Power Your Pace: The Best Home Gym Equipment for Runners

You might think that the best way to get better at running is to run more. And while this is true to an extent, running alone isn't always the best way to improve performance or stay injury-free.

To support your cardio efforts — whether you're training for a marathon or just logging laps to boost your mood — we've rounded up the best home gym equipment to help you run stronger, recover faster, and stay healthy along the way.

[Read More: Cardio vs. Strength Training]

Best Home Gym Equipment for Runners

• Best Cardio Equipment for Runners: Strive™ Curved Treadmill
• Best Cross-Training Equipment for Runners: Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR™
• Best Power Rack for Runners: Altitude™ Power Rack
• Best Rack Attachment Cable System for Runners: Altitude™ Cable Attachment
• Best Adjustable Bench for Runners: Nighthawk™ Adjustable Bench
• Best Dumbbell for Runners: QuickDraw™ Adjustable Dumbbell
• Best Weight Vest for Runners: Strata™ Weight Vest and Plates
• Best Muscle Activation for Runners: Short Loop Bands
• Best Recovery Tool for Runners: 3-in-1 Foam Roller

Best Cardio Equipment for Runners: Strive™ Curved Treadmill

If you're looking to take your running to the next level, the Strive™ Curved Treadmill is what you need to support your training. Unlike typical curved treadmills, the Strive™ Treadmill allows you to adjust resistance and incline, helping to mimic over ground sprints, walks, jogs, and uphill work.

When you're ready to toss in resistance training, to help keep you strong and injury free, up the resistance and switch into Work Mode to tackle sled work. The headsdown display and ergonomic handles help keep you pushing without needing to crank your neck to read your metrics, or get your glutes and quads fired up with backward sled drags.

Whether you're looking for the safety and security a curved treadmill can offer, or just want the freedom to train on your terms, the Strive™ Curved Treadmill provides with a compact and sleek design that'll fuel your sessions.

Best Cross-Training Equipment for Runners: Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR™

Best Power Rack for Runners: Altitude™ Power Rack

Strength training is paramount to the longevity of your running career, and the Altitude™ Power Rack is the perfect foundation to support you. REP came out with this rack as a budget-friendly alternative to the PR-5000 — with a wide range of attachment capabilities, like the Altitude™ Smith Machine, Altitude™ Cable System (we'll touch more on that below), Dip Attachments, and more.

The 6-post design allows you to tackle bench press, squats, and more, with laser-cut numbering for easy attachment adjustments. You'll also be able to match your home gym setup to your aesthetics, with options between red, white, blue, olive, matte blacke, and metallic black uprights.

For a complete setup, add a barbell and weight plates to give you access to all of the training your new power rack provides.

Best Rack Attachment Cable System for Runners: Altitude™ Cable Attachment

The best rack for runners is the Altitude™ Power Rack, and the best attachment for this power cage is the Altitude™ Cable Attachment. Runners can train single-leg strength, core control, and hip stability with a cable system, which can benefit speed, efficiency, and injury prevention.

Add cable kickbacks to your routine to strengthen glutes and reduce IT band and knee issues, or cable hip abduction to strengtehn hip stabilizers and help prevent knee collapse. And to fire up your core, tackle the anti-rotation pallof press to support a stable torso through long runs and woodchoppers for rotational strength and arm swing efficiency.

Best Adjustable Bench for Runners: Nighthawk™ Adjustable Bench

Best Dumbbell for Runners: QuickDraw™ Adjustable Dumbbell

To support your run, you'll want to incorporate some strength work to keep you strong and limit the risk of injury — and what better than some dumbbells that allow you to tackle unilateral and bilateral work. Instead of an entire row of dumbbells, keep your training space compact and tidy with a pair of QuickDraw™ Adjustable Dumbbells. 

Each pair of QuickDraw™ Adjustable Dumbbells features multiple dumbbells in one — adjustable in 5lb increments, from 5lbs up to 30, 40, 50, or 60lbs. This gives you the freedom to tackle 20lb bicep curls then make a quick adjustment with the Lock-N-Load steel switches to tackle a 120lb dumbbell deadlift.

