Ironman: Make Strength a Priority

Here at LB Physiotherapy on Chorley New Road, Bolton, we’ve seen many athletes over the years who are training for IRONMAN. From Professionals competing at the highest level to 1st timers we’ve seen it all. With the race on the horizon, we wanted to share with you some of our top tips to help you be at your best on the day and ensure you stay injury free in the final phase of your training.

Make Strength a Priority!

Strength plays a key role in endurance training. Gym work helps maintain muscular balance and function as well as postural control. It also helps increase muscle recruitment (putting your strength to work) and reduce overuse injuries.

As an amateur triathlete who is more time-starved than a professional athlete, it might be tempting to put strength training on the back burner. However, a strength and conditioning regime should not be viewed as "optional filler" that you include when time permits. It’s as integral to the plan as any swim, bike, or run session.

Success over the IRONMAN distance requires muscular endurance, or the ability of your muscles to sustain repeated contractions for an extended period of time. IRONMAN is about beating and managing your fatigue. Part of the goal is to stay as strong as possible for as long as possible which is what a good strength program supports.

Function over Force: What does strength training include?

Time in the gym for triathletes is not just about building strength, but should also incorporate movements to promote improved mobility, stability, and flexibility, often described as functional movement or functional strength.

Functional strength exercises in your program are vital exercises that promote you to swim, bike and run as efficiently as possible without injury. Functional work includes exercises that activate your muscles before the heavy lifting. Find an exercise that gets your muscle to fire, since a strong muscle doesn’t do very much if it it’s not turned on.

Functional movement exercises are designed to help promote your muscle strength in similar ways to those used to swim bike and run. For example:

·      A routine of “core” and injury prevention exercises executed on a BOSU ball. Will challenge your balance, activating most of your muscles on both sides while honing in on certain and specific exercises like goblet squats.

·      Deadlifts and kettlebell swings (explosive movements) help to increase your power on the bike.

·      Lat pull downs and shoulder press exercises will improve your ability to pull the water during the swim stroke.

But I don’t have time to fit this in?

Squeezing strength training into an already busy schedule may feel daunting to you but it may be less of a time commitment that you think. We recommend you aim for either:

1.     30 mins one to two of times a week (three to four exercises maximum)

2.     10 minutes each day (one to two exercises)

But how does this help me with the swim, bike, and run? 

As triathletes, you’re not building muscle mass for its own sake but rather to enhance your performance across the three disciplines.

Low muscle mass in your lat’s can limit your performance in the swim. No matter how many lengths you do in the pool without strong muscles you won’t have enough power to pull your body through the water with enough force. It has been seen in many triathletes that increased strength translated into more speed in the water.

If you are in your first few years of triathlon or have limited time to get out on the bike time in the gym is essential. IT will help you develop the bike strength you need to compete at the best level. Using weights to gain power and strength in your glutes, quads, and hamstrings is essential for the bike.

If you’re not as familiar with strength training, working with a Coach/Physio/PT, teaming up with a friend, or even joining a circuit class are all great ways to work towards a strength goal.

We hope our top tips help you to complete IRONMAN UK and we wish you all the best on Sunday 14th July. It is a fantastic experience with an awesome atmosphere so we know you’ll enjoy it! 

Good luck,

LB Physiotherapy

LB Physiotherapy is located at 13 Chorley New Road, Bolton and was founded by friends, David and Stephen. We are a Greater Manchester physio clinic that specialises in injury prevention for athletes, sports injuries and of course any aches and pains related to triathlon. Obviously, we hope that your race will be injury free but should you need any physio advice or treatment, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01204 800727.

References:
http://eu.ironman.com/triathlon/news/articles/

http://www.220triathlon.com/training/8-strength-building-gym-exercises-for-triathletes/12273.html

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/strength-training-exercises-for-triathletes/