Hey Jon,

Throwing the lead around is a good idea - most people use to cold winter months to lift weights. You absolutely need to build strength in your core muscles as well as the muscles you directly use for propulsion: shoulders, triceps, quads, glutes, calves, hip flexors, etc.....

As the season approaches, resistance training is usually moved to sport specific movements (ie climbing the 8% grade hill in your 53-19 at low cadence) or wearing drag suits when swimming.

Now the purpose of resistance training isn't to bulk up, but to get your body used to recruiting an increased % of muscle fibers that you already posses. That's why you see the "skinny" guys kicking booty. They weigh less and are recruiting more muscle fiber.

I used to feel the way you did - weighed 185 lbs and could run with an elephant on my back up hill, not fast, but steady. Now I'm 157 and can't run with an elephant on my back, but in triathlons, how often does the circus present that challenge?

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Animal!!!

Great point about not needing to bulk up. Lose the fat and train for strength.

Haven't checked out Dan's piece on this yet, Tri Newbies Online has a 25-week tri-specific workout that I've been following, albeit rather loosely, that, combined with fat loss, has started to give me the triathlete physique I have been after. This program suggests light weights with greater reps with gradually increasing weight while maintaining proper form.

Something I'm also intrigued about is Pavel Tsatsouline and his Russian Kettlebell training. Does anyone have experience with Comrad Pavel and any of his fitness regimen?

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Sean

I agree that during the off season, weight lifting is the thing to do. Unfortunately I have ITBS, so it's the off season for me now. So I've been going pretty heavy with the weights for a couple months now. Two of the most important things I think there are to remember are: 1) have a plan and a schedule 2) go heavy! Lifting small weight for high reps isn't going to make you stronger. As a girl, this is my biggest pet peave. Go as heavy as you can while still maintaining good form!

But at the same time, lifting weights is really hard to fit in during the season. I've read programs that say you're supposed to lift 2 - 3 times a week during the season to maintain. Well, with the way I lift, my muscles are dead when I'm done, and they're sore for a day or two (or three) afterwards. I can't possibly recover from weight lifting (and gain the strength by recovering) if I go for a run or bike during that time. Maybe I should lift lighter weights during the season, but then what's the point? Can't I maintain strength just as easily by just doing the cardio, and then try to increase my strength again during the next off season?

Or maybe that just works out best for me because I get a little bored doing the same things all the time, so I look forward to lifting in the fall and winter (while still maintaining my tri fitness), and then focusing on tri specific training in the spring and summer.

Good idea. A sound lifting program does wonders for general fitness. It makes you more injury resistant and more flexible (contrary to popular opinion). I do a lot more lifting and a lot less aerobic work than would be optimal for triathlon, since they're just another fun activity to me.

I like the comment about the pack. That would make an interesting tri, having every competitor drag or carry a 50 lb load over the course. There's a marathon here in NM, the Bataan Memorial, that has a heavyweight division. Competitors in that aren't necessarily Clydesdales, but they do have to do the course with a 50 lb pack.

Or, as an alternative...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/...ss/?id=strengthstern

Ric

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http://www.cyclecoach.com

Hi Ric! You know, I lifted a lot in my '30's and until recently I thought it was critical to lift. I've modified that view considerably simply because I didn't find my weight workouts helping my cycling or running. I have found that a few core exercises and some crunches, lat pulldowns and benches once a week help my swimming. But, I only lift light.

FWIW, excepting a few questionable studies, there is no published science, to my knowledge, that convincingly proves that lifting helps swimming, running, or biking.

Now, if some newbie is way out of shape then I would think a year of strengthening core muscles might be beneficial, but for guys who are fit and focussed on biking or triathlon, why bother? Hill workouts and big gears will give you strong legs. Get it on the bike.

-Robert

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"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank

i agree john. those on the forum know my thoughts on muscle and fitness. while all is relative, a good rack of muscle never hurts. time is the factor. take me for instance. i'm training primarily to qualify for the boston marathon next year. while i'm getting a few tri's here and there, boston is my main goal.

usually during the winter, i run just as much, but i add a serious amount of iron. last year i put on about 8 pounds of muscle to an already lean body. i felt like hulk during my first 5k of the year compared to the other guys.

this year, however, it'll be different. with the marathon training there just isn't time nor the body tolerance to do it. i'll lift some, but not near as much.

chunk and run,

sv-

i agree that heavy lifting should be left to the off season but there seems to be a trend to completely skip any lower body work during the regular seaon. i want kid anyone here and say i know study after study proving the benefit of wieght training to endurance athletes but in the real world pros in almost every sport now see strength training as a useful tool. even if it is just 3 set/ 15 reps of squats twice a week no where near failure. if anything it strengths joints.

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

whilst pro's in probably most endurance sports do weights, that doesn't mean that most pros in most sports do weights. very few cyclists do weights, and there's a good reason for this. forces involved in sports such as running and cycling are really very low, and the power can be obtained by anyone who is healthy, age and gender matched. in fact, there's good evidence to support that endurance trained athletes will be *weaker* than the matched controls. as events get longer, less and less force is required. even very short efforts (in terms of triathlons), such as a 10mile TT requires very little force on the pedals.

in triathlon (and cycling etc) it's the ability to sustain the effort for a long period of time, and this requires very little force. it's your "aerobic capacity" that's taxed.

There's some evidence (but not a lot) that heavy resistance training will increase bone mineral density, but the data is pretty equivocal.

Ric

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http://www.cyclecoach.com

what you say is very true. just look the pictures of tyler hamilton during the tour. no beef cake he. so the example of pro endurance athletes was poor.

i think the point i am getting is for mid packers especaily the older athletes the health benefits of being a little stronger day to day can improve the quality of life and the enjoyment of races.

to be strong will help prevent injuries and allow your average triathlete to hold his/her form better both on the bike and run better.

keep in mind that we loose muscle mass as we age and the more we can hang onto the more active we will be when we get silver.

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

If you are under 40, there is no need to "maintain strength" through the season. Lifting weights during the off season isn't about adding muscle to your frame (although a beneficial side effect), it's about teaching your body to recruit more muscle fibers. During the off season, you should periodize your lifting, several weeks to get used to the weights, several weeks for building strength, several weeks for muscle endurance, and so on. No one way is going to help you. You have to shock the muscles in all sorts of ways to get benefit. Lifting during the season is just going to prevent you from devoting the necessary time and energy to sport-specific training.

I agree that lower body lifting is necessary (you are spending 3/4 of the time using your legs) but you can't forget about the core-muscles either (the most important to train).

Anyway, my 2cents.



-Blinky

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Animal!!!

Yes! I've been a fan of Pavel's for a few years and kbells are the real deal. I took a workshop with one of Pavel's senior guys, Mike Mahler. You can target the workout in a variety of ways, from strength, to mass, to endurance mostly by playing with reps and rest.

I've been starting to do what Mahler calls 'high output cardio.' Marketing aside, the idea is a couple minutes of aerobic activity then lifting, then back to the aerobic. Not a new idea of course. So, I'll spend a couple of minutes on the trainers doing alternating single leg drills, then hop off and do 15 snatches with each arm and back on the bike. Feels good and the variety keeps the workout interesting.

I'd highly recommend picking up a Pavel video or book, checking out articles on dragondoor.com, and taking a workshop.

Enjoy.