Triathlete Strength Training

NoNameNoNumber

NoNameNoNumber

NoNameNoNumber

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Stepping up to full Ironman this year and looking for some strength training to generally help me out all round. I'm 6' and 155lbs currently and never carried any weight, not looking to bulk up but I keep hearing about how important gym sessions are.

What can you guys recommend?
I have a gym buddy on standby, he's suggesting a 5x5 strong lift routine, keen to go regularly and with intention, problem I have is from a quick google it seems the 5x5 may not really work around my other cardio training...
Not something I know much about

Cheers :)
 
Thanks for your reply DP, appreciate your point about not needing to waste time going to the gym but for the last few months that has been my fire... Go there, full of beans, bust my balls then go home to relax... Seems to work well motivation wise so whilst those juices are flowing I want to capitalise.
I get 4 days off a week so can incorporate rest days to coincide with work and shorter more intense sessions etc. I'm trying to push my FTP up and it seems a bit of strength training is the key.
I have been looking long and hard into Iron distance PTs but I've found nothing to accommodate shift workers... Everything is based on a 5 day working week with Sat/Sun off :/

I find on my longer swims my forearms and lats fail me... Gotta be some strength training gains to be had there?
 
Talking with a few mates that seem to know what they're on about we've come up with the following;

Workout A
70% 1RM
3x8
Squat
Benchpress
Pullups

Workout B
70% 1RM
3x8
Deadlift
Overhead press
Barbell row

That means 2x30 minute workouts per week, that should do me some good until April time when my mileage will start ramping up and the weight training will likely subside.
 
Thanks for your reply Mr X
Yeah I'm conscious of the fact that currently my mileage is low and intensity high, that's because I hate swimming in a pool so I'm doing 400-800m sessions hoping that when I get open water again in April I'm straight up to over 2000m per session but with good technique. Cycling in this weather/light isn't ideal from a being seen perspective, and after 2-3hrs in the cold I cramp up... Running is ticking over nicely although I keep tweaking my knee, something I've not had before...

If I can string together a solid 3-4 months of this workout then back it off to maybe one session per week or even stay the same schedule but drop the weights to enable better quality cardio I'll be happy.

What do you think is better? 70% 1 RM or start light and add a little each time?

Cheers :)
 
This is were the complications arise... Everyone has differing opinions, and I just don't have the experience to know which route I should take.
My tri game is still in it's infancy so I guess there has to be an element of trial and error... I've done 3 tris so far

Sept '16 Lanzarote 70.3 in 7:01 didn't know what was gonna happen so took it so easy I felt fine at the end... Like literally fine
Aug '17 Allerthorpe Olympic 2:34 ate too much, puked on the swim and had cramp all the way through the bike and run. Lesson learned
Sept '17 Lanzarote 70.3 5:45 felt awesome. Flying, but just couldn't put a solid run in, took 2:01 for the run :/

All lessons learned

Signed up for Copenhagen full this August. Flat and cooler so should be a doddle, but I need to make sure I have the minerals to keep pounding for 12 hrs...

I do agree though, ultimately there's no denying the best thing I can do is get the mileage in.


Here I am at 6:23 and again at 6:29 :D
 
I've been cycling for ~5 years but with no real aim, never been a swimmer and only ever done a little bit of running... A friend of mine has done dozens of triathlons and got me into it.
I am managing the 1900m sea swim in 40 minutes whist not really going for it but this time around I am aiming to do the 3800m swim in 1:20... As mentioned above, my arms ache at the half distance so I feel a bit more strength there wont hurt.
Hip flexors are the next biggest struggle I can really feel them lacking when I run. I will remain focused on the bike as this is my strongest and where I can make the most time up.

Agreed on not being able to train properly for all 3, if I'm honest I am not training properly for any of them :/
I'll keep this up, went to the gym today, 800m swim in 16 minutes then followed workout A, didn't go anywhere near 1RM though, just the bar to get used to the motions and try to establish good form. Last thing I need is an injury.
 
The swim was my biggest nemesis but I got worked up over nothing.
Nov'15, decided to try a triathlon so booked Lanzarote 70.3 for Sept' 16. Went to the pool and did 125m and gave in, abysmal...
Kinda did very little then until April swim-wise, then the local open water swim lake opened up. I went armed with my wetsuit to try and do a few laps, managed 50m at a time, total of 250 m... Spent the next few months purely open water and managed the 1900m a couple of times around 50 minutes, went to Lanzarote knowing I should make the 1:10 cutoff and ended up flying, 41min I think it was.

