

Common mistakes

  • Swinging your torso
  • Elbows drifting forward

Getting the weight right

Feet wider on the band makes it harder.

7Goblet Squat + Side Plank2 × 12 / 2 × 30 sec
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What it’s for

Keeps your legs and trunk ticking over while away. Only include this if you're not running much on the trip — if you are, the running covers it.

How to do it

  1. Hold a suitcase, backpack or water jug against your chest and squat.
  2. Then hold a side plank for 30 seconds each side.

It should feel like

Quads and glutes; side of the trunk on the plank.

It should not feel like: Lower back.

Common mistakes

  • Going too heavy with an awkward object

Getting the weight right

Optional. Running is your leg training on a trip.

Cool Down

~2 minutes.

Doorway Chest Stretch30 sec each side

Why: Counteracts pressing, and travel posture generally.

How: Forearm on the frame, step gently through.

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Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch30 sec each side

Why: Especially valuable after long flights or drives.

How: Squeeze your down-leg glute first, then ease forward.

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Diaphragmatic Breathing1 minute

Why: Recovery switch.

How: Nose in for 4, long exhale for 6–8.

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Posture Fix

For the runner's hunch

~8 min

Distance running rounds the upper back and pulls the head forward over time — hours spent leaning slightly forward with the arms swinging front-to-back, day after day. It doesn't fix itself, and it won't wait for the twice-a-week rear-delt work in Upper B to catch up. This is a short, separate routine for it.

When to do it

Do this most days — it takes under 10 minutes. Best times: first thing in the morning, at a desk break, or tacked onto the warm-up of any lifting day. On easy or rest days from running, it's an easy way to still do something useful.

Daily Routine

No equipment needed except the foam roller. Tap any drill for the full tutorial.

1Wall Angel ★2 × 12
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What it’s for

The single most direct fix here. It forces your thoracic spine to extend and your shoulder blades to move correctly while pinned against a wall — retraining, physically, the posture that a rounded upper back has been undoing.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your head, upper back and glutes all touching a wall, feet a few inches out from it.
  2. Press your lower back gently toward the wall — don't let it arch away.
  3. Arms up in a goalpost shape, backs of your hands and forearms touching the wall.
  4. Slide your arms up overhead as far as you can while everything stays in contact with the wall, then back down.

It should feel like

A real effort in the mid-back and shoulders to keep everything touching the wall. That effort is the point.

It should not feel like: Your lower back arching off the wall, or your ribs flaring up. If either happens, the range is too big — shrink it.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the lower back peel off the wall to get the arms higher
  • Losing wall contact at the elbows or hands partway up
  • Rushing through it — slow is what makes this one work

Getting the weight right

If you can't keep your whole back and both arms on the wall for the full range, use a smaller range and build it up.

2Foam Roller Thoracic Extension2 × 8 reps
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What it’s for

Directly opens up the exact part of the spine that a runner's hunch stiffens into a rounded position. Passive and mechanical — it does the work for you.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your back with a foam roller placed horizontally under your shoulder blades.
  2. Hands behind your head to support your neck, feet flat on the floor, hips on the ground.
  3. Let your upper back arch back gently over the roller, then curl back up.
  4. Move the roller up an inch or two between sets to cover the whole upper back.

It should feel like

A stretch across the upper back and chest as you arch back.

It should not feel like: Any pinch or pain in your lower back — keep your hips down and let the movement come from the upper spine only.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips lift, which shifts the stretch into the lower back
  • Cranking the neck instead of supporting it with your hands

Getting the weight right

Comfortable, controlled, and a bit satisfying — never sharp or painful.

3Chin Tuck2 × 12
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What it’s for

The forward-head half of a runner's hunch. This strengthens the deep neck flexors that pull your head back over your shoulders, where it belongs, instead of out in front of them.

How to do it

  1. Sit or stand tall, looking straight ahead.
  2. Without tilting your head up or down, draw your chin straight back — like making a double chin on purpose.
  3. Hold for 2 seconds, feeling the stretch at the base of the skull.
  4. Release back to neutral.

