mark jarvis

Strength AND

conditioning
FOR
triathlon
The 4th Discipline
contents
Part 1 Training concepts

001 What is strength and conditioning?..................................2

002 Strength and conditioning for endurance sports...........14

Part 2 triathlon strength and conditioning

003 Injury prevention..............................................................22

004 The swim...........................................................................42
005 The bike.............................................................................54
006 The run..............................................................................66

Part 3 planning and programming

007 Periodisation.....................................................................84
008 Putting it all together.......................................................92

Part 4 exercise reference

009 Conditioning exercises...................................................112

010 Strength and power exercises.......................................154
011 Specific strength exercises............................................174

Index.........................................................................................182
part 1
training
concepts
dfdfdf

001
what is strength
and conditioning?
 CHAPTER 001 what is strength and conditioning?
1.1 Introduction
Ask any coach worth their salt if they use strength
and conditioning (S&C) and chances are they will
hurriedly agree and extol its importance. However
getting them to define exactly what this means
tends to draw a vague or at best narrow answer.
This is not entirely surprising though. The term
‘strength and conditioning’ has only really
emerged in the UK in the past decade. Even the
words themselves can cause some confusion.
What do we mean by strength? What exactly is
conditioning? Clearly it is worth exploring the
terminology properly before we go any further.

Possibly the best sound bite definition for S&C is: Figure 1.1a Athlete A – 100kg
‘The physical preparation of athletes towards
enhancing sports performance and reducing
injury.’ Essentially this means that S&C can
encompass all forms of physical training outside of
technical and tactical work. Consequently almost
all triathlon training could technically be classified
as S&C! In reality though the swim, bike and run
components of training are classified as ‘normal
training’, while S&C refers to any derivates of the
three disciplines as well as any other physical
work. Perhaps the French say it best with their
term ‘Preparateur physique’!

1.2 What is strength?

Perhaps the most confusing element of S&C is the
‘S’. The word ‘strength’ conjures images of muscle-
bound men lifting huge barbells in macho gyms.
Clearly this is not the image of the podium
triathlete. A more useful way of looking at strength
Figure 1.1b Athlete B – 120kg
is the production or control of force. As a result
strength can come in many forms.
greatest amount of total force an individual can
Absolute strength generate. For example, if athlete A can lift a barbell
This describes most people’s immediate thoughts weighing 100kg and athlete B can lift 120kg, athlete
regarding strength. Simply put, this refers to the B has greater absolute strength. In reality this has

3
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

little direct relevance to triathlon performance. The slowly becomes rougher and rougher as fatigue
most obvious use of this quality comes during sets in. Imagine the cyclist who sprints to take a
cycling when the ability to apply large forces rival, but the bike rocks from side to side as they
through the crank will be a key determinant of struggle to control the power their legs are
cycling speed. This becomes especially important generating. Or perhaps you can relate to the poor
during sprints and flat sections of the race. Absolute runner who slumps forward as if battling a
strength also has a role to play as a building block hurricane while shuffling their feet more like an ice
to other strength qualities. Even if we are not using skater than an athlete. All of these lack postural
this quality directly, having a ‘strength reserve’ strength and are destined never to fulfil their true
means that we are working at a lower percentage of athletic potential. When we lack postural strength
our maximum and so performance is less physically we lose mechanical efficiency. Think how different
stressful and more controlled. most people’s running technique looks from
textbook images. Now imagine training and
Relative strength competing on a bike that was as inefficient.
Our own body weight must be taken into Triathletes ignore efficiency at their peril!
consideration in relative strength. This is clearly
crucial in triathlon as the essence of the sport is to So, if it is so important, why do so many ignore
transport one’s own body around a course! Let’s postural strength? The answer may lie in the fact
take the previous example of athletes A and B. If that making improvements is not always a
we now consider that athlete A weighs 70kg and simplistic process. Postural strength is a
athlete B weighs 90kg, and we divide their lifts by combination of muscle strength and motor
their body weight we can see that athlete A is able coordination. For example, it is too simplistic to
to lift 1.4 times body weight whereas athlete B is think that doing some abdominal exercises on the
only lifting 1.3 times. Therefore athlete A actually floor will automatically lead to better trunk control
has the superior relative strength despite lifting a in the pool. Similarly a triathlete will always
lighter bar. Of course it is possible to improve both struggle to perform drills properly and to make
our absolute and relative strength at the same technical progress if their muscles are simply too
time if we get stronger and remain at the same weak to make the movements that they are being
weight (more on this below). Interestingly we can asked to produce. The key to success is in
also improve our relative strength by losing weight combining these two factors and evaluating where
(i.e. fat) without actually getting stronger. the weak link lies.

Relative strength is particularly important for the run Explosive strength

and during hill climbs. The athlete with a low body At the opposite end of the spectrum is explosive
weight but the ability to produce strong running and strength, or power, which is the sexy part of
powerful hill climbs will be hard to beat. strength training. Particularly in the shorter
distances, power makes all the difference. Who
Postural strength has the kick at the end of the race, who can break
This may be the element of strength most removed away in a sprint or a hill climb? Interestingly power
from the tradition view but it is critical to the data from Tour de France cyclists show that for
triathlete. Picture the swimmer whose technique many periods of the race the riders work at power

4
 CHAPTER 001 what is strength and conditioning?
Table 1.1 Strength factors in swim, bike and run

Swim Bike Run

Absolute strength * ** *

Relative strength ** *** **

Postural strength *** * ***

Explosive strength * *** **

Reactive strength * * ***

outputs that most of us are capable of sustaining. important, it is also necessary to put the body in
However it is during the brief but critical bursts the right positions to utilise this. Again this is
that these riders show their true class with discussed in much greater detail later on.
impressive displays of pure explosive power.
If we look to the track we see similar trends. Table 1.1 gives a guide as to how each of these
Most 5,000-metre and 10,000-metre races at the strength qualities relates to the three triathlon
world-class level involve relatively steady laps for disciplines.
most of the race. Despite maintaining a hugely
impressive tempo, the bell signals an incredible Already it is clear that there is more to strength
sprint to the finish with top male runners often than many people imagine … and we have still only
having to put in final laps in the region of 52 dealt with half of the S&C.
seconds in order to claim gold.

Reactive strength 1.3 What is conditioning?

Also known as elastic strength, reactive strength is The answer to this question depends very much on
critical to the way we run. This is explained in detail which sport conditioning is being applied to. In team
in chapter 6. However in simple terms efficient sports, for example, this may be used to describe the
runners are able to use the elastic properties of metabolic training – or ‘fitness’ in everyday terms.
tendons and muscles to store and reuse so-called However in triathlon terms it is more likely to mean
elastic energy. This can account for around half of getting muscles up to the task of coping with the
the energy production during running. So when you demands made of training. In this sense it could be
see high-class distance runners effortlessly gliding regarded as primarily being injury prevention work
along the ground it is no illusion! or perhaps even another type of strength.

Training for improvements in reactive strength So why do we need to do this on top of normal
involves a combination of physical and technical training? Often we may identify a mechanical issue
changes. While some changes in the body are within the body which either causes trouble now or

5
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

is likely to in the future. This may be a result of a rather haphazard conditioning exercises, which
prior injury or commonly an adaptation in our body they have collected along the way from friends,
to the unnatural amounts of time most of us spend magazines or sneakily observed someone else in
sitting down. The problem here is that each time the gym doing. This scattergun type of approach is
we swim, ride or run the poor mechanics are most likely to be at best inefficient and at worst
rehearsed further and become ever more strongly ineffective. One of the key aims of this book is to
ingrained. Therefore it is necessary to intervene enable the reader to understand their own
with conditioning exercises, which give the athlete conditioning needs (yourself or a client) and to
the opportunity to rehearse and learn the correct address them as efficiently and effectively as
movement. Additionally exercises may be included possible. This is dealt with in depth in chapter 3.
to strengthen, stretch or mobilise areas that are
causing the problem.
1.4 Practical S&C
A classic example of this occurs in the shoulder of Having explored exactly what we mean by the term
the swimmer. The shoulder, and all of the body, S&C it is worth discussing exactly what strength
has some muscles that are intended for controlling and conditioning looks like in real life.
movement (stabilisers) and others that are made
for producing movement (prime movers). What are the tools of S&C?
Commonly the stabilisers become weak and under Given that we are thinking of S&C as ‘physical
active while the prime movers start to take over as preparation’ it should come as no surprise that
stabilisers (more on this in chapter 3). This could there is no limitation as to what can be included in
reasonably be described as square pegs in round an S&C session. S&C coaches can be considered the
holes. As a result the shoulder becomes less magpies of sports science in that they take their
stable and movements around the joint become tools from myriad sources. These will include track
less smooth than they should be. It can be and field, Olympic lifting, power lifting,
surprising how small deviations in movement physiotherapy and even yoga. Over the past decade
control can be catastrophic. However when you the profession has evolved to the extent that S&C
consider that even a relatively short swim session coaches have also developed their own tools, which
may involve performing the same action well in are distinct from any of these other original
excess of 1,000 times it is easy to see that
microscopic levels of wear and tear can add up.

Powerlifting
As you can imagine, the process of identifying and
addressing these issues can be quite complex. To
be fully effective a conditioning programme Physiotherapy Track & field
requires the same level of insight into the
mechanics of the body (biomechanics) that is
Olympic
possessed by a bike mechanic. In recent years a S&C Yoga
lifting
process known as a ‘functional movement screen’
has been employed to assess mechanics and
movement. Triathletes have also tended to use Figure 1.2 S&C influences

6
 CHAPTER 001 what is strength and conditioning?
influences. The only limit comes from the
imagination of the coach. Subsequently having
access to an exclusive gym, or any gym at all for
that matter, is no barrier. In fact the lack of a gym Training

Fitness
may even promote more creative and individualised shock
sessions rather than simply defaulting to standard
exercises, which the gym may lend itself to.

What might a typical session

Time
involve?
When it comes to triathlon S&C there really are no Figure 1.3 Principle of supercompensation
rules regarding exactly how a session may look.
Triathlon is three sports rolled into one, which
makes for a wide variety of physiques, strengths prepared for future challenges. This is the essence
and weaknesses, and physical attributes of those of all training. If there is not enough overload then
who take part. Combine these with differing ages, the body simply won’t adapt. Essentially this is
genders and levels of training experience and because the training has been too easy. If the
clearly a one-size-fits-all approach is never going overload is too great the body will either fail to
to be effective. Therefore there are no ‘rules’ recover or will potentially get injured. For example,
regarding where a session should occur, how long if a novice athlete tried to copy the training session
it should take or what should go into it. If that of an experienced trainer the level of overload is
sounds as if there is no system involved rest likely to be too great and the athlete will suffer as
assured that there are still key principles that must a result. This process of a dip in fitness followed by
be adhered to if good and consistent progress is to recovery is illustrated in figure 1.3.
be made. Namely, these are overload, progression,
variety/variation and specificity. If we really have a good understanding of our
training and what we are trying to achieve we
can be very precise in selecting which element of
1.5 Principles of training performance we overload. For example, if we wish to
The principles of training are as simple as they are overload our speed and reactive strength we may
fundamental. However it is amazing how often use some sprints in training. Alternatively we may
these are ignored in training programmes, wish to overload our skill and technical development
particularly by triathletes. in the pool and use drills to achieve this.

Overload Progression
For this the exercises must stress the athlete to a Progression is arguably the most commonly ignored
greater degree than they usually experience. principle by triathletes. I have met countless
When the body is subjected to an appropriate level triathletes who will tell me they do some strength
of overload there will be an initial suppression and conditioning. They will then go on to describe a
followed by a supercompensation. This means that routine that they have put together, which sounds
the body will repair itself in order to be better reasonably appropriate. It is only when they then go

7
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

on to say that they have been performing exactly required. For example, flexibility is a quality that we
the same routine for the past three seasons that the require only adequate levels of, as opposed to more
flaw in their plan is exposed! While their routine always being better. In this situation we work to
may have initially produced some gains they will attain the required standard and then shift our
very quickly have plateaued and ceased to make attention to other areas. The joy of multi-discipline
any further progress. By failing to make any sports is that there is always something else to
progression the overload is reduced or removed as work on. Other qualities such as speed will always
the body becomes too comfortable with the session. have a place in the programme. I am yet to discover
This seems to go against all common sense. It the athlete who wouldn’t want any more speed.
seems unthinkable that any triathlete would
consider performing exactly the same swim, bike Variety or variation
and running sessions week after week and still This also often suffers from a lack of
expect to make progress. Yet for some reason this understanding of how to take a programme
sensible logic seems to escape many athletes when forward, and will potentially result in staleness
it comes to their S&C. In reality this is most likely to and stagnation. Consider the following example:
come from a lack of awareness of how much better
they could be and frequently the athlete simply Chris decided that he wanted to improve his upper
doesn’t know how to progress the session. This body strength and so started to include some
book will guide you in how to take all aspects of press-ups in his training. Having not done any
S&C from introductory level to elite. It is worth upper body training other than swimming this
noting that progression in some areas is not always gave him the overload he needed. When he started

8
 CHAPTER 001 what is strength and conditioning?
he found 4 sets of 10 press-ups pretty tough. Perhaps a more useful phrase could be ‘sports
After a few sessions this became easier and so he relevant’. This simply reflects the fact that qualities
gradually added a few more repetitions until he that are related to the event are trained. This may
was able to perform 4 sets of 20 press-ups. Chris mean that an exercise is relevant as it closely
was really pleased with this progress and so mimics (or overloads) the forces involved in the
continued to try to increase the number of press- event and has some degree of mechanical
ups he did in each set. Frustratingly though he relevance. A good example can be seen in the back
couldn’t seem to get beyond 20. This was squat exercise when used to improve cycling
inevitable as sooner or later we reach a limit in a power. Even though the movement obviously
given exercise. The answer to Chris’s problem lies differs from the action of cycling it still uses the
in variation. By changing the nature of the exercise hips, knees and ankles in a synchronised way. The
he will give his body a new stimulus. Obviously exercise is useful as it forces you to push harder
this must have some relevance to the previous than you would even up a steep hill (therefore you
exercise in order to build on previous gains. have overload as well as specificity). However if
Suitable examples might be slightly different types you were simply to do leg curls you are unlikely to
of press-up (such as with a weight on his back) or gain any benefit as the movement is too far
a similar dumb-bell exercise. By using this variety removed from the action of cycling.
Chris will have a good chance of getting over his
plateau and may find that if he returns to his
press-ups in a few weeks he may be able to move 1.6 Science of S&C
beyond his 20-repetition sticking point. Since the 1960s when Eastern Bloc researchers
started taking a serious interest in strength training
Specificity and performance enhancement much has been
Finally we come to specificity. This is possibly the studied and written on the subject. Rather than
concept that causes the most confusion among repeat what has gone before the focus of this section
coaches. The phrase ‘sports specific’ has often been is to give interested athletes an insight into why
misinterpreted as meaning that the event itself is training programmes look like they do and to assist
mimicked with weights. For example, attempting to coaches in deepening their understanding of S&C.
perform a replication of the swimming stroke with
small weights in each hand. This is not only a very Movement versus muscles
ineffective practice but may also actually lead to a One of the things that most notably separates an
decrease in performance. While the movements S&C programme from the type of session most
may look similar to the eye, what happens in the people perform in the gym is the type of exercises
body is very different. The motor pattern (message used. This has changed slightly in recent years as
from the brain to the muscles) will be very different S&C has become more fashionable. However there
as the speed and control involved in the movement is still a predominance of resistance machines and
will be hugely different due to the weight. The fact single-joint exercises in health club gyms. It is often
that the action is similar to that of the sport may said that S&C involves the training of movements,
actually lead to a phenomenon known as ‘negative not muscles. This makes perfect sense as it reflects
transfer’. This means that the finely tuned skill the way in which the body works. Although certain
becomes ‘polluted’. muscle groups may dominate a movement it is

9
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

impossible to isolate a single muscle voluntarily.

When we move, our brains brilliantly coordinate a
synchronised response among numerous muscles,
which all play a different role throughout the
movement. Sometimes they are required to contract
to produce force, within milliseconds their role may
then switch to relaxation to allow another muscle to
produce a smooth movement. Therefore to train
effectively we need to train ‘the whole orchestra’
together so as not to upset the balance. It is highly
misguided to assume that working on one muscle in
an isolated way will then result in a positive change
to a different and complex movement pattern.

Consider the following example: during the swim

stroke (front crawl) our pecs (the chest) are used
to pull the arm from extended out in front of us,
down towards the hip. If we take this information
away with us down to the local gym and jump on to
the pec dec machine we are doomed to failure (as
well as potentially increasing our risk of shoulder
injury and worsening our technique). What we
have missed is that although the pecs are
important they are assisted by the lats, the
serratus anterior and the abdominals to name but
a few. By not involving these key players we will exception to this rule, although it is still featured
never achieve the result we want – even if we do in actions such as the dive into the water and the
look better in trunks now! A more effective strategy push-off-the-wall during the turn. It is because of
would be to use an exercise such as the pull-up. the significance of this that exercises such as
This will involve all of the aforementioned muscles squats and lunges are so popular for strength
in a way that is relevant, although not identical, to gains and that jumping activities are used to
the action we are trying to improve. develop speed and power in the triple extension.

The movement that is most frequently talked What happens when we train?
about in S&C is known as the triple extension. One of the biggest barriers to starting an S&C
This describes a simultaneous extension of the programme for many triathletes is a lack of
hips, knees and ankles. There are very few understanding regarding what will happen to their
sporting actions that do not involve a triple bodies. Therefore it is important to examine this
extension in some form. Think of how all three to remove fears, as well as enable more precise
joints work together during the pedal stroke or coaching and programming to get the best
during the running cycle. Swimming may be a rare possible gains.

10
 CHAPTER 001 what is strength and conditioning?
By far the most common objection to a strength But what exactly changes? There are four main
training programme is ‘I don’t want to do weights aspects that we are able to affect with training:
because I don’t want to get big.’ Sadly this comes
from the association many people still have with • The signals to our muscles to move come in
weight training and bodybuilding. Fortunately the very rapid pulses rather than a constant
view is highly misguided and, provided they work stimulus. When we train these pulses occur
to an appropriate programme, there should be no much more rapidly and so muscles are told to
fears around gaining unwanted bulky muscles. move many more times per second than
previously (this is known as rate coding). This
This news may leave some people scratching their results in more force or speed being produced.
heads. If my muscles don’t get bigger, how can they
get stronger? The answer, at least in part, lies in • Each nerve that enters a muscle will control a
what is known as neural adaptations. In simple certain number of muscle fibres – this is called
terms this refers to the ability of our nervous system a motor unit. If the nerve ‘fires’ then all of its
to make the muscles do what we want. The average muscle fibres will contract. Surprisingly the
untrained individual is actually pretty poor at this. average person is able to activate only 30–40
That may be the reason that most of the initial per cent of their motor units even when highly
strength gains from a strength-training programme motivated. With training this number can
are thought to come from these neural adaptations. increase dramatically.

11
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

• As we become more used to exerting ourselves given space. Therefore it is possible to have
our nervous system is also better able to muscle growth without growing big muscles!
synchronise the signals to the muscles.
Imagine a tug-of-war team. With no training all Types of muscle contraction
the members pull at different times and so they Muscles work to produce movement by contracting
are not particularly effective. With training all (shortening) and moving the bones they are
of the signals occur closely together and so the attached to via tendons. Three types of contraction
resulting force created is a sum of these pulls. are generally discussed:

• Finally our coordination between muscles • Concentric contraction occurs when the athlete
becomes much better. This means that the tenses a muscle and it results in shortening.
pattern of when to contract and when to relax
is much better. This makes for much more • Eccentric contraction involves tensing the
efficient movement. muscle but it still lengthens. An example of this
would be when lowering a weight while still
These neural adaptations are highly significant. controlling it.
However it would be dishonest to suggest that
there are no adaptations in the muscle, including • Isometric contraction involves the muscle
tissue growth. This concept may scare many doing work but no movement occurring. A good
endurance athletes, but this need not be the case. example of this occurs at the trunk while
There are two types of muscle growth swimming, when the muscles work to prevent
(hypertrophy) that can happen following strength unwanted movement occurring and help to
training: sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar. maintain technique.
Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy results in more fluid
within the muscle, giving it the ‘pumped’ look (see All of this may seem academic and somewhat
figure 1.4). Not surprisingly this occurs following irrelevant. However when we come to putting
bodybuilding-type programmes. Myofibrillar together training plans it is important to
hypertrophy means that more myofibrils (the bits understand the types of contraction used in a
that contract and do the work) are packed into a particular movement so that we can train them
with much greater specificity.

In a similar vein muscles are also considered to

have primary functions for which they are best
suited. On a simple level we can describe muscles
as deep or superficial. Generally deep muscles
provide postural control. These are mechanically
suitable for providing stability to joints and can
hold isometric contractions for a long period. On
the other hand superficial muscles are ideal for
Sarcoplasmic Myofibrillar
producing movement. Many injuries and
Figure 1.4 Types of hypertrophy movement problems occur as a result of muscles

12
 CHAPTER 001 what is strength and conditioning?
Psychological &
environmental
acting in a manner that does not suit their
purpose. A classic example of this is around the Recovery pool, compression
shoulder. If the muscles of the rotator cuff are garments, ice baths, massage,
weak then the superficial muscles take over and contrast bathing

problems such as poor control and excessive

Periodisation, reactive programming,
tightness frequently occur. monitoring, cool-down, stretching

Recovery Rest (active & passive), sleep, nutrition (refuelling)

As we have already seen from figure 1.3, the and rehydration
essence of training is that we break ourselves down
through training and then recover to a greater level Figure 1.6 The recovery pyramid (Jarvis and Grantham)
than before. Therefore the recovery from training, www.dedicatedtofitness.com.au/images/Recovery.pdf
rather than training itself, is what makes us fitter,
stronger, faster, etc. Consequently it comes as no the competitive season when our aim is to recover
surprise that in recent years recovery has become a from the exertions of competition and stay fresh.
hot topic. It is now not only fashionable but
commonplace to see athletes in ice baths, wearing The recovery methods chosen by athletes are also
skin tight compression garments and guzzling all a contentious issue. If you were to ask the average
manner of recovery drinks. The purpose of all these triathlete what they do for recovery you will
interventions is to accelerate recovery. typically be greeted with a response featuring
Theoretically this will then allow the athlete to train ‘extreme interventions’ such as ice baths and
more frequently (see figure 1.5). compression garments. However, while these tools
may have their place, perhaps they should be
However more recently an opposing theory has regarded as the icing rather than the cake. A more
emerged, which suggests that if we use recovery balanced approach to recovery is described by the
methods to reduce the impact of the training shock recovery pyramid (see figure 1.6)
we may in turn blunt the training response. Clearly
this is not what we want to see. Therefore it may be This concept suggests that getting ‘the basics’
best to save some of these recovery interventions for right first should be the priority rather than some
of the sexier interventions. It is commonplace,
even for elite athletes, to finish training and jump
Protocol 1 straight into an ice bath, dry down and slip into
Protocol 2
compression tights before booking in for an
Training afternoon massage. However if the same athlete
Fitness

shock ignores the benefits of refuelling and rehydrating

as soon as possible and getting off their feet for
some rest, then all of their other efforts will be in
vain. It may not seem very exciting, but when your
Mum told you to get a hot meal and a good night’s
Time
sleep she may have just given you the ultimate
Figure 1.5 Theoretical accelerated recovery curve recovery protocol!

