If you have 15 min to do weights, which exercises do you prioritize

Triathlon Forum
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Please Note: If you have no interest or belief in the advantage of weight training, please do not post on this thread. Its for those of us that would like to weight train.

OK, most of us are time limited. There is only so much time in a day to do a variety of training. I find weight training has high payback for the time spent there. The problem is squeezing the weights in. Typically I do this by running or biking 10-15 min less and tacking on some weights at the end. If you do this 4 times a week, you suddenly end up with some decent weight work.

Depending on where I do the weights (home or gym), I have certain options available. If I only have 15 min, I’ll do a circuit that looks like this: Step Ups (finishing on ball of foot to incorporate calves) Lat Pull downs Lunges

If I have 40 min, I’ll add Leg extensions Squats Hamstring Curls Pushups/Bench Press Calf Raises

Most of this work is leg intensive. The first group of 3 seems to incorporate the triathlon muscles the best and isolate each leg. The lat pulldowns cover most of my swim needs. The first group of 3 can be done with a barbell at home replacing the lat pulldowns with upward row (not as swim specific, but still uses the shoulders a lot)

Any recommendations from the fitness gurus?

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Looks really good. If you are not already doing so, I would add some core work. Perhaps do weights 2x and core 2x per week. Besides adding another day in the pool I found core work to be the most beneficial thing I did this past season to improve not only performance but post workout / race recovery. Also - this past year there were some good article by the Grip on weight training and core exercises.

Matt

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I have been doing some hip stuff from Gordo’s book, 10-15min with cords and my core and hips burning with proper form.

t~

4

This is just about exactly the same workout that I do in the same amount of alloted time, except I’ll throw in pistol squats as well (one legged squats on a bench, pointing the other leg as straight out as possible). It’s a dicey exercise for some as it puts the knee in a week position (knee in front of foot) if you don’t have the strength / posture to do it effectively.

Rick

5

Same here.

It would be easy to make the step-ups and lunges more multi-faceted by adding some shoulder raises or woodchops with a medicine ball.

I would also spend 2-3 minutes doing some plank/side plank…great benefits for so little time.

G

6

If I have only 10 mins, I do either:

bicycles, crunches (mix of twist and straight), pushups to failure, pullups to failure

OR

swim cordz, 5 sets of 25 reps.

If I have 20 mins, I do both of the above.

If I have more than 20 mins, I go for a run or ride.

7

hmmm, 15 minutes?

lunges

back extensions

abs: all the zillion variations of crunches, and planks

stretching!

I guess I’m more into core work than weights.

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Thanks everyone, keep em coming. It is interesting to see what people do. Matt, since I XC ski in the winter, I pretty well do zero core work since this alone generates a six pack with no supplemental training :-).

Oh, here is another one. Each time you get up from your desk, 10 body weight calf raises and 10 body weight squats…it all adds up to overall body strength…also for those wanting to do core work, for every TV show that you watch, 150 sit ups…free training on no time delta…which is what it is all about!

Dev

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Why not 4 @ 15 minutes;

2 @ 15 minutes legs

squats, leg ext, leg curl, calf raises

2 @ 15 minute upper body

bench press, bicep curls, shoulder press, lat pulldown.

Allowing 72 hours recovery in between. I do Mon-legs/Tue-upper body, Thurs- legs/Fri-upper body.

10

Good ideas! But who has time for tv with two kids under 5 ;)!

Matt

11

Being a one-sided breather, I try to focus on shoulders and back exercises that would help strengthen rotator cuff. My favorite is a reverse push up, lean back in a corner, put your elbows shoulder high and push yourself away from the corner. You will really feel it in your shoulders and upper back.

12

I would agree with the attention to the legs. When I do any lifting, read very very rarely or if I feel imbalanced, I’ll focus on lengthening my hams. this usually involves curls, extensions, calf raises, and maybe some presses.

13

2 kids under 5. Convert play time into a squat session. Kid climbs on back, and do 2x(bodyweight+kid weight). Then the other kids climbs abord and do the same instead of squats, calf raises…repeat to exhaustion! No need for TV. Once per day will suffice :-).

I also do this in the airport with backpack (filled with laptop, office supplies and change of clothes) waiting around for flights on in the back on an airplane on long flights. Sure it looks like a dork, but no worse than riding around town in an aero helmet!

14

For only 15 minutes I’d do:

1.) 3 x 8 on the bench

2.) 3x10 pull-ups

3.) 1 set of dips till exhuastion

40Min exercise would be:

1.) bench

2.)row

3.) pull-ups

4.) assorted abdominal x400

5.) dips

6.) 1x12 of dumbell curls

7.) 3x12 of skull crushers

Once a week add squats, everyother deadlifts. (never both in same day)

15

That’s even better…I think you have a book in you on how to find and make time for exercise anywhere with anything :)!

