Weight lifting question

I try to work on my back, legs, core, and chest.  I love squats!  I would like to gain some mass over the winter for next season. 

If you are getting burnt out, try changing the reps to a lower amount and lift slower. 

I've been weight training for 9 years and tri training 9 weeks so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I simply couldn't give up lifting so I've been doing 2 full body workouts a week since I found hitting each muscle group every 3-4 days works best for me.  I still do all body parts including legs but I don't do the 2-3 rep sets anymore; more like 8-12.  Deadlifts are the only thing I do that is still under 8 reps per set.  Though I do full body twice a week I focus one day on pulling exercises and the other on pushing exercises.  So workout #1 has 2 pushing (chest, shoulders, tris, quads)exercises and 1 pulling depending on the muscle group and workout #2 has 2 pulling(back, bis, butt/hammys, traps) exercises and 1 pushing exercise depending on muscle group.  Both days have ab work.

 I have been hand writing my workout journals for so long I can't get out of the habit so nothing is online.  Sorry.  Hope this helps.

-Tim

I'm sorta in the same boat as you in that triathlon is far newer in my life than weight training.  From there though, I'll disagree with you a bit.  Muscle mass is not desirable to an endurance athlete.  Programs that are designed for that specifically just aren't optimal for triathlon training.  While we'd like to be as strong as we can be, we'd also like to do that at the lowest possible weight. 

Weight training is very important to the endurance athlete. However as Derek stated you don't want to build muscle mass if you are able (more weight to carry around). Low weight and high repetitions are always a good rule of thumb. You can only benefit from weight training as it (obvioulsy) makes your muscles stronger and helps in the prevention of injury.

You'll get no arguments from me about that.  Like I said, that's what I did for the 10 or so years before I picked up this crazy sport.

My contention is with the choice of program.  Its very intent is muscle mass building.  Whether than actually happens or not isn't really the point.  The muscle damage done to induce that growth still occurs and could potentially interfere with recovery from your endurance events.  I'd rather see people do programs that limit muscular trauma and focus more on strength and making your nervous system more efficient at particular movements.

Not sure about the OP, but most people keep up a pretty decent volume of the big three even in the offseason.  If they didn't and they ate enough, then they'd be putting on unnecessary muscle mass.

Just IMO of course.

I do not think either of us are trying to say that mass is good for triathlons, just better for us in what we want to be and maintain physically.  At least that was my point and how I took his statement. 

I ma not looking for an "offseason program".  I just need to change my current program since I prescribe to the idea that programs should be changed every two months or so.  I have a few otehr programs, but I am always looking for new ones and new ways to work out my body.  This would include, but not limited to how I group exercises, what those exercises are, and amount of time between set, rep times, etc.  I figure there were some weightlifters here so why not see  what others are doing.  Always willing to learn new things.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback and keep it coming.

If your concerns are not purely performance in nature, then I agree with you guys.  If it is performance, then I disagree with hypertrophy specific programs.

FWIW, I've read T-mag from the very beginning.  I'm well aware of what it takes to put on muscle and/or build strength.