Strenght training?

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2011-11-10 2:48 PM

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Master
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Subject: Strenght training?

New to the sport and after aprox. 1 1/2 months of training increased trainings from 5/week to 6/week (wanted to make sure my 43 yr old body could take the pounding). I have a 1 yr old and a 3 yrs old, work full time, and found that training in the evenings/night was too inconsistent. thus I get up early and do all my training before my family wakes up.

I am training for my first sprint in March, but am doing no strength training. My objective is to get in good running/biking/swimming shape for my first tri, and maybe worry about strength training after that to improve my performance. I have no intentions of being "competitive", just competing against myself. And frankly I think that if I find more time to train somewhere, I could benefit from another swimming session. SO how important is strength training? important enough to exchange a run/bike/swim session for a strength session?

I guess I can squeeze 20 min. max. of strength after my swims (maybe 2/week), but will that be enough/make a difference? And if so, any plans/exercises that you recommend?

2011-11-10 2:56 PM
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2011-11-10 10:05 PM
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Master
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Subject: RE: Strenght training?

Samyg - 2011-11-10 12:48 PM

important enough to exchange a run/bike/swim session for a strength session?

Absolutely not.

2011-11-10 10:13 PM
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Master
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Houston
Subject: RE: Strenght training?

This topic comes up a lot.

There are a few strong proponents of stength training but basically the experts tend to agree that the best thing to make you faster at S/B/R is S/B/R.

In another 10 years or so you may need to do some strength training to keep from losing muscel mass, but at 43 you are not there yet.  At least I'm not, and I'm 43 as well.

As Foggy mentioned having core strength can help you maintain your form, hold position longer etc.  But you will also gain core strength to do those things just by doing more S/B/R.

 

At least, this is what I've learned from these threads in the past.

 

2011-11-10 10:53 PM
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Subject: RE: Strenght training?
I'm 52.  I strength train.  I lift weights at least two days a week.....well, that's my goal.  I make it most weeks, but I WON'T miss a s/b/r workout in order to lift if my week gets messed up.  Lifting is something I feel I need, and compared to s/b/r takes relatively little time.  I spend about 30 minutes twice a week.  I know I'm better, stronger, faster because of it, if for no other reason than the fact that it helps me to take the pounding on my body better. 
2011-11-11 5:28 AM
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Subject: RE: Strenght training?

Left Brain - 2011-11-10 11:53 PM I'm 52.  I strength train.  I lift weights at least two days a week.....well, that's my goal.  I make it most weeks, but I WON'T miss a s/b/r workout in order to lift if my week gets messed up.  Lifting is something I feel I need, and compared to s/b/r takes relatively little time.  I spend about 30 minutes twice a week.  I know I'm better, stronger, faster because of it, if for no other reason than the fact that it helps me to take the pounding on my body better. 

As a 52 yo male, ST is more important to help maintain muscle mass and bone density.  It's even more important for women around the time of, and after, menopause.

2011-11-11 8:43 AM
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2011-11-11 9:27 AM
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Subject: RE: Strenght training?

Strength training is good for health.

 

It will, however, not help you in races compared to doing a s/b/r workout. Not even close. 

 

Do it for the health, but do not be under any illusion it's making you faster. This has been well proven, both at amateur and elite levels. There are no coaches that swap out lots of S/B/Rs for lots of strength training, even if you might be 'core-deficient'. It's ok to add a session, or if you're doing a lot of SBR, to supplement with it, but it will have minimal effect on your speed.

 

I'm pretty strong when I'm in 'strength-mode' (15+ pullups, 1000+lbs leg press, 140% body weight bench press), and when I'm swapping only 2 SBRs for weights, I get signficantly slower despite feeling quite strong. It's not even close to debatable.

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