Strength Training for a Triathlon

multijointStrength training is capable of being a vitally important part of the training program for all triathletes. Maximizing the quality of your workout should be your prime objective when it comes to developing a solid strength program that is going to benefit your triathlon progress. There are a wide variety of different tools today that you can use as an athlete in order to benefit yourself in strength training and getting stronger. You need to learn how to coordinate as well as support your own body as effectively as possible in order to maximize the gains that you receive by the time race day rolls around.

Some exercise machines appear to be good for the end result, but do not actually produce the results that people are looking for. One example of such a machine is the chest press machine. This machine will not allow you to get the most out of your strength training routine for triathlon training. The machine allows for you to sit down and then push your arms out straight using resistance, but this one track movement is actually preventing most of the muscles in your upper body from ever balancing a level of stability, which means that you are not getting the most out of this work out no matter how you try.

In order to get the absolute best possible results out of your training for a triathlon, you need to simulate the conditions of the race as best you can. The way that you can do this is to figure out the best ways to simulate the behaviors that you will exhibit in the race and work on those instead of machines that will not balance your core stability. Here are three things that you absolutely need to focus on in strength training for your upcoming triathlon.

- * As a triathlete you should be focusing on whole body exercises and exercises capable of working multiple joints at once. What multi-joint means is that more than a single joint should be getting involved in every exercise movement, such as squats and lunges for example.

- * Free weights as well as exercise bands tend to be more practical than machines when it comes to training for a triathlon. When you are using these particular tools for strength training, you have to stabilize your body much better than when a machine is doing some of the work for you.

- * You should be constantly aiming to support your entire body while you are doing your strength training exercises. If you sit on a stable surface like a weight machine, you will not be as balanced or prepared come race day.

If you keep these three things in mind, you will prepare yourself better for your triathlon because you will build a strong core and a good balance and stability unlike anything you had before you began your strength training routine.

Photo Credits: Grayskullduggery

Originally posted 2009-07-28 05:44:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Train for Your First Triathlon

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Determine What Your Goals Are

Figure out how long you want your first triathlon to be. How you start your training for your first triathlon will depend largely upon you and what shape you are in. Do you want to do a half sprint, a full sprint, or an Olympic triathlon? We will start slightly ambitious and go for a sprint length triathlon. Doing a 15 mile will allow you to test yourself, help you familiarize with the transition areas, and allow you to test your equipment.

Starting out

Obviously you are not going to be able to just walk out of your house and start running for five miles, or swim a half mile. You would spend yourself, not to mention possibly damaging your joints. You have to work into things, so you ease into it. Begin with a walk / run program. There are many websites out there with programs for this, and they are effective at getting you running in weeks. If you are overweight you may want to start out with riding a bike and losing a bit of weight before attempting jogging or running. Your joints will be grateful to you. Something else you can start out with is high rep strength training.

  • Never increase your training duration or distance more than ten percent over the previous week.
  • Always have one week a month be a rest week of sorts. This is extremely important.
  • Try to train for your single event three to four times a week.

Focus on either bicycling or running for between two to six months to build your aerobic capabilities. Once you have done one for the range given, then move to the other. Do not attempt to do two or even all three until you are in the kind of shape that will allow for it without hurting yourself.

Plan for swimming, running, and biking

Once you have yourself built up and ready from your previous training regimen, it will be time to train for all three sports at once. In general for a sprint triathlon, you will only have need to train two times a week in each of the three sports. That equates to six days with one rest day. You could also have one day where you do two of the three events, and then the next four days you only train for one. Then you can have 2 days off a week.

Thirteen weeks to race day

Despite what you might think you can lose weight in a weight lifting routine if you keep it serious and do not slack off. It would need to be a high rep / low weight routine so that you do not bulk up. Combine this with your jog routine. It will also help build bone density, and strengthen your joints. At first all of this exercise will leave you sore. After a few months you will feel better, you will be less sore, and you will have more energy.

Photo Credits: Photo Mojo

Originally posted 2009-10-13 03:03:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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