13
002
strength and conditioning
for endurance sports
 CHAPTER 002 strength and conditioning for endurance sports
2.1 Introduction and so can be performed with no compromise or
As a strength and conditioning coach I can vouch for adverse effects.
the fact that convincing coaches and athletes from
endurance sports that they will benefit from strength However when we are working on developing a
training can be a tough task. This may not be entirely more traditional view of strength we must be aware
surprising as much of the scientific evidence to of what is happening when we perform a strength
support this has emerged only in recent years. session and when we perform an endurance
Endurance sport is immersed in a tradition of session. When taking part in swim, bike and
exclusively working on the metabolic side of fitness running sessions glycogen (the form carbohydrate
rather than strength qualities and movement takes in the body) is commonly used as an energy
efficiency. Therefore the S&C coach is faced with the source. Therefore when we finish a session
daunting task of trying to change an entire culture. glycogen is generally low. This, along with other
energy markers in the body such as levels of AMP,
It could be argued that the term ‘endurance sport’ act as the catalyst for our body to start making the
itself is rather misleading. Clearly endurance is physical changes that will result in us getting fitter.
required, but the winner is still the one who Adenosine Monophosphate is a ‘normal’ energy
completes the course fastest! If it were truly an molecule known as ATP and has 3 ‘energy units’.
endurance sport then the aim would be to see who During exercise these are broken down until only
can keep going at a standard pace the longest. one remains, forming AMP. Clearly then we want
our bodies to stay in this state as long as possible
in order to maximise our training gains.
2.2 Strength versus endurance
– is there a conflict? On the other hand, the triggers our body needs to
Historically it has been believed that strength start adapting to strength training are almost
training and endurance training exist in opposition exactly the opposite to the endurance triggers.
and that the two cannot sit side by side without High levels of glycogen, large intakes of protein
compromising both. This is known as concurrent (particularly essential amino acids such as leucine)
training. There is actually some basis for this belief. and low levels of AMP will all promote the
However in recent years our understanding of the activation of a biochemical known as mTOR – a
mechanisms behind strength gains and endurance messenger in the body which signals for us to start
gains has increased, and by manipulating the timing synthesising protein for building/repairing muscle.
of training and nutrition we can control these factors When we achieve this state our bodies start to use
to our benefit. It should also be remembered that the protein we have consumed to build more
we have a broad definition of strength with regard densely packed, powerful muscles. This state can
to triathlon training and performance. Most of the last for up to 48 hours but will be ‘switched off’ if
concerns regarding concurrent training relate to we reverse it with endurance training.
maximal strength training. However this is a very
small or non-existent component of the training we If we use this information smartly we can plan our
are discussing. The physical adaptations that training sessions to get the maximum benefit from
produce gains in postural strength, reactive both forms of training. To do this we need to follow
strength, etc. are largely seen in the nervous system a few simple rules:

15
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

• Keep strength and endurance sessions as far • If all else fails, endurance–strength beats
apart as possible. Going straight from one strength–endurance. Unless you have the
session to another is never going to be a luxury of being a full-time triathlete sometimes
particularly effective strategy. Where possible life just doesn’t allow for perfect planning of
they should be placed either on different days training sessions and it becomes necessary to
or at least at opposite ends of the day. This will get the sessions in whenever possible. When
allow the body to stay in the ‘endurance we reach this point of having to pair two
adaptation’ and ‘strength adaptation’ state for sessions the golden rule is to train endurance
as long as possible before being switched off. first, followed by strength as this has been
shown to give the best balance of the two
• Use nutrition to put the body in the right state. sessions. On the other hand strength followed
As many of the triggers for strength or by endurance has a severely detrimental effect
endurance gains are nutritional this means that on the strength session.
we can control them pretty well by adapting
what and when we eat. The most powerful of
these plans involves the ability to switch the
2.3 The strength argument
body from its endurance adaptation
It is important to have a good understanding of
environment to a strength training environment.
exactly how strength training may complement
If we consume carbohydrate to replenish our
endurance performance. Speed and power are not
glycogen stores we have immediately removed
terms that are commonly used in association with
one of the biggest inhibitors of our body being
endurance sports. Generally we tend to focus on
able to turn protein into stronger muscle. The
how ‘fit’ we need to be. However numerous studies
next step involves consuming some protein,
have shown that aerobic fitness is actually a very
ideally a high-quality source that is rich in
poor predictor of performance. In an Ironman
essential amino acids (such as a good
triathlon the VO2 max of the competitors is
supplement). This gives the body a green light
to go ahead and start the processes that will generally fairly similar. However the times during
result in us getting stronger. each discipline vary enormously. Perhaps the most
famous example of this is the Boston marathon
• Finish on the session that matters most. performance of seven-times Tour de France winner
We must accept that unless we train very Lance Armstrong. Despite being one of the
infrequently there may be a small blunting of greatest cyclists of all time he registered a
the previous training session when we work respectable but unspectacular time of 2 hours
strength and endurance back-to-back even 50 minutes. Despite having all of the requisite
though this will be minimised by spacing them metabolic fitness for a much faster time, a lack of
far apart. The best approach is to finish on the reactive strength and subsequent running
session that is most important to you and not economy appear to have limited performance.
put key sessions close together. Given that you
will almost certainly do more endurance than Strength, speed and power
strength work this means putting one of the We can argue all day about whether strength,
less important endurance sessions before a speed and power training can improve endurance
key weights session. performance but ultimately we need to look at the

16
 CHAPTER 002 strength and conditioning for endurance sports
evidence if we really want to take training scores of sports science researchers have found
seriously. Over the past 10 years scientific studies similar findings showing improvements in time
have shown that sprint speeds are a good predictor trials in both running and cycling.
of 5km times, showing a clear link between pure
speed and endurance performance. Similarly we So if we accept that these types of training will
also know that improving our strength qualities will help our performance, the next question is surely,
enhance our speed. If this link seems too tenuous how do they work? The answer lies in the word
there is also a wealth of direct evidence. ‘economy’. Almost all of the studies we have
talked about have found that cyclists and runners
A classic study in 1999 by Danish researchers who have carried out strength programmes have
showed gains in endurance running following the improved their cycling and running economy. Very
introduction of an explosive-strength training simply this means that they are able to exercise at
programme. What was particularly surprising to the same speed at a much lower oxygen cost. This
many was that rather than simply adding this is a far better predictor of performance than the
training to an existing programme it actually old-fashioned VO2 max. When you think about it
replaced some of the previous endurance work. this makes perfect sense. Consider the example of
This means that they had proven that not only a triathlete who has a top running speed of 16kph.
can strength training aid an endurance training If he runs at 8kph he will be at 50 per cent. If he
programme but at times it may also be more follows a strengthening programme that improves
effective than the traditional work. Since then his top speed to 20kph all of a sudden 8kph is only

17
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

40 per cent of his top speed. Therefore he will triathlete may well recognise that swimming is a
need to use less of his fitness capacity even if he highly technical event, others still continue to work
doesn’t change his aerobic fitness at all. This is a harder than they need to and churn up and down
slightly crude example, but it demonstrates the the pool. The situation is often worse in the cycle.
importance of having a ‘speed reserve’, which Many fail to see the irony that having spent
enables the athlete to work more efficiently. thousands of pounds on precision-engineered
bikes their own mechanical efficiency is more like
You may have noticed that most of the scientific an old post bike than the machine they ride on.
studies discussed are focused on running and Finally we have the worst offender of all – the run.
cycling. This is not to say that the same benefits The word ‘run’ is commonly used to mean a
are not achievable in swimming. Instead it is consistent activity. However a short time at any
probably a reflection of the fact that measuring local park will clearly reveal that running
economy is much more complicated in swimming techniques are like snow flakes – no two are
and researchers tend to favour the easy answer! identical. Sadly the majority are not only unique
but also highly inefficient. Mechanics largely go
As well as improving our speed reserve, our ignored in favour of more minutes on the
economy can also be improved through improving stopwatch and kilometres on the road.
our mechanical efficiency. Sadly mechanics are
often neglected by endurance coaches, particularly We can break mechanical efficiency down further
when it comes to running. While the enlightened into external and internal efficiency. External

18
 CHAPTER 002 strength and conditioning for endurance sports
efficiency basically relates to our gross technique aerobic fitness (VO2 max). This is a crucial piece of
and can be assessed by simply watching us information as it proves that strength training
perform the disciplines. Typical examples include allows us to develop an untapped source of
our ability to hold a streamlined position through performance gain.
the water, having the strength to avoid rolling
shoulders on the bike and how well we use reactive
strength to make our running look effortless. 2.4 Courage to change
Internal efficiency is harder to observe but is no So, now that we have established that a strength
less important. We have already learned in chapter programme offers genuine performance gains we
1 than one of the initial adaptations to a strength must broach the really difficult question: ‘What
training programme is greater coordination of are you going to drop?’ This is often the biggest
muscle groups. In order to move effectively it is just barrier to a successful S&C programme for many
as important for our muscles to ‘know’ when to triathletes. If an athlete is already training to their
relax as it is for them to be able to contract. As we full capacity, adding additional sessions in the
become more skilful at this our movements become form of S&C would potentially put them into a
more and more effortless. Therefore those who state of excessive training stress. This is where the
think that endurance sports do not require any skill commitment to a strength training programme is
should think again. A big contributor to this skill is truly tested. Of course this may not always be the
our postural strength and the ability to use our case as it depends on the current level of training
postural muscles correctly and allow the superficial and the athlete’s capacity to recover. However for
muscles to get on with the job of moving us around those for whom something has to give the
the course as quickly as possible. evidence should provide some comfort.

Despite all of the evidence now available to us, the The majority of sports scientists have compared
cynical triathlete will still feel that on any given groups whereby one performs an endurance
day their time is better spent running, cycling or programme and the other does the same
swimming than working on their strength or endurance programme with one or more sessions
mechanics. What this athlete has failed to realise replaced by strength sessions. Despite reducing
is that their aerobic training is going to yield the endurance work, sometimes by up to 20 per
increasingly small gains due to the inevitable law cent, the strength groups inevitably make
of diminishing returns. Going from little or no improvements over the endurance-only group.
aerobic training to a moderate amount produces What is even more interesting is that training
big gains in fitness and performance. However programmes that have simply added on a strength
going from moderate to high or from high to very session on top of normal training generally yield
high volumes will produce smaller and smaller worse results than when a session is removed.
improvements. This is when the mechanisms by
which strength training improves performance (as It is clear that the days of a top-quality triathlon
discussed in chapter 1) become critical. All of the training regime simply involving the pool, the bike
sports science studies previously discussed have and the road are now over.
found that strength training programmes have
improved performance without any change in

19
part 2
triathlon
strength and
conditioning
003
injury prevention
 CHAPTER 003 injury prevention
3.1 Introduction (although perhaps overmisuse may be a better
Whether triathlon is a weekend hobby or an term). There are essentially two reasons for
Olympic ambition there can be no greater priority sustaining an overuse injury as a triathlete:
for an S&C programme than injury prevention. For dysfunction and poor tissue tolerance. A good S&C
the serious athlete this should not be seen as a regime will address both of these.
compromise to performance-enhancing work.
Making steady year-on-year progression is by far Dysfunction is a term that means that our body’s
the best route for any athlete to fulfil their mechanics are not optimised. When certain areas of
potential. Those who fail to do so are most the body become excessively tight or weak we
commonly the victims of injury setbacks, which become imbalanced and other areas are stressed as
mean missed or compromised training and crucial a result. Sometimes the degree of imbalance will be
years lost to stagnant growth. For the recreational minor and will either cause no issues at all or our
athlete who is less concerned with elite bodies will adapt accordingly and so there is no
performance and more interested in participation problem. None of us has perfectly balanced bodies,
the importance of injury prevention is equally high. which always move perfectly (even world-class
For these individuals it is generally the case that athletes), and so examples of these minor
injury and an inability to train are ultimately the imbalances can be found all over our bodies. When
reasons they reluctantly decide they can no longer we are able to cope with an imperfect movement it
take part in the sport they love. is known as self-optimisation. This is not always the
case though, and often an imbalance in the body
The focus of this chapter is very much on starts to put sufficient stress on an area that it will
prevention of injury (prehab) rather than ultimately break. For the sedentary individual this is
rehabilitation. Rehabilitation requires a precise often not a problem as their low level of activity
and individualised approach and a proper clinical means that the stresses are small and infrequent.
diagnosis. Athletes who have suffered an injury are However with endurance sports such as triathlon
urged to seek a good sports physiotherapist as the same actions can be repeated many thousands
early as possible. The quality of exercise therapy of times in a single training session. The more we
during late-stage rehab does vary dramatically train, the greater the accumulated stress and the
between physiotherapists. Therefore it is greater the risk of injury.
important to find someone who not only has a lot
of experience of dealing with similar athletes but Poor tissue tolerance can apply to muscles as well
also a track record of getting athletes back into full as tendons, ligaments and even bones. If these
fitness effectively. Word of mouth is probably the tissues are not used to exposure to stress (i.e.
best way of finding such a person. training) then they will not recover sufficiently
from training and so the athlete goes into the next
session with areas of damage. This cycle continues
3.2 Causes of injury and until ultimately an injury occurs. This type of
common problems situation is particularly common when someone
Clearly no S&C programme can prevent contact begins training for the first time or when training is
injuries such as bike crashes. Instead we are more increased at too fast a rate. Ultimately though we
concerned with so-called overuse injuries will all have a physical ceiling for training, and the

23
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

more we train the greater the risk of going beyond balanced (from a muscle point of view) and highly
this point. Of course the physical ceiling will be mobile. Next time you are with a toddler, watch
lowered considerably if we add movement them squat down to pick something up. Their
dysfunction, so both of these factors must be dealt range of movement would put even the most
with. Increasing tissue tolerance is often the flexible athlete to shame (see figure 3.1).
quickest route to dealing with a dysfunction.
Changing movement patterns can be a slow The problem is that as we grow older we also get
process and so improving our ability to cope with lazy. We stop using these fantastic ranges of
them is always a good insurance policy. movement, and as a result we lose them. The
exception to this can be seen in some south-east
Causes of dysfunction Asian countries, where it is normal to sit in a full
As we have seen movement dysfunction comes squat position; consequently even the average
about when muscles and connective tissue are too man on the street has fantastic mobility. However
tight, too weak or too long. But how did they get in the Western world we are far too fond of the
that way in the first place? The answer often lies in chair. Whether it be at a school desk, in a car, at
the convenience of modern life and the unnatural the office or on the sofa, we spend a phenomenal
way in which we treat our bodies for large periods amount of time sitting down. This leads to a series
of time. When we are born our bodies are well of adaptations known as lower crossed syndrome
(see figure 3.2).

Figure 3.1 Baby squat The posture shown in figure 3.2 may look
worryingly familiar. As you can see, a number of
factors combine to make up the condition. Because
of large amounts of sitting the hip flexors
(illiopsoas) shorten and become tight. This in turn
causes the pelvis to rotate forward, lengthening
the lower abdominals, which are then inhibited
and weak. This rotation of the pelvis also causes
the glutes to become less effective, while the
hamstrings become tight. The effects are not
limited to the lower body either. The familiar
slouched position that so many of us are guilty of
causes havoc in the upper body. The pectorals
start to shorten, drawing the shoulders into a
rounded position. This causes the muscles of the
upper back to become long and weak. In order to
keep balanced the head comes forward which
leaves the neck muscles long and tight. It is highly
likely that any athlete who has visited a
physiotherapist for an overuse injury will have
heard at least one of these symptoms already.

24
 CHAPTER 003 injury prevention
that they are kept in good health. When the natural
mechanics of the foot are compromised in this way
Tight upper
Inhibited neck we lose some of the power generated by our hips
trapezius
and levator flexors and thighs. The foot also loses some of its ability
scapula to dissipate force, which means it must be taken
somewhere else in the body. This can lead to
Inhibited Tight pectorals
rhomboids issues around the hips and knees.
and serratus
anterior Stiff ankles (limited dorsiflexion)
Inhibited Another common problem of a sedentary lifestyle
Tight erector abdominals is stiff ankles. In simple terms this means that the
spinae
ankle cannot flex the foot towards the shin as
much as it needs to. As a result when performing
any activity that involves several joints the lack of
Inhibited Tight iliopsoas movement in the ankles must be compensated for
gluteals
elsewhere. Once again this will commonly result in
more movements in the knees or lower back. When
performing squatting movements the athlete is
likely to have an excessive forward lean and the
heels will possibly come off the floor.

Knee valgus
This is the term used to describe the movement of
the knee falling inward. It most commonly happens
Figure 3.2 Lower
when the knee is flexed by a reasonable amount
crossed syndrome
such as walking up stairs or during squatting and
lunge exercises. This can cause a lot of problems
around the knee. The falling in movement may not
This is in no way the only form of dysfunction, but appear obvious to the untrained eye during cycling
to go through all possible movement issues and and running, but even minor deviations from the
their causes is way beyond the scope of this book. optimal movement can accumulate over many
However there are a number of very common kilometres of training. The dysfunction can arise
issues that we can look at. from several issues, including poor foot and ankle
control and unstable hips. The knee itself is rarely
Common dysfunctions the primary cause.
Flat feet (pes planus)
This is a common condition whereby the arch of Hip mobility
the foot ‘collapses’ as the muscles of the foot have Mobility of the hips is another movement quality
become weak and stretched. As our feet are the that is most commonly exposed during exercises
only thing that contact either the ground when such as squats and lunges. The importance of hip
running or the pedals when cycling it is important mobility in the triathlete can easily be overlooked.

25
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

None of the disciplines involve taking our hips therefore a profound effect on our ability to
through their full range of motion, and so it is produce and control force. These small movements
commonly assumed that we do not need to work in the pelvis are often difficult to identify due to
through these ranges. However if a coach their subtlety, but their effects on other parts of
understands functional anatomy he will be aware the body are stark. This often results in an
that much of the hip musculature, such as the assumption that the fault lies in the affected part
gluteals, become most active when we are in of the body rather than the pelvic control. Possibly
positions of deep flexion. When we consider some the best example of this comes from the much
of the common dysfunctions described above the misunderstood ‘core stability’ (see p. 38). Lack of
significance of this becomes clear. Therefore it is pelvic control can result in a variety of movements,
important that we not only maintain good hip partly depending on the movement being
mobility but also train within these ranges. performed. These include shifting (left or right),
tilting (rotating forward or backward), hiking
Pelvic control (lifting one side higher than the other) and rotating
As we’ve already learned, many of our everyday (left or right in front of the opposite side). To
lifestyles lead to a compromise in our pelvic complicate matters further all of these movements
control. The pelvis is an area of the body of will naturally happen to some extent, so we are
primary importance, as almost all movement concerned only when these movements are
comes through the pelvis. It has been described as excessive or uncontrolled.
a ‘transmission box’ with three critical levers
coming from it – our two legs and our spine. Thoracic rigidity
Relatively small movements in the pelvis will have Yet another factor of everyday life is thoracic
dramatic effects on all of these levers and rigidity. However this issue is perhaps unique in

26
 CHAPTER 003 injury prevention
back posture many of us exhibit. The failure to
control the scapula properly means that the
mechanics of the shoulder joint (where the scapula
and the humerus meet) are compromised. This
may lead to an issue known as impingement,
whereby tendons become ‘pinched’.

Internally rotated humerus

Another shoulder condition relating to poor
posture is internally rotated humerus. When
standing in a relaxed position the palms of the
hands should naturally face towards each other.
However if the humerus has become internally
rotated then the palms will start to face towards
the rear. As with scapular winging this may result
in a compromise to the smooth flow of the
shoulder, and tendons becoming impinged.

that some of our training, in the form of cycling,

may actually exacerbate the issue. Our constant
sitting and lack of movement can result in the
thoracic spine (between the lower back and the
neck) becoming very stiff. Consequently we find
that we cannot lift the chest or rotate the
shoulders to the degree we need, so we try to find
the movement from elsewhere. Generally this
compensatory range comes from the lower back
and the shoulders. This can frequently be seen
during swimming, and results in significant stress
being placed on the shoulder – the most commonly
injured site in the swimmer.

Scapular winging
This describes a condition whereby the scapula
(shoulder blade) does not sit as flatly on the rib
cage as it should. This can be seen quite clearly
when the border of the scapula protrudes out from
the back, often when we start to move our arms.
The main cause for the condition is an inhibition of
the serratus anterior muscle, which once again
comes about through adaptations to the rounded
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

3.3 Identifying risk issue then it would certainly be foolhardy not to

So now that we are aware of the importance of address it. The specific tests used may vary, but
injury we need a system to allow us to identify not there are general areas that should be reviewed.
only how at risk we are but crucially where our These include posture, squat pattern, single-leg
vulnerability lies. In order to do this thoroughly we stability, lumbo-pelvic control, trunk strength and
need to assess both movement quality and shoulder function. When working with an S&C
muscular conditioning. A number of tools are coach you should expect some form of movement
available to make this assessment. assessment to be part of the initial screening.

