Thoughts on "strength" training during HIM training

I would add in some general strength training...it's probably helpful.  That said, we are endurance athletes, so bulking up isn't the way to go (obviously), but some general strength training to help firm-up is probably a good thing.

In terms of specifics, I wouldn't do too much lower body exercises - your biking and running care of that already.  

Focus on core, and some upper body exercises.  push-ups and pull-ups are easy to include in any training schedule.  Though, since Boise HIM is coming-up soon, I wouldn't alter your routine too much in the short-term.

Good luck!

Great stuff. I wouldn't alter ANYTHING in your training right now. You do not want to risk injury. I just finished my first half and my next major race isn't till October. After an easy week, I am going to embark on BT plan to improve my speed. It's for 12 weeks and includes shorter distances with more intervals. I will also continue to work on building core. To me that seems the more reasonable way to increase my tri-performance than heavy weightlifting. 

Assuming your training logs are accurate, I'd say your main focus should be on more consistency in your S/B/R training.

Probably not necessary if your immediate goal is to complete a HIM. In my mind, the main purpose of strength training for endurance athletes would be addressing any muscle imbalances or weaknesses that have caused or could potentially cause injuries. I've had a long history of issues with glutes and hamstrings, so my ST focuses on stretching/strengthening those areas as well as core muscles; also do some arm stuff after an injury last year as I discovered the additional strength work helped my swimming. My PT also suggested I do exercises that require lateral movement (such as hip adductor and abductor presses) as tri involves almost entirely front-to-back motions and this may contribute to some of my injury problems.

In terms of maximizing performance, there's a lot of debate of whether/how much ST is actually necessary. If your goal is to LOOK stronger, then that's another story altogether.

FWIW elite athletes probably look "cut" due more to low body fat, which lets you really see their muscle definition, esp. with a guy who is posing, plus functional strength from S/B/R, rather than lots of body building. 

Lifting weights is a great compliment to triathlon training. There are great benefits to ones overall health as well.

If you're sticking to your swimming, biking, and running you wont bulk up. In fact, you may even get leaner.

^What he said...

I have always felt that strength training improves one's performance in most if not all sports.  Some of the triathlon coaches recommend strength training twice a week.

One of my friends that decided to lose weight noticed his run times improved after he started strength training.  My take on it is a stronger core and legs will do that and if you are swimming you might see similar improvements from core + upper body strength training.

After 10 Oly, 3 HIM, and 2 IM, 2 1/2 Marathons, and 4 Marathons and 1 Ultra.....I have come to this conclusion. I want to be an athlete, not an endurance athlete. Most of us don't finish in the top 10, most of us don't collect checks for this stuff, and most of us have real jobs. This is why I don't group myself into, "endurance athlete" it limits your mind. At 6'0 and between 160-175, I have found ST to be one of the most important parts of training. However, you need to know how to train! If you are just going to lift, swim, bike, and run without truly understanding what you are doing then don't do it! My offseason is crossfit endurance...period. I break IM training into to 33 weeks, why 33? Three-ten week cycles with one taper week at the end of each cycle...what's the third week for you might ask? In the real world of work and kids, I assume there will be times when I need to miss a workout, so I add those days into the process. The ST comes like this-first set of 10-lift twice a week right after swim, still doing squats and power lifts. Second set of 10-again right after swim, twice a week but this time its tabata workouts, in and out in about 25 minutes. The first WO of the week is still functional lifts, the second one is all core. The third set of 10-lift once a week, again after swim. These WO are more BW exercises and stretching. I stretch and roll, one or the other everyday and that takes 15 minutes tops.  I don't want to anger people with my opinion, but just because I do the enduarance stuff doesn't mean I am an endurance athlete...I want to be an athlete. I rambled on but that is my take.

If your job is racing, strength training has some benefits.

If you aren't worried about your "fastest" time, strength training has some benefits.

If you are regular 9-5 day job triathlete training for your best time in a long distance race... you should spend that time swimming, biking, or running.

IMO if you aren't logging 35+ hour training weeks in sbr already, you'd be spending that time more efficiently doing that then weight training.

*All that in regards to being a better triathlete, not general fitness / yard work ability / looking good naked / whatever.

If you loose the weight, I guarantee you will look more cut regardless if you ever touch a dumbell.  I "look" stronger now that I have ever have when I lifted 4x a week...and I haven't touched a weight in five years but I have lost 35 pounds through pure cardio/diet.  Probably couldn't lift half of what I used to be able to.

If your goal is get faster: s/b/r more.  If you want to look good for the ladies: hit some weights.  If you want to do both, skip weights and do core work.

You are correct with this, but other strength training exercises will be very beneficial. You need to be sport specific some good triathlon exercises are: deadliest, good mornings, lat pulldown, pushups, pull-ups. single leg squats, side lunges, glute-ham raises, back extension, really any exercise that invokes hip extension you can't go wrong with. This strength sessions need to correlate into the block of training you are in as well.

With the CrossFit I would not do it during in-season training, your cortisol levels will be sky high and you will burn out. CrossFit is a good off-season program. But with that said I would seek out a good program on CrossFit i.e. do you research, lots of crappy CrossFit gyms (this is what happens when you have no national accreditations.

But yes strength training will improve your ability in the sport, its just a matter of when and how.