General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man Rss Feed  
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2013-02-20 5:20 PM

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Subject: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man

The question I can't seem to get an answer for.  What is the best exercise in training for a ironman?  Of course I run,swim, and cycle during the week, but should I pay more attention to weight training in focusing on the major muscle groups I use in performing a tri or focus more on crossfit.    I'm fighting with this. 

My common sense tells me to mix the two (crossfit and weight train).  Oddly enough, since I have started crossfit, my tri's bi's, legs, nearly all muscle groups have dwindled since.  That wouldn't have happend in the gym.  so with that said, I'm lost muscle but gained?????    

Any and all comments are appreciated.



2013-02-20 5:38 PM
in reply to: #4630678

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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man
ectofighter - 2013-02-20 6:20 PM

The question I can't seem to get an answer for.  What is the best exercise in training for a ironman?  Of course I run,swim, and cycle during the week, but should I pay more attention to weight training in focusing on the major muscle groups I use in performing a tri or focus more on crossfit.    I'm fighting with this. 

My common sense tells me to mix the two (crossfit and weight train).  Oddly enough, since I have started crossfit, my tri's bi's, legs, nearly all muscle groups have dwindled since.  That wouldn't have happend in the gym.  so with that said, I'm lost muscle but gained?????    

Any and all comments are appreciated.

 

I am an avid crossfitter and find it very hard to believe that since you started crossfit your bi's, tri's and legs have dwindled.  Especially leg strength - legs are the foundation to nearly every crossfit movement.  Sounds to me like you need to find a new crossfit gym with some better coaches.

2013-02-21 2:01 PM
in reply to: #4630678

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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man

If this thread was in Tri Talk it would be 7 pages long by now!!!  lol j/k. Anyway to the OP here is my opinion so take it for what its worth (I am no expert):

I did CF for a month at a local CF gym. The workouts kick your butt and are a great exercise and for building muscle. After doing a CF workout, I was out of commission for 1-3days to recover depending on what it was we did. I just felt like some of the workouts were so intense, I didnt have the strength to do any S/B/R in the same day or next day. I did like CF but I didnt think it worked out well while triathlon training.

Right now I do my regular ST routine about 2-3x a week. I do a lot of functional strenght movements, stability ball and bosu ball work and exercises that use multiple muscle groups at the same time. I try and target exercises that will help me in my tri training (shoulder and neck muscle increase for riding aero, lower back & core, legs, etc). I am not saying that you cant get the same stuff out of CF but I feel like I can do my regular ST routine and a S/B/R workout in the same day where as I couldnt with CF. Recovery time from this is a lot easier then CF too.

Everyone is different but for me, to train to be an Ironman you need to train in S/B/R and do it often. If you mix in CF and ST routines weekly, I am not sure you are leaving yourself enough time to get in the S/B/R workouts you need and effectively recover.

2013-02-21 2:23 PM
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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man
If you're doing CF and "dwindling" you aren't eating enough.  That said use strength training in general to address any limiters and/or imbalances you have.  Do your own research and put routines together that make sense for you.  If part of that is circuit/metcon/crossfit/whatever they brand this ideology as next or if it's more traditional weight lifting just make it fit your needs.
2013-02-21 2:26 PM
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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man

Generally, weight training is not likely to be particularly beneficial for your ironman.  If there are benefits, they are likley to be both modest and indirect.  If you replace time you might weight train with more run, swim or cycle, you will be more likley to impact your ironman race time. 

If you still want to weight train for other reasons (or on the chance there might be some indirect benefits that make it worthwhile), I'd tend to favor a skew towards 'heavy' lifting (a few basic exercises is all you need) and/or plyos.  Obviously, you want to be in pretty good shape and have very good form before doing either of those.

2013-02-23 6:52 AM
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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man

Depends on what part of the training cycle you're in.  When you're really building, it seems unlikely you'll be able to get the quality sbr workouts you need after a crossfit session. 

I agree that you must not be eating enough if you're losing muscle while crossfitting - especially in the lower.  If anything, I find crossfit to be a little bit unbalanced towards neglecting certain parts of the upper body development.  Perhaps that's inaccurate...maybe not that it neglects the upper - it's just so darn heavy on developing vertical movements that it's a bit low (relatively) on front/back movements.  Could just be the one gym I'm experienced with.



2013-03-05 8:46 AM
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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man
I did CF last year while training for a HIM and am doing it now training for an IM.  What I found last year was already mentioned in this thread.   The recovery time from some of the CF wods is too great and can knock out a day or two that is needed for SBR.   For example, if you have a wod consisting of 80 dead lifts with heavy weights plus something else, your legs are going to be dead for at least a couple days and that will kill any running an biking you planned on doing in those days.  March is my last month of CF as I'll be doing almost exclusively SBR once the weather warms up a bit.   That being said, some of the CF wods provide a better VO2 Max workout than I would ever have the motivation to do while also not killing the muscles so I will come back periodically to cherry pick those.   They are few and far between however.
2013-03-05 10:56 AM
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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man
Zero2Athlete - 2013-02-23 7:52 AM

Depends on what part of the training cycle you're in.  When you're really building, it seems unlikely you'll be able to get the quality sbr workouts you need after a crossfit session. 