The run on the first tri just came from bike fitness and a few brick sessions, bricks are horrific but totally necessary. Running off the bike is not like anything I can describe.
Now I'm hooked.

The transitions, I walked the routes maybe 20 times, practiced every move but them come raceday I hadn';t accounted for the change tensts to look like the Calais jungle... All the best laid plans went out the window, still dried my feet, got all (most) the sand off and clean socks for both T1 and T2.

Go for it, just do a sprint. Be warned though, I'd be wealthier had I just taken up a class A drug addiction :D
 
2nd session today,
10 minute gentle spin on the bike

1 x 8 40kg squat
1 x 8 50kg squat
1 x 8 60kg squat

3 x 8 30kg seated overhead press

2 x 8 40kg deadlift
1 x 8 50kg deadlift

3 x 8 straight leg raises (that what they're called? hanging from the arms, lower back on an inflatable ball)

10 minute, 2k warm down jog

Feeling good. Made it out on the bike yesterday, and a swim on Saturday so keeping it together so far :D

Just for reference, I weighed myself today, 155lbs and 6' exactly.
 
Interesting one ain't it... Other IM swear by strength sessions...
I'm not worried about ow swimming, that's where I learnt. This is the first year I've ever done any pool swimming to keep things ticking over through winter.

I know its early days but the strength sessions feel great, I'll do another lactate threshold teat in a month or two, see if its doing any good :)
 
Ok ticking over was perhaps the wrong kinda terminology, I'm doing alright run wise.
Nice little duathlon saturday morning which I placed well, 3k run 17k offroad bike 3k run. Felt good, nice little challenge.
Swim Saturday afternoon, squash Sunday afternoon then Gym again tonight.

2x8 60kg squat
1x8 70kg squat

3x8 30kg overhead press

3x8 straight leg raises

3x8 pull ups (narrowed the grip each set)

Looks like I'm doing Vietnam 70.3 in May so that'll be a nice test for me...
 
5:15 for the 70.3

0:35 swim
2:35 bike
1:45 run

>12 for the full

1:20 swim
5:30 bike
4:30 run

I know it's early days and I almost feel daft for thinking it but my swim stroke has just improved massively... Been struggling to slow it down, trying to keep stroke rate under control but feel as though I struggle to breath on the pull. Now I have enough power in the pull to glide as per the catch up technique but without struggling to get breath... Sounds insignificant, but I've been trying to do that for a while... Only way I could swim before was with a higher stroke rate, but consequently I was tiring.
 
Cheers for keeping the input going guys, making for an interesting topic... Crux of it being there are many ways to skin the cat. My training partner hasn't run recreationally for several years... about 5'2", 65kg and 54 years old and will only run on raceday... Crazy, he did the Lanzarote 70.3 with me in September then did nothing due to a couple of niggles then went and did Busselton Ironman, Austrailia in the Nov (dec maybe?) Sub13.

Just for reference... My yardstick if you like.
Beginning of November I did a lactate threshold test.

Threshold power
174bpm/235W/4 mmol/L
3.35W/Kg

Absolute power (3min)
194bpm/325W/14.1 mmol/L
4.64W/Kg

Plan to do exactly the same test around April time, stay tuned:D
 
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Feeling like my upper is massively behind what my lower can do. Legs have never really struggled this far so tried 3x12 today, adjusted the weights accordingly

3x12 80Kg squats
(3x12 170Kg leg press)*
3x12 30Kg overhead press
3x12 60Kg Lat pull downs

*Superset to hammer the legs

6x8 straight leg rasies
500m rowing
4k run

Been spending a lot of time on the foam roller and doing stretches.
Had a really promising hill session on the bike last week despite struggling to get HR much over threshold. Had a stinker of a cold this last few weeks mind.

Django x2 said:
have you any marathon / half marathon experience? Or bike for that matter? Both of those are fairly ambitious times for the full but not unachievable but you MUST focus more on the disciplines now rather than the strength training. The brick sessions now (before your half in May) are critical, especially the bike to run transition. Running training can't "tick over" either. Just putting miles in will not cut it. Speed and Hill work are the most critical component.