Movement quality Muscular conditioning tests

A number of ‘movement screens’ are now used by As well as assessing movement quality it is also
coaches to assess the general movement quality of important to evaluate conditioning and muscular
athletes. This process is somewhat controversial, endurance. This not only gives an indication of
and coaches and physiotherapists often disagree tissue tolerance but will also have implications for
on its use, even though the research evidence is our ability to maintain good movement patterns
equivocal at the moment. Some researchers under fatigue. This is clearly important as the one
suggest that a movement screen can be used to thing that can be guaranteed with triathlon is
predict injury risk, whereas others feel that the fatigue. The tests described below give a good
movements are too far removed from sports activity indication of the conditioning of crucial muscle
and that the assumptions made are too great. It is groups in a movement challenge that is relevant to
certainly true that there are elite athletes who the task they perform when training. Ideally the
score poorly in these tests who do not get injured tests are performed with a partner or coach, who
and some who score well and are frequently hurt. can time or count repetitions and check for good
On the other hand addressing movement issues form. While the tests will involve some degree of
raised by the tests certainly won’t do any harm and fatigue and discomfort, none of them should be
may help to reduce mechanical strain. If a performed in the presence of pain. A guide to
dysfunction is identified that relates to an injury target scores in the tests is given in table 3.1.

Table 3.1 Guidelines to muscular conditioning tests

Exercise Poor Adequate Excellent

Prone extension hold <1 min 90–120 seconds 3 minutes+

Double leg lower <10 10–20 25+

Calf raise <10 10–20 25+

Press-ups <10 (m), <5 (f) 15–20(m), 5–10 (f) 30 (m), 10 (f)

Inverse pulls <10 (m), <5 (f) 15–20(m), 5–10 (f) 30 (m), 10 (f)

28
 CHAPTER 003 injury prevention
Figure 3.3 Prone extension hold

Prone extension hold

This test gives a good indication of the endurance
across the back chain. It is a common area of
weakness and can compromise training and racing
technique and increase the risk of injury. A bench
is needed for this test, as well as a partner to
provide resistance. The athlete should lie on the
bench face down with the top of the hips just off
the bench. The athlete must hold a horizontal
position, with arms across the chest, for as long as
possible. The body should not be arched
excessively beyond parallel; nor should it drop
below this position. In order to improve strength of Figures 3.4a, 3.4b and 3.4c Double leg lower
the back chain the athlete should utilise
movements such front squats, good mornings and To start the test the athlete must lie on their back
dead lifts (see chapter 10). and bring the ankle of one leg next to the knee of
the other. This leg is then also bent so that the
Double leg lower feet are side by side. The legs are then
This is an excellent test for trunk strength and pelvic straightened while keeping the thighs at the
control. These areas are required to remain stable same angle. The coach will place their hand on
while the legs move – precisely the challenge we the athlete’s thigh to give an indication of the
face during all three disciplines of triathlon. start position to return to.

29
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

To perform the test the athlete slowly lowers the while ensuring that form is excellent and that
legs under control to the ground and back to the work feels like it is being generated by the
start position without resting the legs on the floor. abdominal muscles rather than the back.
The challenge is to perform as many repetitions as Exercise progressions include dead bugs,
possible. The test ends when the athlete cannot aleknas, plank variations and double leg lowers
perform any more repetitions, experiences pain or (see chapter 9).
cannot maintain a flat lower back and pelvis on the
floor. It is also important that the athlete does not Calf raise
feel as if the work is being generated by the back. The calf raise is a very simple test to assess the
This also constitutes a fail and is an indication that conditioning of the lower leg. The test is also a
low-level postural muscles are failing to control good indicator of overall muscular conditioning.
forces around the spine. Test data on elite track and field athletes has
shown that conditioning levels throughout the
A poor score in the double leg lower test is body are well correlated. Therefore a poor score in
best addressed through low-level trunk this test suggests that there may also be a benefit
conditioning work. This can carefully be increased from an all-round conditioning regime.

Figures 3.5a and 3.5b Calf raise

30
 CHAPTER 003 injury prevention
Figure 3.6a
Good-quality press-up

Figure 3.6b
Poor-quality press-up

The athlete stands with the ball of one foot on a A poor score can be addressed through calf raises
step with the opposite foot hanging free. The themselves (double- or single-legged). It may also
hands can be placed on a wall for balance, but be wise to accompany these with other lower leg
finder tips should be used to avoid cheating. exercises such as tibialis anterior raises (see
Starting with the heel dropped to its lowest point chapter 9) to ensure a muscle balance.
the athlete slowly extends the ankle until they are
up on their toes before slowly descending back to Press-ups
the start position. The test score is based on the This very simple and popular exercise can reveal a
maximum number of repetitions performed to full great deal. It is also much abused and often poorly
range. Not only is the absolute score important performed. Essentially it is a test of upper body
but also any asymmetries (left–right differences). strength but also requires the strength and
This should not be greater than 5 per cent. endurance of the upper body to be matched by
Performing the test to failure often results in the trunk. The same applies during triathlon.
significant muscle soreness for the next few days,
so it is wise to be selective as to when the test is The press-ups can be performed either from the
carried out. knees or from the toes depending on strength

31
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

levels. If fewer than five good full press-ups can be

performed then the easier version should be used.
All repetitions should be performed under control,
at a steady tempo and always to full range. The
test reaches a technical fail if the hips start to sag
or the chin pokes excessively.

The way in which this test is terminated will

dictate the way in which training can be used
to improve it. If the athlete simply cannot
perform any more reps then the upper body is
the limiting factor. Exercises such as press-up
variations, pull-ups (see chapter 10) and rope
climbing are excellent ways of improving
relative strength. However if the test ended
due to a technical fail then the exercises
recommended above for the double leg lower

test should be combined with these upper

body movements.

Inverse pulls
While the press-up challenge will test pushing
strength and the anterior trunk (abs), the inverse
pull hold test will assess pulling strength and the
lower back. The upper back is commonly a weak
area due to the postural issues discussed above.

On a squat rack or Smith machine fix the bar to

approximately mid-thigh height. Using an
overhand grip the athlete must pull themselves to
the bar until the chest bone (sternum) touches the
bar. Many will struggle to reach this full range of
movement, indicating that the scapular retractors

Figures 3.7a and 3.7b

Inverse pulls

32
 CHAPTER 003 injury prevention
are weak. Often this is compensated for by ‘cheat’ through compensation. Alternatively
generating momentum at the bottom of the exercises such as face pulls and Bruce Lees (see
movement. Therefore the movement should be chapter 9) will precisely target the weakness.
slow and controlled throughout. Other key
technical errors include poking of the chin and As well as the absolute score, the ratio of push-to-
arching the back to lift the chest. The tester should pull strength (i.e. press-ups to inverse pulls)
record the number of full range repetitions. should also be as close as possible to 1:1.

Poor performance in the test is most commonly as

a result of reduced strength in the upper back at 3.4 Prevention routines and
end of range. To address this use exercises that case studies
are light enough to allow control at the end of While the individual make-up of each triathlete is
range. Although body weight exercises are unique there are injury-related themes that
generally recommended, these are often too commonly occur. This section will look at exercise
intense to allow the end of range to be effectively and warm-up routines, which will offer triathletes
targeted in weaker athletes. This can be overcome protection against these issues, through the use of
by offering assistance: for example, by giving light real-life case studies.
assistance during an inverse pull an athlete can
then complete the movement without having to

33
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

Case Study The Athlete with Weak Glutes

Pauline is a 35-year-old triathlete. She took up the sport after having her second child as a way to
get back into shape. She had been a good swimmer in her teens but had always had problems
with running. After several months of training Pauline started to experience knee pain and went to
see a physiotherapist. She was told that the problem was very common and was a result of her
having weak glutes. The physiotherapist gave her a programme of floor-based exercises to target
the glutes. While these seemed to hit the right areas when being performed they did little to help
the knee pain during running, which continued to deteriorate.

This scenario is extremely commonplace. Pauline is unable to control her knee when running.
As her foot strikes the floor the knee drifts inward, placing stress on several ligaments of the knee.
It may be that her glutes are weak and will benefit from strengthening; however the gap between
their role in floor exercises and that in running is large and must be bridged. Often the problem is
a lack of motor control rather than strength per se. Therefore Pauline needs exercises that enable
her body to practise holding the correct positions in a controlled manner. The example programme
below will provide her with suitable control and can also be used prior to running sessions in order
to rehearse the movements.

1 Hurdle walk-throughs (see p. 180) 3 x 6

2 Lunge walk (see p. 133) 3 x 12
3 Diagonal hop-stick (see p. 134) 3 x 12
4 Band walks (see p. 115) 3 x 10m
5 A-march (see p. 178) 3 x 20m
6 Bulgarian squat (see p. 162) 3 x 8 x bw*
Note: performed as a circuit
* bw means that no added resistence (i.e. bar or dumbell) is used.

In addition to the above exercises Pauline may also find that her problems are eased if she uses a
foam roller to treat trigger points in her ITB (iliotibial band) (see chapter 9).

34
 CHAPTER 003 injury prevention
Case Study The Athlete with shoulder impingement

Chris has been participating in triathlon for five years and has improved his personal best over the
Olympic distance each year. At the start of this season he decided the best way to make further
gains would be to target the swim, by strengthening his upper body. His brother works in a gym
and gave him some popular shoulder exercises to help his power. Chris enjoyed the training but
has recently started to experience pain in his shoulder when he lifts his arm above head height.

Most traditional gym shoulder exercises are designed to work the prime movers of the shoulders
such as the deltoids and the upper trapezius. They also tend to utilise movements involving
pressing weights above the head. The exercise routines are also intended to build mass in the
shoulders. These three factors can potentially be a recipe for disaster for the swimmer. If the prime
movers become overdeveloped the fine control of the shoulder can be lost and mechanics are
negatively affected. While overhead exercises are not bad per se they do carry some level of risk.
For many this will never be a problem; some will have very low tolerance whereas others will
perform the movements happily for years before they start to experience issues. This is largely a
result of the shape of the bone around the shoulder joint and therefore the only way to know for
sure is an X-ray.

In order to address his problems Chris will need to stop all of his overhead work to allow the
shoulder to recover. Depending on the severity this may also include swimming for a period. He
can also take a proactive approach and use a well-designed shoulder programme to target the
shoulder stabilisers (see below). He may also benefit from soft-tissue treatment around the
shoulder from a sports masseur.

1 YTML (see p. 147) 3x8

2 Swimmers (see p. 148) 3 x 12
3 Press-ups (see p. 166) 3 x 10
4 Scap press-ups (see p. 149) 3 x 20

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Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

Case Study The Athlete with poor flexibility

Tom was a fairly typical recreational athlete when it came to flexibility. He would always stretch
for around five minutes before training and sometimes afterwards too. However despite this he
always felt like he should probably do more. Tom wasn’t sure exactly how flexible he needed to be
but generally considered himself to be too stiff. Occasionally he would make a concerted effort to
improve his flexibility and stretch a little longer. After several weeks though he saw no difference
and gradually went back to his old routine.

There are few of us who do not wish that we were slightly more flexible. However the timing and
type of stretching we do is critical if we are to make improvements. We can discuss this in terms of
three categories: pre-training stretches, post-training stretches and developmental stretching.

Pre-training stretching has become a topic of much debate in recent years. Not so long ago every
coaching course would begin with basic instruction on the importance of carrying out static
stretches during the warm-up. These are the traditional type of stretches involving holding a muscle
in a stretched position. However there is now a growing body of evidence suggesting that this may
not only be unnecessary but could also actually increase the risk of injury and impair performance!
The theory behind this is that by stretching the muscles for extended periods the mechanical
sensors in the muscle become ‘confused’. In simple terms the body loses some of its awareness of
the exact positions of joints and so control is reduced and the athlete becomes more vulnerable.
The capacity for reactive strength may also be reduced as the stretching may temporarily reduce
the elastic qualities of the muscle and tendons. In reality the case against static stretching may
have been overstated. It is now clear that athletes certainly don’t need to perform static stretches
before a session. However many athletes will feel more comfortable, partly through habit, if they
have gone through a couple of their favourites. A more in-vogue approach is to warm up using
dynamic stretches. These involve moving through ranges of movement in a controlled way without
holding the position (see below). These have the advantage of working many of the stabilising
muscles and may help to ‘activate’ many muscle groups that become underactive during long
periods of sitting through the day. In general the higher the intensity of the session the more likely
a dynamic warm-up is to be appropriate. Whatever the preference, stretching prior to the session
should only ever be considered preparatory work – i.e., the stretches are aimed at readying the
athlete for the session rather than achieving long-term improvements in flexibility.

Post-training stretches can be used to improve long-term flexibility but are also important for
recovery and restoring natural length to muscles. During this time static stretches are entirely
appropriate. The biggest limitation to developing flexibility here is likely to be fatigue.

36
 CHAPTER 003 injury prevention
Stretching sessions are often cut short or abandoned altogether because of a desire to shower,
eat or just collapse!

A developmental stretching session can be performed as a distinct session in its own right.
This will ensure that sufficient time and energy are available to focus properly on the task.
As well as traditional stretches many triathletes are now including elements of yoga in their
flexibility routines. This is not only a very effective method but can also be an efficient way of
training, because postural strength may also be developed simultaneously. Attending a well-
instructed yoga class is the easiest way of introducing yoga to a programme. Time often makes this
impractical though as training for three disciplines on top of normal life is generally enough to keep
most of us busy. By using a few selected yoga poses it is still possible to make good progress.

The programme below gives a dynamic warm-up routine, which Chris may find benefits his
high-intensity sessions, as well as a developmental stretch routine, which combines yoga and
traditional stretches. This can be used post-workout or can be extended to form a session in itself.

Sample dynamic warm-up flexibility routine:

1 Skips (see p. 179) 2 x 30m
2 Hamstring march (see p. 144) 2 x 15m
3 Lunge walk (see p. 133) 2 x 10m
4 Various crawls (see p. 135) 2 x 10m

Sample developmental stretches and yoga:

1 Downward dog (see p. 136)
2 Sun Salutation (see p. 137)
3 Walking glute stretch (see p. 145)
4 Hip flexor stretch (see p. 143)
5 Basic hamstring stretch (see p. 144)
6 Thoracic extension mobiliser (see p. 138)

Note: hold each of these stretches for 1–2 minutes and repeat up to three times. Also seek expert
instruction on yoga poses.

37
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

Case Study The Athlete with a weak core

Manjit had been training for 3–4 years and had entered a number of duathlons and sprint
triathlons. Her training had become a bit monotonous and she had never been a fan of winter
training so her brother bought her a session with a personal trainer for Christmas. The trainer
had told her that her aerobic fitness seemed pretty good but she needed to be more flexible
and improve her core stability. She went away and bought herself a physio ball, which had
been recommended, and started doing crunches on it and practised balancing. Manjit’s
performances in all three disciplines stayed pretty static and she wasn’t entirely sure how
she should feel the benefit.

Situations such as Manjit’s are far from rare. Core stability is a term that became popular about
10 years ago and has caused much confusion and debate ever since. This has resulted in some of
the most heinous myths in gym culture.

Myth #1: The term ‘core’ is generally used as a substitute for abdomen. In fact claiming to be
doing some core work is often just an excuse for doing some six-pack training! A better definition
would be to include the pelvis and the trunk, although it could be argued that the pelvis alone is
really the core. As discussed above, pelvic control has a profound effect on what will happen at the
trunk, so a stable pelvis equals a stable core.

Myth #2: The second great myth regards a muscle called the transverse abdominus. Until a few
years ago many people believed that this muscle must be voluntarily activated before performing
sports movements. This resulted in athletes trying to ‘switch on’ before each exercise in the gym.
Although the muscle is important this theory has now been discredited as in reality a number of
muscles around the trunk act together to provide stability.

Myth #3: The best way to develop core stability is by sitting on a big ball or by performing
exercises on a mat. With the emergence of the idea of core stability came the inevitable
commercial drive behind it in the shape of the physio ball. With this also came a range of crazy
exercises, which had more to do with the circus than sports performance.

In reality core stability requires the muscles of the pelvis, hips and trunk to be strong, but the
athlete must also have excellent motor control of these body parts. The traditional trunk exercises,
which many now describe as core stability, have their place in terms of simply making the relevant
muscles stronger. This can be used to create what has been described as ‘superstiffness’. This
type of stability is ideal for activities such as performing heavyweight lifting, when the core must

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 CHAPTER 003 injury prevention
be kept as rigid as possible so the spine is in a healthy position. However many athletes can
develop great levels of strength and conditioning in these types of exercise but still look clunky
and mechanical when swimming, be unstable when cycling and slump during running. Conversely
athletes who look sleek, efficient and controlled in these events fail to excel in conditioning
exercises, because stability is movement specific! Naturally the muscles involved must possess
an adequate level of strength and capacity. However beyond these adequate levels there is little
or nothing to be gained. Those who like to grind out 1,000 sit-ups should take note!

Unlike the superstiffness required when weightlifting, stability in triathlon requires a concept
known as ‘flow’. An athlete who has flow looks strong and stable yet relaxed and smoothed. Flow
enables the athlete to perform perfect technique effortlessly rather than mechanically and under
strain. This comes about when the deep postural muscles are performing correctly. These muscles
are naturally designed to hold posture for long periods, thus allowing the prime movers to get on
with the job of getting us round the course as quickly as possible. The design and natural function
of these muscles also give us a clue as to how best to train them. Unlike the postural muscles the
prime movers are not effective at maintaining a low level of contraction for a long time. Therefore
if we perform low-intensity work for moderate durations (15–20 minutes) one of two things will
happen. If we rely on the prime movers they will quickly fatigue and our technique will break
down. However if we maintain form for this duration the postural muscles will be targeted and
become trained in these movements. Provided that the movements are appropriate to the activity
then flow will start to develop. Therefore technical drills with a focus on posture will provide the
most natural and specific form of core training.

So, in summary, to develop true core stability for triathlon an athlete requires a threshold level of
strength and endurance through the trunk and hips and to develop appropriate motor patterns to
enable them to achieve flow in performance. The best way to do these is through a combination
of simple but perfectly performed isolation exercises and carefully selected and well-taught drills.
In order to be most effective in improving motor control an athlete needs to have an insight into
where the flaws in their technique lie (and the underlying physical causes).

39
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

Case Study The Athlete with bad feet and ankles

Clare was a 28-year-old professional triathlete competing at a high level. Over the past two years
she has suffered from various low-level knee and ankle problems and also has painful feet if she
stands up for too long. Her coach arranged for her to have a biomechanical assessment. This
revealed that she had excessive pronation when running, so she has been advised to start using
orthotics. Even though this advice seemed to make sense Clare was unsure how to proceed as she
knew several triathletes who had had bad experiences with orthotics.

The use of orthotics is a contentious issue, with much depending on the expertise of the podiatrist
and the athlete’s own personal circumstances. While they are often a powerful aid, a better more
permanent solution may be to improve the health of the foot and ankle control. The foot is actually a
cleverly engineered structure, which is able to reduce the impact forces of running as well as storing
and reusing energy. In order to maintain this structure the feet must be kept in good health and the
intrinsic muscles must be kept conditioned. Possibly the simplest form of exercise for the feet is to
perform some bare-foot work. The support provided by most modern shoes (cycling, running and
regular shoes) can result in the feet becoming ‘lazy’. Try performing simple exercises such as lunges
in bare feet. You will most likely see the feet twitching and flicking as the intrinsic muscles wake up
and start to seek proprioceptive feedback to support the foot. This challenge can be further
increased by performing work in sand (either the beach or a long-jump pit is ideal). This generalised
work also carries the benefit of conditioning the hips and trunk and is therefore very efficient.

For those with specific foot issues a more specific element of foot conditioning may be appropriate.
This may include isolated exercises such as towel scrunches and towel toe work (see below). Even
for those without issues a small amount of foot conditioning work performed as part of a general
conditioning programme is a wise investment. Problems further up the body, such as those with the
knees and hips, can often be helped or alleviated by optimising mechanics at the foot and ankle.

Sample foot and ankle conditioning routine:

1 Bare-foot lunging (see p. 133)
2 Ankle rolls (see p. 146)
3 Hop-stick (see p. 134)
4 Towel scrunches (see p. 142)
5 Tib ant raises (see p. 120)
6 Calf raises (both kinds) (see pp. 116 and 117)

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 CHAPTER 003 injury prevention
Case Study The Athlete with nothing wrong
who wants to keep it that way!

The best conditioning programme is one that prevents an injury, which you never knew you would
have had. Therefore the wise athlete will engage in a general prehabilitation routine to ensure that
troubles are always kept at arm’s length. This can seem daunting. There are so many potential
injuries that surely protecting against them all would leave no time for regular training. However
the good news is that many of the most common issues are interlinked, so by using compound
exercises that target multiple tissues a highly effective and efficient regime can be designed.