I decided last year to cut all my running and biking in the early season (Base A/B/C) and incorporate core work after these sessions. I believe someone else mentioned this as well. It worked but I think I will start to add the kids as well!

Matt

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My 2 year old weighs about 30 lbs. Perfect for lunges, ab crunches and pushups!! In a couple of years I can use her for squats.

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I also coach kids for XC skiing. Right now, we are on “dryland”. I take them out for “training” every Saturday. While hiking through the woods, we can find all kinds of things to do strength training with…logs, (they have to carry them or pass them around), step ups on logs, their own body weight for squats, lunges, pushups, puddles to jump over (sort of explosive plyometrics that you trick kids into…), small streams to skip back and forth over etc etc :-)…and finally they can do short relay races carrying one another piggyback…lots of fun and lots of stength training…god knows, they need it…too much playstation and nintendo…

18

Since running and cycling work the quads/glutes/calves, I use gym time to workout the other leg muscles (hamstrings, hip abductors/adductors, some hip flexor exercises) and core. These can be done with machines or with resistance bands/stability ball, so I can do these at home if the gym is too crowded.

I also mix in rows (I like to kayak) and pushups (just because).

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Paul - Could you possibly edit to include sets/reps?

I only lift weights from Nov-Feb…it takes as much time to read this than it does to complete the workout! 15 wouldn’t happen…but can usually get in/out of the weight room at my office in 30 mins, that includes random water breaks and TV rubbernecking.

(This isn’t going to format well)

4 Day Split

************************************************Day 1:

Complex Sets Reps Squats *5 6-10

Incline Bench *4 8-12

Dead Lift *5 5-10

Note: this is your complex movement day. These are big muscle group exercises, and should be done with 2-3 min. rest between sets. with weight, push yourself. These are power moves so DO NOT be shy

Day 2: Back & Shoulders

BACK-Pick Four: Pull up 3 10-12 Lat Pull Down-w 4 10-12 Lat Pull Down-c 4 10-12 Machine Pull over 3 10-12 Bent-over Row 4 10 Low Cable Row 3 10-12 1 Arm DB Row 3 10-12 Spider Mach. Row 4 10-12

SHOULDERS-Pick Three: BB Press 4 10 DB Press 3 10-12 Mach. Press 3 10-15 Upright Row 3 10 Side DB Raises 4 10-12 Front DB Raises 3 10-12 Reverse Fly, Mach. 3 15

Day 3: LEGS Leg Press 1 4 10-15 Hack Squat 2 3 10-12 Lungs 1 3-4 20 Steps Stiff legged DL 2 3 12 Leg Extension 1 4 10-15 Leg Curl- S/D 2 3 15 Calf Raises, stand 1 3 15 Calf Raises, seated 2 3 10-12

Note: Do every other exercise. Rotate weeks.(1& 2)

Day 4: Chest & Arms

CHEST- Pick 3 Incline BB Press 4 10-12 Flat BB Press 3 10-12 Incl. Mach Press 3 10 Flat DB Press 4 12-15 Incl. DB Fly 3 15 Flat DB Fly 3 15 Decl. Mach. Press 3 12 Cable Cross Up 3 12-15 Cable Cross Downs 3 12-15

ARMS- Pick 3 for each BICEP Standing BB Curl 3 10-12 Preacher Curl 3 10-12 DB (Alt or Sim.) 3 12 Machine Curl 4 10 Cable Curl 4 10 note: Any DB curl can be done seated on an incline bench, as well as on preacher bench. TRICEP Overhead Extension 3 10-12 Overhead DB Ext. 3 10-12 Skull Crusher 3 10-15 Dips 3 10 Cable Push Downs 4 10-15 Mach. Press 4 10-15

Notes: DB= Dumbbells BB= Barbell Mach.= Machine * = Warm-up set with light weight, Perform at start of every workout The weights listed are the minimum. Most of plate loaded equipment requires plates on both sides, hence the “’s” Allow for 1-minute minimum between sets, 2 minutes on Day 1.

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i run to the gym about 3x’s a week - do 20 mins of weight work and 5 mins of core work- then jog home … i’m almost exactly 1.5 miles away from the gym, so i make the running my tempo work for the week …

my weight session always starts with rotator-cuff-targeted cable work - 2 sets per movement, 3 movements, 20 to 25 reps. it takes about 5 minutes with no rest between sets, alternating arms.

this warm-up is followed by:

2 sets prone dumbell presses x 20 reps

2 sets arnold presses x 15 reps

2 sets seated rows x 20 reps

2 sets pull-downs x 15 reps

i then do ab work on a mat, either with a ball or doing a pilates super-set for about 5 minutes. i can be done in 25 minutes if i don’t lag between sets and get right into the core stuff.

if i’m a little burnt on the weights i’ll do some additional cardio work such as stairmaster or eliptical (for variety).