I've been coaching someone for a half marathon who as of June last year had never run in her life but had a generally good level of fitness (especially core). Her first 10km in October saw her struggle round in 53minutes. 2 months later she sub 2 hours a half marathon and could have gone quicker. That was 2 x runs per week (as that was all she could fit in to a schedule) made up of 1 x long run per month, and the rest heavy hill and speed work. They are the absolute key to nailing the run
Click to expand...

My last 70.3 was Lanzarote and I did 5:45. A lot more climbing there.

Interesting you advocate speed and hill work, I was going on the basis that slow and steady mileage will be more beneficial?
 
I feel I have a good base, comfortable 10+ milers aplenty up until just before Christmas time when I picked up a knee niggle and no issues with the cycling distance although I haven't hit a 100 miler yet this year.
Swimming, I have always struggled in the pool and have been working on bilateral breathing, and technique. I'll get my 4k swims in come April time when the lake opens again. Not concerned about that and not trying to make too many gains here, my swim is by far the one I enjoy the least so I just want to get through it with minimal drama. 1:20 target time 1:30 worst case.

Problem I'm having with the run is in my left knee, it seems like it's ITB related so my stretching and foam rolling has been increased massively this last few weeks whilst my run has dropped off. I'll be seeing a sports physio shortly though as I am getting concerned about my running downtime.
Makes sense what you say about the high intensity short runs nearer the time, this is exactly how I played it last Sept. for my 70.3. Strong run base but running around town July and August chasing KOMs. Felt great and it meant I could get some pretty tough long bike /short run bricks together which I enjoyed although come raceday despite feeling fine and putting in a strong bike I just couldn't pick the run pace up. Heavy legs, as if my hip flexors had gone to sleep. Hence the 2hr half marathon :/

My work/training balance means everything I do is based on an 8 day cycle. 2 days, 2 nights, 4 off. So there's perhaps more recovery in there than most peoples plans as when I'm at work I tend to do the swimming and stretching more, between days and nights is long run day and then mid way through my 4 off is long ride day. Works well I feel, and never does it seem like the last session is impeding my next one.
 
I have always run in Mizuno Wave inspire shoes but the longest I had ever done was the 2x13 mile runs in the 70.3s. Both times I felt comfortable but my feet were getting sore. Just after Christmas I went to a local running specialist (Lincolnshire Runner) for a gait analysis and came away with a new pair of Mizunos, can't remember the name but the brief was to get me a shoe that gives me the best stability and chances of finishing this marathon. Not run in them yet :/ Tried, Asics, Brooks and On. Of the 4 the On felt the nicest but froim the recording it was obvious the Mizunos were the shoe for me.

Agree 100% on the swim, the bilateral technique is nice just in case a bit of sea chop makes uni lateral breathing a pain but otherwise I am just trying to keep my swim technique improving whilst not really expecting any massive gains in overall speed. I'd much rather spend the time working on the other 11hrs of the day and coming out the water fresh. If that means a 1:45 so be it but I know I can hit the 1:20.

I have dropped mileage right off, down to 3-5 milers twice a week and 9-10 min/mile pace, not had any 'pain' since doing this but I can feel it isn't right. Bizarre as I have no previous of knee trouble and never felt anything go as such. Does feel like an overuse type of injury though, although I am happy to accept it is likely due to my poor focus stretching... Who knows, thus why I think I need to see a specialist.

Pains me to pay for a physio though when my mrs is a senior physio in the NHS, not interest in MSK/sports injuries though :(
 
I'm riding a TT bike, had a fit when I got it new last year but I feel I need to get a better more tri specific fit on it. You feel the run should be a smooth transition? Not sure I've ever felt like I'm flying in a race nor any brick sessions... Maybe I am just that bad at running!
Only events I have lined up thus far are
Lincolnshire arrow 100 mile sportive 29th April
70.3 Vietnam 13 May
140.6 Copenhagen 19 Aug

I train and rely on HR
 
The first time a felt the pain was after a cold 10 mile run, 8:20min/mile maybe 22nd Dec, around that time.... A few days later just a slight dull ache, thought nothing and went out on a 6 miler but only managed 4 with the knee pain... Did literally nothing until about the 10-12th Jan when I started at the gym. No pain from squats, swimming, cycling... Just running.
I have dropped the weight of all of my exercises and now doing 3x12 in an attempt to reduce the loading on my joints further.
 
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