Maintaining strength gains ( lifting advice needed)

crux

I have improved my strength substantially over the past few months. I did this using a Starting strength ‘type’ workout twice a week:

Workout 1
5x5 squats
3x5 bench
1x5 dead lift
3xfailure chins
Some core work

Workout 2
5x5 squats
3x5 bench
3x5 military press
3x failure pull ups
Some core work

These workouts take about 1 hour each.

Now in addition to this I do 8-10 hours of Cardio triathlon training each week. Long endurance Triathlon is my overall ‘main’ goal.

I have 4 weeks of max Strength training left to complete in this cycle before I’m due to switch to strength maintenance. My first question is about maintaining my strength gains.

1) How can I maintain them while reducing the overall time and effort so I’m fresher for the Triathlon cardio training?

The triathlon book I use suggests going to 8-10 reps and lighter loads. I’m thinking that will lose me a lot of hard won strength. With this much cardio there is no way I’m going to build muscle anyway so what does the 8-10 rep range gain me?

Instead I’m thinking of altering the workouts to the following:

Workout1
3x5 squats
3x5 bench
3xfailure chins

Workout 2
3x5 squats
3x5 press
3x failure pull ups.

Question 2 for the lifters…

2) Is such a cut down workout missing any major muscle group to the extent that I could cause a potential injury causing imballence?

Looking forward to some thoughts.

BerryH

No personal experience, but I can ask my Ironman buddies.

This weight training for triathlon programme looks like it might have the information you need. It uses periodisation in the build-up to a race.

http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/Incorporate_strength_training_into_your_regimen.htm

4theking

I think you could maintain strength just fine doing only one working set, per exercise, per week. Total gym time for the above mentioned workout, including warmup, maybe 20 minutes a week.

I am gaining strength right now on one heavy set per bodypart every 4 days or so.

Larius

1) 8-10 reps starts to get into more of the muscular endurance range and away from strength. This could help your endurance for the triathlon, or it could just wear you out. See what works for you.

2) No deadlifts could cause a leg imbalance, imo. I think it depends how much posterior chain activation you get when you squat.

FoxyMcDeadlift

The point of doing a 3 x 5 or 1 x 5 programme is STRENGTH. 8-12 is endurance / hyperthrophy.
I cant speak for Triathalon, but there is no reason why you cant strength train and do endurance training (this is personal experience training for halfs and marathons)

you forgot your deadlifts

UponThisRock

The best thing you can do to keep strength gains is to continue to lift heavy, as you have been doing. Honestly, I think the extensive amount of cardio that you're going to be doing is going to hurt your stength somewhat, you might lose a little more strength than you otherwise have.
Also, keep in mind that strength loss is an issue of how lean you plan on getting. I didn't see any real losses to until I got around 10% bodyfat or so, and even then my lifts only decreased by about 10%, nothing drastic. But again, with all the cardio you're doing, I don't know what your experience is going to be.

As to your second question, you're missing some posterior chain work. Keep the deadlifts in there.

crux

Ok, thanks for the feedback.

I'll add 1x5 dead lifts once a week then.

I'll have to see how it goes with the cardio... Recovery is the hardest part.

I may experiment with one heavy set per exercise, but maybe twice a week at first and see how it goes. Maybe if I only do 1 heavy set I could add deads, to both lift days.

4theking, what's your warm up look like? I'd be a bit scared of hurting something if I jumped straight into a heavy set with minimal warm up sets.

4theking

2 sets. First set around 40-50% of my working set weight, for 10-12 reps. Second set 60-70% of my working set weight, for 5-6. Has worked well for me.

FoxyMcDeadlift

Remember the fuel to actually lift heavy and to run is always carbs. Gorge yourself on carbs and you should be fuelled to do both, hit your protein count to repair the damage.

Eat big, train big

ilovedeadlifts

1. Throw in some deadlifts.

2. Quit doing so many failure sets on pullups. For strength, you don't want to be repeatedly going to failure.

3. Figure out some progression as far as adding weight to the bar every week. I'm assuming you're doing this.

crux

1. Throw in some deadlifts.

2. Quit doing so many failure sets on pullups. For strength, you don't want to be repeatedly going to failure.

3. Figure out some progression as far as adding weight to the bar every week. I'm assuming you're doing this.

Ok... I have a harness from climbing, do you recommend weighted pull up's x5 for strength or some other protocol?

Progression... that's another question...

If my goal is to maintain the strength, should I still try weight progression once a week, but keeping it minimal. Or just stick to my current weights...?

BerryH

If my goal is to maintain the strength, should I still try weight progression once a week, but keeping it minimal. Or just stick to my current weights...?

Check that article I sent. It depends where you are in your tri training.

Jesung

You can reduce the volume even more. After warm-up, go all out for one set for 5 reps. Rest 3 mins, take 10% of the weight off, and go for +1 rep of what you just did.
Keep going for weight progression. If you stall, deload and work back up.

UponThisRock

1. Throw in some deadlifts.

2. Quit doing so many failure sets on pullups. For strength, you don't want to be repeatedly going to failure.

3. Figure out some progression as far as adding weight to the bar every week. I'm assuming you're doing this.

Ok... I have a harness from climbing, do you recommend weighted pull up's x5 for strength or some other protocol?

Progression... that's another question...

If my goal is to maintain the strength, should I still try weight progression once a week, but keeping it minimal. Or just stick to my current weights...?

I would do pullups/chinups in a bit higher rep range, maybe 6-8. I would recommend adding weight to them, just as you would any other exercise.

As far as progression, if you can add weight to a lift in a safe and reasonable manner, by all means, do so. Strength gains while losing weight is quite common.