Swim, pedaling and running is not enough to improve your times and your performance on triathlon. Apart from the series with the stopwatch and GPS on the road, the pool or the athletics track, triathlon training also requires a series of exercises in which the water, the bicycle or the shoes are not present.
It is necessary to do a great work of technical and specific strength to ensure good preparation To compete in triathlon. In addition, these force exercises will also help minimize the risk of injuries.
A stronger musculature will make you faster, more resistant and less prone to injure you. That is why in this article I explain a series of
basic strength exercises that you must take into account Whether you are going to prepare a single triathlon or if you are going to compete regularly throughout the season.
Force exercises in the swimming segment
To improve the force in swimming I propose three
Strengthening exercises for different parts of the body, and a fourth exercise to improve the technique. The latter is a priority in this discipline to swim faster, for longer and with less fatigue.
Do not forget that these exercises are a general guide that can put almost everyone into practice, but if you want Personalized training.
Exercise 1: The iron
This exercise
Improves the strength of Core and provides greater stability in the water.
To do it correctly, you must place yourself horizontally and in parallel to the ground. Support the elbows and tips of the feet on the ground and endure in that position by putting the navel.
https://youtu.be/61A2oTh10V8
Start with 3 repetitions, enduring the time you can (from 20 seconds to 1 minute by repetition), and sees gradually increasing both the number of repetitions and working time.
Exercise 2: Swim with feet
To improve feet propulsion I advise you to do
SERIES swimming only with crol feet and using fins. Help yourself with a cork table to keep your arms static while performing the exercise.
An example to make such a session is as follows:
- 400 meters styles (warming)
- 4x200 meters only with crol feet (with fins)
- 4x50 meters only with crol feet (with fins)
- 200 meters styles (return to calm)
Exercise 3: Swim with arms only
It is the same principle as the previous year, exercising this time the train superior, instead of the lower train.
For
Improve force in the water traction phase I recommend you swimming in which the feet remain static. To do this, use a
Pull Buoy that will keep the legs in horizontal position. We will move the crol arms using blades.
An recommended session example to work for swimming force is as follows:
- 400 meters styles (warming)
- 4x100 meters only crol arms (with blades)
- 4x50 meters only crol arms (with blades)
- 200 meters styles (return to calm)
Exercise 4: Muert
An exercise that you can incur in your
Pool training sessions to improve technique It is the so -called dead point.
It consists of swimming with one arm while keeping the other stretch holding a cork table. When the arm that runs the stroke comes forward, you change the hand that grabs the table and perform the stroke with the other arm. So continuously.
https://youtu.be/uO9t63KYplw
When you already have it dominated, you can add more difficulty disregarding the table and swimming in what is known as 'point dead'.
A good session to do this exercise would be as follows:
- 400 meters styles (warming)
- 2 series of 4x100 meters dead point
- 200 meters styles (return to calm)
Force exercises in the cycling segment
There are numerous exercises that you can perform to enhance the muscles and improve your results in the cycling segment. Then I propose to perform two exercises on the bicycle and two others that you can do at home or in the gym.
Piston pedaling with platform pedals
This exercise is oriented to
Learn to use and strengthen the lower train muscles, which is the one that must perform the greatest workload in cycling.
Surely you have read or heard many things about the round pedaling. However, the truth is that
The correct way to pedal is piston. It consists of pushing the pedal down and with predominance of the quadriceps.
When the pedal rises, the leg must make the strength necessary to lift only its own weight and never pull the pedal.
Remember that
Turning the pedal up is a gesture that can cause injuries. It also destabilizes you on the bicycle.
To be able to consolidate the pedaling gesture well
It is recommended that, at least once a week, you use platform pedals instead of automatic pedalss in which you are anchored.
A good way to perform this exercise is to use the bicycle with this type of pedals as a means of daily transport.
Pedaling series on slopes and ramps
Making series on the bicycle in sections of unevenness is an exercise that helps to enhance force. The first thing you need is a very pronounced slope, with an elevation of 10% or more and with a length of between 150 and 200 meters. Next, perform different climbs.
Remember that if you do not have a slope steep enough to make a great effort to raise it, you can play with the bicycle marches choosing a hard development that makes the march difficult.
A frequent doubt to perform this exercise is whether it must be sitting on the bicycle or pedaling standing. Below I show you an example of a session for this force exercise:
- 15 minutes of soft and progressive pedaling (heating)
- 6x150 meters in slope (10%) always sitting
- 6x150 meters in slope (10%) always standing
- 10 minutes of soft pedaling (return to calm)
CORE iron exercise in cycling
This exercise is similar to that described above for the swimming segment, with a variation. On this occasion you must do it in a way that you get
A position more similar to the one you adopt on the bicycle.
Place yourself horizontally and parallel the ground. Support the tips of the feet and hands and stretch your arms to form an angle of 90 degrees with the ground. Hold on that position by putting the navel.
Exercise of the drawer
A last exercise that you can include in your strength training routine for the cycling segment are the climb to the drawer.
This exercise simulates climbing stairs alternating the legs. You will need the help of a STEP platform, a bank or a pliometric jump drawer.
Start loading only your own weight, making 3 series of 10 repetitions.
https://youtu.be/O-c65lndRpo
If you want to increase the load later, you can use two dumbbells, increase the number of series and reduce the number of repetitions (for example, 5 series of 5 repetitions with 5 kilos dumbbells).
Strength exercises in the segment of carrera
As with swimming or cycling, the best way to improve both technique and force in carrera It is counting on a personal running coach.
To take tone, then you have a series of basic exercises that you can include in your triathlon training routines to improve strength and technique in carrera.
Exercise 1: slopes
This exercise is very similar to the one I have previously proposed for the cycling segment. But in this case the slopes must have a more short slope and length.
The recommended distance is 100 meters. No more, since what is about is that you go up
running very intensely, recovering when you go down.
Make the next session:
- 15 minutes of carrera soft and progressive (warming)
- 2 6x100 meters with elevation
- 10 minutes of carrera soft (back to calm)
The training must be done following the indicated order To achieve the expected results.
At the end of the third of the exercises it is convenient to make a progression or sprint with the objective that the gesture of technique worked is reflected in the gesture of carrera. To make it easier, perform the sprint directly after exercise.
Knees up
https://youtu.be/wc2_WDDCZBU
Buttocks
https://youtu.be/9XjqLl7D4qE
Round combined
https://youtu.be/IhXqMwdtAcM
Exercise 2: carrera With resistance
This exercise is very good for
strengthen the muscles involved in the carrera walking.
You will need the help of someone, such as your coach, since it is about running by dragging a partner. This must prevent the progress, either grabbed behind the hip or ahead, holding your shoulders.
You can also use a band for your partner to hold you as a convoy, where the one who must throw is the locomotive, while the other is the car that offers resistance.
Make series of carrera alternating with your partner.
Exercise 3: Strides
This exercise is indicated for
strengthen quadriceps and ischybial.
It consists of moving forward giving very long strides and lowering the knee of the leg, so that it is delayed until it almost touched the ground.
Start performing the exercise without weight and in 3 series of 10 meters. When you have it dominated you can add weight with a dumbbell in each hand.
Exercise 4: The iron
As for swimming and cycling disciplines, iron is a
Perfect exercise to tone the Core.
Make it as explained in the previous sections. To add more difficulty, raise your feet alternately.
Exercise 5: The bridge
This exercise is very similar to the iron, but it is done on my back.
To do it you must keep the carrera Up while you put the navel.
Start by performing three repetitions by holding the position the time you can, whether there are 20 seconds and 1 minute. Progressively sees time increasing.
https://youtu.be/TZBUBUrmA9g
At the end of training sessions remember
stretch your muscles correctly.
These are some basic strength training routines for triathlon. If you know others that are giving you good results, do not hesitate to comment.