A sample general prehab routine:

1 Single-leg PNF pulls (see p. 150) – targets single-leg stability, trunk strength and the
rotator cuff
2 Press-up to plank (see p. 166) – for trunk strength and serratus anterior for shoulder
3 Multi-directional lunge bare footed (see p. 133) – for hip conditioning, hip mobility, single-leg
stability, foot and ankle conditioning, core stability/flow
4 Superman (see p. 126) – for flow through trunk and shoulders
5 Box squats (see p. 159) – for hips and trunk conditioning
6 Bruce Lees (see p. 152) – excellent isolated shoulder conditioning
7 Sun salutation routine (see p. 137) – for all-round mobility and postural strength

41
004
the swim
 CHAPTER 004 the swim
4.1 Introduction performed a biomechanical analysis of the front
Of the three disciplines that make up triathlon the crawl: ‘The success of a swimmer is determined
use of S&C to improve swim performance is perhaps by the ability to generate propulsive force, while
the most controversial. Swimming is clearly a highly reducing the resistance to forward motion.’ This
technical sport, and a failure to acknowledge this is may seem relatively obvious, but essentially it tells
a common mistake in many novice triathletes. Far us that both are important rather than there being a
too often it is treated like the bike and the run, and single answer.
athletes simply get in the pool and work hard in the
hope that times will come down. In the absence of This simple philosophy indicates two clear pathways
good technique this is a very flawed and frustrating to direct our S&C towards improving swim
process. Having said that, there is something of a performance: work that helps improve our technique;
trend towards ‘throwing the baby out with the bath and work that helps produce more power in the
water’. Many popular texts place such a strong water. It is worth noting that, as with all the
emphasis on technical development that physical disciplines, the reduction of injury risk represents a
qualities are completely ignored. A quick glance third category of work that may improve performance.
along the poolside of any swim meet will tell you This is discussed in chapter 3. It should be
that this too is unwise. emphasised though that the shoulders really weren’t
designed to provide locomotion. We have a great
To add to the confusion there is still much debate range of movement in the shoulder to enable us to
around the merits of so-called ‘land training’. reach for things in all directions, but the joint is
Because of the highly technical nature of the fundamentally unstable. The higher the volume of
discipline the transfer of training from the gym to swimming performed, the greater the risk to the
the pool is not as simplistic as it may be with shoulder. If you are prone to shoulder problems and
cycling for example. As a result many coaches and swim regularly in the pool then this should take
swimmers have experimented with S&C or land priority over the other two elements of training.
training over the years in a crude fashion and not
surprisingly had poor results. Much of what is The physical demands of good
currently done is performed more in hope than full technique
confidence that it will work. It is clear then that if So let us begin with a look at how S&C can have a
we are to have genuine impact on the first of our positive impact on technique. Coordination,
three disciplines we need to have a clear and experience and the quality of coaching are clearly
precise understanding of exactly what we hope to very important factors in determining a swimmer’s
achieve and the best methods of going about it. technical prowess. It is a mistake to assume that
these are the only factors. As with many sporting
tasks, good technique is a product of the athlete’s
4.2 The technical basis of motor learning and their physical ability to produce
S&C for swimming the correct movement patterns. It is with the latter
As seen already, much debate exists among that S&C can have a big impact.
swim coaches regarding fitness versus technique.
A very simple summary of the challenge faced in Smooth and effective swimming requires excellent
swimming comes from a group of researchers who segmental control. This refers to the swimmer’s

43
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

ability to dissociate one body part from another doubly negative effect – not only does the body
and move only the desired area rather than make suffer ‘energy leaks’ where force is dissipated
clumsy movements involving many areas. This though unwanted movement, but further drag is
feature distinguishes elite from non-elite also created where the swimmer loses control of
swimmers. Those performing at a high level are the trunk. If trunk strength is poor then the only
able to roll from the shoulder while maintaining alternative the swimmer has available is to reduce
stable hips, whereas poor swimmers tend to the power they produce to a level that can be
produce the roll from the hips. To perform the controlled.
movement correctly requires fine motor control
around the trunk. If the swimmer has good This leads us nicely on to shoulder mobility. A
postural control from the deep core muscles the restriction in shoulder mobility is terminal to good
chances of maintaining segmental control, and swimming technique. If a triathlete is unable to
therefore technique, during long swims will be hold the arm above the head in line with the body
much greater. Those who are fearful of spending and also bring a recovery arm behind the head
time on developing this and prefer to churn out then the technical model will always be flawed.
length after length will never achieve their full Even if these positions can be achieved at a push it
potential as they are simply further enforcing this is highly likely that technique will not be smooth
inefficient pattern. and the swimmer will be working far harder than is
necessary to achieve the right shapes. If the
Segmental control is not the only factor that shoulder simply cannot reach this position then
affects the quality of body roll. In order to produce
the desired movement through the shoulders the
swimmer must have sufficient thoracic mobility.
This term describes the amount of movement
possible in the thoracic spine (chest and upper
back). The vertebrae in this portion of the spine are
well suited to movement and should come second
only to the neck in terms of their range of
movement. However due to the movement
dysfunction caused by daily life (including cycling)
it is common that this movement is restricted. A
lack of rotation here will mean that a swimmer has
to produce the movement from elsewhere –
generally at the hips.

If segmental control describes the fine control of

the trunk, then trunk strength itself must also be
mentioned. This is more to do with preventing than
generating movement. The abdominals play a key
role in transferring the force generated by the arms
and legs effectively. Failure to do so will have a

44
 CHAPTER 004 the swim
the swimmer is forced to arch the back (thoracic course the potential for improvement in each area
extension) in order to lift the hand high enough. will influence this. A highly unfit individual with
This will immediately increase drag, so technique great technique clearly needs to do more work. It
is compromised. seems unlikely that this picture would fit with most
triathletes though. An example of this can be seen
Complex analysis of swimming mechanics has also in the fact that propulsion efficiency has been
revealed that those who use unilateral breathing found to be around 61 per cent in elite swimmers
may start to develop physical asymmetries the versus just 44 per cent in triathletes.
longer they continue training. This in turn has also
been shown to reduce technical efficiency. The Before seeking to address any of these issues it is
obvious answer to this is to move to a bilateral prudent to seek the advice of a competent swim
breathing pattern. However if this is not an coach, who can provide invaluable insight into the
appealing or practical thought then the gym is an direction and significance of technical deficiency.
ideal environment to identify and address any There is thus much more to good technique than
muscular imbalances. simply knowing what to do and practising it.

Studies have demonstrated that a 10 per cent The potential to improve propulsion
improvement in propulsion efficiency versus the It is very clear that just because an athlete gets
same degree of gain in aerobic or anaerobic fitness strong in the gym does not automatically mean
has a much greater impact on performance. Of they will be quicker through the water. Some

45
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

studies have sought to achieve this and found that there is also good evidence to show that strength
even with strength gains of 25 per cent the athlete gains can in fact be translated to the pool when
was no quicker in the pool! Therefore to make done effectively. Gains in strength of the elbow
strength training for swim performance work the extensors and flexors, along with speed in the
athlete needs a good understanding of both pool, have been achieved through a variety of
strength training methods and swimming. Too resistance training programmes. These include
often programmes are prescribed by those who resisted swimming and gym-based exercise. This
have one but not the other. Swimmers who is important as it means that both modes may be
achieved such big gains in strength without getting used most effectively in a periodised programme
any quicker may also have found that following a for maximum effect (see below). As well as the
transition period of training they learn to use this muscles that produce force at the elbow, the
new-found strength effectively and speed gains latissimus dorsi is also a muscle of particular
would appear. interest. This is responsible for a very large
component of the pulling force generated by the
Perhaps it makes sense to look at exactly what upper body. It is not surprising then that swimmers
happens to muscle fibres during swim training. As who took part in electrical stimulation training of
we start to train, the shortening speed of our this muscle improved both strength and swim
slow-twitch muscle fibres increases whereas that of speed. Finally the peak power generated by the
our fast-twitch fibres become slower. This means arms and legs, even in non-swimming tasks, has
that our potential for speed and power is reduced. been shown to correlate very highly with freestyle
During the taper this process is reversed to some swim performance.
extent. While the slow-twitch fibres generally
remain unchanged the fast-twitch fibres show an Having established not only that strength gains
increased capacity to produce force and shorten can improve performance but also the muscular
more quickly and as a result produce more power. mechanisms behind it, surely there can be no
This typically results in an increase in power argument against it? However some would still
production of around 10 per cent with performance question the need to go into the gym and would
gains of 4–7 per cent. (The amount of performance prefer to do strength work in the pool. While we
gain is related to the level of swimmer and is likely have already seen that some gains can be made in
to be linked to their technical ability to utilise the this way they are still missing out on some of the
newly gained power.) We therefore know that part potential advantages of land-based training. The
of the reason for enhanced performance following speed with which the arms move through the
a taper is due to greater power production in water greatly restricts the swimmer’s ability to
fast-twitch fibres. This is very important as it means generate high forces. Typically the time in the
that there is a good theoretical basis for making water allows only 0.3–0.4 seconds to generate
further performance gains by targeting the power force, whereas it takes around double this time to
potential of fast-twitch fibres. produce maximum force. This has two major
implications for training. Firstly by using resistance
A cynic would be quick to point out that while a exercises which allow more time to develop force a
theoretical basis is great it is certainly not the greater level of mechanical stress can be placed on
same as evidence in the real world. Thankfully the muscles; this is one of the most important

46
 CHAPTER 004 the swim
Trunk
control

Trunk Thoracic
strength mobility

Muscular power
• Fast twitch fibres Shoulder
• Gross muscular mobility
power

Swimming
Hormonal Shoulder
physical
profile stability
performance

Figure 4.1 Strength factors contributing to swim performance

factors in developing force and power. Secondly, are associated with high levels of cortisol
given that the swimmer does not have time to (a hormone that reflects the level of physical
produce maximal force in the water, the rate at stress an individual is under). On the other
which they develop it (rate of force development) hand land training has been shown to increase
becomes a key physical attribute. This can be testosterone and potentially reduce cortisol. The
enhanced through explosive gym-based exercises. testosterone:cortisol ratio is an important marker
of the body’s capacity to train and perform, so
The final barrier to introducing propulsion- potentially the swimmer will be in better shape to
enhancing work comes from how it is incorporated make gains in all other forms of training too!
into a triathlete’s busy schedule. Simply adding
sessions to the existing programme is likely to lead The potential sources of performance
to burn out. On the other hand how do we know enhancement through strength and conditioning
that gains made in the gym might not have been are illustrated in figure 4.1.
surpassed by staying in the pool? Thankfully
several studies have shown that when the volume
of long slow work is reduced and replaced with 4.3 The practical application
explosive training there is no negative impact on of S&C to swimming
endurance. There may actually be significant Now that we have established exactly how
additional benefits to reducing this high-volume physical development on land can impact on swim
work in favour of S&C. High volumes of training performance we can start to examine practical

47
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

methods of achieving the qualities previously that the floor work can be dispensed with.
discussed. However others have a lower ability to ‘hold on to’
training adaptations, and it may be necessary to
Physical development to keep a smaller amount of floor rolling in the
improve technique programme to avoid regressing.
Segmental control
The key to developing segmental control lies in the The woodchop is another movement that is
fact that it is essentially a matter of motor control excellent for developing segmental control. This
rather than gross strength. This means that we requires much more strength than the rolling
need to focus on perfection of technique; we do exercises. While strength per se is not required to
not need to work hard or move large weights. attain control the strenuous nature of the exercise
Motor control is also very specific, and so it is also helps to reinforce the movement pattern and
important to train using movements that mimic the accelerate learning. However caution must be
sports challenge. taken to ensure that excellent technique is not
compromised just to muscle the repetitions out.
When developing the ability to roll the shoulders The Swiss ball Russian twist can also be used to
to breath efficiently there are a series of rolling the same effect. Again the emphasis is on keeping
exercises that are not only great for developing the hips still while the shoulders roll.
control but are also useful tests of current levels
(see chapter 9). The first challenge is to master the As well as developing rotational control the
rolling movement (in both directions) in the swimmer also requires lumbo-pelvic dissociation.
controlled setting of a mat. Until this can be This will affect the ability to kick hard with the legs
controlled then attempting to do the same in the without arching the back. The ideal exercise for
pool is highly unlikely to lead to smooth practising this is the Superman. As with the rolling
technique. Once good control has been achieved exercises this can ultimately be progressed to the
on the floor then rolling swim drills can be pool for greater specificity. Here float kicking
incorporated. For some swimmers this will mean exercises can be used to great effect. In order to

48
 CHAPTER 004 the swim
get the most benefit the swimmer should Trunk strength
concentrate on maximising the kick while The challenge for the trunk during swimming is
controlling the trunk position (i.e., not allowing to transfer forces effectively by remaining stable
the back to arch). while the arms and legs move. Therefore it is
sensible to select exercises that reflect this.
Thoracic and shoulder mobility There are probably more exercises for this part
The exercises used to develop thoracic and of the body than any other. Most of these tend
shoulder mobility are relatively quick and simple. to be variations on the sit-up or crunch, and
This means that for efficiency of training they can programmes generally focus on the abdominals
be incorporated into other sessions such as during rather than the lower back. In order to maximise
the warm-up. This is particularly effective as part trunk stability a balance of strength in both the
of a swim session warm-up as the short-term front and the back of the body is required. I have
increases in mobility will also aid technique within seen swimmers who have ignored this principle
the session. and were able to perform 1,000 sit-ups but fewer
than 10 dorsal raises! Suffice to say this does not
Try using the following exercises at whatever time reflect smart training. It is worth mentioning that
of the week is most convenient. Three times per whole body barbell exercises such as squats are
week is probably the minimum requirement to often a way in which the back can become strong
develop greater long-term mobility. without additional exercises. However if this type
of work is not included in the wider programme
Thoracic exercises then a front and back approach to trunk training
is necessary.
1 Indian sitting with side flexions 3x6
(see p. 139)
The sample routine in table 4.1 is designed on
2 Indian sitting with rotations 3x6 three levels. The routine covers all aspects of the
(see p. 139)
trunk in a manner that is relevant to swimming.
3 Scorpions (see p. 140) 3x8 The three levels provide progression as trunk
4 Stick/band dislocations (see p. 153) 2 x 8 strength is developed. The best approach is to
begin at the lowest level and progress, rather than

Table 4.1 Some swimming trunk-strength progressions

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

Dead bugs Aleknas Weighted aleknas

Body weight squat Prone extension holds Prone Superman holds

Modified plank Front plank 3-point plank

Side plank Moving side plank Side plank with leg lifts

49
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

attempting to tolerate the higher levels soon plateau if the programme isn’t progressed
immediately as this may lead to poor technique. and adapted appropriately.

Dealing with asymmetry There is a logical sequence of progressions that a

Attempting to address an asymmetry is more programme should follow (see figure 4.2). This is
about how an exercise is performed than the also discussed in much greater detail in chapter 7.
exercise itself. Naturally exercises that address the
unbalanced movement must be selected. In many The way in which these stages are progressed can
ways these will identify themselves when training be done in two ways. The experienced trainer can go
for strength and power. The key is to use unilateral through the various stages during the course of the
exercises rather than bilateral versions. An season. Under this system the special strength work
example of this would be using dumb-bells instead would coincide with the priority races of the season.
of barbells during upper body exercises. Many However for the novice athlete it is recommended
commercial gyms now have cable machines with that a good base level of general strength is attained
independent handles, which also allow unilateral before moving on to specific and special strength
pulling movements. Even without obvious training methods, regardless of the stage of the
asymmetries these are always good options for season. Without this foundation the benefits of the
best transfer to performance, as the front crawl more advanced stages will be compromised.
swim stroke is a unilateral action.
General strength and body control
Physical development to improve A classic mistake when looking to develop
propulsion power power is to jump straight into explosive exercises
Having dealt with the physical issues that relate to performed at speed. These are highly effective but
improving technique and reducing drag the topic only at the correct time. Power is a combination of
of increasing propulsion is relatively simple – or so force and velocity, or strength and speed in
it would seem. In order to improve muscular power everyday language. Without previous strength
in a way that will impact on swim performance we training a triathlete’s ability to produce maximal
need to pay careful attention to exercise selection, force will not be developed. This means that a very
movement speed, volumes of work, loadings, etc. low ceiling is placed on their capacity for power
What’s more, for an athlete to reach their full production. On the other hand increasing basic
potential for power production requires careful strength is likely to have a positive impact on
planning and manipulation of these variables. power production as well as acting as a building
Making early gains is relatively easy, but these will block for the later stages of training.

Gaining good body control is also an important

Special
General Specific building block for the latter stages of training. If
strength
strength strength control is poor then not only will more advanced
movement
and body including
control
patterns
pool work techniques put the athlete at risk of injury but the
and power
exercises will also be less effective. An athlete can
become more powerful simply through better
Figure 4.2 Progression of swim strength development mechanics as a result of gaining body control

50
 CHAPTER 004 the swim
Table 4.2 Some general strength exercises

Area Novice Intermediate Advanced

Press Partial press-ups Press-ups Deep press-ups

Pull Bent knee inverse pulls Inverse pulls Pull-ups

Legs Body weight squats Single-leg squats Weighted single-leg squats

without actually gaining any strength at all. So how pulling movements arguably represent the single
do we develop general strength and body control? most important component of power production
The key is to begin with exercises that use body for swimming propulsion. We have already seen
weight as resistance rather than barbells, dumb- that strengthening the latissimus dorsi (lats) can
bells and certainly not machines. As seen earlier, have a beneficial effect on swim performance. This
S&C is about training movements rather than is one of the key pulling muscles, particularly in
muscles. It is important to develop pulling and vertical pulls such as chin-ups. Additionally pulling
pushing strength as well as leg strength. During exercises will also develop strength in the elbow
this phase of training it is important to develop the flexors (biceps) and, if performed correctly,
ability to perform these key movements well, and improve the strength of the scapular retractors.
then the ability to do them repeatedly. This can help to address the common movement
dysfunction of protracted shoulders and internally
The humble press-up is one of the most valuable rotated humerus (see chapter 3). If full pull-ups
exercises at our disposal. It also offers a variety of prove too challenging then a number of variations
options to increase or decrease the intensity as can be used to regress the exercise. The use of
well as shift the emphasis of the exercise. Pressing assistance bands can help to off-load body weight
movements will not only work the elbow extensors to make pull-ups easier. Cable stack machines can
(triceps) but also the chest and shoulders, all of also be used to train vertical pulls. However these
which contribute to propulsion power. The need often result in the athlete flexing the trunk, so the
to maintain good technique also places a great training of this area is somewhat compromised.
challenge on the trunk. This means that the A horizontal pull such as the inverse pull (see
exercise achieves a number of goals while also chapter 10) will also reduce the amount of body
developing strength in a manner that has natural weight that is being lifted, although the
carry over to sports performance. contribution of the lats is reduced.

Pulling exercises are slightly more complicated as Leg strengthening exercises may possibly be most
they tend to be somewhat harder. While almost effective during general strengthening if viewed as
everyone can perform some variation of a press- ‘whole body’ exercises. The isolated strengthening
up, exercises such as pull-ups are too challenging of the legs may be of relatively small benefit as the
for many. This issue must be overcome, because legs remain straight during the freestyle swim.

51
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

However exercises such as squats and single-leg a weighted vest to add resistance. Wherever
squats will develop trunk and whole body control. possible the exercise choice should still require
The debate around the value of this type of work body control. This will increase the chances of
however may be somewhat academic with regard to transfer to pool. As well as having to reduce
the triathlete. Even if one is not convinced of the repetitions, another consequence of introducing
value of leg strength to the swim it is highly likely more load to the exercise is that the speed of
that this type of work will feature in the overall S&C movement will slow down. This is inevitable but
programme to enhance cycle and run performance. the athlete must make every attempt to move the
weight with speed. We are developing strength as
During the general strength phase the tempo of part of a journey towards power. Performing these
exercise performance will generally be slow and exercises with the intent to move quickly will make
controlled. At this stage it is important that the that journey far easier.
muscles are placed under tension for sufficient
time. This principle is known as time under tension Without delving too deeply into the science of
(TUT) and is discussed in much greater detail in strength training, a significant element of the
(chapter 8). Overall the volume of training will be adaptation to this phase comes from the nervous
high (lots of sets and reps), and the intensity will system. In order to achieve this effectively each set
be fairly low (heavy loads are not involved). A of an exercise should be performed relatively free
typical workout may use 2–4 sets of each exercise from fatigue. Therefore, unlike the previous phase,
and 10–15 repetitions. rest intervals will be slightly longer (around 2–3
minutes). The usual feeling of leaving the gym
Specific strength exhausted will also fade somewhat. This often
Having established a baseline of strength qualities comes very unnaturally to the endurance athlete.
and basic control, the priority starts to shift The natural positive association with this feeling at
towards directly targeting swimming performance. the end of every session means that many almost
This is where many programmes come unstuck, experience a sense of moral guilt if it is not
often because of a failure to move on to the next achieved. However this is when we start to learn
stage or doing so inappropriately by trying to the difference between exercising and training.
recreate swimming with weights. If the athlete performs the session in a way that
makes them feel good but is not the best way to
As already seen, the gym offers the capacity to move forward then they are exercising, not training.
overload force production in a way that is not
possible in the pool. In this phase larger loads can The best recommendation for selecting strength
be utilised to develop force production. This will exercises is to make natural progression to the
be dominated by pulling movements that reflect choices used in the general strength phase.
the challenge of swimming. The fact that larger These should already have been selected as
loads are being used will naturally mean that the being suitable in terms of ability to perform them
number of repetitions will be fewer than in the correctly. These can now either have load added
previous phase. For example, the athlete who was to them or a more advanced version used. For
previously performing 3 sets of 10 chin-ups may example, a triathlete who used partial press-ups
now switch to 5 sets of 5 repetitions wearing in the general phase can now cope with the full

52
 CHAPTER 004 the swim
version because of strength gains made and the Explosive exercises performed repeatedly will
lower number of repetitions required. By following naturally produce fatigue, and with fatigue comes
this process there is natural continuity and a loss of speed and power. Therefore the volume
progression through the programme. This not only and intensity of the session must be carefully
helps with progress but is also motivating as managed to ensure that the athlete has to work
advances are made. hard to maintain explosiveness, but that it is still
possible. The most effective method is to start with
There are a great range of set and repetition a low number performed very well and gradually
combinations that can be used during this phase. To increase the repetitions. This will work better than
some extent these will be determined by the load starting high and hoping they will get faster.
used. As a rule of thumb, sets of 3–8 repetitions are
suitable with a total number not exceeding 25 for One of the most effective tools for this type of work
each exercise. Popular methods include 3 x 8, 5 x 5 is the medicine ball (as known as a med ball).
and 6 x 3. In general the stronger the athlete is, the Unlike traditional weights the ball can be thrown.
lower the number of repetitions can go. Novice This is a crucial detail as it means that acceleration
trainers are likely to make the greatest gains can continue through the movement, just as it
towards the higher end of this scale. does through the swimming stroke. Regular gym
exercises require deceleration towards the end of
Special strength the movement and so power cannot be developed
Finally we come to special strength. Here the gap optimally. Exercises such as the medicine ball slam
between swimming and land training is at its are excellent for working on pulling power.
smallest. Indeed it may well be that this work is Additionally the medicine ball toss will help to
carried out in the pool. We have already seen that develop leg power. Gym exercises may be used
resisted swim work can have a positive effect on during this phase. However the choices must
propulsion power. It is during this final phase that match these movement characteristics: for
this is most appropriate. For some, land training example, the barbell throw-off represents an
aimed at swimming propulsion may end at this explosive variation on the bench press, or a
point to be replaced with the pool equivalent, plyometric (clap) press-up may be used. Exercises
although land training may still continue to aid that utilise jumping such as the jump squat are
reduction of drag and technique. also ideal for increasing leg power.

The qualities to be developed here are those that

can directly be used in the swim – namely power 4.4 Summary
and power endurance. Power means that we need Enhancing swim performance through strength
speed, and the added weight that was used when and conditioning can be achieved through a
developing force previously must be significantly number of routes that will promote the overall goal
reduced so that explosive actions can be of reducing drag and increasing propulsion power.
produced. We must also ensure not only that However these gains will not happen by accident
power can be produced but also that it can be or simply doing some general gym work. Rather
produced repeatedly. This requires a delicate they must be carefully targeted with an intelligent
balance in the programming of the session. and considered focus.

53
005
the bike
 CHAPTER 005 the bike
5.1 Introduction • The percentage of type I fibres (slow twitch) in
Of the three disciplines that make up triathlon the the vastus lateralis (quadriceps muscle)
natural association with S&C is perhaps most
obvious in the cycle. Increasing the strength and This may surprise many as power is clearly very
power of the legs is likely to have a more direct and highly associated with performance in endurance
fruitful transfer to performance in this event than in cycling. VO2 max is notable by its absence. In fact
either the swim or the run. However in the pursuit of in isolation this is a very poor predictor of
excellence there is no room for assumption. We performance, and yet it is commonly the primary
must still be vigilant in ensuring that we are sure of goal of many triathlete’s cycling programmes.
seeing gains by targeting the cycle with strength
training. Similarly it is not acceptable to take a lazy Those involved with sprint cycling on the track
approach and simply get a bit stronger and a bit need no convincing of the need for strength and
faster. If the aim of triathlon is to be your best then power work to be considered a fundamental aspect
it follows that a rigorous approach to identifying the of training. Those who ply their trade over longer
best strength regime for the best results is distances on the road sometimes require
essential. In this chapter we look at the evidence convincing of the significance to their event. This
supporting S&C for cycling. We also identify the is surely a changing trend however as a wealth of
strength qualities required, the adaptations that evidence is now available demonstrating the
underpin them and the methods for achieving them. effects of strength training on endurance cycling.
A review of these studies reveals that even in
well-trained competitive cyclists gains of 8–10 per
5.2 The technical basis of cent in time-trial performance are achievable. This
S&C for cycling is remarkable for a number of reasons. Firstly these
It may be overly simplistic to look at the swim as a gains are typically seen over a period of about 12
technical event requiring minimal fitness and the weeks and so may represent only the ‘tip of the
bike as the reverse. During flat and downhill iceberg’. Secondly the training programmes used
cycling the challenge is once again one of drag in the studies are generally very basic and haven’t
versus propulsion (obviously the degree of which been individualised, because scientific protocol
depends on speed). There are also many demands they must all perform the same session.
modifications in technology and body position Therefore it is reasonable to assume that with
which will affect the efficiency of transfer from the more advanced and individualised programming
body to the bike. That said, powerful legs will these results could be improved on further. Finally
produce power on the bike and high speeds. A the fact that such large improvements have been
comprehensive review of the physical qualities achieved in a short period of time in well-trained
that best predict cycling performance in scientific cyclists is remarkable. In athletes such as these
studies revealed the following top three factors: even a 5 per cent improvement over the course of
a season would generally be considered very
• Power output at lactate threshold positive progress. When we consider that 10 per
cent gains in three months have been repeatedly
• Peak power output (ideally a power/weight achieved the value of adding strength to a
ratio of at least 5.5 watts/kg) programme becomes clear.

55
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

The case for the importance of strength can also be

drawn from the taper. During this period the
strength of the quads can be expected to increase in
the region of 8 per cent. The same increase is also
seen in performance. This is not to claim that gains
in performance are entirely the result of strength,
but the importance of power is once again evident.

So how do gains in strength affect the way in

which an athlete cycles? One of the more
interesting changes is a reduction in pedalling
cadence during longer rides (while maintaining
the same speed). This carries a double benefit:
not only does it result in more efficient cycling but
also a greater economy during the run. It is this
change in efficiency that is the key to enhanced
performance. Successful strength-training
programmes for cycling always increase maximum
power output. Although this absolute maximum is
not used during a triathlon the cyclist is now able weight gain is incredibly slim. There are a number
to work at the same rate, but at a lower percentage of reasons behind this:
of their maximum. As a result the athlete does not
feel as if they are working as hard and can either • Gains in muscle mass require specific
increase the pace or work more efficiently and protocols, nutritional plans and body type.
save energy for the run.
• The large volumes of endurance work will block
The issue of body weight and cycling also throws the ‘muscle gain pathways’ in the body (see
up some interesting paradoxes. Any glance section 2.2).
through a cycling or triathlon magazine will
demonstrate the financial lengths athletes will go • If strength training regimes (rather than
to shave a few extra grams from the weight of the bodybuilding) are used then any gains in
bike. All too often the same degree of commitment muscle will come in the form of more densely
is not shown when controlling body weight! Of packed muscles with little weight gain rather
course it is the ‘system mass’, i.e. the bike plus its than ‘pumped up’ muscles (see figure 1.4).
rider, that we should be concerned with. This often
leads to unfounded fears that resistance training Much of the gains in strength and power following
will result in ‘bulking up’ and the rider losing any training are likely to come from changes in the
gains from strength to added load, which will take nervous system, particularly following explosive
its toll during uphill portions of the race. This type training. This goes some way to explaining
argument can be countered from two angles. how strength training can enhance performance in
Firstly, and most importantly, the likelihood of the absence of more muscle.

56
 CHAPTER 005 the bike
Triathletes will frequently claim that they simply
don’t have time to add this work. This is generally
the result of a fear of letting go of bike work in
favour of the gym. To some this suggestion may
seem like an S&C coach losing perspective.
However the research evidence demonstrates that
not only is it possible to drop cycling sessions for
weights and still improve performance but that it is
also a necessity. Ironically it may even be that part
of the value of replacing road work with the gym
lies in the strength gains as well as in a reduction
of excessive levels of endurance work! In some
circles this may sound like the ultimate sacrilege in
endurance sport. The evidence however is very
strong, and those who break away from old-
fashioned training techniques and tradition and
allow themselves to be guided by science will gain
a crucial edge.

A second element to the debate centres around So far we have only discussed the role of increased
body composition versus body weight. If despite leg strength on performance. This falls into the
the factors described above an athlete were to stereotypical view of a powerful cyclist having an
gain a few kilograms of muscle this would add to emaciated upper body perched on legs like tree
the system mass and have a negative impact trunks. While the legs are obviously the area we
– right? This holds true only if we fail to consider are most concerned with, the trunk and upper
how the body works as a whole. Many triathletes body are ignored at our peril. These are crucial to
still carry levels of body fat slightly above their anchor the body so that force can effectively be
optimum. Naturally this also contributes to the transferred to the pedals. A very specific type of
system mass. One of the biggest determinants of strength is required in these areas for cycling
our basal metabolic rate (the amount of calories performance, namely isometric endurance (see
our body requires each day before exercise) is the ‘Types of muscle contraction’, chapter 1). This
amount of lean body mass. Therefore if we essentially means the ability to remain fixed and
increase lean mass we increase this rate and rigid for long periods of time. Unlike speed or
potentially start to burn off fat at a greater rate. power this is not a quality in which ever-increasing
So it is distinctly possible that small gains in amounts are sought. We simply require an
muscle may actually change our body composition adequate amount to control the force generated by
without affecting body weight. the legs. For some this will come naturally and no
additional work is required. However others may
The scheduling of training sessions is another find this a limiting factor, and any gains in leg
reason that is often quoted for not including strength are seriously compromised due to ‘energy
strength work as an integral part of a programme. leaks’. These will often be female triathletes and

57
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

those from a running background who have not power production they are clearly a high priority.
historically utilised the upper body to great effect. It is important to recognise that these actions
occur together during the pedal action. This
means that the greatest transfer will be achieved
5.3 The practical application if we use exercises that also combine
of S&C to cycling simultaneous knee and hip extension. This is also
For a training programme to be successfully a more efficient way of training, because separate
transferred to the bike there are several elements exercises do not need to be used for each action.
that must be considered. Which muscles need to The calves (ankle plantar flexors) also play an
be worked? Which movements should we work important role, although for practical reasons
them through? What speed of movement works these are often best trained in isolation. Finally
best and how much work should we do? while they do not appear to play a role in power
production, the ankle dorsi-flexors are also
Figure 5.1 shows the relative contributions of the important. The tibialis anterior (the muscle that
muscles involved in cycling. The breakdown runs down the front of the shin) maintains a
relates to movements rather than specific muscles strong ankle during the back lift of the pedal
and reflects the way in which they should be stroke. Developing strength in this area is also
trained. Of course the figures given are only an important to maintain a muscle balance with the
approximate guide, as these will vary according to calf. As with all areas of the body it is important to
technique, body dimensions, bike set-up and develop the musculature on both sides of a joint
gradient of cycle. That said, it is clear that the in order to avoid imbalance issues.
most important aspect is knee extension (quads),
followed by hip extension (gluteals and Thus the main thrust of a programme for improving
hamstrings). Given that these two actions leg power for cycling will centre around
combine to represent around three-quarters of the movements that combine knee and hip extension
with supplementary work around the ankle
movements. This provides myriad options. The
movements can be subdivided into two-legged
(bilateral) and one-legged (unilateral). In general
bilateral movements tend to be ideal for
generating large amounts of force, because there
are no issues around balance and so all efforts can
be directed towards giving a maximal effort.
Hip extensors (27%) Unilateral movements on the other hand make up
Hip flexors (4%) for the lower forces involved by the fact that the
Knee extensors (39%)
Knee flexors (10%) movements can be considered more specific to the
Ankle plantar flexors (20%) action of cycling. The most effective approach is
Figure 5.1 Muscle contributions to cycling action.
generally to utilise bilateral movements early in
the season to develop a foundation of strength and
Ericson (1986), On the biomechanics of cycling. A study of
joint and muscle load during exercise on the bicycle progress towards specific unilateral exercises as
ergometer. Scand, J. Rehabil Med Suppl., 16 competition approaches.

58
 CHAPTER 005 the bike
High force bilateral exercises Hip dominant Knee dominant
These essentially consist of the dead lift and the
squat exercise, and the many variations of both. As
we have seen, these exercises allow the athlete to
move through the appropriate kinetic chain with
potentially high loads. Consequently they are
excellent tools for strength development. The skill
of the strength and conditioning coach comes in
identifying precisely the right movement to suit an
athlete’s body dimensions and strength
requirements.

The dead lift is what is known as a hip dominant

Figure 5.2 Knee and hip dominant patterns
exercise. This means that force generation takes
place to a greater extent at the hip rather than the
knee. Squats on the other hand are known as a is dominated by knee extension over hip
knee dominant exercise. The extent to which an extension. As a result squats are generally
exercise is knee or hip dominant is determined by considered the staple exercise for cycling
the distance of each joint from the line of the bar performance. That is not to say that dead lifts do
(see figure 5.2). We have already seen that cycling not have a role to play. Most of us tend to be quite

59
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

knee dominant in our movement patterns as a hip–knee balance, but it is often more important to
result of the adaptations of daily life. This can then select the lift that suits the athlete best. Many find
be compounded by large volumes of knee the front squat somewhat awkward as it requires
dominant cycling. Therefore the dead lift can flexibility of the wrists and lats. Also most people
represent a welcome opportunity to develop are not able to lift as much in the front squat as the
strength through the hips and take the load off the back squat. However those with particularly long
knees. The dead lift is also an excellent tool for thighs may find it hard to perform a back squat
developing upper body strength and therefore correctly (i.e., not leaning forward excessively). It
offers additional benefits for athletes who may be is frequently harder to maintain a healthy back
lacking in this area. position in the back squat and so those with
intervertebral disc problems are advised to use the
The squat is a key exercise, which will almost front squat.
certainly feature in any cycling strength
programme, and therefore the variations on the The squat is also a curious enigma in that it is one
movement warrant some discussion. In general the of the few exercises that is not routinely performed
squat is either performed as a back squat or a front to a full range of motion. Many perform the
squat (the only major exception is the overhead movement only to a parallel position (thighs
squat). The terms back and front refer to the parallel to the floor) under the misguided belief
position of the bar in relation to the athlete’s that going any deeper is harmful to the knees. This
shoulders. This will have an influence over the is far from true as in fact the knees become more
stable below the parallel position. Through a
deeper range of movement the glutes and vatsus
medialis also become more involved. These are
key muscles in movement control, which many
people lack, and so deep squatting is not only safe
but also to be encouraged. The absolute depth
that one should squat to is hard to define as it
depends very much on individual mobility. The
short answer is that squats should be developed
as deep as good technique allows. There are times
when a shorter range is used to allow greater
loads to be placed on the bar. However it is
strongly suggested that lighter, full range
movements are used initially to develop mobility
and ‘unlock’ the athlete’s existing strength before
adding more to a small range.

The final major option that has not been discussed

is the leg press. This is one of the few resistance
training machines that is still used regularly by
athletes. The leg press uses a similar movement of

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 CHAPTER 005 the bike
Table 5.1 Single-leg exercise categories

Category Emphasis

Single-leg squats Greatest potential for strength development

(inc. Bulgarian squats
Several variations that allow for development of range of movement and
and split squats)
control

Lunges Balance of strength and control development

A large number of variations that can be used to target different aspects of
the hip and leg musculature

Step-ups Most specific movement pattern to cycling, which mimics the downward
thrust on the crank
Excellent choice for challenging control of the trunk, hips, knees and ankles
Ability to load heavily may be restricted

the hips and knees to squatting patterns but can Unilateral leg exercises
generally be loaded to a greater extent as the need There are three main categories of single-leg
for control is removed. From this perspective it is exercise that are likely to be used to develop
an excellent choice as the athlete’s strength levels cycling strength, each of which brings its own
can be challenged to maximal levels without the particular emphasis (see table 5.1). The single-
need to develop technique and control. It could leg squat is possibly the best choice for
certainly be argued that this is a good fit for developing single-leg strength. Exercises such
cycling strength training as the pedals and crank as the Bulgarian squat and the split squat fall
also control the gross movement pattern. Others into this category and allow high levels of load
would argue that developing athleticism is also and strength development. The single-leg squat
important. This will include control of the hips, off a box and pistols are also excellent
knees and ankles and strengthening the back and movements that use body weight as the main
trunk. In the case of the triathlete, rather than the form of resistance. The lunge is a very versatile
pure cyclist, these are certainly important exercise, although it is generally not loaded
qualities. For the triathlete who is a novice particularly heavily. Of the many variations the
strength trainer it may be best to use lighter reverse lunge is a much ignored but very
squats and dead lifts to develop athleticism and effective tool. Finally step-ups provide an
build a platform of technique for future training obvious choice owing to the similarity of the
while using the leg press to build strength in the movement to the pedalling action. Once again
meantime. More advanced trainers who are able to though the demand for control is high if these
perform heavy squats with good technique are are to be performed correctly. Therefore relying
lucky enough to be able to develop strength and on them too heavily is likely to mean major
athleticism simultaneously. compromises in strength development.

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Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

Explosive leg exercises The selection of loading for explosive exercises is

It must always be remembered that the ultimate an important element that must be considered. By
aim of work directed towards increased cycling their nature these exercises must be performed with
power is power itself. This means that force is speed. Therefore the weight that is used must be
produced rapidly. As a result it is important to somewhere comfortably below the maximum that
include some explosive work in the strength can be lifted. The ideal load is a matter of some
programme. Most traditional gym exercises do debate. Many coaches seek to use the load that
not lend themselves to explosive work as the produces the maximal mechanical power output.
weight needs to be decelerated towards the end This typically occurs at loads of 40–50 per cent of
of the movement. The natural answer to this issue the one-repetition maximum for a given exercise
is jumping-based exercises, which are inherently (with the exception of Olympic lifts where it is closer
explosive. These can be manipulated to be either to 85–90 per cent). Alternatively a load can be used
high or low load biased: for example, bodyweight to target high-load power or low-load power
jumps will maximise explosiveness with a light depending on the needs of the athlete. For example,
load; moderate loadings can be achieved with a small quick athlete who lacks strength is likely to
medicine ball throwing exercises, whereas the be better suited to high-load power work that will
whole spectrum of loads can be worked with target the force element of force x velocity, which
jump squats. makes up power. On the other hand an athlete who
is very strong but not particularly explosive may
As well as jumping exercises, the Olympic lifts benefit most from working on low-load power,
(i.e., cleans and snatches) are very popular which will emphasise the speed component of
power-development tools that feature in virtually power. The most important factor to remember is
every text on strength and conditioning. These are that a maximal effort to move the weight as fast as
certainly very effective for developing power when possible must be made. This intent to move the
used correctly. The power outputs achieved in weight quickly is actually more important than the
these lifts generally exceed all other options result itself. Indeed, as has been shown, attempting
including jump squats. However the task of to move very heavy loads quickly improves power
performing them correctly is not a simple one. even if the weight ends up moving only very slowly.
Developing the technique to a level that is both
safe and effective requires a great deal of practice Exercises for the calf and ankle
and expert tuition. As a result it is suggested that Most of the strength exercises described so far
the vast majority of triathletes are likely to be able include movements of the hips and knees, which
to use their training time more effectively by using as we have seen are the main driving forces in
more simplistic techniques. For those who are cycling power. However it would be foolish to
keen to utilise the Olympic lifts the most effective ignore the 20 per cent contribution made by the
approach may be to use teaching drills to develop calves to pedal power. A brief glance at the lower
the skills and mobility as part of a warm-up. This leg of most top cyclists also tells us that this is a
can be done in tandem with other power- pretty important area.
development methods until the athlete has
developed sufficient technical ability to perform When it comes to explosive work the ankle is
loaded Olympic lifts for power development. pretty well catered for by the jumping movements

62
 CHAPTER 005 the bike
already discussed. Therefore we are primarily of the shin) in order to balance the development of
concerned with developing strength in the muscle. the calf and allow for a strong ankle during the
This is a relatively straightforward process as the backstroke. Once again training the action of dorsi-
movement of plantar flexion (pointing the toes) is flexion (lifting toes towards the shin) is a relatively
a fairly simple one. Therefore all of the exercises straightforward one. This can be achieved though
for this movement will be variations on the calf tib ant raises (see chapter 9) or through the use of
raise exercise. The movement is produced by the resistance bands (see chapter 8). These are ideal
two calf muscles – gastrocnemius and soleus. In for general development of the muscle and for
order to target both effectively it is important to retaining balance in the lower leg.
perform some movements with a straight leg (for
gastrocnemius) and some with a bend in the knee Exercises for the upper body
(for soleus). On this occasion machines such as the and trunk
leg press (with straight legs) or the calf raise are In general those who lack sufficient upper body
just as beneficial as bodyweight or free-weight strength for optimal cycling performance will also
exercises. These are actually useful tools as the lack general upper body strength. An athlete with
mechanics of the calf allow large loads to be lifted, good general strength and sufficient size in their
and machines may remove the danger of difficult upper body simply needs to practise cycling
balancing acts. techniques and riding different gradients in order
to start to use this more effectively. That is not to
Finally as already discussed, we must also develop say that we cannot try to fill our gym work with
the tibialis anterior (which runs along the outside exercises that will potentially have a greater carry

63
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

over to cycling. The key thing to remember is that

the strength of the upper body must be matched
by the trunk. Exercises that support the trunk such
as the bench press allow an imbalance to develop
and the trunk starts to become a weak link.

We must also keep sight of the fact that the way in

which we train for one discipline will also impact
on the other two. The choices we have presented
for developing strength in the swim are also good
options for the challenge of the bike (see table
4.2). This is certainly true during general winter
training. For those with greater levels of S&C
experience and as the competitive season
approaches it is possible to adapt these generic
exercises to make them somewhat more specific to
cycling power (see table 5.2). This also adds some
variety to maintain interest and avoid plateaux. As
ever though, the athlete should only progress to
these once competency has been achieved in the
simplest form of the exercise.

The trunk can be trained effectively by using these

types of exercises, but there is also value in adding
additional trunk-specific work where time allows.
Once again this should be focused on preventing
movement around the trunk rather than generating
it. The plank is a mainstay of many triathletes’ shoulders are kept relaxed. It is a common sight to
training programmes and its position there is well see a hunched upper back and hands gripped with
justified. However a few notes of caution should be tension as an athlete seeks to last a little longer by
exercised. If we are aiming to target the trunk/ taking the strain through the wrong areas. If this
abdomen then it is vital that the arms, chest and cannot be prevented then an easier version of the

Table 5.2 Some cycling upper body options

Category Basic option Variation 1 Variation 2

Presses Press-up Deep weighted press-ups Single-arm press-ups

Pulls Inverse pulls Single-arm bent-over row Pull-ups

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 CHAPTER 005 the bike
example, a three-point plank (two legs and one
arm, or vice versa) will achieve this perfectly. Other
choices such as aleknas, dead bugs and leg raises
are also ideal.

5.4 Periodisation and

progression of cycle strength
Some riders feel that the gym is not needed for
them to put strength in their legs. Instead they
believe that they can make excellent gains in a
more specific manner through working tough hills
or going through a hard session on a big chain
ring. These are indeed excellent methods of
developing specific strength for cycling. The ability
to change the forces applied for a given speed
through the use of the gears is one of the unique
features of the bike and makes it a much more
adaptable tool. So does that mean the gym is
redundant? Not at all. The gym still has an even
greater capacity to overload force, which means
that if we want to improve maximum strength then
this is still the best option. The gym also offers the
ability to work in different ways. As we have seen,
most cyclists already do enough cycling so the
opportunity to develop with different tools is often
more powerful. Finally the gym provides a chance
exercise needs to be used. The next point regards to redress any muscular imbalances or areas of
how long to go for. It should not be the aim to weakness that are exacerbated by further cycling.
perform an everlasting plank! The endurance
element comes from the bike, the strength element So which option should we go for? The answer is
comes from the gym. Therefore once a plank of both, with a shift through the year from general to
60+ seconds can be performed comfortably with specific. By using the winter to get the body in
good technique it is time to introduce more balance, target weak areas and develop basic
advanced variations. One way of achieving this is physical qualities such as maximum strength the
to add a small weight across the hips. Another is to triathlete is then in a great position to start to
reduce the number of points-of-contact with the transfer these gains through the spring. This will
floor. The latter of these may be the preferred see a general shift towards more explosive work
choice as it replicates the diagonal forces that are followed by a much greater reliance on bike strength
transferred across the body during cycling (as well sessions as the competitive season approaches
as swimming and running for that matter). For (see chapter 7 for more on periodisation).

65
006
the run
 CHAPTER 006 the run
6.1 Introduction plodding! The answer lies in S&C, yet requires an
Running is a curious term as it describes many innate understanding of both running mechanics
forms of movement that often have little in and the S&C tools that are used. To improve
common! The complex interplay between limbs, technique and efficiency it is generally necessary
torso and the ground is a highly sophisticated to get stronger. Here though we are talking very
mechanical operation, which doesn’t happen by much of postural strength, which is a product of
chance. Therefore it is fair to say that, while almost both the strength of the muscles involved and the
everyone can run, very few of us can really run. coordination and skill to use this strength in the
Improving our technical ability in the run is one of correct sequences. With well-directed training
the most potent, yet neglected, ways of increasing everyone can achieve this, but it will not happen
speed and efficiency and bringing down times. by chance or through thrown-together training
Therefore it should come as no surprise that S&C programmes.
for endurance running is concerned firstly with
improving the quality of our movement and
secondly with the quantity. 6.2 The technical basis of
S&C for running
Many triathlon books and magazines acknowledge It has been stated throughout this book that in
the fact that running technique is important and order to justify its place in a busy training schedule
try to help athletes by giving general advice on its all S&C interventions should be backed up by
technique. In the main though this is entirely evidence rather than built on assumption.
useless, because the movements and postures Therefore we should begin by examining the
displayed when we run are a result of our physical scientific evidence and the reasons behind it.
structures, strengths and weaknesses. An athlete
could study the technique of a top runner for Most of the studies into the effects of S&C on
years, but without the requisite conditioning endurance running have been based around
would still not be able to run to the same excellent explosive-strength training. This itself is rather
standard. It is a common sight to see joggers in the surprising as this probably represents the ‘icing
street slumped forwards, arms flailing and knees on the cake’ rather than the first area to focus on.
collapsing. These people do not run that way Nonetheless these studies have consistently
because they have misunderstood the technical demonstrated that this type of training improves
model. They run that way because these are the running economy. This may surprise many as some
positions their bodies naturally select. would assume that this type of work would aid
sprinting but have little effect on distance
The antithesis of the plodding, labouring jogger economy. The mechanisms behind these
in the street is the majestic Kenyan. It is often improvements come from several potential
remarked that these runners look effortless – sources, the significance of which will depend
this is not an illusion. By holding correct form the somewhat on the make-up of the individual. These
efficient runner can reuse elastic energy so they include increased muscular power, neuromuscular
literally bounce along the ground. So how does control and improved reactive strength. Most
the plodding jogger start to become more like the notably they do not include aerobic factors such
majestic Kenyan? Certainly not by practising more as VO2 max. Therefore this represents an area of

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Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

potential improvement which is ‘untapped’ by phenomenon known as the stretch shortening

conventional endurance training, the benefits cycle. This is the key to elastic energy and efficient
of which will inevitably reduce as the rule of running. Our tendons (tissue that joins muscle to
diminishing returns kicks in (see section 2.2). bones) have good elastic properties. This means
that they have the potential to stretch and then
This improvement in running economy translates rapidly recoil to return energy. The most important
to improved times as runners are able to produce of these tendons with respect to running are the
more speed without increasing the relative Achilles tendon, which connects the calf to the
intensity. For example, a 5 per cent reduction in heel, and the patella tendon, which attaches the
5km race performance has been achieved with quadriceps muscles to the front of the shin. When
just eight weeks of weight training, even in the foot strikes the floor the runner has the
highly trained runners who have less room for potential to use this elastic recoil to spring back
improvement. The results of many of the recent off the ground with relative ease, thus making for
scientific studies are summarised in table 6.1. efficient movement. Indeed it has been estimated
that up to 60 per cent energy is provided by elastic
These benefits alone are good justification for recoil in the best runners. This seemingly ‘free
using S&C to improve running performance. energy’ comes with a conditional clause.
However this use of explosive lifting may be only
the tip of the iceberg. Increasing the power that The ‘reusable energy’ provided by the stretch
the legs can produce is obviously going to help shortening cycle is only available for a limited, brief
improve running power. However efficient running period of time – just a few hundred milliseconds –
involves highly technical biomechanics. If an S&C and the energy potential is reduced the longer the
programme does not address these first then foot is in contact with the ground. Furthermore the
unless the athlete is already very technically elastic potential can be realised only if there is
proficient only a small percentage of the power ‘active tension’ in the muscle. For example, if the
gained will be transferred into running power. muscles around the ankle are relaxed on foot strike
then the ankle will simply bend as the weight of the
The stretch shortening cycle and body forces it toward the shin. Similarly if the
elastic running efficiency quads and hamstrings are relaxed then the knee
Perfect technical running is not an achievable goal will simply give way and any potential for recoil is
for the vast majority of triathletes. In fact most lost. Avoiding movement in these key joints during
elite triathletes and even endurance track athletes foot strike is known as mechanical stiffness and is
have technical deficiencies, which take them away one of the key goals of plyometric training (see
from the perfect technical model, and yet still practical application below). This means that the
produce superb performances. The key is not to muscles of both sides of the joint co-contract and
achieve perfection but to hit certain key ‘shapes’ prevent movement at the joint. The forces are then
that allow the body to move efficiently. transferred to the tendons and their elastic
properties can be unlocked.
We will look at these key positions shortly, but
first it is necessary to understand why these Does this mean that runners should aim to run
shapes are important. The answer lies in a with these muscles tensed at all times then? Of

68
 Table 6.1 Summary of strength training and running economy research

Authors Subject Age Resistance Description of treatment and control Results Improvement PEDro Scale
description (Y) training, type groups (%) (32) score
and duration (max = 10)

Paavolainen 18 elite male 20–30 Plyometric CT = 68% ET, 32% sport-specific Decreased 5k run 3.1 (5K); 5
et al. distance training 9 wk plyometric training; ET = 97% ET, 3% time in CT; 8.1 (RE)
runners; V02max sport-specific plyometric training improved RE in CT
= 68 ml kg-1·min-1

Spurrs 17 male distance n/a Plyometric CT = concurrent plyometric training Decreased 3K run 2.7 (3K) 6
et al. runners; Vo2max training 6 wk (two sessions per week for 3 weeks time in CT 4–7 (RE)
= 57 ml kg-1·min-1 then three sessions per week for 3 improved RE in CT
weeks) and normal ET; ET =
continued normal training

Mikkola 18 male, 7 16–18 Plyometric CT = 81% endurance and No ∆ RE or 3 5

et al. female distance training 8 wk supplemental training. 19% sport- Vo2max increased
runners; Vo2max specific explosive strength training; anaerobic and
= 62 ml kg-1·min-1 ET = 96% endurance and selective
supplemental training, 4% sport- neuromuscular
specific explosive strength training performance in CT

Saunders 15 elite male 20–30 Plyometric CT = concurrent plyometric training Improved RE in CT 4.1 6
et al. distance training 9 wk (3 sessions per week) and normal ET
runners;
Vo2max = 68–70
ml kg-1·min-1

Millet et al. 15 elite male 18–30 Heavy weight CT = concurrent HWT (lower limb, Improved RE in CT 5.3 6
triathletes; training 1.4 two sessions per week) and
Vo2max = 67–69 wk consistent, supervised aerobic
ml kg-1·min-1 training; ET = consistent, supervised
aerobic training

Average 9.2 wk 4.5 5.6

CT= concurrent resistance and endurance training; ET= endurance training; HWT= heavy weight training; RE= running economy
Source: Yamamoto 2008
69

CHAPTER 006 the run

Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

Figure 6.1a Tony Hip (toe–knee–hip) running style Figure 6.1b Hipneeto (hip–knee–toe) running style

course not. Relaxation is also critical for fluid and this explained was by a colleague and friend who
smooth movement. The key is to develop the is also a top athletics coach with an excellent
complex, automatic coordination required to understanding of human movement. When
run with great relaxation yet be able to analysing my running style he told me he thought I
instantaneously produce great tension in the ran like a make-believe English runner who he
correct areas with precision timing. In running this called Tony Hip (toe–knee–hip). This referred to
is known as an active foot strike. This may sound the order in which I moved the body parts when
intimidatingly complex but can be developed with running (see figure 6.1a). Instead he told me he
relatively simple methods (see section 6.3). wanted me to run like a Kenyan runner who he
called Hipneeto (hip–knee–toe) (see figure 6.1b).
Key positions for efficient running
So what are the key positions and how do they The vast majority of us run in the toe–knee–hip
help promote efficiency? The best way I have heard style, particularly during longer, slower runs.

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 CHAPTER 006 the run
This promotes what is known as rear side Another area of some significant debate is that of
mechanics as opposed to front side mechanics, the foot strike (the position of the foot when it
which is achieved through the hip–knee–toe contacts the ground). Many modern coaches
running. These terms refer to where the running believe that a mid-foot strike is optimal as,
cycle occurs in relation to the mid-line of the body. theoretically at least, this should allow the runner
to benefit from the natural mechanics of the foot.
The most crucial point during hip–knee–toe running, The foot is actually a surprisingly complex
or front side mechanics, is immediately after toe-off mechanical design, which is able to control and
(the moment the foot leaves the ground). This point return force for increased efficiency. By initially
represents a crossroads for the rest of the running landing on the heel it is believed that the runner
cycle. During front side running the hip is may not be able to take advantage of this, and
immediately flexed at the same time as the knee. such an action also significantly reduces the
This brings the free leg (swing leg) through rapidly. stretch potential of the Achilles tendon. On the
On the other hand, rear side running generally sees other hand, coaches of the opposite view cite the
the foot leave the floor without the hip flexing. The fact that there is still little direct evidence of a
foot then ‘floats’ out behind the runner, slowly performance-enhancement effect when switching
drifting up towards the backside. All the while this to a mid-foot strike. Furthermore it is claimed that
is happening the opposite foot is on the ground and making this move can lead to increased stress
is itself approaching the time of toe-off. The front around the foot and ankle and increased risk of
side runner is in a good position as the legs have injury. So who is right? The answer is resoundingly
crossed early and the thigh has been lifted. This unclear. While the theory regarding greater
puts the runner in a great position to place the foot performance with a mid-foot strike is sound there
deliberately on the ground for an active foot strike, is no evidence to show that this actually works.
which can take advantage of the stretch shortening Studies have shown that top runners are split
cycle. He can also place his foot downwards and between the heel and mid-foot strike, and this
underneath his hips to minimise the braking forces. does not appear to differentiate between
Sadly though our rear side runner, Tony Hip, has performance. We would suggest that deliberately
only just brought his leg through. Rather than focusing on the foot position and consciously
actively placing the foot the need for balance means trying to land on the mid-foot is a bad idea. Instead
that the foot simply ‘splats’ on to the ground with if you focus on the mechanics of the hip the foot
little or no active tension. This means there is little will naturally alter its position in a way that is
potential for elastic energy and the ground contact much more likely to be technically correct.
will be long. The foot will often land significantly in What’s more is that these changes will happen
front of the body as well and will thus brake the gradually as technique slowly moves towards a
runner and kill their existing speed! The degree to more front side bias. This gradual change will
which front side running is expressed will depend allow the elastic structures of the foot such as the
on the speed of the runner. During sprinting the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon time to adjust
thigh will come close to parallel to the ground. to the new demands being placed on them. If the
Clearly this is not sustainable during the final leg of change is made too rapidly the chance of injury is
an Ironman race. However the same patterns are very high and any potential advantage is lost to
used, just to a lesser degree. time on the physio bed. If the foot is placed in the

71
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

right position (i.e., under the hip rather than in The potential to discuss the minutiae of every
front) then the optimal foot strike should look after aspect of running technique is almost limitless.
itself. Therefore once again hip–knee–toe beats However there is neither the capacity nor need to
toe–knee–hip. discuss this level of detail in this book. By gaining
an understanding of the critical shapes outlined
Regardless of your foot strike one area that above, combined with the drilling and training
cannot be disputed is the importance of good feet. techniques below, triathletes of all levels will be
As already learned, the foot is a well-designed able to maximise their potential. In general I have
mechanical structure. However for many of us they found that giving the body the capacity to achieve
are more like dead slabs of flesh hanging from the the correct positions is more effective than
end of our shins! This is due to years of neglect teaching the brain. However in order that athletes
and poor footwear. When we consider that our may feel they know what they are aiming for, a
only opportunity to produce speed is via the feet summary of the tenets of good technique are
and their contact with the ground this becomes a described in table 6.2.
concern. The other advantage to good foot
mechanics is the potential to dissipate and control In summary it is important that an S&C programme
forces. When this is not done effectively excessive first addresses a runner’s mechanics in order to
force must be tolerated by other joints and make efficient use of their existing strength and
structures that are less suitable for taking them. power and to take advantage of the potential for
Given that forces several times our body weight elastic energy. Once this has been achieved then
must be absorbed each step we take it is crucial the focus can turn towards developing reactive
that this is avoided. Therefore a good foot strength and further gains in strength and power
conditioning routine is a must for the running to enhance performance.
component of a triathlete’s training regime.

Table 6.2 The basics of running technique

Area Technical goals

General Tall relaxed posture with hips held high

Upper body Shoulders loose with a small amount of rotation

Elbow angle not critical but should have minimal forward travel in front of body with
some movement behind torso
Avoid elbows flaring or excessive rotation

Hips and Pelvis in athlete’s own neutral (i.e., same as in standing)

lower body
Hip–knee–toe running action
Neutral/dorsi flexed ankle at foot strike and through swing phase

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 CHAPTER 006 the run
6.3 The practical application dysfunctions such as lower crossed syndrome (see
of S&C to running figure 3.2) underactive glutes are a commonly
As we have seen, the focus of S&C for enhancing diagnosed problem. This can lead to all sorts of
running performance can be divided into three problems with running technique. However simple
main areas: muscle conditioning to improve glute exercises on a mat alone will not help, even
technique; muscle coordination to improve though strengthening the glutes is an important
technique and efficiency; and strength qualities part of the process towards ultimately solving the
such as force, power and reactive strength. We will problem if the muscle is fundamentally weak.
now further examine the first two of these, which
are directed toward the same goal. The exercises that we can potentially use to
improve technique, range from very simple ones
Muscular conditioning and that isolate small movements to whole body
coordination exercises that target gross postures. In general the
We should be very clear right from the outset that latter is more effective as multiple areas can be
strengthening a muscle in isolation will not targeted and the potential for transfer is greater
miraculously result in changes in running due to the coordinated nature of the movement.
technique. This is a common mistake that many However if there is a particular area of weakness
less well-informed physiotherapists and trainers good technique may not be achievable, and so
make. The classic example of this comes from the these weak areas must be worked in isolation
glutes. Because of common movement before being incorporated into larger movements.
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

The trunk point and removes much of the potential benefit.

The muscles and movements that are most In these exercises athletes often arch their backs in
important for improving running technique order to stabilise the spine. This strategy is no good
generally focus around the pelvis and the trunk. for the triathlete as it puts the pelvis in a poor
If these are controlled optimally then much of the position. Ideally the muscles of the abdomen and
technique in the legs will often take care of itself. lower back work together in a co-contraction.
Therefore our discussion should start at the centre This keeps the pelvis in its natural position and
of the body and move out. optimises the stability of the spine. It is for these
reasons that good technique with a light weight
On the most simplistic level the conditioning (or no weight at all) always beats a heavy bar with
programme will begin with strengthening the suboptimal technique. Once an adequate level of
muscles of the trunk in floor-based exercises. strength has been achieved along with basic control
These same movements may also have a place in mat exercise, whole body movements such as
in an athlete’s programme as part of a prehab these are critical for transfer to the demands of
routine (see chapter 3). The abdominal exercises running. It is this vital integration stage that is often
should generally be focused on exercises that missing from programmes and the reason for their
work to prevent movement (such as the plank subsequent failure to affect technique. The third
and aleknas) rather than more old-fashioned stage comes from running drills (see below).
exercises such as sit-ups. The reason these
exercises are important is that they aid our ability The hips
to control the position of the pelvis and trunk The muscles of the hips (the glutes) play a key
during running. This must be remembered at role in holding good form and technique during
all times, as good technique is paramount. If running. Once again training this area can
technique is sloppy or the exercise level is too include basic exercises to make the muscles
advanced the athlete may still work the muscles stronger right through to large whole body
but will not be practising the control required exercises that incorporate this strength into a
during running. Often it is control rather than gross movement pattern.
strength that is the limiting factor. A good test for
this is the Superman exercise. Performing this The glutes are primarily responsible for hip
movement slowly and quadruped (on all fours) extension (pulling the thigh backwards). During
helps to develop a sense of awareness and running this also helps to keep the hips in a ‘high
control around the trunk. These qualities of position’. Most recreational runners tend to run
strength and control must always be developed in a position that athletics coaches call ‘sitting
in tandem as one without the other is useless. down’. This puts the athlete in a poor position to
take advantage of the elastic qualities of the
While these exercises form the main component of hamstrings and can shorten the stride. However
the trunk conditioning programme the principles of holding the high position requires a good level of
trunk control carry over into the larger movements conditioning and technique.
such as squat and lunge patterns. Once again
performing these movements with the view that The glutes are also responsible for hip abduction
they are simply ‘leg exercises’ grossly misses the (lifting the leg outwards). During the running

74
 CHAPTER 006 the run
action the muscle uses its hip abduction
The Neutral Pelvis and Pelvic Control
component to keep the hips level and avoid
‘kicking out’ to the side. During the most basic Many physiotherapists and trainers often talk
isolation exercises though we simply need to make of a ‘neutral pelvis’. This refers to the amount
sure that the muscles are challenged in both these of forward rotation and essentially means the
tasks. It is also important the glutes are actually mid-position. This can be difficult to judge
worked. Many individuals find it hard to fire their during running as different athletes have
glutes effectively. If this is the case it is vital that different natural alignments. Perhaps it is
the correct level of exercise is selected. It should more important not which position the pelvis
be possible to feel the muscle working, either by is in, but that the athlete has control. Many
the athlete feeling the effort or a coach feeling sprinters naturally have a lordotic posture
tension in the muscle. Quite often an exercise of (pelvis tilted forwards), but providing the
too hard a level is chosen and the underactive athlete is not collapsing into this position
glutes must be helped out by the hamstrings. If good technique can still be maintained.
this is the case then the dysfunctional pattern of
dominant hamstrings and underactive glutes will
simply be exacerbated. Table 6.3 gives examples
of glute exercises and levels of progression. The most effective method of challenging the
ability of the glutes to keep the hips stable
Hip dominant squatting patterns and dead lifts laterally and not kick out is through single-leg
are an excellent method of improving the hip patterns. For example, single-leg squats, lunges
extension strength of the glutes during a whole and step-ups all provide a challenge. All of these
body movement. It is important to realise that the are relatively slow and controlled movements. This
amount of glute activity also increases as the is desirable for allowing the athlete time to control
squat becomes deeper. This is a point often the movement and also places the muscle under
missed by novice trainers who restrict themselves tension for long durations that will aid strength
to shallow squats in the mistaken belief that this development. This does not reflect what happens
mirrors the small range of movement seen during during running though, as the body only has a
running. However by utilising the fullest range of few hundred milliseconds on each foot strike to
movement that can be performed with good stabilise the hips. Once again this is why the third
technique it is possible to hit the glutes to the level of conditioning is required in the form of
fullest extent. drills and low-level plyometrics.

Table 6.3 Glute exercise options

Basic Intermediate Advanced

Hip extension Fire hydrants Glute bridge Single-leg glute bridge

Hip abduction Clam shells Side lying leg raise Band walks

75
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

The feet athlete’s movement. By focusing on good

We have already seen that the foot has a complex technique and range of movement rather than
mechanical structure that can aid the efficiency of simply the weight on the bar great gains can be
running and help to dissipate forces to reduce the made. Therefore squatting and lunge patterns once
strain on the rest of the body. Much has been made again represent an ideal tool for improving running
of the concept of barefoot running in the popular mechanics, or at least the capacity to support good
press in recent years. This is intended to help mechanics. The alternative of course is to try to
utilise the foot to its natural design. Ironically this address each aspect of posture individually. While
has resulted in a generation of ‘barefoot running this may occasionally be necessary if there is a
shoes’. While this may be the ultimate example of significant problem it is generally a very time-
every problem looking like a nail if the only tool you consuming approach. What’s more it is generally
have is a hammer it demonstrates the importance less effective at improving global posture, because
of feet. While it is a matter of personal opinion we unlike whole body methods the muscles and joints
would suggest the best solution is to perform are not required to correct themselves in a
dedicated foot conditioning sessions and run in coordinated pattern.
regular trainers. This offers the best of both worlds
as it allows the athlete to use the support of the As you can see, the best practice approach to
trainer with well-conditioned feet. developing the raw material to underpin good
running technique is through the use of whole body
There is no difference between injury prevention squat and lunge patterns, supplemented with
and performance-enhancing work for the feet. well-selected isolated conditioning exercises to
Therefore the foot conditioning routine outlined in develop targeted areas of weakness. However in
chapter 3 provides a good routine for maintaining order to start to have a positive impact on technique,
foot and ankle health. and ultimately performance, we must start to turn
this raw material into specific conditioning.
Global posture
Having good global posture, i.e., good balance and Drills and running exercises
alignment across the major joints, is important to If general training helps to build the raw material
provide a foundation for good technique. If the for good running technique then the running drills
athlete does not have good posture to begin with provide the craft to turn them into the finished
there will always be limitations to running article. These exercises are a broad category that
technique. This then needs to be extended to can include traditional running drills, hurdle drills
dynamic posture. This means having the strength and high-speed running. These forms of training
and balance to maintain a balanced posture during work through two mechanisms. Firstly they allow
movement. The potential for improvements in us to work through the movement patterns, or
global posture through weight training is frequently elements of the pattern, which relate to good
overlooked by novice coaches and athletes. Far too running technique. This is a form of skill training
often weight training is viewed simply as a method and also helps to teach the body to incorporate
of getting stronger or bigger. However whole body new-found strength into the complex whole body
barbell exercises are extremely powerful tools for movements of running. Secondly the training also
making positive changes to the quality of an provides another means to strengthen the relevant

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muscles. The intensity of work on a given muscle of their body and the other is not then their
group is generally far less than one may feel when rate of progression will be very different. Even
working in an isolation exercise. However what is if perfection has been achieved the athlete
lost in intensity is more than made up for in should still strive further to improve.
specificity. Because the value in these exercises
lies in the movement patterns they are performed • Move with the ‘flow’ at all times: This is an
in it is first important to learn to perform them with absolutely critical concept which if not
excellent technique. Once this is possible then we understood will mean that, no matter how
can focus on performing them with excellent perfect the shapes an athlete makes, they will
technique for longer. never truly teach the muscles to work in the
complex symphony required for efficient
Running drills running. Flow means that the athlete is at once
There are an almost unlimited number of running tall, strong and stable yet at the same time
drills that athletics coaches can use, although utterly relaxed and effortless. The best
these can be broken down into broad themes. The examples of this can often be seen in top
key to running drills is to understand that they are sprinters who are clear of the field and moving
primarily training the nervous system. As a result seemingly effortlessly. These runners are still
they must be handled with great care, as poor having to produce huge forces to achieve and
technique will result in teaching the body poor maintain these speeds, but at the same time
patterns, not to mention wasting time. If you do remain free from tension. In contrast the
not have access to an experienced and competent athletes trailing them are often tight and rigid
athletics or S&C coach it may be most sensible to with tension in their desperation to catch
focus on becoming really good at a handful of them, and as a result the gap between them
simple drills rather than lots of drills that are can only widen. When being coached in drills
performed with several flaws. While each running the simple cue of ‘flow’ can often be highly
drill is designed to target specific technical aspects effective in reminding the athlete to relax.
of running technique there are a number of core If we are engaging in deliberate practice it is
principles that should apply to all drills: often human nature to start to tense up as we
concentrate so hard on achieving perfect
• Engage in ‘deliberate practice’: If we are to technique.
make real gains in developing skill it is critical
to be fully engaged and focused on the task in • Posture: Although each running drill has its
hand. When we are in this optimal zone the own specific technical focus, the one constant
body starts to increase the amount of myelin throughout all drills and exercises should be
produced. This is a substance that ‘hardwires’ posture. This can often be forgotten when the
the coordination patterns from the nervous focus is placed too closely on one area of
system to develop complex and refined skills technique. It is important to remember that in
(for more on this fascinating subject see Talent order to claim to have good technique the
Code by Daniel Coyle). The positions two whole body must be doing the right thing, not
athletes produce may look very similar, but if just the legs! Posture gives us the foundation
one is truly focused on gaining greater control for this technique. Therefore if you are

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watching your own or another triathlete’s exclusive property of the hurdlers, yet this couldn’t
technique, always start with posture. be further from the truth. If running drills are
mainly aimed at developing specific technique,
• Start with low volumes and build: When hurdle drills are fantastic for improving posture
developing technique it is important that we do and control. By stepping over the high hurdles and
not increase the volume until we have nailed pushing our bodies through ranges of movement
the technique over a short distance. Ignoring unfamiliar in daily life, huge gains can be made in
this principle will simply develop the ability to mobility and control.
maintain poor technique! All drills should start
very simply over a short distance and gradually There is one small problem. For many, the high
expand. Do not worry about the speed along hurdles of the track are far too big, even on the
the ground either. Remember, this is not lowest setting. Athletes often ignore this and
running, it is technique work and a desire to attempt to perform the drills regardless. Naturally
move quickly from A to B is an easy way to this results is some horrible-looking postures and
destroy technique. techniques. The body is forced to find ‘other ways’
of getting over the hurdle and so when there is no
Running drills vary in their difficulty, which is more room for the hips to move the lower back
mainly determined by the speed at which they flexes, the shoulders round and the head pokes
are performed. Most drills start with a walking or forwards. These positions have more in common
marching variation. This allows the body plenty of with the poor postures we exhibit at a desk
time to find, adjust and correct its positions and everyday than the athletic shapes we are seeking
learn how it ‘feels’ to make the correct shapes. to develop.
These are often expanded into skips. They are
performed more quickly and start to develop the Thankfully there are much smaller hurdles
rhythm and timings required during running. commercially available to enable junior athletes
Finally the drills are expanded into runs (although and smaller or less flexible athletes to perform the
a long way off top speed). Even at submaximal drills correctly. However if these are not available
paces, there is no time to make adjustments if the all is not lost. The drills can be performed just as
correct positions are not achieved immediately. well using ‘imaginary hurdles’. This can actually
Therefore it is unwise to progress before excellent have a great number of advantages. The hurdle
technique has been achieved in walking and will never be too high, it is free and it doesn’t
skipping drills. Remember, it is far better to require stacking up afterwards. The only
perform a walk with good technique than a march concession is that the athlete must be slightly
with bad. Chapter 11 describes a number of drills more vigilant in pushing themselves to work to
that can be used to this end. their fullest range on every step. Table 6.4 outlines
some of the most effective hurdle drills, which are
Hurdle drills also discussed in chapter 11.
Visit any athletics track and you are almost
guaranteed to see someone trackside walking over High-speed running
hurdles or skipping through them with the rhythm High-speed running, also known as strides, can
of a dancer. To the uninitiated these may seem essentially be thought of as practising running

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 CHAPTER 006 the run
fast. When we run fast many of the technical The most important point to remember when
aspects of running that we have looked at start to performing strides is they must be quicker than
fall into place naturally. The hips start to rise up, normal running but always below maximum sprint
the chest lifts, the knees pick up and the foot pace. It is crucial to hold something back in order
contact moves from the heel fowards to the to retain good control and stay relaxed. The
mid-foot. This gives the body an opportunity to distance should also be short, because fatigue will
experience how these positions feel and to inevitably erode good technique. Typically a
coordinate them at high speed. distance of 30–60 metres is ideal. Naturally the
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

Table 6.4 Hurdle drills

Drill Focus Progressions

Basic walk-through Hip mobility, glute strength and Hold a light medicine ball above
global posture the head to increase the challenge
to the posture

Reverse walk-through Hip range and balance, glute Step through two hurdles with
strength second leg

Lateral skip Opening the hips and ankle stiffness

Down the side knee raise Hip mobility

distance can be extended in order to challenge the performed to underpin it. Strength through the
ability to maintain technique but we would suggest various movement patterns will be required for
no more than 100 metres for technical strides. good technique to be held when moving weights
rapidly. It is also important to develop strength
One of the most effective ways of using strides is first as power is a product of both force and
to alternate them with running drills. This provides velocity. It is far easier to improve our capacity
an ideal opportunity to take the technical element to produce force than our velocity and so this
of the drill and ‘turn it into real running’. While represents the most potent route to performance
there is no direct scientific evidence for it, it can enhancement. We should always remember that
also be useful to finish a heavy weights session a weak athlete can never be powerful. Many of
with a few strides. One athlete described this as the issues around developing lower body
‘putting the running back in your legs’. In our strength and power are covered in chapter 5.
experience this can be very helpful in avoiding a The programming of strength work is also
heavy legged feeling after a weights session. covered in detail in chapter 8.

Performance enhancement and Plyometrics

power production Plyometrics is a form of exercise which has not
Finally we return to the place where we began at previously featured in our discussion around
the start of the chapter – explosive-strength training for the swim and the bike. This is
training and plyometrics to improve running because plyometrics is primarily concerned with
performance. stressing and developing the stretch shortening
cycle to improve elastic or reactive strength. This
Explosive-strength training plays a relatively minor role in the cyclical swim
It is worth pointing out that explosive-strength and cycle disciplines but, as we have seen, is
training should be performed only if a good fundamental to efficient and effective running
volume of basic strength work has been performance.

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 CHAPTER 006 the run
Plyometrics originated in the former Soviet Union in The more traditional plyometric exercises based
the 1960s and was largely used by explosive track on jumps are less specific but offer the benefit of
and field athletes. Plyometric exercises are typically developing muscular power effectively. The best
made up of jumping-type activities with an example of these is the simple counter-movement
emphasis on the rebound. Unfortunately many jump (a brief dip followed by a rapid jump). This
coaches become carried away with the ‘sexier’ can be done in several ways including a jump on
exercises in this category and throw their athletes the spot, jump to a box and a straight-legged jump
into highly demanding and technical jumps which to a box. These alone will give good variety and
they are not able to handle. This is not only allow the athlete to develop explosive power and
dangerous but it is also unnecessary. coordination. Finally hopping exercises move one
step closer to running specificity as they are
As we saw when discussing the fundamental performed on a single leg. This means that power
principles of training we need to achieve overload must be produced while having the postural
(see chapter 1). This means that we must stress a strength to keep the hips, knees and ankles stable.
physical quality to a greater extent than we are
generally exposed to. For a sprinter or triple There are many more plyometric exercises that
jumper that means that high-intensity plyometrics could potentially be utilised by triathletes.
are needed to overload the athlete who However in general the technical demands of
experiences high forces as a fundamental part of these exercises mean that a great deal of time is
their event. However for the endurance athlete it is required to master the movement to make it both
a far simpler task to achieve stretch shortening safe and effective. Given that there are simpler
cycle overload. What is the simplest method? choices that are equally or more effective we
Well how about running faster than race pace? would suggest that the precious training time of a
Performing short sprints or speed efforts will put triathlete can be more effectively spent elsewhere.
greater forces through the tendons, require
quicker contact times and greater joint stiffness
(see section 6.2). These are all the ideal 6.4 Summary
ingredients of a plyometric exercise. On top of that The running based component of the S&C
it is also possible to use the work as technical programme must begin with an evaluation of
running practice, the nervous system develops its where the limiting factor in the athlete’s running
ability to move the body quickly and if the session lies. The most fruitful path will generally be in first
is structured correctly metabolic fitness gains can developing the physical qualities to underpin good
be achieved too! Consequently the number one form, such as mobility and posture. As these
choice of plyometric exercise for triathletes should qualities are developed they can start to be
clearly be sprinting. moulded into technical changes. Finally strength,
power and reactive strength can be developed to
In a similar fashion, faster running drills and boost the potency of good technique.
skipping will also require a quicker ground contact
than a typical running session and so these are
also an efficient way of subtly including plyometric
work in a training programme.

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part 3
planning and
programming
007
periodisation
 CHAPTER 007 periodisation
7.1 Introduction designed. Finally as you approach the key event of
Periodisation is a topic that is talked about a lot, the season the taper of the training programme
but understood rarely. The concept originated from becomes critical. Take your foot off the gas too
a Russian sports scientist named Matveyev in the much and hard work through the season will be
1960s. Since then Matveyev’s ideas have been wasted. Fail to taper sufficiently and you’ll lack the
translated into English, adapted to fit many sports sharpness to hit your true potential.
and widely reproduced. Unfortunately this
processing and interpretation of the original ideas Of course all of these principles of periodisation
have led to much confusion and misunderstanding. should already be in place in a triathlete’s wider
In order to overcome much of the misinformation training programme. Therefore we will concern
which has been published in books, magazines ourselves with outlining some of the basic
and the internet, it is necessary to strip the idea of concepts of periodisation in general and then look
periodisation to its core principles. Essentially at how they apply specifically to the strength and
periodisation is about the structured planning and conditioning programme.
progression of training. This can be done in a
simplistic way or with great complexity.
Fundamentally though if this structure and 7.2 Basic concepts in
planning are not present then all other elements of periodisation
the programme become meaningless, because the The first aspect of periodisation that must be
progress is doomed to slow to a stop and training addressed is the division of the calendar into
will become stagnant. phases of training. This provides a background and
a framework for manipulation of training. Training
As much as these statements may seem is broken down into phases or cycles and is done
uncontroversial and almost obvious it is staggering on three levels; micro-, meso- and macrocycles.
how many triathletes fall into this trap. Athletes
find a collection of exercises that they like and feel Microcycles
like they are doing some good. These get put The shortest phases of training are the
together to form a session that is then repeated microcycles, which are typically one week in
week by week, month by month and eventually duration. Some coaches do not like to be restricted
year by year. It is for this reason that periodisation by seven-day cycles and move away from this
is one of the biggest differences between training traditional set-up. Theoretically this is great as it
or simply exercising. Both are equally hard work, shows imagination and means that training modes
but one leads somewhere whereas the other just can be alternated in ways that work best for the
feels good at the time. athlete rather than having to fit into a recurrent
seven-day cycle. However in real life this is often
There is no way even the most dedicated athlete highly impractical, particularly for those without
can hope to train effectively all of their physical the luxury of being full-time athletes. Most of us
qualities to their full potential throughout the entire need the regular routine of knowing that we will
season. By evaluating how training emphasis, run on a Monday, swim with the club on a Tuesday,
volumes and intensity will change throughout the etc. The problems of changing this on a weekly
season a broad and thorough programme can be basis are likely to far outweigh the benefits. The

85
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microcycle gives us the basic set-up for how our restrict themselves to the rigid models presented in
sessions fit together and what we will be doing. many text books. Ultimately though there is no law
The specific volumes and intensities can then be stating that a block must end after six weeks! If
manipulated through the mesocycle. progress is still being made and the competition
calendar allows, there is no reason why a block
Mesocycles cannot be extended significantly beyond this.
The mesocycle is the tool that allows us to shift the
emphasis of training throughout the year. If this is Macrocycles
done correctly then each cycle will build on the Finally we have the macrocycle. In general this
gains made in the previous. The classic example of refers to the overall picture of the year and will
this is when a strength block is followed by a power conclude with a competitive period through the
block to allow the body to express gains in force summer. More advanced athletes may aim for a
explosively. Most commonly the mesocycle will last double peak with a targeted competition early in
4–6 weeks. The logic behind this is that these the year (perhaps a sprint event) followed by a
durations allow enough time for physical rebuilding towards a second key event later in the
adaptation to occur but also give an opportunity for year. Those with several years of experience and
rest. For example, a four-week cycle may build over taking a very focused approach to their sport may
three weeks with the fourth week being a recovery plan macrocycles to build over several years with a
week. This is a perfectly logical system – provided different technical focus each year. The classic
the athlete is working at a level sufficiently example of this is the Olympic athlete who may plan
advanced to stress them physically and justify the over a four-year period towards an Olympic games.
use of recovery weeks. The importance of
technique and movement control means that Table 7.1 gives a very basic example of how a
novices to S&C will be largely limited by their periodised plan may be mapped out. The volume
technical ability rather than physical capacity row illustrates how the amount of work performed
during the early stages of training. Sadly many each week will cycle. The emphasis of each block
coaches and athletes fail to recognise this and shows each mesocycle building on the previous.

Table 7.1 Sample periodised planner

Week commencing
28 Nov.
14 Nov.

21 Nov.

19 Dec.
12 Dec.
24 Oct.
10 Oct.

31 Oct.
17 Oct.

7 Nov.

5 Dec.
3 Oct.

Week no. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Volume L M H R L M H R L M H R

Block 1 2 3

Emphasis Conditioning General strength Maximum strength

Note: L – light, M – medium, H – heavy, R – recovery

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 CHAPTER 007 periodisation
transfers most closely to our event. Some people
get so seduced by this type of work and its
apparent specificity that they struggle to move
away from it at any time of year. However if we
start on this type of work in October, where can we
take the programme from here? We either face
inevitable plateaux very early in the year or must
move towards less specific work just as we need
the transfer most!

By starting with general work and moving to

specific, each time a plateau looms the emphasis
is shifted slightly and the body can make fresh
adaptations. Also this logical development of
‘building blocks’ makes the final stages of
training more effective. As we have already
learned, a weak athlete cannot benefit from
power training, and sprint training will be a blunt
tool if technique and control are poor, etc.
Therefore by putting the correct sequence of
blocks together the end result can be much
greater than the sum of the parts.
7.3 Periodisation models
There are a huge number of periodisation models As the season progresses there is also an
in circulation, each with various strengths and overarching shift from high volume to high
weaknesses. It is important to bear in mind that intensity. Through the winter, well away from
S&C will represent only one of four elements of competition, there is no risk in accumulating
training for the triathlete and so a hugely complex fatigue. Of course this must be managed
periodisation model is not warranted. Therefore effectively so that sufficient recovery is put in
we will simply look at a few of the most common place to allow for adaptation and super-
methods. The biggest debate revolves around compensation (see chapter 1). However through
so-called linear versus non-linear (also known as these months the athlete has their best
undulating) models. opportunity to accumulate large amounts of work.
Because this volume is high the intensity is
Linear periodisation relatively low. This is a natural balance as at the
The linear model is the most commonly discussed start of the season strength levels will generally be
and sees a number of general patterns develop low and so the capacity for true high-intensity
throughout the training year, which gradually work is limited. (Care must be taken not to confuse
shifts throughout the season from general to total effort with intensity, because high-volume
specific. Naturally we want our training around sessions will always feel hard). As the season
competition time to be work that relates and develops and competition approaches the need for

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freshness becomes more apparent. Therefore fore. For athletes who wish to compete at a good
there is a natural drop-off in volume of S&C work. level throughout a long season this is clearly far
At this stage we should be seeking to do small from ideal.
amounts of very high-quality work. This allows us
to peak for performance by minimising fatigue and This all sounds too good to be true though – you
maximising strength qualities. can train everything all of the time and improve
all strength qualities simultaneously! There are
Non-linear periodisation potential pitfalls though. If the programme is not
The biggest difference in the non-linear model is skilfully put together it will end up not being
the manipulation of volume and intensity on a periodised at all, as the emphasis remains the
daily basis. Rather than having a steady same from block-to-block. Similarly the
progression across weeks and months, the opportunity to overload a specific strength quality
undulating model shifts from day to day. This is is limited in comparison with the classic model.
particularly important for more advanced athletes. If there is one quality that is a limiting factor to
If an athlete is performing several heavy strength performance it may be more desirable to focus on
sessions per week and has a good strength base, this and make maximal gains rather than trying to
this sophisticated variance of training is important achieve too much elsewhere.
to avoid burnout and to maintain progression.
However the vast majority of triathletes are Which model works best for me?
unlikely to perform more than two sessions per The answer very much depends of the individual.
week, and one of these is likely to be more We would recommend that the novice strength
movement and technique based. In this situation a trainer coming into an S&C programme in an
basic linear model is most appropriate. organised way for the first time loosely follows
a linear model. This will enable them to focus
Conjugate model on developing a solid foundation of technique
The conjugate model is a form of non-linear and basic/general strength in a steady and
periodisation which is based on the theory that targeted way.
all strength qualities may be developed
simultaneously. Each block may have a specific Assuming that this first season has been
focus whereby one quality is stressed successful in terms of establishing a good base
preferentially, but this does not mean that other of strength, conditioning and technique it may be
qualities are ignored entirely. This makes a lot of wise to start to move towards a conjugate type
sense for a number of reasons. Following a system. As this second year will be more focused
progression of qualities through the year means on performance we want to make sure we spend as
that only a relatively small percentage of the much time as possible developing our speed and
training year is spent focused on the key goal. For power. This may still develop along the theme of a
example, in seeking to become more powerful linear year but with a few other elements thrown
many athletes will follow a programme that trains into each block. As the years go by this shifting
power for only two months of the whole year. For closer and closer to the conjugate system is
the same reason there will only be one point in the probably appropriate as the level of strength
calendar when these qualities have come to the training maturity increases.

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 CHAPTER 007 periodisation
Of course this is a personal view (albeit based on these models tend to have a hypertrophy (muscle
years of experience with athletes). Many will still building) phase at the start of the season. Clearly
swear by the classic models and will stick to this this is not suitable for triathletes looking to
unswervingly year in, year out. Ultimately the maximise power-to-weight ratio. Because these
question needs to be asked – am I still getting sports also require maximum strength and high-
better? If the answer is yes then no theoretical load power, these are also the end goals of many
argument can trump the evidence seen in the gym. periodised plans. As a result technical ability,
reactive strength and body control work tend to be
somewhat overlooked within the calendar.
7.4 Misunderstandings
and common errors in These text books do not need to be ignored
periodisation completely, but following them to the letter will
As much as it is important to give guidance as to lead to inevitable problems. When reading any of
how to periodise a programme, it is almost equally these books or websites it is critical to bear in
important to state what not to do. There is a lot of mind that some of the fundamental concepts can
poorly interpreted information available on the be powerful but the specifics may need adapting.
subject, and many models are put forward that are
not suitable for triathlon. Therefore we can save a Overemphasising the theme of
lot of wasted time by looking at some of the most the block
common mistakes and problems. Even when using a linear model of periodisation,
several strength qualities can and should still be
The dominance of American developed within the same session. Because we
literature tend to talk in basic terms such as a ‘strength
Although modern periodisation is a concept that block’ or a ‘power block’ this is sometimes
came from Russia, much of the interpretation of this interpreted to mean that only exercises that
work and the popular texts come from the USA. One develop these qualities should be included.
of the factors that stands out in US sports is the This is always an error that will yield poor results.
importance of size and bulk. As a result most of Imagine an athlete who followed this path and

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trained using four-week blocks in strength, power and fails to lift her target weights. This is a classic
and speed. By the end of the speed block they case of sticking to the plan too closely. Our bodies
would not have trained strength for two months! It do not adapt in a nice, tidy linear fashion as a plan
should be obvious that the benefit of four weeks of may require. While we can start to anticipate
training will easily be lost entirely if ignored for better how we will respond through experience of
eight weeks. The amount of work required to training over time these changes can never be
maintain this quality is far less than that required fully anticipated by the plan. This is partly just the
to build it, but there must be some maintenance way we are made and partly down to other factors
work – or detraining is inevitable. in daily life, which all influence how we feel.
Therefore it is vital that we keep licence to push
Failing to stick to the plan on when we are firing on all cylinders and drop the
The subtle shifts in intensity that occur through pace off when it just isn’t there.
each micro- and mesocycle are fundamental for
making progress in performances. Anyone can
train hard, but training smart is far more rare. Far 7.5 Tapering and peaking for
too often I have seen athletes turn up for a planned performance
hard session feeling a little tired. Sometimes we Each phase of training is important in its own right.
need to back off, although there are also times to However as with racing itself it’s not how you start
push through. These athletes inevitably take the but how you finish that counts. Many a good S&C
session down a notch, and a hard session becomes plan has been ruined by a failure to get the run-in
a moderate session. These same athletes also like to the event itself correct. While it is a mistake to
the feeling of having done a session that felt like fail to back off from training as competitions
‘good training’. As a result planned light sessions, approach this is more commonly seen in the
which allow for recovery, end up being pushed ‘fitness’ element of a triathlete’s training
on to become moderate. The pattern for these programme. When it comes to S&C the reverse is
athletes becomes clear when you step back, often the case. After dedicatedly building strength
as there is hardly any variation in their training qualities through the preparation period the
intensity or volume. This can only lead to athlete frequently discards this element of their
stagnation and a failure to make further gains. training entirely with several weeks of training to
go. For the S&C coach this is hugely frustrating as
Sticking to the plan too closely hard-earned gains are lost to detraining and are
At the risk of completely contradicting the never let loose on competition.
previous point, it is a huge mistake to treat the
periodised plan as being perfect and written in These days the science of the taper has been
stone. Imagine the following scenario: an athlete refined to a precisely engineered process. Much
has planned to move from light to moderate then of this is thanks to a researcher by the name of
heavy intensities of a course in three progressive Dr Inigo Mujika. His work has taught us that there
strength training weeks. During week 2 she feels is more to the taper than simply reducing fatigue
really strong and wants to lift heavy but holds to leave the athlete fresh for competition. When
back as the plan says it is a moderate week. The performed correctly a well-planned taper can
following week she comes to the gym feeling flat actually enhance performance beyond the removal

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 CHAPTER 007 periodisation
Table 7.2 Effects of volume reduction on performance

Decrease in volume (per cent) Effects

≤20 No change

21–40 Small change

41–60 Biggest positive change

≥61 Some positive change but risk of detraining

Source: Tapering & Peaking for Optimal Performance, Mujika, I., Human Kinetics, 2009

of fatigue. So what does a perfect taper look like? reduction will depend on many individual factors,
Although it is a very individual process that including how much S&C work we have started
requires a certain amount of experimentation, Dr with. There is also a degree of personal preference
Mujika has identified certain factors that are and just what works. However studies have
consistently seen in the best tapers. consistently shown that dropping volume below 40
per cent or failing to drop to at least 80 per cent
How does training change during will yield inferior results
the taper?
The number one rule is that the taper should mean How far out from competition
a reduction of volume not intensity. This means should the taper begin?
that we are still practising high-quality work and Dr Mujika recommends a taper duration of 2–6
staying sharp, but the reduced volume allows the weeks as optimal. The amount and significance of
body to recover much more quickly than in a your S&C will influence this.
normal session. During normal training the aim is
deliberately to induce the cycle of damage-repair 7.6 Summary
known as supercompensation. This is the basis of The key to periodising your training effectively is to
all training (see chapter 1). However this is not the begin with an established process based on sound
goal of a taper session. Here we are simply aiming principles. By engaging in this process and slowly
to ‘keep in touch’ with our strength and power. refining small details it is possible to get an excellent
In fact many athletes utilise so-called ‘activation insight as to how the body responds and adjust the
sessions’ very close to competition (24 hours or model accordingly. Therefore initial plans are based
less) in order to feel really sharp. on theory and over the years they become based
more on experience of what works. This plan will
How much should I reduce also change over time as the athlete develops.
volume by? Remember what worked in year one may not work in
The reduction in volume should ideally be 40–60 year two. Similarly just because a particular plan is
per cent. The effects of different levels of reduction in a book or another triathlete has had success with
in volume are described in table 7.2. The actual one does not make their plan the best one for you.

