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Strength Training and Triathlon training - What do YOU Do?

I have been in and out of a number of forums related to endurance sports (Cycling, Running and triathlon) and have noticed that there are any number of opinions on Strength training and Endurance sports.

I have also noticed that there are always numerous recommendations of what should be done (often without much agreement), so my questions to all of you are:

1: DO YOU INCORPORATE STRENGTH TRAINING INTO YOUR S-B-R PROGRAM

2: WHAT ACTIVITIES / EXERCISES DO YOU USE IN YOUR SESSIONS?

3: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR RESOURCES / PROGRAMS FROM?

4: WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR STRENGTH TRAINING SESSIONS (AT HOME, GYM ETC?)

I appreciate your thoughts and insights - Thank you.

Comments

  • hey conehead, do no weights during season, and only do circuit training in winter,twice a week, good hard 2 hour session but includes very little weights long rides at weekends and treadmill inbetween, season time spent on the bike, running & technique sessions for swimming with tri club. vey little science involved,
  • cammykcammyk Posts: 36
    I do little or no strength training. Its all running,cycling and swimming. In winter I'll visit the gym and do some leg presses and some core work on back and stomach muscles when teh weather is bad just to keep active. this is usually supplimented by spinning sessions but weights etc have only been a side attraction during my training. Essentially something to do when I'm restricted from the core activities by weather or other circumstances.
  • MowfMowf Posts: 272
    None. No time.
  • gdh250467gdh250467 Posts: 237
    I do one 1 hour Body COndition class per week. This comprises high repetition work with light dumbells (2-3kg), with total reps in excess of around 1000. We also do core stability work using swiss balls and some pilates and yoga moves, general stretching and mobility. I find that this gives me general strength and endurance, without 'bulking-up'.

    I do this class on my main evening workout which comprises a 60-90 minute run with the running claub, retunring in time to undertake the above class, and then finish the evening with a 1 hour spin class. a 3 - 3 1/2 hour evening, that I finish completely exhausted, but feeling good.
  • BlurredgirlBlurredgirl Posts: 292
    1: DO YOU INCORPORATE STRENGTH TRAINING INTO YOUR S-B-R PROGRAM

    Yes - about 3/4 times per week, usually after a short (5km) run.

    2: WHAT ACTIVITIES / EXERCISES DO YOU USE IN YOUR SESSIONS?

    25 mins of pilates-style stretches on/with a swiss ball. About 10 different moves, done in reps of 20.
    4 different moves with 3kg weights on the swiss ball - 30 reps each
    20 conventional (no swiss ball) reps lifting 5kg
    Downward Dog yoga pose to finish

    3: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR RESOURCES / PROGRAMS FROM?

    A programme that came with the ball
    A book about using a swiss ball
    A French cycling magazine (!)

    4: WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR STRENGTH TRAINING SESSIONS (AT HOME, GYM ETC?)

    At home, watching DVDs.

    Hope this helps your research.

    blurredgirl
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    I'm with Mowf in the "no time" camp. Yes I should do some but I don't get time for enough swimming or biking or running
  • JellybabyJellybaby Posts: 180
    I've only recently found triathlon (my first was a couple of weeks ago), prior to that I played rugby at a decent level and did a lot of weightlifting. I'm a terrible shape for triathlon, I'm wide and heavy (14 stone at 5ft 8), and so create a lot of drag! I've not been able to give up the high you get from becoming stronger (which doesn't make you bulk up - you have to eat an awful lot for that to happen to any great extent) so I still train quite a lot

    1: DO YOU INCORPORATE STRENGTH TRAINING INTO YOUR S-B-R PROGRAM
    Yes, weights 3 times a week, plus core work a couple of times: It's hard to find the time with everything else, I just get up earlier or go to bed later and make sure I eat enough food to recover properly.

    2: WHAT ACTIVITIES / EXERCISES DO YOU USE IN YOUR SESSIONS?
    With weights
    Clean and Jerk
    Squat - this is one of the best all-round exercises you can do, ever.
    Deadlift
    Push press
    Bench press
    Other bits and bobs depending on what I'm training.

    Without weights (well maybe with a medicine ball)
    Core work twice a week, including planks/situps/situp and throw (don't know its actual name) among others
    Pullups
    Pressups


    3: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR RESOURCES / PROGRAMS FROM?
    Old coaches/books/internet to get as much information as possible, then construct them for myself. They're all focused on building power and endurance though, which in itself brings strength.