It should feel like

A stretch at the base of the skull and a mild effort in the front of the neck.

It should not feel like: Your chin tilting down toward your chest — that's a nod, not a tuck. Keep your eyes level throughout.

Common mistakes

  • Nodding the head down instead of sliding it straight back
  • Doing it too fast to actually feel the position

Getting the weight right

Try it in a mirror the first few times — you're aiming for your ears to move back over your shoulders.

4Prone Y-Raise2 × 12
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What it’s for

Strengthens the lower traps — the muscles that hold your shoulder blades down and back. Weak lower traps are a major reason the shoulders round forward in the first place, in the gym and on a run.

How to do it

  1. Lie face down on a bench or the floor, forehead supported, arms extended overhead in a wide Y shape, thumbs up.
  2. Without using momentum, raise your arms a few inches off the ground, squeezing your shoulder blades down and together.
  3. Hold for a beat at the top, then lower under control.

It should feel like

Working low, between and below the shoulder blades — not up at the traps near your neck.

It should not feel like: A shrug up toward the ears, or your lower back straining to help lift the arms.

Common mistakes

  • Using momentum to swing the arms up
  • Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears instead of driving them down

Getting the weight right

This needs no weight at all to work — body weight alone is normally plenty.

The Rules

Five things that matter more than which exercise you’re doing.

1

Leave 2 reps in the tank

If you could not have done 2 more good reps at the end of a set, it was too heavy. Never grind out a rep — that's where both bad form and injuries live.

2

Three seconds down, one second up

Controlling the lowering phase fixes most ugly reps on its own, and it's where a large share of the muscle growth comes from. If the reps look bad, this single rule fixes more than any other.

3

Add weight only when you hit the top of the range on every set

Then add the smallest available jump — 2.5 kg upper body, 5 kg lower — and drop back to the bottom of the range. This is called double progression and it's the whole game.

4

If form breaks, the set is over

Not “one more.” The rep after form breaks is the one that causes injury and teaches your body the wrong pattern.

5

Log every set — weight and reps, every session

Progress here is invisible week to week and obvious over two months, but only if it's written down. Without a log there's no way to know when to add weight.

Scheduling

Lift after a run, never before. Put the lower-body day on an easy running day, and never within 24 hours of a long run or a quality session. The two upper-body days barely touch the running at all, so they can go anywhere in the week.

A workable pattern: Upper A Monday, Lower Wednesday, Upper B Friday — shift it around whichever days your key runs land on.

What changed from the old plan, and why

WasNowReason
Back Squat 4×4–5Goblet Squat 3×8–10, easyNear-maximal reps are the worst place to learn a lift, and heavy legs conflict with a climbing run block
Pull-Ups 4×4–6Lat Pulldown + eccentric pull-upsYou can't do strict ones yet, so those were swinging half-reps — no benefit and a real shoulder risk
Romanian DL 4×4–5DB RDL 3×8–10, easyHeavy hinges are exactly where lower backs round. Lighter reps groove the pattern safely
DB Overhead Press 3×5Seated DB Press 3×8–105 reps builds strength; 8–10 builds the muscle you actually want
NothingLateral raises — 7 sets/weekThe side delt is most of what reads as a toned arm. It was completely absent before
NothingDirect triceps — 5 sets/weekBack of the arm, roughly two thirds of total arm muscle. Also absent
NothingDirect biceps — 5 sets/weekFront of the arm. Also absent
Plank shoulder tapsSide plank / dead bug / Pallof pressAnti-rotation core transfers far better to holding form late in a race
No cool-down detailFull cool-down each sessionChest and hip flexor work directly counteracts what the session and the running do

Timeline

Visible change in your shoulders and arms takes 8–12 weeks of consistent work — and that’s while marathon training, which competes for the same recovery. Nothing meaningful happens in three weeks. Reassess in October, not August. This works because it’s repeated, not because any single session is special.