I lifted today, I'm lifting about once a week. I consider it "Strength Maintenace". I pretty much follow J. Friel program in his book cyclist training manual.

Gym wWorkout today was typically as follows:6 mile run as warmup, 3 sets of leg press 20 reps with 6 45lb plates, 3 sets 12 reps smith squat with 6 25 lb plates, some various upper body stuff light focusing on triceps, finally abs.

My max lifting was in Feb. See pic here... http://www.angelfire.com/...355_rider/winter.htm

---

**********************
I was, now I will tri again!
...
Any time is a good time.
God Bless you my friend.

I'm still lifting and will be all the way up through the end of July since my first "A" race is IM Canada. I keep it very simple:

15 minutes stretching

Rotator Cuffs using bands

Squats

Leg Extensions

Leg Abductors

Hamstring Curls

Calf Press

Crunches

3 times a week, 3 sets of 15, moderate weights right now

---

Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

I read somewhere that the older you are the more you should consider resistance exercising (lifting weights). I try to continue some sort of weight lifting but I have to say if my body is telling me not to I pass on it.

As an "older" athlete, I do lift some. Like you, it depends upon how I feel. I certainly don't lift much compared to what I did before Triathlons, and it is mostly upper body and core exercise. I don't use heavy weights, but use good form, and try to keep it to mostly slow movements...again, depending upon how I feel. I'm still stronger than the vast majority of people that finish the race at my same elapsed time, so I figure I don't need the extra weight of more muscle. Muscle is good up to a point, then it is just extra weight...especially upper body muscle weight. And my legs get so much workload, unless I think they're getting out of balance, or just don't have time to run or ride hard, I don't lift with them. I used to get some knee pain from hard riding unless I did some weightlifting, but, since I have no more knee pain (I think in the past my hamstrings weren't strong enough to match my quads), not much (if any) weightlifting with legs.

I'm certainly more efficient (and therefore faster) as I have lightened up on the amount of muscle mass I have, but, there are other training factors that are at work, too, so, it is not simply losing excess muscle that is at work here.

---

Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

I'm still lifting legs and upper body and will probably continue to do so at least through Wildflower. I will drop back to once a week from 2-3 times/wk after that. Wildflower sort of concludes the strength phase of the season. After that it's speed focus up through Blackwater and then taper into IM Austria.

They say you should lay off the weights at least 3wks prior to 'A' race efforts to let the deep muscle damage repair itself and put the 'snap' back in your legs. I still think once a week is a good idea through most of the season.

---

=============
Adam Duncan
New York, NY

I'm having serious second thoughts about lifting. I'm an old ironhead, so I've been lifting at least once a week the last three years, until recently. I've noticed that my training times are much, much faster when I don't lift. Everything is faster.

I like looking fit, but when I lift I put on too much weight. By stopping I've dropped 6 pounds in the last 5 weeks. I suspect the iron law of specificity is at work. I also suspect Friel is wrong about the benefits of lifting, particularly if you are already very fit. Perhaps for the early beginners into intermediate triathletes, yes.

I'm not lifting again until after Gulf Coast in May. I might do a couple weeks of light lifting then during my recovery period, although usually I just swim and bike easy after.

-Robert

---

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

http://www.angelfire.com/...355_rider/winter.htm


squating 850 lbs!!!!!

Are you Magnus Ver Magnusson?

No to take anything away from that amount of weight, but squatting 850 on those machines is not even close to squatting 850 freeweights. I've never found those machines as effective as using the "real thing" (ie just a bar, weights, and squat rack).

wilson

I agree, there is a mechanical advantage to that machine. Division 1 football players squat around 600 lbs on a smith rack.

I saw a big weight lifter guy get on that thing and stack as many 45 lb plates on it as it could hold (several more on each side) and go up and down like nothing. So I said to myself I gotta give this a try. I was able to do about 6 reps two sets like that. It did have the side effect that I later noticed cuts in my skin where the weight of the yoke pressed on my shoulders. Anyway it does have a daunting look when you pile up all those plates.

---

**********************
I was, now I will tri again!
...
Any time is a good time.
God Bless you my friend.