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Adding lifting to training.

dbmata

Scott, I figure you might have some good insight, as well as the rest of the group at large.

I'm currently doing one of the sufferfest bike programs, has me on the bike for about 5-6 hours a week, 4 rides a week.

From time to time I add in climbing, and am heading to the gym for swimming today. Any good recs for adding in lifting? Along with my tri training plans, I'm going to be doing some alpine climbing this year, so I need to work on strength and getting considerably smaller. Any suggestions for me?

Currently with the bike I'm riding
T, Th, Fri, Sun
OR
T,W, Fri, Sun
OR
T-Th, Sun

Recs?

Replies

scott091501

So I had a long talk in NOLA @ the USAT Coaching clinic about lifting and how it pertains to triathlon with the strength training presenter Jay DiCharry. He's a huge advocate for lifting year round and lifting HEAVY for power.

Basically the theory is that you go faster by generating more power both in the power stroke of cycling and the short contact periods of running. So you'd be looking at compound movements like squats, deads, cleans, etc. for 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps.

So if you were going to lift 3 days a week it would look something like the following:

Mon- Squats (power), Cleans (power), hip assistance work
Wed- Bench (power), Pull-ups or straight arm pulldowns, shoulder/back assistance work
Fri- Deadlift (power), lunges, hip assistance work.

Remember if you feel you're not recovering you need to reassess what/when/how intense you're lifting and if it's worth it to compromise the quality of your s/b/r work.

LouSmorals

"if it's worth it to compromise the quality of your s/b/r work."

Honestly, this is what keeps me from lifting. I suppose I should work in some circuit training, but I am mostly concerned about building on my cardio base. This topic is a constant source of conversations within my tri club. There really is no good answer.

scott091501

"if it's worth it to compromise the quality of your s/b/r work."

Honestly, this is what keeps me from lifting. I suppose I should work in some circuit training, but I am mostly concerned about building on my cardio base. This topic is a constant source of conversations within my tri club. There really is no good answer.

There are good answers and they're really all dependent on the individual athlete's needs. Some athletes have a surplus of power, but don't have a cardio base for $h!t. While others have base for days but no power to create speed.

dbmata

Basically the theory is that you go faster by generating more power both in the power stroke of cycling and the short contact periods of running. So you'd be looking at compound movements like squats, deads, cleans, etc. for 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps.

and that's exactly where I was thinking it would be beneficial. My legs are good, but frankly, they could be better. I'm working on cardio base, but even after rocking this month hard, I'm finding that I could use more leg strength to get me into that 20mph+ range on the bike. Before I stopped doing squats due to an aggravated IT band, I was up to about 275#, and my deads were around 325# and plateaued due to grip strenght. My major focus right now though is base building and dropping off about 30#, so maybe lifting low frequency might help? Dunno at the moment.

So if you were going to lift 3 days a week it would look something like the following:

Mon- Squats (power), Cleans (power), hip assistance work
Wed- Bench (power), Pull-ups or straight arm pulldowns, shoulder/back assistance work
Fri- Deadlift (power), lunges, hip assistance work.

Interesting, split the squats and deads to opposite sides of the week. I'm not familiar with cleans, so I'll probably pick up a trainer for a couple sessions to learn them. Would I be right in assuming those would be good for core, back, upper shoulders, and a lot of the smaller assistance muscles? Adding those in, would those be to help build strength for swimming?

Remember if you feel you're not recovering you need to reassess what/when/how intense you're lifting and if it's worth it to compromise the quality of your s/b/r work.

That would be a concern, because when I was lifting often, recovery would take a couple days, which I know WILL impact my sufferfest program. This is a rare time where I wished there were more days in the week. I have been rock climbing, so I wonder, maybe that's a good compromise for the near future?

LouSmorals

"if it's worth it to compromise the quality of your s/b/r work."

Honestly, this is what keeps me from lifting. I suppose I should work in some circuit training, but I am mostly concerned about building on my cardio base. This topic is a constant source of conversations within my tri club. There really is no good answer.

There are good answers and they're really all dependent on the individual athlete's needs. Some athletes have a surplus of power, but don't have a cardio base for $h!t. While others have base for days but no power to create speed.

You are right, I suppose what I should have wrote is that there is no "one size fits all" answer.

scott091501

In regards to the "one size fits all" theory I'll say this. When speaking with a few of the experts at the USA Triathlon Clinic the other week their theory was that you get the high rep/low weight work from running, cycling, and swimming. So you should lift heavy. 3-5 sets of 5 takes much less out of your legs in the long run than doubling up on the weights in the endurance range (12+). Now as a former power lifter this speaks to me and I've found I've seen benefits in performance, body comp, and injury prevention if I lift strictly compound lifts and core 2 to 3 times a week.

dbmata I'd say your numbers were VERY strong for an age group triathlete. I'd work on maintenance (slight drop would be okay) of your strength and see if you can work on being more explosive in your movements. If you look at the amount of contact time you have with the road while running or the power stroke of your cycling stroke it's very short. You're looking to create as much power in that short period of time as possible over and over again so your body needs to be able to fire that quickly.

EnduranceGirl2

I've been lifting 1 day a week using exercises primarily from the Fink triathlon strength training book. Typically 3 sets of 10 and the routine takes a half hour. I'm ready to increase the weight and plan to move to twice a week as race season draws near. The regimen incorporates lots of BOSU ball and other core/balance work as well as upper-body. As a woman, my leg strength has never been an issue, although 1 legged squats help correct the problem that my right leg is much stronger than the left. I'm convinced it's impossible to make your core too strong - go watch a marathon sometime at about mile 18. The lead runners are tired but standing tall. The stragglers are slumped over. Maintaining posture is key because it keeps your weight on your skeleton which makes movement more efficient and allows proper air exchange. Wearing a weight vest while cooking dinner or doing other household chores (not sitting - too hard on the back) requires no extra time and has great pay-off.

dbmata

So... I have been wanting to add in lifting, but it's not going to happen for a while. Turns out I need to work on some elbow tendonitis first. Then I can lift.

So... I'll just run with a weighted ruck and call it kosher for now.

Mbuhler

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"There are good answers and they're really all dependent on the individual athlete's needs. Some athletes have a surplus of power, but don't have a cardio base for $h!t. While others have base for days but no power to create speed." quoted from above (somehow I lost the quote box in editing, lol!
[/quote]

Thanks for the great info - I'm one of those who can go forever at my slow and steady pace but I have no power and no muscle tone. I'm working on fitting in some strengthening over the winter but never know how much I should do and how to adjust it as I approach race season. Within the next month I'll need to start building endurance again for my first race this season which will be my first Olympic but I need to gain some power and speed to really start getting my race times down.

scott091501

You can address power both in the weight room with row rep/heavy weight movements, and on the bike with invtervals.