Crosstraining?

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

Besides swimming, cycling, and running - what else do any of you more experienced triathletes reccommend for crosstraining workouts? I'm a newbie and hope to compete in my first triathalon in the spring.

Besides the Big 3, here is also what I do at the gym:
-StairMaster
-Erg (rowing machine)
-Strength Training & Heavy Lifting (upper & lower body)
-Yoga

Any & all advice would be greatly appreciated to help me prepare! xx

crux

Wow, that puts me to shame

I think you will do just fine... Biggest thing for me is strength and flexibility, you have that covered with lifting and yoga.

Only other thing I do, is once a month or so, just get out on a long hike or mountainbike into the hills. Great for endurance and mental freshness.

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

Wow, that puts me to shame

I think you will do just fine... Biggest thing for me is strength and flexibility, you have that covered with lifting and yoga.

Only other thing I do, is once a month or so, just get out on a long hike or mountainbike into the hills. Great for endurance and mental freshness.

Thanks for the feedback :happy: Flexibility is my worst area of fitness, so I'm really trying to work on that (I can almost touch my toes now! Which is a big deal for me). I just want to be as prepared as I can be so that I don't finish dead last. Thanks for the tip about hiking! I love the outdoors, so that would be a good activity for me!

jacksonpt

Train your lats pretty hard... they are crucial in the swim - I do rows and pull-ups
Obviously your legs are important too - squats are my key exercise, but don't forget about the calves and hammies.
Don't forget about your core - planks of all varieties. yoga is good as well, and offers a variety of other benefits.

But the single most important thing to do is brick workouts. Relatively short, relatively intense combinations of swim/bike and bike/run. Most people focus on the bike/run brick because both biking and running are hard on the legs. I do 7 mile bike, 1 mile run, 7 mile bike, 1 mile run. I'm not sure how well they work indoors though on stationary bikes and treadmills... going to give that a try as winter wears on.

Awesome that you are giving tris a shot!



.

saraht77

Sounds like you are doing great! The only thing I would suggest is to make sure you train doing 2 things back to back (like Jacksonpt said) at least 1-2 times a week, beginning around 12 weeks pior to Tri. This will increase your endurance level in your legs. Also whichever is your 'weakest' event, practice that the most! Are you doing a Sprint?
Sarah

saraht77

Check out http://www.facebook.com/MissTriathlon?ref=ts Miss Triathlon's on FB and their website....it geared towards women, has GREAT tips and advice! Also has a great newsletters (email) with awesome info!!!

Once you do your first Tri you will be hooked!!! Its so fun! Best accomplishment ever!
Sarah

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

Sounds like you are doing great! The only thing I would suggest is to make sure you train doing 2 things back to back (like Jacksonpt said) at least 1-2 times a week, beginning around 12 weeks pior to Tri. This will increase your endurance level in your legs. Also whichever is your 'weakest' event, practice that the most! Are you doing a Sprint?
Sarah

Yes, I think so. Its the shortest of all the triathlons.

Fly_Tyn

There was a great article in Traithlon magazine a little while back on weight lifting routines to do in the "off season". You can find it on their website.

Ryan_Bullock

It's necessarily training but I do other sports: soccer and snowboarding (although snowboarding has gotten expensive the past 2-3 years). Gotta indulge and enjoy being in shape!

hkulbacki

Train your lats pretty hard... they are crucial in the swim - I do rows and pull-ups
Obviously your legs are important too - squats are my key exercise, but don't forget about the calves and hammies.
Don't forget about your core - planks of all varieties. yoga is good as well, and offers a variety of other benefits.

But the single most important thing to do is brick workouts. Relatively short, relatively intense combinations of swim/bike and bike/run. Most people focus on the bike/run brick because both biking and running are hard on the legs. I do 7 mile bike, 1 mile run, 7 mile bike, 1 mile run. I'm not sure how well they work indoors though on stationary bikes and treadmills... going to give that a try as winter wears on.

Awesome that you are giving tris a shot!
.

Thanks for the tips. I did a few duathlons last summer and was immediately hooked! I've done some bike/run workouts but the bike/run/bike/run sounds great.
I also do a local 'tri' that substitutes kayaking for the swim so I've been working the lats as well.

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

There was a great article in Traithlon magazine a little while back on weight lifting routines to do in the "off season". You can find it on their website.

Thank so much! I'll def need to check that one out. Weight lifting is my favorite exercise :-)

bstamps12

Crosstraining? LOL beyond strength training, I don't have time to train for those 3 events let alone have time for elliptical, stair master, etc. But like others have said, bricks are essential. And I tend to think the swim/bike brick gets overlooked. Not that your muscles will be as locked in that transition as they are in bike/run, but just that most people underestimate how tired they are after swimming in open water at race pace & it's good to feel that tiredness on the bike in practice.

Kilter

Yoga for flexibility
Core strengthening (planks, Vsits, crossovers, etc...)
Pull ups / downs

... and BRIcks (Bike Run Ick!)

Have an awesome first season. You only get one of those so make the best of it and have a blast!

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

Yoga for flexibility
Core strengthening (planks, Vsits, crossovers, etc...)
Pull ups / downs

... and BRIcks (Bike Run Ick!)

Have an awesome first season. You only get one of those so make the best of it and have a blast!

Thanks so much for the motivation :-)