The plan you have there is almost exactly what I do, except I do shoulders with chest and tris, and then add some abs and lower back on my leg day. There are a million plans and theories out there, but this has worked great for me. Usually about 3 exercises for each muscles group, so Monday might be 6 exercises total, wednesday could be 8 or 9 and friday I usually do 6 plus abs (leg press and leg ext, hamstring curls and stiff leg dead lift, and seated and standing calf raises) Just change up the exercises every couple of weeks.

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Portside Athletics Blog

Now that it's the off season I've gone back to lifting 3x week - Tues., Thurs., Sat. I do lower body, core, upper body each day. But I mix it up and I alternate heavy days with light days. I listen to my body and when I feel that deep down soreness in the glutes I back off and do a light leg day (swim workout in the morning, lift in the afternoon). A heavy day is squats or leg press to failure. A light day is lunges, step ups, hamstring curls with light weight. Upper body is alternating push/pull.

Do not isolate body parts, but rather train movements. The human body is integrated and multiplanner, asymetrical dynamic explosive and rarely static. No single joint, single plane stabalized exercise can compare to the benefits provided by movement based training.

At Functionally Innovative Training, we have been doing a lot of strength based research with athletes in NYC training at commercial health clubs and this is one of the conclusions that we have come about. It seems more and more of athletes are working harder to become stronger and healthier. These athletes are constantly working to improve their activities by increasing their flexibility, strength, endurance, and power. A tremendous amount of athletes are performing high-level activities even though they are inefficient in their fundamental movements. These individuals create poor movement patterns, train around a pre-existing problem or simply do not train their weakness during their strength and conditioning programs. People are spending thousands of dollars on their bikes to become "faster" but spend little when it comes to their actual performance enhancement and or injury prevention.

In today’s evolving training and conditioning market, athletes and individuals have access to a huge arsenal of equipment and workout programs; however, the best equipment and programs cannot produce if the fundamental weaknesses are not exposed. The idea behind strength training is to individualize each workout program based on your weak link. This weak link is a physical or functional limitation. In order to isolate the weak link, the body’s fundamental movement patterns should be considered. Most people do not begin strength and conditioning or rehabilitative programs by determining if they have adequate movement patterns- but they should. By looking at the movement patterns and not just one area, a weak link can be identified. This will enable the individual, strength and conditioning coach, athletic trainer or fitness professional to focus on that area. If this weak link is not identified, the body will compensate, causing inefficient movements. It is this type of inefficiency that can cause a decrease in performance and an increase in injuries.

Once you can determine if you have a weak link or not, you can then start on movement based stability and mobility work. Another interesting piece of info that we have found in our research is athletes will always sacrifice quality of motion to maintain quantity of motion and in turn develop compensatory movement patterns in order to overcome functional deficits. An example of this is how an athlete will develop hip stiffness due to athletic participation. This is a result of the muscle hypertrophy and movement patterns that occur due to training and participation sports. When the hips become stiff in the end ranges of flexion, extension and adduction, the lumbar spine will have to sacrifice its stability at the expense of greater mobility. Excessive flexion, extension and rotation will occur at the lumbar spine in an attempt to compensate for a relative decreased stride length during running caused by the stiffness in the hips. Therefore, an athlete who has a slight decrease in range of motion may lose 2-3 inches in their stride and they will compensate by using poor body mechanics. This compensatory movement pattern is a temporary strategy and, although straight-ahead speed may be maintained, the ability to maintain it efficiently over long periods of time may be altered. This situation will predispose the athlete to develop micro trauma, or excessive wear and tear on the body. Imagine if your stride is shortened by 2-3 inches, and you run at a rate of 90 strides a minute. That is 3 inches per stride times 90 in a minute- now figure how many inches/feet/miles you can save or make up in an Ironman marathon.

Long long story short, work on your movement patterns for your strength training program. First identify potential biomechanical weaknesses and work on turning them into a strength and prevent injury and your weight program will help you tremendously.

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Jason Goldberg
FIT Multisports

wow and you wrote all that on your Treo. you stud.

Seriously, Jason knows his stuff and his points are very valuable for every athlete. My 2 cents is that our Functional Strength Training DVD asists you in doing exactly what Jaosn recommends. Let me know if you'd like a copy as we give ST discounts. I couldn't have said it better myself!

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Lee Zohlman, Lead Coach/President
BodyZen Multi Sport Coaching
http://www.bodyzen.com

I second that on Lee's DVD. I suggest to my coaching clients that dont use us for 1 on 1 training buy Lee's DVD. It is well worth it.

On the laptop, not the Treo! lol

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Jason Goldberg
FIT Multisports

Wow, almost exactly what I do and on the same days....kj

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Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax

How can you be a stereotypical 145 lb. triathlete with all that weight liftin?? Your man bra jersey won't fit right.

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I'll be what I am
A solitary man

How much longer (in time) does it take to move those extra three inches? Now figure out how many /seconds/minutes you can save in a marathon...

Also, you didn't actually address what kind of lifting, or how much, should be done by the original poster.

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"Go yell at an M&M"

your question is not clear actually, my statement is if you add 2-3 inches per stride (90 strides/min) which is 180 steps for both legs in one minute, and you are now covering 3 extra inches every minute, and you run a 3 hour marathon- that is 180 minutes. Ok so we have 180 steps (90 strides each leg) X 3 INCHES which is-540 extra inches down the road every minute. That is 45feet, gained every minute over your tigher shorter stride. Over that 3 hour marathon, that is 8,100 feet, or 2,700yards, or 1.68 miles- further down the road, at no more energy requirement because your natural ROM is that 3 inches longer after correcting that theoretical imbalance.

