nevergivin's group (Closed) (Page 4)

What is everyones plans for this weekend?
 Finishing up my Christmas cards and shopping.  Yep, super-late due to a business trip last week. 

Training-wise, I'm doing my long-run today (75 minutes with strides, or about 8.5 miles or so at my long-run pace.)  Tomorrow is a day off followed by a 2 hour bike and half hour run.  (Not a brick.)

Strength training

Now that off season is upon us, its a good opportunity to add a strength training program to our training
that will help us when it comes time for our season to start, it helps increase power,speed,reduce bodyfat, increase muscular endurance, and for me its important because it ads some variety. Once racing season starts move into a regular core strength training program that can help with racing. Strength training differs from endurance training in that it is done for short sets and is considered anaerobic(using way less oxygen ) and does not have to include weights, more people are using bodyweight exercises,yoga,pilates, plyometrics. You can even customize a strength program that is sport specific and fits into your time schedule.
When setting up a program you need to consider how many sets and reps, keeping it between 6-8 reps and 3 sets is good for building strength and power, any higher and you are building muscular endurance, this in my opinion is better left to swimming, biking, and running. The idea is not to replace Triathlon training, its to get stronger, balance muscles,. Weight selection is also important, you should stay in the range of your 85-100% of the most weight you can lift. Rest is also important so that you are able to lift the maximum weight possible, 1 1/2 min to 3 mins, shorter restcreates a endurance workout which we are trying to avoid.
The equipment that can be used are dumbells, bands,stability balls,medicine balls,machines, freeweights, pullup bar.
Right now I am currently using bands,pullup bar, thats it.
Some of the common exercises for each sport are:
Swimming-pullovers,shoulder press, tricep pushdown,dips,bicep curl,superman,leg extension,leg curl,cal raises.
Cycling-Back extension,push up,bench press,dipswrist curls,lunges,step ups,squats,leg extension,calf raises.
Running-Hammer curls,shrugs,rows,squats,leg curls,leg press.

There are many workout programs that follow these guidelines, crossfit, P90x,simplefit, that can be used. Here is a sample workout for sprint distance races.
12 week program doing 2 sets per exercise for 4 weeks,3 sets for 4 weeks,4 sets for 4 weeks.
(upper body)
 dips                     6-8 reps
shoulder press        6-8 reps
bicep curls             6-8 reps
pullover                 6-8 reps
Bench press           6-8 reps
rows                     6-8 reps
(lower body)
Leg extension         6-8 reps
leg curls                6-8 reps
squats                  6-8 reps
lunges                  6-8 reps
Calf raises             6-8 reps
(Core)
plank                      max
superman                max
flutter kicks             max
situps                     max


Go through entire workout twice to equal two sets for first 4 weeks, add one set
every 4 weeks.
Its important to use proper form and keep track of weight and reps done so that you
can look at your progress. There are many links on BT to get you started is some sort of
program, I just wanted to discuss some basic information to give everyone a starting point.
Please discuss if you would like me to be more specific about any information.
I can also discuss specific plyometric routines for each sport,stretching routines for each sport,
core routines for each sport.
Here are some BT articles:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1301

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1302

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1050

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=691