I agree that you must not be eating enough if you're losing muscle while crossfitting - especially in the lower.  If anything, I find crossfit to be a little bit unbalanced towards neglecting certain parts of the upper body development.  Perhaps that's inaccurate...maybe not that it neglects the upper - it's just so darn heavy on developing vertical movements that it's a bit low (relatively) on front/back movements.  Could just be the one gym I'm experienced with.

Yep, that's my experience too.  Crossfit is very specific to certain types of movement.  So is triathlon.  In  a perfect world, we're all perfectly balanced and stable and stay that way.

Life isn't perfect and neither is the the human musculoskeletal system.  Example: So many triathletes I work with (including myself) have become quad dominant.  This leaves your gluts not firing as they should.  If your quads over fire and your gluts under fire, you will not get the power of which your capable on the bike.  Quads/flexors burn out, gluts don't engage enough.  The remedy for this is NOT ride more.  Your body is already on the wrong path.....this will only continue to exacerbate the issue.

Add in exercises that force your gluts to engage and you will become a better rider.  Your gluts needed training OFF the bike to learn how fire ON the bike.  

This is just one example.  The point is that training your body and movement patterns in ways that are different from triathlon can absolutely improve the movement patterns you utilize in triathlon.

2013-03-05 10:59 AM
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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man
Any suggestions for specific exercises to do to train the glutes to fire better?
2013-03-05 1:36 PM
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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man

mpento17 - 2013-03-05 11:59 AM Any suggestions for specific exercises to do to train the glutes to fire better?

Definitely.  The three main ones are squats, lunges and single legged squats but there are very specific ways to execute them.

Lunges--using just your own body weight, perform walking lunges for 30 feet or so.  When you step forward, step as WIDELY as you can so that back knee already begins to drop toward the floor.  Be VERY sure your feet are both totally parallel and toes are not turning inward or outward.  As you drop into the lunge, keep your front knee directly above your ankle.  Do not allow the knee to move forward toward the toe.  Focus on firing from your glut.  Go as low as you can to your point of control, ideally the back knee is a few inches from the ground.  Step both feet together and pause rather than continuing directly into the next lunge.  Do six sets of the 30 feet per day.

Squats--with your feet hip width or slightly wider, sit back like you're sitting into a chair, focusing all the weight into the heels and touch the floor.  Let your knees bend and your chest drop, but keep those knees directly over the ankles and do not allow them to go forward toward the toes.  Also, do no allow the knees to bow in or out, keep them directly parallel.  If you're doing it right, you can pick up your toes because all the weight is in the heel and it will almost feel like you could fall backward.  Do 2 sets of 15.

Single Leg Squats--stand on one leg with the other leg off the ground and bent behind you.  Keep all the weight in the heel again just like the squat, reach for the floor.  The knee will bend but not as much as it does with two legged squats.  Some of the bend forward will come from dropping the chest.  Again, do not let that knee move forward, keep it back and directly above the knee which is not easy to do at first.  Focus into the glut.  I do mine right next to the wall so that when I start to lose my balance, instead of touching the other foot down I use the wall to help me not fall over.  That way the glut still stays engaged for the whole set.  Do 2 sets of 15 on each leg.

That's a good start, feel free to PM me with questions!

2013-03-05 5:57 PM
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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man

mpento17 - 2013-03-05 11:59 AM Any suggestions for specific exercises to do to train the glutes to fire better?

Simple muscle activation exercises prior to beginning your warm up can be an effective way to improve the firing of specific muscles.  Here are some good examples:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQQtdlIxbos&list=FLBDaifbQgu_mCP67izEp5Vw&index=4

The ones for glutes begins a little after 3:00.

 



2013-03-06 11:39 AM
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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man

mpento17 - 2013-03-05 11:59 AM Any suggestions for specific exercises to do to train the glutes to fire better?

 

Deadlifts (speed deadlifts, particularly), glute-ham raises, seated good mornings, and knee band squats.  No better glute exercises than these, period.  

2014-02-07 11:40 AM
in reply to: AlexViada

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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man
To be honest, I had no idea anyone responded to this!!! i thought I would've received a notification! thank you all for the response.

What I basically get out of all of this is, don't focus to much on weight training the legs and more-so obviously on s/b/r. Perhaps one exercise per week on legs is enough and maybe add in pushups for upper body strength. I do however do abb workouts 3x a week. situps, cable chops, planks, leg ups.
2014-02-10 11:10 AM
in reply to: ectofighter

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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man

If you go to Forum Settings > General, there's an option to get email notifications of posts.

Mark

2014-02-10 1:43 PM
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Subject: RE: Crossfit vs weight training for a iron man
Thank you
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