That is correct, i didnt address the issue of what exercises, how much and when, that would done in my opinion after analyzing their movement and seeing if quality of movement is needed to be worked on as opposed to quanity. Never have I worked with someone that didnt need to work out a left right imbalance. Address those issues first before you start to overload muscle systems. I am more then sure that Mark Verstegan, Mike Boyle, Gary Gray and Mike Clark would all agree with me. (they are the nation's leading strength training specialists as and FYI)



Bold texts indicates where I corrected my math.

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Jason Goldberg
FIT Multisports

I highly reccomend squats.

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I'll be what I am
A solitary man

It does take any longer to move the extra 3" if your stride rate remains 90/min.

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Justin in Austin, get it? :)

Cool races:
- Redman
- Desoto American Triple T

Except that your math is wrong, I think.

its possible, i did it off the top of my head, typing on my treo with no calculator. Ill have to check when I get in!

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Jason Goldberg
FIT Multisports

Marathon = 1,661,220 inches

1,661,220in / 180min = 9,229in/min

9,229 + (180 x 3in) = 9,769in/min

1,661,220 / 9,769 = 170.05min

So, a 3 hour marathon would turn into a 2:50:03.

I'll be pissed if I called you out and then did this math wrong.

I got home and did the math, and you are correct, I think because my correction reflects your theoretical 10 min improvement! good call sojouner!!

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Jason Goldberg
FIT Multisports

You dropped some pretty heavy names there, I hope none of them hit your toes...

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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com

as for the original question, i would say to not lift weights. lift your body.

i've been focusing on doing core work such as hyperextensions, hanging leg lifts (using straps because my forearms aren't strong enough to hold me there securely for several minutes) and decline sit-ups. then i go over and do my strength/cardio workout on the stepmill.

i've only ridden four times in the past month, but have been doing the above workout 5-10 times a week, and today i absolutely flew on the bike.

it's hard to stress how important posture/alignment and developing kinesthetic awareness is. it's the same thing jason is stressing. it may help to take the viewpoint that true power lies outside and all around us, and our goal is to simply pose as little resistance to it as possible while acting as a conduit. i swear i'm putting on a clinic everytime i go in that damn gym, and ain't nobody noticing! ok, or so i like to think.

LOL!!! ive met them several times, have people who work with and for me who worked for them or trained with or under them in the past- a lot of what i have learned over the years was from and by them at clinics, camps, workshops and Q&As, I think I should be ok.

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Jason Goldberg
FIT Multisports

[reply]I am more then sure that Mark Verstegan, Mike Boyle, Gary Gray and Mike Clark would all agree with me. (they are the nation's leading strength training specialists as and FYI) [reply]

I'm not sure that Dr. Wayne Westcott, Dr. Ken Leistner, Dan Riley, Matt Bryzcki, John Philbin or Dr. Ralph Carpinelli would agree with you. (Nor am I sure that I agree that Verstegan et al are the nation's leading strength training specialists.) Just pointing out that there are differing opinions about how to effectively strength train, and plenty of well credentialed and accomplished authorities who advocate different methods.

JC

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Jonathan Cane
City Coach Multisport
http://www.citycoach.org

I'm not sure that Dr. Wayne Westcott, Dr. Ken Leistner, Dan Riley, Matt Bryzcki, John Philbin or Dr. Ralph Carpinelli would agree with you. (Nor am I sure that I agree that Verstegan et al are the nation's leading strength training specialists.) Just pointing out that there are differing opinions about how to effectively strength train, and plenty of well credentialed and accomplished authorities who advocate different methods.
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Thank you!! What about Tom Purvis?? To me one of the greatest minds in our industry. There are so many varying opinions out there about the BEST method of getting stronger. To believe that strength training will not benefit function is narrow thought-

Functional training is great! Traditional strength training is great! But if you are a triathlete then your functional training is cycling, swimming and running- strength training enhances that function. Correct strength training can increase or maintain flexibility, increase joint integrity, and certainly increase muscular strength.

To answer the original question--benefits in strength have been found in as little as 30 minutes a day 3 days a week with a full body circuit program (Wayne Westcott). You can benefit from split sets (back/bi's, chest/tri, legs/shouders etc) the issue is usu. time. So the answer is whatever fits best into your schedule and with remember that pain is NOT gain and when lifting form is EVERYTHING!! Never sacrifice form for the amount of weight-- better to lift lighter and keep form.

Where did the extra speed come from to do the ~5% longer stride (assuming a stride of ~5 ft) in the same time? Is it free?

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"Go yell at an M&M"

Ken and Dan are very interesting/informative guys. Soon to be added to that list (IMO), PJ Striet.

Don't forget Maximum Bob Whelan. http://www.naturalstrength.com

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-- Every morning brings opportunity;
Each evening offers judgement. --

I do all muscle groups Tuesday and Friday.
2 different lifts / muscle group.
2 sets of 12/10/8 with increasing weight.
Core everyday.

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---Politics = Poli (many) Ticks (blood sucking ectoparasites)

If your gym offers it or you can find it in your area, I highly recommend BodyPump classes. It is a 1 hour group class that covers pretty much everything you need in 10 tracks (warm up, squats, chest press, back/hamstrings, triceps, biceps, lunge, shoulders, abs, stretch). Much more entertaining to me than working free weights, and the instructor should give you help with form and technique. Anyone in the Mesa, AZ area who want to try for free, I can get you a pass. I teach 2x a week, and I'd certainly recommend doing something like this twice a week rather than devoting an entire workout to back and biceps, unless you really have a lot of time on your hands.

http://www.lesmills.com