Best Weight Vest for Runners: Strata™ Weight Vest and Plates

Toss on this weight vest to increase the challenge of you jog, sprint, or walk around the block. The Strata™ Weight Vest is made from a durable 750D Cordura® nylon that can withstand your toughest workouts, plus an ergonomic padded interior that limits pressure points and discomfort.

Customize your fit with shoulder straps and the quick-adjust slide-lock system, giving you the perfect fit that won't bounce or shift even as your run heats up. Plus, when your run is wrapped, the hook-and-loop front closure allows you to quickly remove the vest.

The front and back of this vest have pockets for the Strata™ Weight Vest Plates, allowing you to choose the resistance you're after — from 5lbs up to 20lbs.

Best Muscle Activation for Runners: Short Loop Bands

Before taking off on your run, toss on these short loop bands to help warm up your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. These bands come in a set of five, with varying levels of resistance from extra light up to extra heavy. Plus, the option to choose latex or latex-free depending on your needs.

Best Recovery Tool for Runners: 3-in-1 Foam Roller

You know you need to give your recovery the same dedication as your run to keep you injury-free. The 3-in-1 Foam Roller makes this easy, giving you access to three recovery tools that nest conveniently in each other. 

The outer layer is your foam roller, perfect for rolling out tight hips and sore quads. The middle tool is a rigid foam roller, depending on the type of pressure you're looking for. And lastly, the mobility stick sits in the very center, providing you with a more targeted massage depending on the amount of pressure you choose to apply.

A Runner's Wardrobe Staples

Whether you're logging miles or building strength to support your efforts, the right outfit can have you feeling confident, secure, and ready for more. Here are a few of our favorite pieces:

• The Best Women's Running Tights: Eos Tights
• The Best Men's Compression Leggings: Virtus Light Compression Tights
• The Best Men's Compression Shorts: Virtus Light Compression Shorts
• The Best Women's Shorts for Running: Forma Shorts
• The Best Men's Shorts for Running: Pinnacle Shorts
• The Best Running Shirt for Men: Sigmatech Shirt
• The Best Running Tank with Built-in Bra: Rhea Cropped Tank
• The Best Running Hoodie for Women: Vellus Hoodie
• The Best Running Hoodie for Men: Atttis Jacket
• The Best Socks for Running: Midweight Crew Sock
• The Best Hat for Running: Performance Cap

Benefits of Strength Training for Runners

Strength training is an impressive tool that runners can use to improve performance. Here are the key benefits runners can expect from adding resistance work to their routine:

• Injury prevention: Strengthening muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints through strength training can help to reduce the risk of common running injuries like shin splints, knee pain, and IT band syndroms.
• Increased speed and power: Tackling explosive lifts like deadlifts, Olympic lifts, plyometrics, and kettlebell swings can help to improve your power output when running. Building strength in your hip extensors and glutes can also help you push off the ground harder, providing a more powerful run.
• Improved stability: Tackling single-leg and core work can increase your balance, improve proprioception, and help prevent ankle and knee injuries.
• Faster recovery: Running repeatedly stresses your muscles, tendons, and joints. Adding in strength work can make these muscles more resilient, helping to absorb impact forces and increasing muscular endurance.

Takeaway

Creating a home gym with runner-approved strength, mobility, and recovery equipment can help you feel stronger, faster, and more confident every time you hit the pavement. Start by measuring your space and investing in must-have essentials like adjustable dumbbells or the Strive™ Curved Treadmill, then expand your setup with tools designed to boost speed, power, and recovery — so every run counts.

FAQs

What is the best power rack for runners?

The Altitude™ Power Rack is a budget-friendly alternative to the PR-5000 (REP's most attachment-friendly power rack). Tackle squats, bench press, RDLs and more, or utilize the Altitude™ Cable System for accessory work like cable kickbacks or lat pulldowns, or the Altitude™ Smith Machine to add guided vertical stability to your lifts.

Do runners need to strength train?

Yes! Strength training can help make you stronger, supporting faster paces and improved endurance. Perhaps even more importantly for the average runner, it can reduce the risk of injury, keeping you on the road and running consistently.