Resuming
Your
Strength
Training Program
By Dan Proulx
Winter
is an ideal time to vary your routine and enhance your sport specific
strength. Whether you are in
the weight room for the first time or returning to your regular strength
training program, there are several ways to make your transition into
the gym more enjoyable and effective.
Carefully planned strength training sessions can improve your
endurance and assist in injury prevention.
The key to building strength and successfully resuming your
program is in the mixture between gym workouts and the primary
disciplines of swimming, cycling and running.
Combining strength training and endurance work can be like mixing
water and oil, but with some patience and a balanced approach, you can
reap the rewards of winter strength training.
In traditional weight training programs, triathletes often find that
they get too sore after each lifting session.
The pain and stiffness they experience in the weight room
translates to poor training in the other 3 disciplines.
Fitness gains are lessened because the athlete compromises their
energy and technique from swimming, cycling and running.
If they manage to make it through the initial soreness, they may
have lost up to a month of proper training in their endurance foundation
period. Most however,
abandon strength training after the first painful training session.
You can build strength without compromising the rest of your training.
Using some simple guidelines and a 4 week Transfer plan, you will
minimize soreness and continue to maintain your triathlon training
program.
The
transition to the weight room involves 2 progressions.
The first step is to introduce strength training with some Body
Weight Exercises. The second
step is to add a Circuit Training program before beginning your regular
strength training program in the gym.
During the foundation period, the volume of aerobic training should be
reduced to compensate for the added demands of strength training.
Incorporating strength work, without a reduction in aerobic training
volume, can be detrimental to your progress. Be patient, there will be
plenty of time to increase aerobic volume later in the year.
If you begin your program gradually, you will minimize the risk of
muscle soreness and injury. An overenthusiastic start to a strength
program may result in delayed onset muscle soreness (and fatigue) that
will compromise the quality of your foundation workouts in swimming,
cycling and running for 48 - 72 hours after your weight training
sessions.
Body Weight Exercises and
Abdominal Work – Week 1 & 2
Begin your program with some Body Weight exercises. In these
exercises, your body weight provides the resistance for improving
muscular strength and endurance. After
a summer of hard training and racing, you may find that even these
movements can create some unexpected soreness.
You can include, push-ups, sit-ups, bench dips (triceps),
pull-ups, lunges, and bench step-ups in your Body Weight routine. You
can do this work at home or even at the end of an easy run in the park.
These exercises can also be included throughout your strength
program if you have difficulty getting to the gym for a training
session.
Perform Body Weight exercises 3 times per week for 2 weeks.
Start with 3 sets of 12 repetitions for each exercise.
If some of the Body Weight exercises are too difficult, complete
similar movements with the help of light free weights.
You can also modify your body position, such as bending knees in
a push up, to lessen the load on each exercise.
It is important to include abdominal work during your
reintroduction to strength training and throughout the majority of your
Foundation training. Without
strong abdominal muscles, back muscles and obliques you will never reach
your full athletic potential.
Sample
abdominal and back strengthening exercises can include:
1)
Stomach crunches
2)
Back Extensions: Lye
flat on the ground, face down with fingers touching your ears, raise
your upper body off the ground using the muscles in your lower back. Go
as high as you can. Stay in
control throughout this movement. Slowly lower yourself to the start
position and repeat.
3)
Front bridge: Similar
to a push-up position, but with forearms resting on the ground.
This is a static exercise where you will hold the position with
abs tight. Keep your back
straight without “sagging” with your lower back.
4)
Side bridges: Same
as a front bridge, but on your side, leaning on one forearm.
Side position is held without “sagging in the middle”.
Top leg rests on bottom leg.
Raise the upper arm into the air to add difficulty.
5)
Leg Raises: Lay
on your back. Raise heels
slightly off the ground. Press
your lower back “into the floor”.
Lift legs from start position to 45 degrees in the air and then
return to start position. Repeat.
6)
Ball exercises
– all of the exercises above can be done with a gym ball (also known
as a Swiss Ball or Fit Ball). The
added instability of the ball, forces to you to balance and stabilize
while moving through the exercises.
Include the abdominal work and back strengthening work as part of your
normal Body Weight exercise routine.
For most exercises, begin with 1 set of 12-15 repetitions.
For static exercises, such as bridges, begin by holding the position for
20 seconds. Work your way up to holding the position for 1 minute.
Quality of exercise movement must be emphasized at all times.
Modify the exercises or reduce the repetitions/time if you find that you
cannot maintain good technique throughout the exercise.
Circuit
Training – Week 3 & 4
Now
you can begin to move into the weight room for your strengthening
exercises. Start your
program by doing your exercises in a Circuit format.
A Circuit involves completing a set number of repetitions or
duration of time and then moving on to the next exercise.
A
sample circuit could include the following:
1)
Bench Press
2)
Squats (or lunges)
3)
Seated Rowing
4)
Hamstring Curls
5)
Pull
Downs
(Lat Pulls)
6)
Calf Raises
7)
Tricep extensions
You can start Circuit training by completing 30 seconds of work followed
by 30 seconds of rest. During
the work period, complete as many repetitions as you can with a light
weight and moderate tempo. Be
careful to maintain proper technique throughout each exercise. This will
allow you to develop proper skill for heavier loads in the latter part
of your program. Begin by
going through the complete circuit(7 stations) 2 times.
You can build up to 3 times as you begin to improve.
Remember to include some focused abdominal and stability work at the end
of the Circuit Training session. You
can use the same routine as you did in Weeks 1 & 2. The total
workout time is approximately 1 hour.
As
you complete the circuit, you may notice that your heart rate is
climbing. This is one of the
added benefits of using a circuit for your transfer training.
The additional aerobic work will compliment the aerobic
foundation you are building in your swimming, cycling and running.
The 4 week Transfer plan should allow you to begin your regular
strength training program with a minimum of muscle soreness.
This will help you to stick with your program and maintain
you’re your fitness in swimming, cycling and running.
Improved strength training will improve your performance in all 3
disciplines and help you to stay healthy as you emerge from winter and
into next summer’s triathlon season.
-
Dan Proulx, Elitewave.com, 2003
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