TRX and Core Strength Training - A Great Way to Get Ready for Tri Season

As many of us get ready for triathlon season, or in my case, ready for the biggest race of my life...giving birth...strength training is very important.  It falls off the to-do list when the priorities shift to longer swim/bike/run sessions and 15-20 hour training weeks start becoming difficult to maintain your work/social balance and the ability of adding 1 hour of strength training or 1 hour of a vinyasa class becomes severely low on the totem pole.  So, now is the time - Jan, Feb, March when you are building your bases or just before building your base.  I started doing TRX last year in the winter.  I was in between trying cross-fit and TRX and well, TRX was offered at the gym and I heard nothing but awesome things from one of my favorite fast tri friends, Hailey , who was raving about using it.  I used to be a gym-rat before all this triathlon business took over my life, where I had actual muscles and looked cut and really had a six pack and it wasn't just because I was under 30.  So in the strive to get a remotely cut look back I added TRX and plyometric training and really felt that this helped with my PR season of 2012 and a somewhat improved body from what is was looking like over the past few years when I started tris.

In the wake of finding out I was prego I did some research.  I found out there was a legit study that showed that strength training 3x per week equated in faster weight loss after the baby was born, which is actually a "no-duh" moment but sometimes you need to read about it again.  I also realized that the ab/core work you are allowed to do made TRX training a viable option.  I talked to trainer Eric  and he said as we go we may need to modify but we should be good.

If you don't know what TRX is - it is a new form of torture suspension training  that was built on the philosophy that your muscles are all interconnected and nothing is entirely isolated.  With TRX you move on multiple planes and in my opinion helps tremendously in all three of the triathlon disciplines.

Here is a short video of what encompasses my 45 minute sessions of TRX from the #DayInTheLife You Tube series from my trainer Eric (NOTE - ERIC AND SAQUIB MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK SIMPLE - IT'S NOT) 



 If you have the opportunity check it out, I promise it will help with your next swim session, hill workout etc.

Lastly Eric has another recent total body workout he posted on You Tube so check it out!! It will hurt but so worth it!

The Forgotten Sport of Triathlon Training

I am OBSESSED with plans - nutrition plans, triathlon plans, etc. I love lists. So I was having a really hard time not seeing any strength training plans incorporated into these tri plans. Well, at least nothing noteworthy.

I notice as I read all these triathlon blogs that very few write on their strength training. I also know that this is a frequently visited topic among my friends that participate in triathlons.

"Should I do 1, 2 or 3 days a week?"
"How should I train with weights?"
"Where can I fit it in among the swimming, running and biking and having a life?"
"Aren't I developing the muscles when I do my harder speed training or paddle workout with swimming?"
"How important is it?"
"The only day I can fit it in, is a day I have my toughest workout?"

We all know it is important but it boils down to two challenges:
1. Time management
2. Fatigued body

What is the solution? I am not sure, I wish I was well-versed in this subject more, just an avid reader of Muscle and Fitness since 1995, participant in endurance activities and involved in sports teams of field hockey, cheerleading and track (yes cheerleading is a sport...). Through all of that, I notice that my body has changed since I packed up my Muscle and Fitness mags and changed over to Triathlete mags. Could be because of my eating habits, gravity taking effect after 30, etc, etc? I started going to a nutritionist which has helped shed some body fat. But, it really comes down to muscle tone and definition, but more importantly, the loss of strength due to high amounts of aerobic activity.

So, all the triathlon books I have pored through says - yes, 2 days a week for a while and then you stop as you get closer to racing...I think conditioning workouts are so important. In fact another blogger Tawnee has some great insight into this. I think she is writing an article in Triathlete mag.

However, I downloaded a few favorites here and below for those - non-tri girls that want a new weight workout plan, I scanned the pics of the latest Muscle and Fitness Hers mag with the 8 week plan which I think is great after I read through.

Workout #1
I have a great workout from Muscle & Fitness hers published on Mar/Apr 2008. It was a workout developed by an IFBB fitness pro Amy Villa-Nelson. I am going to start incorporating this once a week. Should take about 35-45 minutes.



Workout #2 - I decided to go with a total body workout for the second workout of the week since I know it will be difficult to fit in during work, life, training, nutrition, etc...

Legs
Squats 3 sets of 12 or Clean and Press 3 sets of 12
Lunges 3 sets of 12
Leg Extension 3 sets of 12
Deadlift 3 sets of 12 or Leg Curls 3 sets of 12

Overhead Shoulder Press 3 sets of 12
Reverse Flys 2 sets of 12 (great for swimming)

Lat Pull down 3 sets of 12 or One Arm Row 3 sets of 12
Push-ups 3 sets of 15 (one-legged)
Incline Chest Press 3 sets of 12

Bicep Curls 3 sets of 12 or 2 sets of 21s (7 all the way down and 1/2 way up, 7 1/2 way up and all the way up and 7 full bicep curls) - My FAVORITE**
Triceps - Lying Tricep Extension or Dips use a second bench to prop your feet up for advanced (maybe even adding a 5 lb weight on your body??) 3 sets of 15

ABS!!!
Hanging leg Raise - 3 sets to failure
Exercise ball roll - use the exercise ball to prop up feet, balance in a plank position and curl lower body in as a curl - 3 sets of 15
Decline Bench medicine ball side crunch 3 sets of 15
Hip Thrust 3 sets of 15


And NOW for all you "non-Triathletes" and looking for a great summer weight plan...




Happy Weight Training!!!
PS - I will be trying out some P90X soon...