Weight training for the Tri athlete

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/forum-view.asp?fid=117#s

Real briefly:  IMO, if you're looking to improve your overall fitness, weights are an oustanding idea.  If you're looking to improve your triathlon times, weights aren't the best idea.  I limit my weight training to a few months in the off season, and when I do it, I go very heavy and hard. 

As stated before, this has been discussed over and over again and there will never be a consensus on the "right" answer.  Do what works best for your schedule and goals.  This is just a hobby, so have fun with it.

I am a beginer triathlete and have only a handfull of events under my belt, I don't have a "normal" triathlon training program, and can't tell you how effective my weight training is so please take this all with a grain of salt.

I have always been in reasonably good shape, always worked out, lifted, and been very active but now that I am getting older, have a family, and other responsibilities it was getting more difficult to make it as much of a routine as I wanted. 

I purchased the "P90X" program and let me tell you that it is by far the best work out program I have ever used.  It is lifting and cardio, jump training, yoga, abs.  It is all dedicated to core strength training and the results are IMPRESSIVE.  My wife and I both do it and I can't say enough good stuff about it. 

For a all around good strength training program I would highly recommend it.  I use it as my "primary" workout and double up with swimming, riding and running.

Michael

xmann,

I am not an expert in the field of weight lifting or triathlon, but I do have some data that I have collected along the way. In the winter I scale my running volume back and fill in with weight training. I don't do incredibly heavy weights and I rest 1 minute or less between sets. I do reverse pyramids, 12, 10, 8, 6, 12, 12 reps start with low weight then moving higher as the reps decrease then low weights for the ending sets of 12 no rest between the last two sets of 12. This program is outlined in Body for Life. I continue this program through the spring, but as summer approaches I focus on running biking and swimming and stop lifting all together. About a month ago I noticed my biking and running power dropping off. I could not hammer out of the saddle very long. I started lifting again legs once a week and upper boby once a week. I can notice a different in my power and fatigue resistance. I try to avoid single joint upper body exercises like bicept curls as I don't think they help the triathlete very much. I do more lower core stuff like lunges and hip strengthening.

To sum it all up I say give it a try for 8 -12 weeks and see how you feel. If you don't think it helps stop doing it. I will keep weight training in my program because it helps me. 

chevy57  
 

I think weight training is the saving grace for my swimming.  Lots of varying shoulder exercises have (knock on wood) kept my shoulders pain free, even with just beginning to swim.  I was a typical 3 sets per bodypart lifter with reps always being 10-12.  Now, I am doing 2 sets per body-part and feeling great.  Yeah, I don't bench 315 pounds anymore, but I couldn't swim, bike, or run back then either.    My upper body strength has dropped quite a bit, but my legs have stayed pretty strong.  Truthfully, I'm lifting more for vanity now anyway (other than legs); I'm getting enough of a workout with the other items.

Sigh .......

Use this simple analysis.

What's going to be better for your tri training and strength?  Lifting a weight from 10 - 50 times in a specific lifting excercise over the period of a weight session or doing an everage of 5,400 reps of an hour of excercise specific muscular "weights" by doing a tri specific workout (90 cadence for an hour on the bike, run ...... cut that down to about 80 strokes per 100 for the siwm for say 2 minutes or 2,400 reps an hour).  Should be a no brainer there.

And it is physically impossible to prove that weight training prevents injuries.  I haven't had a cycling related injury in my 17 years of riding.  Must be because I wake up and go right to the bathroom in the morning ....... makes as much sense as saying someone does not have any other injuries because they lift.

Lifting IS great for correcting muscular imbalances if you have them.  And it is great for helping in weight loss.  And it is great for the egocentric who want to look good and think that lifting does it for them.  And it makes many people feel great.  All really good reasons to do it!!  If those are your goals, have fun and enjoy.

But someone saying it makes them a faster endurance athlete is a completely subjective and opinionated statement.  Not based on fact at all.

well part of my reasoning is to help in weight loss.    i've lost 15 pounds since June, but i need to drop another 10 probably to be really healthy.   right now i'm 183 lbs and 5'11.   i still have a belly and flabby chest.....that is alot of my reason to lift.   gonna continue to run, swim, and bike as well during this winter.

once season comes around, i'll probably taper the weight training down or even stop it all together.