    4: WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR STRENGTH TRAINING SESSIONS (AT HOME, GYM ETC?)
    It's always safer to have people around in case you f**k something up so always at the gym unless I'm just doing bodyweight stuff. Just make sure that the people working there know what they are doing. I'm lucky enough to have a couple of Olympic lifting coaches who train where I train, which is enormously useful.
  • BlinkybazBlinkybaz Posts: 1,144
    Blinkybaz back in the folrum!!!!

    so strength! There are two types of strength in my mind 1 weights and 2 core.

    I do not get into strength through weight training.
    I do however do core strenght. I will spend around an hour a week split into three sessions all carried out at home as i hate the gym!
    I will do planks and light weight shoulder exercises around 8 KGS per dumbell. These are also used to with 4 KGS on for what I call the jesster pilate move. (see jessters post)
    Also 30 push ups and 30 jack knifes.
    20 tricep drops and 20 bicep curls. (10 KGS for bicep and 3 KGS for tricep drops from behind the head.
    15 lower back moves to strenght that area for running.
    Sometimes I mix it up with the wsiss ball and the super hero move (Jack hughes for that one)

    So to conclude I see core strenght as a must to help with all disaplines.
  • I think additional interesting information on this front would also include what distance people are training for, and their past experience.

    Background: ex rower, did a sprint tri while still doing rowing training so lots of strength work then.

    Now going from complete newbie to (hopeful) ironman.

    1: DO YOU INCORPORATE STRENGTH TRAINING INTO YOUR S-B-R PROGRAM
    For Rowing and sprint Tri I did a lot of strength work: in the boat, on the erg, in the weights room. Now doing Ironman I focus much more on the endurance side with no weights, but have included some strength/speed sessions in my schedule.

    2: WHAT ACTIVITIES / EXERCISES DO YOU USE IN YOUR SESSIONS?
    When Rowing and sprint, Weights were all free weights in the "olympic" gym. Lots of compound lifts/squats (front/back/deep)/deads for core stability and explosive power in the legs. some upper body weights too - bench press/pull, shoulder press, pullups with weights, biceps/triceps etc. Usually sets of 5x8reps or 3x20reps. Also did lots of sprit sessions on erg/water for in the summer. I usually kept my strength training confined to rowing and hoped it transfered across. I focussed on technique and endurance for SBR.

    Now training for Ironman, I don't feel I have time for weights. All training is done either in the pool, on the bike/turbo, on the road/treadmill/crosstrainier. Mostly focus on endurance, but have done some speed sessions eg sprints in the pool (often wearing Tshirt for more drag), or finding hills to climb on the bike. No sprints on the run because I have an injured ankle I'm trying to rehab.

    3: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR RESOURCES / PROGRAMS FROM?
    When starting my ironman journey i found a free IM program on "beginnertriathlete.com" I had no idea what I was doing when I started out and I found it pretty clear and comprehensive and I've pretty much stuck to it. Now I am a little bit more experienced I have recently thought that I would have done things differently had I known what I know now at the outset. none the less I think it has served me well and I now I just customize some of the sessions usually to make them harder/longer.

    4: WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR STRENGTH TRAINING SESSIONS (AT HOME, GYM ETC?)
    For Weights I used to use the olympic bars so needed a decent weights gym and partner to spot. Now I just keep to the pool & bike. For running I use the x-trainer and treadill to rehab my ankle so don't get out on the road.
  • TrisurferTrisurfer Posts: 228
    Hi there

    I use kettlebells, gymnast rings and chin up bar, do all my strength training in my garden twice a week.
    while training the 3 tri sports twice each also.
    I do strength training purely for the T-shirt muscles!!

    the squats with KB's have def helped my cycling heaps though
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    1: DO YOU INCORPORATE STRENGTH TRAINING INTO YOUR S-B-R PROGRAM
    Yes
    2: WHAT ACTIVITIES / EXERCISES DO YOU USE IN YOUR SESSIONS?
    Pilates, once a week, Bodypump once/twice week but only use light weights as I want to tone rather than build bulk, light handweights 3-4 times week, leg extensions, ab crunches 5-6 times week, rowing 2-3 times a week aiming at 37-40 strokes min. All intended to tone, reps rather than build mass. By way of explanantion I have poor upper body strength following a car accident 20 years ago and my left shoulder is very weak so even if I wanted to bulk up I couldn't. Coupled with spondilitis, weak lower back (from another accident) and fragile knees (running in boots with a rucsac etc with an all up weight of about 120lbs when I was younger and foolish - but it got me as fit as hell!)
    3: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR RESOURCES / PROGRAMS FROM?
    From here, the rest of the interweb and from instructors at my gym
    4: WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR STRENGTH TRAINING SESSIONS (AT HOME, GYM ETC?)
    At the gym
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