I think most of the strength training programs recommended for triathlon athletes are wrong. Low poundages, wrong intensity ranges selection, wrong off-season and in-season training, wrong exercises selection, wrong muscle groups focus.
How do I know? Before entering the triathlon world I spent 20+ years in the world of powerlifting and strength training.
For triahlon, you want strong muscles, faster muscles, more neuromuscular activation, strong tendons, all while not increasing the muscle mass because you do not want excess bodyweight when racing an Ironman.
So, how do you do that?
1/ you forcus on main multi-joint exercises which stimulate muscle coordination, work many muscle groups at the same time and increase power output: squats, deadlifts, power cleans, bench presses, heavy overhead presses, drags, carries, etc.
2/ 80-90% of the work are multiple sets of low reps in the 70-85% intensity ranges. So, if your max squat is 200 lbs (90 kgs), your main sets during squat are going to be 4-6 sets of 3 with 160 lbs. These intensity ranges have been proven over and over in the powerlifting world as the best to increase strength while moderately increasing muscle mass (or staying at the same weight class). Multiple sets of triples and doubles. These intensity ranges have been tested by the infamous powerlifting coach Boris Sheiko, who produced 40+ world champions in powerlifting and his methods influenced hundreds of thousand athletes worldwide.
3/ In triahtlon strength training, your priority should be glutes, core, hams, quads, upper back. All muscles should be trained, of course, because human body is a fantastic coordinated unit of 600+ muscles but glutes are the most powerful muscles. It is your power engine for the bike and run. If your glutes are weak and not firing properly, you are done. Core as well; if your core is weak you will not be able to hold proper position during the long bike course and during the long run.
4/ year round training. I know how most of triathletes approach strength training. From October to March. Sorry to tell you the hard truth, but unlike endurance fitness, you lose strength after 10-14 days of zero strength training. So, when you stopped strength training in March and hope your strength will last well into your summer race season; well, it won't. Now I get it, the volumes, intensities and focus on tri training in the main season are way bigger than in the off-season. But you should still do the strength training year-round. I recommend 3 strength sessions in the off season and 2 sessions in the racing season. You will not get stronger on 2 sessions a week but the strength loss is going to be minimal or you might keep all your strength gains well into your race season.
If you want to improve the strength element of your tri training; listen to powerlifting coaches, not triathlon coaches. Yep, I just said that.
Example of off-season triathlon strength training:
Day 1
squat: 3-5 warmup sets, then 5 sets of 3 with 75-80% of your training max
one-hand KB overhead press: 3 sets of 6 heavy
DB lunges: 4 sets of 6 heavy
dynamic side plank: 3 sets of 12
Day 2
deadlift: 3-5 warmup sets, then 4 sets of 3 with 75-80% of your training max
close-grip bench press: 4 sets of 4
DB farmer's walk carry: 3 trips heavy
Day 3
pause squat: 3-5 warmup sets, then 4 sets of 2 with 60-65% of your back squat (2 sec pause in the bottom position)
DB renegade rows: 4 sets of 8
Pallof press: 4 sets of 8
(pictured is a powerlifting legend of the 90's: Chuck Vogelpohl)
Stay strong! :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment