Are You Neglecting to Train as a Quadathlete?
By: Doug Bernstein

Some of us have been neglecting a crucial one-fourth of our training. If you’re thinking that to train for a triathlon all you need to do is swim, bike, and run, then you’re limiting yourself by leaving out something very important: resistance weight training.

Like a fire, your muscles require three main elements in order to function; heat, oxygen and glycogen. Our body autonomically sustains our heat levels. Oxygen is delivered to our muscles in our blood through our cardiovascular system. We can increase the oxygen flow to our muscles through isotonic exercise, which benefits the cardiovascular system by increasing the heart’s capacity to pump blood more efficiently. Isotonic exercises are lower resistance exercises, which bring the muscle or muscle group through their full range of motion (typically swimming, biking, running, etc.). Most triathletes concentrate their training on isotonic exercises in an attempt to improve their cardiovascular and aerobic performance. Finally, glycogen is the fuel stored within muscle fibers that, when combined with oxygen, gives muscles the energy to move. Thicker muscle fibers store more glycogen, which leads to higher endurance. And the way to get thicker muscle fibers is through resistance weight training.

Whereas isotonic exercises work the slow-twitch muscle fibers (less power, higher endurance), isometric exercises use higher resistance in a shorter range of motion to work the fast-twitch muscle fibers (greater power, less endurance). Even though fast-twitch muscle fibers fatigue faster, they store higher concentrations of glycogen. So if you want to have more power and go faster and farther, you need to include weightlifting in your training schedule. If you’ve never lifted weights before or are new to weight training, allow me to dispel any apprehension or fears you may have:

"I don’t want to gain weight, get big, and start looking like a muscle-head."

- You won’t if you don’t want to. You can control the amount of strength and tone gained versus the amount of sheer mass increased, by the type of exercise you do and the amount of resistance you use. Also, with the amount of isotonic exercise that most triathletes do, it’s nearly impossible for you to put on large amounts of muscle mass. Professional weightlifters lift a ton to break their muscle fibers down, eat a ton to fuel the re-build, and do little else but recover to grow muscle mass.

"All the guys at the gym around the free weights are big muscle-heads and I’m a little nervous about working out with them."

- Why? Because you look different? Because you’re not as strong? Just remember two things: First, as a triathlete, you’re always racing with people who are much faster and better than you. So if that doesn’t bother you, why should be around a bunch of muscle-heads bother you? And second, if you could read the minds of those muscle-heads, most of them are thinking, "Damn! A triathlete! I don’t know how they do it! All that swimming, biking, and then running a freaking marathon! I can’t even run TWO miles. That guy/girl is tough!"

"With my training schedule, I don’t have the time to get to the gym to weight train."

- Make the time. Make it a priority just like your swimming, biking and running. The nice thing about weight training is that it only takes about 20-30 minutes per day.

"I don’t belong to a gym. I can’t afford it and I can’t afford or want to have a home gym."

- No problem, there are plenty of exercises that you can do at home without a weight set. Your own body has enough weight to provide resistance. Simple push-ups will work your shoulders and chest. You can work your triceps by doing raises off of a coffee table, steady chair or firm bed. Lunges and squats can be done without weights or a gym. Even gallon milk jugs filled with sand or water make great impromptu dumbbells!

So now that I’ve explained why you should weight train, I’ll explain the ten general rules-of-thumb regarding weight lifting. For specific exercise information or techniques, see your local gym professional or post me a question on the Tri-Newbies bulletin board.

  1. Increased resistance with fewer reps builds mass, whereas less resistance with more reps defines and tones. I recommend that you do 15 repetitions in sets of three for each exercise. If you have to struggle for the last one or two reps – you’re using too much resistance.
  2. Each exercise is designed to isolate a single muscle group. If you are losing your form and using other muscles for a particular exercise, you are using too much resistance. Concentrate on the single muscle group you are working on and isolate it. If you have to throw some body weight to finish a set, you’re using too much resistance.
  3. Always go through the complete range of motion for a muscle group when weight lifting. The move starts with a long stretch and smoothly and steadily proceed to complete muscle compression, on every rep of every set. It is actually the first few inches and the last few inches that give you the greatest benefit. Finish off the move.
  4. Alternate complimentary flexor and extensor muscle group workouts on different days. The only thing a muscle can do is relax or contract. A flexor muscle contracts to bring the limbs in towards the body. When an extensor muscle contracts, you move the limb out and away from the body. Here are examples of some of the complimentary flexor and extensor muscle groups:

    5. Flexor Extensor
    bicep tricep
    latisimus deltoid
    quadriceps hamstring
    abdominal lumbar

    I lift weights four days per week for about 30 minutes each session. If you feel that is excessive, just two or three times a week should be sufficient. Even though I rotate the order and type of exercises to prevent my workouts from getting monotonous, I always lift in the following muscle-group combinations:

    chest & triceps, calves
    trapezeus, abs & obliques
    lats, biceps & quads
    shoulders, lumbar, hamstrings & glutes

  5. Breathe normally and exhale during the exertion part of the exercise. Never hold your breath. Don't hold your breath as you push, it's dangerous. Holding your breath while exerting force produces the Valsalva effect. It increases pressure within the chest cavity, which in turn produces a dramatic increase in blood pressure.
  6. When combining isotonic and isometric exercises on the same day, perform the isotonic exercise (aerobic) first. Fast-twitch muscle fibers take longer to recover and would still be fatigued when you start your isotonic workout. Also, since your main concern is the isotonic exercise, you would want to start your swim, bike, or run with as much energy and as fresh as possible. Always allow some time to recover in between isotonic and isometric workouts.
  7. Alternate muscle groups on different days between isotonic and isometric workouts. Try not to swim on the same day that you do your isometric lat workout. Try not to bike on the same day you do your isometric quads workout. Try not to run on the same day you do your isometric hamstrings and gluteus workout.
  8. Protect your joints!
  1. Always stretch before and after your weight workouts! Stretching afterwards is critical to prevent soreness. Never stretch a cold muscle. Do a 5-10 minute warm-up first.
  2. When using free weights in a position in which a weight could fall on you (i.e. bench press and military press) ALWAYS USE A SPOTTER! Even if you are using light weight. The spotter is not there to help you or shout encouragement; the spotter is there to catch the weight in case you have a sudden cramp, spasm, or muscle tear. The amount of weight means nothing. I once saw a professional bodybuilder who normally bench pressed 350lbs, tear a pectoral muscle while pressing only 135lbs during a warm-up. He was not using a spotter and the bar came crashing down, breaking three of his ribs. So no matter what weight you are using, USE A SPOTTER!

Naturally, if you feel exceptionally tired, out of breath and not able to recover, or experience any sudden or sharp pains – stop your weight workout immediately! You should speak with your physician or medical practitioner before starting on any new exercise program. I am not a physician, trainer, or exercise physiologist. The information in this article comes from my personal experiences throughout fifteen years of amateur bodybuilding and my transformation to a triathlete.