Playing other sports while tri training

Hey!
I have the same problem. I play tennis 2-4 times a week. I'm talking about competitive tennis, not recreationnal. I think it's hurting my triathlon training because tennis makes you run sprints and triathlon is more about endurance. You use different muscles.

I think it's possible to combine the two but you probably won't be great at triathlon if you play a lot soccer. Just my 2 cents.

Crosstraining can't be bad (unlike practicing for hotdog eating contests or xbox couch marathons). I do badminton, iaido, ddr, mountain biking - it's all good, unless you're trying to win the race IMO.

I play soccer too, and just finished my spring season. It worked fine for me (not that I'm an accomplished triathlete, or anything! I've only done one so far, in April). My big concern was injury - with the agility needed to play soccer, possibility of high impact with another player, etc. This was realized this season for me when I sprained my ankle (after someone else stomped on it), and got hit in the face with the ball, resulting in a relatively painless (after a day) but ugly black eye. I'm glad the season is over, actually. Now I can focus more on training. BUT - I always thought the full out sprints necessary in soccer were good for my endurance - and it's fun! Have a great season!

I pretty much stick to tri training. I take up too much family time already so I don't want to use a few more hours a week.  However, unless you get hurt doing it, it can't be bad for you provided you have the time.

Yes, it can be done. Yes, it can be a challenge.

I play softball two nights a week while training for my first HIM. That takes away two nights of precious training time and contributes to overall fatigue. Plus it costs me in wife credits, because it means two nights of not being around to help out with the kids.

I somewhat get around it by keeping all my tri training restricted to the mornings before the family gets up and my lunch hours during the week.

However, this weekend I also had a day-long tournament which has left me incredibly sore and unable to get in a decent workout even now, two days later. That means I didn't get any long ride or run in this weekend, plus I'll be more tired than usual all week. Will that cost me on race day? Yep, absolutely.

But I've been playing softball with some of these guys for 20 years and I'm not willing to give it up even though I'd really like to improve my tri performances. I guess you just set your priorities and live by that.

I'm in the same boat and my biggest problem was injuries. I don't think it's because of the tri training...more because my knees and ankles can't take the pounding from basketball any more (soccer might have a similar effect).

I just did my training as usual and didn't consider the games a workout, (even on days when I had two workouts) and I felt like I had all the energy I needed for the games. There were a few weeks when I ran right before the game and had TONS of energy.

Of course I can't walk right now...never was playoff defeat more bittersweet.

C'mon Softball ain't a sport

I play hockey once or twice a week and have to do my swimming or a light day and or rest day on the second hockey day.

So it is doable but it does burn those valuable wife points too


ArrOOoo!

Yes it can be done...I have kids that do b-ball league, cross country base(during summer),  and they lifeguard...Their most difficult time constraint is biking.  But it is doable.  Those that do not lifeguard, struggle w/ it.   Either way you look at it, you cannot get away w/ just running, etc.  You have to give time to each discipline at some point.

Edited by CoachH 2007-06-11 9:41 PM

I use to play basketball a couple of days a week in the winter and softball two days a week spring and summer. Problem was I was always getting injured or stitches from a flying elbow or serious raspberries from sliding into a bag.

I play soccer also, indoor to be specific and last year I started a new league 2 weeks before my first 1/2 IM ever and ruined my season with a pulled hamstring and bruised shin. I would suggest to forgo the soccer if you want to do well in tri's for the summer.

Yep, mixed martial arts, gets kinda interesting when you're at the pool with a black eye though...

I have been struggling with the same issue. I play fairly competitive hockey once a week now and it happens to be late at night which leaves me tired and sore the next day. I have only been training for a Sprint to this point but I think I will stop the hockey once I start training for my Oly.

The day after hockey I just swim which seems to work fine. But like most people finding the time is the toughest part. Once I really start training for the Oly this will become even more of an issue I am sure.

...then, my friend, you aren't playing it right. Now Shermbelle, on the other hand, he knows what it's all about!

you could stagger your seasons more....for example, if soccer is a big summertime thing, do more fall tris or early spring tris and jsut try to keep up the training as best you can.
I play ice hockey in the winter, up to 3-4 times a week plus tournaments and it is such a refresher to play on a team sport. I keep my fitness up and the hockey kind of substitutes for my bike training. I came out of hte winter season with a half marathon pr and raring to go for tri season. I'll play a little this summer and then pick it up again full bore in teh winter.
Swimming has always been a great day after activity. I still put training over hockey (I've been known to run 10-12 miles or bike a 50 miler right before playing) but hockey is purely fun and once I get going, no mater how tired I am I get super comeptitive and play as hard as I can.
i think it really helps with trianing your core and other muslces that normally wouldn't get trained with normal tri trianing. Thsi ist he firs tyear I haven't had my normal hip and back injuries and I belive it's the core strength I gained from hockey.

It is great to cross train. Escpecially soccer. Good speed work! However, soccer can be tough on the body... In my soccer career, WHILE tri Training---- Tore my ACL, Bone Spurred my ankle, and Tore my Meniscus (current!). 3 surgeries in 6 years, however I have been playing soccer for 25 years... Maybe it just wasn't meant to be for me this anymore!

In addition to my tri-training, I also do martial arts (aikido & jiu jitsu) two or three times a week.  Balancing work, family, tri-training, and martial arts is really tough - but I'm unwilling to completely forego one activity for another.  At this point, I've been relatively successful in improving my tri fitness by doing each of the disciplines (swim, bike, run) once a week.  However, I'm ok w/ being BOP'er.  Are you willing to give up soccer to improve your triathlon time?

I play competitive baseball two (sometimes three) nights a week and am in a basketball league one night a week and I usually have time to get my lifting, running, biking and swimming in.

I actually don't mind cutting back on tri training for these other events because it's not so monotonous and keeps everything fun. It's hard on the body but definitely makes it so I don't hate triathlon like I started to at the end of last season.

Of course I don't have to juggle family because I don't live in the same city as my wife right now.

So, I guess the point is that it can be done, provided that I stay away from injuries. Injuries actually were my fear because I play in a pretty aggressive league and I tend to get banged up pretty good during games. Giving up soccer is not really an option because like many of you, I have played with the same guys for a while and would feel like I’m quitting on them.

I guess I’ll just have to play less aggressively (which goes against my nature) and do swim-training the following mornings.

Thanks for all your input.