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2005-11-29 5:40 AM

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Subject: Specificity of Training and Strength Training
There is a lot of advice out there regarding strength training in addition to specific training of swimming, biking, and running. Until this morning I have not made up my mind about this. Maybe someone can benefit from what I learned.

A coach of elite long-distance runners and of a world champion record holder tells me that strength training is counterproductive. None of his athletes ever do any strength training. At the same time if you google for "specificity training" you will find pages from The Coaching Science Abstract maintained by the Sand Diego State University, which notes that endurance training is highly specific and does not benefit from strength training.

What I suspected before and confirmed today is that the advice against strength training applies to elite athletes, and, since I am not one of those athletes, I may benefit from strength in addition to specific training. This article (after quoting studies that showed no benefit from strength training in swimming, rowing, cycling and cross-country skiing) helped drive the point home for me when it concluded with these paragraphs:

Several reasons explain why some individuals improve their endurance capabilities with strength training while others don't. First, it appears that there is a minimal amount of muscle strength required for endurance events. This general principle applies to athletes of all abilities, but is especially important for those individuals who are new to a sport and therefore only moderately-trained in that discipline. These novice athletes will benefit from any increase in general fitness, be it an improvement in strength or endurance. This explains why the greater muscle power seen after short-term strength training programs increases endurance capacity in these individuals. In all likelihood, any training stimulus which overloads the working muscles would have improved their performance. The large improvements in muscle power seen after strength training merely compensate for their poor technique or efficiency of movement. This is especially true in sports such as swimming and rowing, where stroke mechanics and technical proficiency are perfected only after many years of training and hours on the water.

For highly-trained athletes who are already capable of generating high power outputs in their chosen discipline, further improvements in strength are a less important factor in enhanced endurance performance. At the highest level of competition, increases in strength and power are not as critical to successful performance as the development of correct technique. For these athletes, the concept of specificity rules! The bottom line is that modern training studies do not support the use of resistance training programs for improving the performances of highly-trained athletes.


2005-11-29 6:49 AM
in reply to: #293653

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Crystal Lake, IL
Subject: RE: Specificity of Training and Strength Training

Very interesting.  I'm very much a beginner and I love strength training but I've been struggling with putting it aside to focus on the other training.  I'm not sure that this will change my plans, but I guess I'll feel less guilty about sneaking in the little bit of strength training that I'm still doing.

Thanks.

2005-11-29 7:09 AM
in reply to: #293653

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Subject: RE: Specificity of Training and Strength Training
Good thread.

I've seen a lot of people try weight training through an off-season, and see only marginal results, and I've seen a lot of people try weight training through an off-season, and see fantastic results. Interestingly, it wasn't fitness level that differentiated the two, however, it was body type and composition.

Speaking specifically to cycling, those athletes I've seen reap the most benefits from strength training (myself included) are the smaller, leaner athletes, and those that seem to have not had much of an improvement are the bigger, more naturally muscular athletes. I'm 148lbs and almost 6' tall, so strength training has long been integral to my training (in fact, I keep it up during season, only at a much reduced rate).

Keep in mind that there are secondary benefits, however, to strength training - such as flexibility and the strengthening of joints, tendons, ligaments, etc. At the very least, I suggest to all athletes once-a-week strength routines as a bare minimum. Those athletes that require more (based on their performance limiters), I tend to suggest 2-3 times per week, usually in a periodized and highly sport-specific structure throughout the off-season.
2005-11-29 7:46 AM
in reply to: #293653

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The Original
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Subject: RE: Specificity of Training and Strength Training
I started to incorporate upper body strength training into my 1/2 IM training, and it helped me a lot with my swimming.  I improved so much with my endurance and was able to have the strength to "pull" more water.  Now that I'm marathon training, I have been strength training for my lower body and working on my core.  I hope this will help with my running and hopefully cycling once I get back into tri training.
2005-11-29 8:14 AM
in reply to: #293689

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Subject: RE: Specificity of Training and Strength Training
Research consistently shows improved economy resulting from strength training. Studies that measure VO2 Max consistently show no benefit. Increasing strength won't allow most athletes to expend more energy, but will allow almost every athlete to go faster at a given energy expenditure.

Many athletes - and even coaches - confuse specificity with simulation. Workouts need to be specific to the needs of a race, but this is very different from saying that workouts that do not simulate the race will not make an athlete faster. Bicep curls will not make a cyclist faster because biceps are not specific to the needs of cycling. Leg extensions do not in any way simulate a cycling race, but they are specific to cycling because they strengthen a prime mover in the downstroke.

In my experience coaching hundreds of athletes from beginner to world champion, almost every athlete benefits from a correctly developed weight training program. Smaller, thinner athletes, seniors, and females are more likely to need a year round program to maintain strength, but almost every athlete will improve performamce with an offseason program.

Ken
2005-11-29 8:59 AM
in reply to: #293653

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Crystal Lake, IL
Subject: RE: Specificity of Training and Strength Training

On the one hand I'm thankful for the expert opinions available on topics like this, it really reflects the quality and value of this website.

On the other hand, bicep curls can make you look cool in a sleeveless wetsuit! ;>



2005-11-29 9:22 AM
in reply to: #293653

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Rochester, NY
Subject: RE: Specificity of Training and Strength Training
As KenMierke mentioned, I was going to say that females may benefit from strength training more than males, as they have less muscle mass.
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