Training for the Triathlete

[CoQ10]

Hey Everybody,

Does anyone have significant experience working with triathletes? I worked with one and our strength training protocol consisted of mostly high-rep circuit work with an emphasis on muscular endurance and injury prevention.

Does anyone have established programs they might recommend for the experienced triathlete?

Thanks!

-C10

[Stumble Bum]

Joel Freil who is a leading triathlete coach uses strength training (low rep) for his athletes. All the cycling, swimming, running will take care of the muscle endurance on its own. Triathletes already have muscle endurance. What they need from the weights is strength.

[AskTheTrainer]

Originally Posted by CoQ10

Hey Everybody,

Does anyone have significant experience working with triathletes? I worked with one and our strength training protocol consisted of mostly high-rep circuit work with an emphasis on muscular endurance and injury prevention.

Does anyone have established programs they might recommend for the experienced triathlete?

Thanks!

-C10

Make sure you have them use a complete multi-planar core exercise regimen.

If you are in the gym, really any rep scheme with resistance training exercises is going to be okay, will help them preserve muscle mass.

Make sure you focus on rest rather than sets & reps. They don't get to rest in the triathlon so don't let them rest during your training session. Have them perform the entire workout in circuit, super/tri/giant set format.

You could add a core exercise in between compound movements to allow them to get a little rest while still working their core.

[CoQ10]

Thanks very much for the tips!

-C10

[fred]

If you want a plan you are either going to have to:

- Find a coach
- Make your own

If you are competing then the first option is a must. You are going to have to include cycles of periodisation be it macro and/or micro cycles. This is not as easy as it might sound as the load varies continuously over a long period of time. You also have to take into account peaking just before the race and not be "blown out". The weights regimen needs to be done to perfection, assuming you are going to lift twice a week, the setup has to be that you don't gain to much strength with muscles becomming "slower as they get stronger" nor that you can muscle mass due to hypertrophy. None of these things you will get for free.

On the other hand if you are trainng for it just to "take part" then I would focus on running and swiming. The bike ride is pretty simple in relation to other two and the fitness for it should come naturally. Depending on how much you are going to be training for the triathlon a 2:2:1 ratio of R/S/B would work nicely. Recently there was a podcast where the USA Triathlon team was interviewed
http://www.competitorradio.com/details.php?show=303. You can get an idea of the ratios of training and also how much strength IS NOT A FACTOR!

[Stumble Bum]

Bike fitness transfers more easily to running and swimming much better than running or swimming fitness will translate to the other 2. Focus your fitness and training around the bike. For swimming focus on technique. Learn about periodization. It all depends on many races there are, which are high and low priority, and when they are, etc.

[CoQ10]

Thanks for the advice, everybody. My client did quite well, besting her previous record with a time of 6 hours and 39 minutes .

-C10