Triathlon and Strength training
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KatrinaWilke
Posts: 372 Member
Has anyone completed a triathlon (sprint) and continued to lift heavy weights while they were training? I will be participating in my first triathlon this summer and do not want to give up lifting weights. If someone has successfully completed a triathlon and continued lifting, could you give me an example of your training schedule?
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Replies
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I have. Pretty much doing 5x5 with swimming on lifting days. So:
M- swim, 5x5
T- Longish Run
W- Easy Bike, 5x5
T- speed work on run/bike alternating weeks
F- swim, 5x5
S- off
Su- long ride/short run brick0 -
I have. Pretty much doing 5x5 with swimming on lifting days. So:
M- swim, 5x5
T- Longish Run
W- Easy Bike, 5x5
T- speed work on run/bike alternating weeks
F- swim, 5x5
S- off
Su- long ride/short run brick
Thansk for the reply! Do you find it difficult to lift and swim/run/bike on the same day. I was debating whether I should devote a couple days to lifting only or if I should double up. And if I do double up, should I lift in the morning run/swim/bike in the evening or can I do them both in the evening? I didn't know it would be so complicated to figure this out!0 -
I have. Pretty much doing 5x5 with swimming on lifting days. So:
M- swim, 5x5
T- Longish Run
W- Easy Bike, 5x5
T- speed work on run/bike alternating weeks
F- swim, 5x5
S- off
Su- long ride/short run brick
Thansk for the reply! Do you find it difficult to lift and swim/run/bike on the same day. I was debating whether I should devote a couple days to lifting only or if I should double up. And if I do double up, should I lift in the morning run/swim/bike in the evening or can I do them both in the evening? I didn't know it would be so complicated to figure this out!
I don't find it hard to swim and lift in the same session. Also if you keep the bike "easy" it should be ok too. Some thing like one leg pedaling drills. If you need to split them I'd do the cardio in the morning and the lifting in the afternoon.
I'll qualify all of this with don't expect lifting to help your triathlon. Lifting does not have a direct correlation to triathlon performance. They use two different energy and muscular systems.0 -
I will give it a try and see how my body feels! I had no expectations of lifting helping me with my triathlon......I lift because I love strength training. It's a sport all on it's own to me. It also helps with my mountain biking and rock climbing! Thanks again for the help!0
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I'd do your s/b/r first if possible, then strength train if you are doing them in the same day. That will allow you to fully engage muscles and decrease risks of muscles cramping while doing the s/b/r. Also just think about the muscle groups and try to work out opposite muscle groups. If you are swimming today, do your leg strength work today. If it's a bike or run day, work your upper body in strength. I echo Scott's recommendation to lift on your "easy" or swim tri workout days.
Honestly, triathlons and strength training as a sport in itself are two sports that don't mix extremely well. There's probably not a lot of info out there on it because most triathletes want to be as lean as possible and get their strength training from doing hills. Most of the "strength work" triathletes do in a gym is core work.
I definitely think there are benefits to lifting while doing triathlons, but by the time you train for three sports already, time is already limited for most triathletes, so any strength training they do is kind of a necessary evil. Good luck!0 -
End of Summer here, just recovering from Ironman NZ. The next three months will be a combination of HIIT workouts using weights Mon & Friday, HIIT Run workout on Wednesdays and HIIT SpinCycle workouts Tues & Thurs. Weekends will be a long run (event?) and Bike.
After three months its back to LSD for the next season buildup.0 -
I'd do your s/b/r first if possible, then strength train if you are doing them in the same day. That will allow you to fully engage muscles and decrease risks of muscles cramping while doing the s/b/r. Also just think about the muscle groups and try to work out opposite muscle groups. If you are swimming today, do your leg strength work today. If it's a bike or run day, work your upper body in strength. I echo Scott's recommendation to lift on your "easy" or swim tri workout days.
Honestly, triathlons and strength training as a sport in itself are two sports that don't mix extremely well. There's probably not a lot of info out there on it because most triathletes want to be as lean as possible and get their strength training from doing hills. Most of the "strength work" triathletes do in a gym is core work.
I definitely think there are benefits to lifting while doing triathlons, but by the time you train for three sports already, time is already limited for most triathletes, so any strength training they do is kind of a necessary evil. Good luck!
Thanks for the information. I agree there is not alot of information out there. In fact, most triathletes I know told me to give up my strength training until winter time. I am already an avid cyclist/runner and have not had to give up lifting weights....so I don't see why I would have to just because I am adding swimming to the mix.
I wish there was more time to fit in all my activities!!0 -
End of Summer here, just recovering from Ironman NZ. The next three months will be a combination of HIIT workouts using weights Mon & Friday, HIIT Run workout on Wednesdays and HIIT SpinCycle workouts Tues & Thurs. Weekends will be a long run (event?) and Bike.
After three months its back to LSD for the next season buildup.
So do you normally just do strength training during the winter months? That is what most of my triathlete friends do around here...0 -
Personally I would say it depends on what your goals are for triathlons. Are you doing them to have fun or doing them to race and do really well. If it's just for fun then lifting weights isn't that much of a problem. If you are doing triathlons to race and do well then I think that the energy I have should be better used in my s/b/r sessions as my belief is that to get better at anything is to give it my 100% effort and if I'm sore or tired out from lifting heavy weights then I can't do that for my s/b/r sessions. Also I find I don't have a lot of time to do everything so I've sacrificed a lot of my weight training during the season and save it for the off season.0
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Personally I would say it depends on what your goals are for triathlons. Are you doing them to have fun or doing them to race and do really well. If it's just for fun then lifting weights isn't that much of a problem. If you are doing triathlons to race and do well then I think that the energy I have should be better used in my s/b/r sessions as my belief is that to get better at anything is to give it my 100% effort and if I'm sore or tired out from lifting heavy weights then I can't do that for my s/b/r sessions. Also I find I don't have a lot of time to do everything so I've sacrificed a lot of my weight training during the season and save it for the off season.
I totally agree with this. If you're looking to recreationally do tris and look awesome in spandex than lifting can be a priority. If you're looking to top ten your age group or get on the podium it needs to be an ancillary endeavor.
If you're looking for a good book from a guy who really believes in lifting look at Ben Greenfield's Weight Training for Triathletes.
And to shamelessly plug an article I wrote on the subject:
http://www.sonicendurance.com/node/560 -
Personally I would say it depends on what your goals are for triathlons. Are you doing them to have fun or doing them to race and do really well. If it's just for fun then lifting weights isn't that much of a problem. If you are doing triathlons to race and do well then I think that the energy I have should be better used in my s/b/r sessions as my belief is that to get better at anything is to give it my 100% effort and if I'm sore or tired out from lifting heavy weights then I can't do that for my s/b/r sessions. Also I find I don't have a lot of time to do everything so I've sacrificed a lot of my weight training during the season and save it for the off season.
Usually I start all my activities for fun and then get a little competitive. But if I had to choose between tris and lifting...I would honestly stick with lifting. So I guess my goal would be to do a tri for fun. My first passion is cross country MTB races and weight lifting has not hindered my success there! I think I will try to do both weight lifting and tris for now and just see what happens!0 -
Personally I would say it depends on what your goals are for triathlons. Are you doing them to have fun or doing them to race and do really well. If it's just for fun then lifting weights isn't that much of a problem. If you are doing triathlons to race and do well then I think that the energy I have should be better used in my s/b/r sessions as my belief is that to get better at anything is to give it my 100% effort and if I'm sore or tired out from lifting heavy weights then I can't do that for my s/b/r sessions. Also I find I don't have a lot of time to do everything so I've sacrificed a lot of my weight training during the season and save it for the off season.
I totally agree with this. If you're looking to recreationally do tris and look awesome in spandex than lifting can be a priority. If you're looking to top ten your age group or get on the podium it needs to be an ancillary endeavor.
If you're looking for a good book from a guy who really believes in lifting look at Ben Greenfield's Weight Training for Triathletes.
And to shamelessly plug an article I wrote on the subject:
http://www.sonicendurance.com/node/56
I will check that book out. And don't worry about the shameless plug.....I actually already checked your profile out (I like to know who is giving me advice) and took a look at that website!!0 -
Haha. Good to know people still do their research.0
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Interesting article - thanks for posting.
I too come from a weights/bodybuilding background but have recently moved into half marathons / triathlons (for the challenge - no way am I ever going to be seriously competitive in it!) and my routine tends to be:
Mon: Weights (Upper Body - bodybuilding-style, although I do have short rest periods and use lots of antagonistic super-sets, etc to keep my heart rate up)
Tues: REST
Wed: Bike
Thurs: Swim
Fri: Weights - more MET-CON style - maybe circuit training or Crossfit-style workouts etc. Occasionally, I'll do INSANITY etc
Sat: Long Bike
Sun: Run
That works for me - I generally only workout for 60 - 80 minutes, once a day (apart from the long weekend bike ride).
I don't do legs as I have naturally big legs and the cycling tends to do me, especially as I live in a very hilly area, but if you wanted to hit legs I suppose Friday or Tuesday could be the day.
The only change I make to this is once the season starts I might change my Monday workout to more of a MetCon-style workout, too. Or, if I'm heading towards a half marathon, I'll switch the mid-week bike ride for a run. But that's it - I don't embarrass myself in the endurance work but still have a 48 inch chest, which is big enough for me.0
