The problem with your analogy of going from 5:30 to 5 min mile is that the example you are using is already an "aerobic example". See Klehner's example of Chris Boardman in the 4000m pursuit. If you're good at the 4000m pursuit, you're gonna be good at the hour record and if your mile time is good, making it better will improve your 10K. When you bring weights into the equation it's more like saying. "My mile time is 5:30 minutes and my 100m time is 12 seconds". I've been working on my 100m for 3 years and got it down to 11 flat. Guess what, your mile time just went from 5:30 to 5:29 (or so).
That's why doing weights in short bursts that last 30 seconds at best won't really do much for endurance performance, just like all out sprinting likely won't do much , other than at the end of an ITU world cup sprint finish where you might need to wind it up for the final 200m to get a gold vs silver medal. That's what the anti weight training crowd has been arguing and I have no qualms with that.
There are many good reasons to do weights/resistance training wrt to personal motivation, easy access to fitness (body weight routines....heck I've done them for an hour straight at the back of a 14 hour flight), being able to deal with day to day life's responsibilities without getting hurt (I am sure there are many here who have thrown their backs out taking a wiggling 30 lbs 18 month old kid out of a car seat, or helping a friend move furniture, or moving your bike case around the airport etc etc). Personally that's why I do weights. They make me feel great, and I like that I have functional strength for stuff outside SBR. Since I am not a pro, getting through other aspects of life without getting hurt and arriving at the start line of triathlon ready to rip is a good thing. I'll stick to this formula as I've gotten through 26 seasons of triathlon reasonably well and on the balance, things are working well for a guy in 45-49.
That's why doing weights in short bursts that last 30 seconds at best won't really do much for endurance performance, just like all out sprinting likely won't do much , other than at the end of an ITU world cup sprint finish where you might need to wind it up for the final 200m to get a gold vs silver medal. That's what the anti weight training crowd has been arguing and I have no qualms with that.
There are many good reasons to do weights/resistance training wrt to personal motivation, easy access to fitness (body weight routines....heck I've done them for an hour straight at the back of a 14 hour flight), being able to deal with day to day life's responsibilities without getting hurt (I am sure there are many here who have thrown their backs out taking a wiggling 30 lbs 18 month old kid out of a car seat, or helping a friend move furniture, or moving your bike case around the airport etc etc). Personally that's why I do weights. They make me feel great, and I like that I have functional strength for stuff outside SBR. Since I am not a pro, getting through other aspects of life without getting hurt and arriving at the start line of triathlon ready to rip is a good thing. I'll stick to this formula as I've gotten through 26 seasons of triathlon reasonably well and on the balance, things are working well for a guy in 45-49.