Hi all,
Being an absolute beginner, im slowly getting to understand the importance of having strong muscles to help with all facets of the sport.
Im just starting to get a weight program going and am wondering if anyone has any advice on what i need to concentrate on.
I know i need to have strong core muscles, but what other exercises should i be doing.

Keep it specific, lunges and squats (get someone to show you correct technique) but otherwise I would place more importance on sticking to some core stuff and getting those 3x of each discipline in each week. There is enough swimming, riding and running to do before even thinking about adding yet another training session into your week!

tks,
I was just worried that i dont have very much upper body strength and i thought maybe a bit of weights will help with endurance ability.

Hi PB

LBP is right about core strength and squats and lunges particularly - I do weighted lunges for leg strength and it has improved my riding no end from when I first started.

If you are weak in the upper body and are looking at long races like IM or even HIM (I don't know that you are) some arm, tricep and chest work may help you hold yourself on areobars longer with more comfort, but that's about the extent of it.

If you are sticking to the short races, then any other upper body work you do is just for the look of it - also important

Muz

Lol muz,
Im only looking at short distance at the moment, but they are long for me.
God HIM, Maybe in a couple of years. I would drown before i got near the shore at the moment.

I'm a big fan of weight training and another vote for working on core work but I'd suggest using as many muscles simultaneously as possible eg one legged/ fit ball biceps and triceps; one legged/ fitball rows; plank and roman chair with weights; fit ball push ups/ dips, calf raises. This way you aren't isolating one muscle but using your core for every move thereby creating a really good and efficient work out.

I have a program written for me by my PT specific to running. I had been using the free gym programs but while they were still writtern for me they weren't specific enough to running so I am happy to have paid the extra.

Good luck and have fun.

I've been a bit lazy and haven't done my weight workouts for a couple of months. I also have a focus on triathlon and will be doing the GCHIM in October. After the GDHM next weekend I'll get back into them. Anything I post here is just what I do for myself. I haven't gone through any specific weight training with my trainer.

Firstly, I am really feeling the upper body workout from my swimming sessions. I only do 1 or maybe 2 sessions a week, from one to two hour long and getting in an average of 2k/hr. But they are squad sessions where we are doing everything from kicking, paddle and buoy work, sprints, endurance swims. Everything. They are great and I feel very pumped afterwards.

I was doing two different weight sessions a week. Started with 5min on the exercise bike and finished with 20 to 30mins on the exercise bike afterwards.

The first is a bit more traditional, mostly all dumbbell work and using a balance ball etc for things like bench press/flies, crunches etc. But I use a lightish weight and it's all 15reps per set and done in a circuit with no rest between each set. I then have a rest at the end of the circuit and do the circuit 2 or maybe 3 times. I also have planks, side planks etc included in this circuit.

The other I do is a multi movement workout with a dumbell that I saw in a mens health mag. It's 4 different movements each involving most muscle groups which I also do as a circuit then rest at the end of each. 15 reps each again.

I'm not trying to bulk up as such so I kind of figure the lower weight/high rep stuff without rest will still work on my strength, still help with muscle mass but work on my heart rate and my endurance.

At least, that's what I think. I've never asked anyone about it to see if I'm right or wrong!!