91
008
putting it all
together
 CHAPTER 008 putting it all together
8.1 Introduction movement). As we will discover later, in some
Now that we have reviewed all the evidence forms of training the amount of time under tension
supporting strength and conditioning and the is as important as the number of movements. For
methods available we come to one final but critical these exercises a set of 10 performed quickly may
aspect – the art of putting it all into practice. There take the same amount of time as a set of five
are many learned sports scientists and well-read performed slowly. Therefore some may argue that
triathletes who fall at the final hurdle when it measuring TUT (time under tension) is a more
comes to planning their sessions. A fully rounded accurate way of measuring work in some cases.
S&C programme is like a great recipe – there are
lots of ingredients and how you put them together The monitoring of intensity can be a slightly more
is crucial to how it ends up. In chapter 1 we complex affair. Traditional gym training generally
discussed some of the founding principles of uses the load lifted to monitor intensity. Some will
training such as overload, progression and simply record the weight moved, whereas others
specificity. Now we can look at some of the key note the percentage of the athletes 1RM (one-
components in the practice of strength and repetition maximum lift). This is generally reserved
conditioning training. for high-level strength training though and is
unlikely to be suitable for triathletes. Part of the
reason for this is that most of our exercises will be
8.2 Measuring what you do focused on developing control and good-quality
In order to achieve the aforementioned principles movement. Therefore these are generally not
of training with any level of precision it is vital that appropriate to perform with extremely heavy
we are able to measure what we do. This is weights. The per cent rep max method also
generally defined separately by volume (amount of requires regular testing on each exercise, which
work) and intensity (difficulty of work). Each time can be highly impractical. There are many other
an exercise is performed this is known as a problems that can complicate the task of
repetition (rep), a group of these is described as a measuring intensity: for example, 50kg may be very
set. During general weight training, volume is easy for an athlete to lift in a double-legged squat
typically measured and organised through the sets performed in October, but very heavy in a single-leg
and reps system. An athlete may for example squat in November. However if we just record the
perform 3 sets of 10 reps (3 x 10). Sprints and amount lifted times the reps and sets this may look
drills are easily measured by the distance covered, as if the two months were the same intensity! We
e.g. 5 x 30m. can also add in the complication of bodyweight
exercises such as press-ups. As the feet are in
In the vast majority of programmes this system contact with the ground the whole body weight is
works perfectly well. However there are times not being lifted, but how do we know how much is?
when this way of thinking may be somewhat
restrictive. Conditioning exercises are sometimes These are just some of a huge number of issues
better measured by time rather than repetitions. that S&C coaches wrestle with when monitoring
Of course this is the only option with isometric the intensity of strength training. The thing to
exercises such as the plank, where there can be remember as a triathlete is that S&C is just one
only one repetition (or even zero as there is no component of your training. We also need to

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Table 8.1 Sample gym training diary

Name: James Barnes Session Date: 12 Jan. 2012

Exercise Comments Sets Reps Weight

Single-leg squats Knees were

4 8 30kg
wobbling a bit
Press-ups Felt strong, increase
3 12 n/a
next week
Side plank Hard work 3 35s n/a

achieve just one simple but crucial goal through popular prescription of exercise by physiotherapists
our monitoring – to be able to see if we are getting the answer is not always 3 sets of 10! In fact these
better and to be able to plan our sessions with variables are extremely important in determining
precision. Therefore I would strongly urge the the outcome of the exercise, so they warrant
use of the simplest system possible to record the good consideration. Figure 8.1 is a guide to the
volume and intensity so that it is possible to judge appropriate number of repetitions for a given goal.
whether more or less on any given exercise has
been done. The best way to do this is through a Of course these goals will come to fruition only
very simple training diary such as in table 8.1. if the intensity is high enough. Just performing
1–5 reps of a very light weight will clearly not
make you stronger! Working in these rep ranges
8.3 Designing the session is generally more suitable for experienced weight
As we start to put pen to paper a number of trainers, who have the capacity to challenge
questions will (hopefully) arise as to exactly how themselves in just a few repetitions. Most novices
the session should look and what are the reasons will find that the best weight they can perform
behind it. This is an important point as by safely for five reps they can actually do for several
understanding exactly why a session looks as it more (therefore the load is too light). Alternatively
does will enable the athlete to judge if it is the if they use a weight that they can perform for only
most effective way of doing things. a few reps their technique will break down and the
lift becomes poor quality and dangerous.
How many reps should I do for
power exercises? If technique and control do not allow for heavier
So, we know that we are going to measure our sets then the goal of training becomes slightly
exercises using the set–rep system, but how do we different and the programming changes
decide how many sets and reps to perform of each accordingly. Here we are focused on motor
exercise? Contrary to standard gym culture and the patterning and basic control and may use a lighter

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weight for 8–12 repetitions. The reason for this
Max strength
• 1–5 reps per set number is simply that is provides more chances to
• 15–25 reps total practise the movement than the lower rep ranges.
Theoretically this could be increased further but
Power this leads to fatigue, and technique is likely to
• 2–5 reps per set break down. This is not desirable in the early
• 15–30 reps total stages, and each set should be finished fresh
enough that the technique is still as good as the
Strength endurance first repetition. For this reason there is nothing
• 5–8 reps per set
wrong with breaking the session down into a larger
• 20–35 reps total
number of sets of fewer reps (e.g. 6 x 5 rather than
3 x 10). This allows the athlete to remain fresh and
Motor patterning/hypertrophy
• 8–12 reps also provides more opportunity for a coach to give
• 20–35 reps total feedback. Once the technique has been drilled the
numbers can then increase so that it can be
Conditioning
performed repeatedly well.
• 30–90 seconds per set
The 8–12 rep range is also described as being
appropriate for hypertrophy (muscle building).
Figure 8.1 Repetition guideline This often causes a lot of confusion and fear in

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athletes who are keen to avoid ‘bulking up’.

Thankfully though these fears are unfounded.
While the number of repetitions may be similar to
a bodybuilding-type programme there are many
other factors that differ. These include the way in
which the session is structured (see below), rest
between sets, nutrition and genetics. The typical
triathlete with lots of slow-twitch muscle fibres
and a high volume of endurance training is in no
danger whatsoever of becoming too big.

When it comes to developing power (which is

generally a key end goal in almost any S&C
programme), the number of repetitions performed
is very important. What is the one thing that
differentiates a power movement from all other
aspects of strength? Speed. If we try to perform
a large number of repetitions in one set we will
inevitably become fatigued. The first victim of
fatigue is speed. It is for this reason that the
guideline of 2–5 repetitions for power exercises
should be pretty well adhered to.

How many conditioning sets

should I do?
Finally we come to conditioning. Here we have
chosen to look at the time spent working rather
than a fixed number of repetitions. As we have
touched on already, the goal of conditioning is
essentially to increase the work tolerance of the
muscle and allow it to be able to perform for
longer. Because of the variability of repetition
speed it is more useful to focus on time than the
number of repetitions. This also allows the athlete
to place greater focus on technique and maintain
form rather than becoming ragged in an attempt to
produce an enormous number of repetitions.

To some extent the number of sets is determined

by the number of reps. A good guideline is to
perform 20–35 repetitions per exercise. A heavy

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strength session may use 5 sets of 5 (25 total How many times should I train
reps), whereas a motor patterning exercise may be each week?
based on 4 sets of 8 (32 reps). These numbers are The number of sessions per week is another aspect
by no means set in stone and should just be of S&C which, if a little imagination is used, can
considered a guideline. have a dramatic impact on the amount that can
be achieved. Typically triathletes will use 1–2
How long should I rest sessions per week, both of which will be 45–60
between sets? minutes long and circuit based. We have already
This is one of the most important yet overlooked seen how the circuit obsession can be hugely
aspects of training. A brilliantly designed session limiting, but it could be argued that the fixation
can be entirely ruined if the rest between sets is with one-hour sessions is equally problematic.
wrong. The issue ultimately comes down to By dividing strength and conditioning into targeted
whether or not accumulated fatigue is desirable or mini-sessions it is possible to be both more
disastrous. We have already seen that fatigue will effective and more efficient.
ruin power development. It will also compromise
technique when developing movement pattern. I would generally recommend that two sessions
Therefore the rest between sets for both these per week is ideal for strength work. One session
goals should be sufficient that each set is may be acceptable for maintenance (if you are
performed as well as the first. A good guide to this maintaining relatively low levels of strength) but
is somewhere in the region of two minutes (there with a full seven days between sessions it is very
are ways of making training more efficient though difficult for all but the weakest of athletes to move
without compromising on quality – this is known as forwards. There may be some merit in three
training density). The same guidelines apply to sessions per week, and indeed this can be highly
strength training. As we saw in chapter 1, many of effective during intensive blocks where strength
the adaptations to strength training occur in the training is a primary focus. However the time and
nervous system. For these to be effective it is training constraints of three sessions generally
important that the quality remains high throughout. make this impractical on a long-term continuous
basis for most of us.
When it comes to conditioning though it is
essential that fatigue accumulates though the Conditioning work, especially rehab, can and often
sets. Our primary goal is to induce as much fatigue should be performed more than twice a week.
in the muscle as possible in order that we will be Immediately this highlights the problem of putting
able to perform for longer next time. Therefore rest all of our S&C together in one session. A small
should be kept to a minimum (20–45 seconds). routine can be devised that can either be
Often rest can be kept to zero by performing a performed at home or be combined with other
series of exercises in quick succession (see below). training sessions.
For those interested in gaining muscle mass, the
rest should also be kept to 45–90 seconds Finally we come to drills and special strength work.
between sets. In this way the final set should be Clearly it is highly impractical trying to combine
extremely hard work with failure coming around these with a traditional gym session. What’s more,
the last rep. using technical practice is an excellent method of

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Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

warm-up as it not only makes use of dead time and too quickly means that we fail to train the whole
junk kilometres, but is ideal preparation for the movement as momentum takes over. Many an
forthcoming session as good technique is drilled to athlete would improve their sessions greatly if
‘prime’ for the forthcoming session. they simply forgot about the number on the bar
and moved more slowly.
How fast should the exercises
be performed? Of course moving slowly is not conducive to
Most exercises should be done at a good steady developing power. Therefore any exercise aimed
tempo. The typical athlete will perform lifts too at improving power should be performed as
quickly in an attempt to finish the set more quickly explosively as possible (without losing control or
or to enable them to lift a heavier weight. As a technique). This is often something that doesn’t
general guideline a tempo of two seconds on the come naturally to the endurance athlete who
effort (concentric phase) and three seconds on the spends hours every week training the nervous
return (eccentric phase) will allow for a good system to perform submaximal efforts repeatedly.
quality of technique. For example, a squat would The experienced strength-trained athlete will be
be performed three seconds on the way down and able to summon the ability to produce a single
two seconds on the way up. Often this eccentric effort of huge power in an instant. Therefore
phase (which is of great value) is rushed and the mental preparation and focus are critical for the
athlete never has full control. Moving the weight triathlete to develop this ability. You should

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practise taking at least 30 seconds before each set between sets. This sits uncomfortably with some
to focus on what you are going to do and really dig triathletes who want to feel as if they are
deep to produce everything you have in an instant. constantly working. It can also seem somewhat
inefficient, which doesn’t sit well with busy
Once again though nothing is set in stone and training schedules. The best way to get around this
there is always plenty of room for creativity and is to increase training density through the use of
imagination in the gym (just as long as it is backed super-sets. This means combining two exercises,
up by sensible scientific principles). Just try a set which are performed in succession followed by a
of 6 x 10-second press-ups (one rep lasts five rest. In order to prevent a negative effect on the
seconds down and five seconds up) and the main exercise, the second movement should be
athlete will see there are many ways of mixing one that will not impact on it. A great way of doing
things up. this is to combine a strength exercise with a
prehab exercise: for example, single-leg squats
In what order should the exercises may be paired with the hop-stick exercise. This not
be performed? only helps to keep the session moving but also
Few triathletes will not have heard of the circuit provides an efficient way of getting lower-level
session. This, for the rare few who have not tried a exercise done without dragging the session out
circuit, consists of a session whereby exercises are excessively.
performed one after another for a single set with
little or no rest. Typically the circuit will contain It is important not to become too rigid when
8–10 exercises, and the athlete will go around the planning sessions. However figure 8.2 shows one
circuit three times. The reason these are so way to structure a session.
popular with triathletes is that they are regarded Movement preparation includes
as strength–endurance training. There is logic to stretching and mobility work, Movement
this and indeed there is some value to the session. which serves as preparation for preparation
However they also represent the classic inability to the main session and helps to
step away briefly from endurance and develop a ‘set the body up’ for the work
broader spectrum of strength qualities and ahead. Technique and motor
movement skills. patterning work should be Technique and
performed when fresh. This motor
patterning
Using circuits exclusively is a very limited also gives an opportunity to
approach, but they can still be utilised effectively practise techniques prior to the
in conjunction with other ways of organising demanding and intense strength
training. A more balanced approach sees strength and power work. The session can
Strength and
and power exercises, which demand quality and then be concluded with the hard power
concentration, performed at the start of the conditioning exercises, safe in the
session. These can then be followed by mini- knowledge that nothing needs to
circuits that may focus on a specific area, such be left in the tank.
as a trunk conditioning circuit, or a foot and ankle
circuit. As we have learned, the strength and Figure 8.2 Suggested session Conditioning
power exercises require a reasonable recovery structure

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Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

8.4 Determining training focus but still distinct from the sport, whereas specific
One of the great joys of a multi-event sport is the strength is very highly related (see chapter 11)
fact that there are so many different elements of
training. Not only are there three times as many It is important to realise that most athletes will
disciplines within the sport than most activities, be working on multiple levels at any one time
but each of these can also be further divided into (although almost never on all levels). An athlete
technical, tactical, endurance, speed, strength, etc. new to S&C will generally begin working on levels
While this adds to the variety and enjoyment of 1 and 2. More experienced athletes are likely to
training it can also be somewhat daunting for the start the season on levels 1 and 2 and gradually
uninitiated when planning a training programme. shift towards levels 2 and 3 as the season
The same can be said for embarking on a S&C progresses. Only for a very brief period will the
programme to improve triathlon performance. most advanced trainers focus on levels 3 and 4.
It is important to remember that the athlete is
A number of questions are likely to arise, such as describing their training status in terms of S&C
how much time to devote to S&C, how important is rather than as a triathlete. There are many
it for me and what should my focus be? Perhaps experienced elite triathletes who can be
the best approach is to deal with these three considered only novice in terms of S&C. This
important questions in reverse order. Once you process requires the athlete to evaluate their
have identified the areas that you will focus on it current performance. There are a few key
is much easier to decide the significance of this questions that may help direct them and clarify
within the overall training programme. Training how S&C will impact on their season.
priorities can be thought of on several levels (see
figure 8.3). It should be noted that special strength How much does injury impact on
refers to work that is directly performance related the quality and quantity of an
athlete’s training?
If injury, or the fear of injury, is causing a loss of
Level 4
• Specific strength training time or causing sessions to be changed
then this alone is justification for a significant
focus to be placed on rehab/prehab. Ironically by
Level 3 sacrificing triathlon training for S&C the ability to
• Max strength & power (special strength) train for longer and not miss sessions can be
increased through improved mechanics and
tissue tolerance.
Level 2
• Base strength (capacity & control),
tissue conditioning
How much progression is the
athlete making in each of the three
disciplines and what are the
Level 1
• Rehabilitation & movement dysfunction, limiting factors?
gym techniques It is a natural part of training that, as time goes
by, gains begin to plateau. This will be the case
Figure 8.3 Priority of training focus for many triathletes reading this text. This is not

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to say that gains are not still being made but they training will naturally become more specific to
are much slower. The common response to this each discipline, as special strength becomes more
is to try to find more opportunities to train for the focus (see chapter 7). However this work will
longer, to squeeze in an extra session, etc. As a also start to become part of general triathlon
result the idea of actually dropping a session to training rather than dedicated S&C sessions
make way for S&C is completely counterintuitive
and quite scary. Rest assured though this is the
perfect time to train smarter and kick the 8.5 Novel methods of training
performance on again. As a coach who continually receives catalogues full
of ever weirder and more wonderful toys I know
Those who are entirely new to the sport may feel better than most that there are literally hundreds
that their time is best spent ‘learning the trade’ of novelty training methods that gain popularity
and just building a good volume of swimming, through health clubs and fitness magazines. These
cycling and running. This is entirely logical and are often backed by a great deal of hype, which can
almost certainly the best path to making initial make them seem quite compelling. While there is
gains. However it is still prudent to include an nothing wrong with these methods of training per
element of S&C within the programme. By se it is important that we critically evaluate what
improving conditioning and movement quality the they bring to the programme before we introduce
athlete will be better equipped to develop their them. Always remember – there is very little that the
sports skills and will greatly reduce the likelihood athlete cannot achieve through their own body
of sustaining an overuse injury further down the weight and a few rudimentary tools! However for
line. The significance of this will of course depend the curious here are a few of the novel methods that
on how well the athlete moves and their starting may add some value when used at the right time.
predisposition to injury. For some one session
per week can be viewed as prudent insurance, Suspension training systems
whereas for others several sessions will be These systems, such as those by TRX, are based
required in order to be able to train. on gymnastic rings and use the athlete’s own body
weight as a form of resistance. In order to increase
How much emphasis does an or decrease the resistance the dynamics of the
athlete place on each discipline? exercise can be changed to use more or less of
A great part of having an athletic development the athlete’s body weight. These exercises are
focus to training (i.e., developing athletic qualities, excellent for athletic development, as good
which underpin all sports performance) is that the performance requires full control of the athlete’s
multi-eventer does not require a separate session body – just as in sport. The systems are also highly
for each discipline. The squats that they perform portable, which can be useful for those who travel
to strengthen the trunk for swimming also build regularly or do not have access to a gym.
strength in the legs for cycling and improve hip
mobility for running! Therefore by addressing the Overall these are an excellent training tool for
athlete first and the sport second we become much triathletes. Perhaps the biggest limitation to the
more effective. This is particularly true in the early system is the inability to add additional load in the
part of the season. As competition approaches, way in which dumb-bell and barbell exercises can.

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Figure 8.4 Suspension training system Figure 8.5 Kettlebells

Therefore these, as with all tools, are a great A note of caution – the kettlebell may be
addition as part of a programme, but may be considered a Jack of all trades and a master of
limited if viewed as the bulk or only element to none. The practicality of holding the weight
a programme. restricts large loads being used. Therefore it is far
from the first port of call for power development.
Kettlebells Similarly the ballistic nature of the exercises
Originating from Russia, the kettlebell is an means control of shoulder stability may also be
incredibly simple tool, which is essentially a compromised.
cast-iron ball with a handle. Kettlebells are most
suitable for ballistic exercises such as swings and Resistance bands
throws. The handle makes these challenges much These are an ingenious method of overcoming one
more natural than with a dumb-bell. Despite the of the biggest weaknesses of traditional barbell
claims that this represents a complete training exercises. All sports movements involve an
system, it is actually beneficial in only very specific acceleration through the movement, whereas gym
tasks. Many of the overhead movements such exercises typically slow down as the end of range
as the kettlebell snatch combine power, trunk is reached. The mechanics of an exercise such as
strength and shoulder stability. Therefore there a squat also mean that, while the bottom of the
are a number of exercises that can be used to movement is very hard, the final part is very easy.
assist elements of swim strength. The use of resistance bands addresses both of

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Figure 8.6 Resistance bands

these problems. The bands are attached either

directly above or directly below the barbell and
the bar itself. This then changes the dynamics of
the exercise so that the load is increased toward
the top of the movement. This causes the lifter to
have to work hard throughout the range and
reduces the natural urge to decelerate.

Theoretically these can be used by anyone at any

stage. However they are best saved for times when
ordinary barbell exercises have been mastered and
gains have plateaued in order to give a fresh boost
to training. Caution should also be used, as the
bands take some getting used to and can easily
end in embarrassment and landing in a heap!

8.6 Case studies

One of my inspirations for writing this book was
the lack of helpful literature on the subject of S&C
for triathlon. Too often I have read session plans
that are recommended as being ‘sessions to make
you stronger’ or ‘the ultimate workout to improve
your speed’. For me this goes against the very
nature of good S&C, which focuses on the
qualities of the individual first and foremost.
As such it is impossible for this book to tell the
athlete exactly what their session should contain.
Instead my aim is to provide enough information
on the science, theory and practice of strength
training that the athlete can apply it to their own
circumstance for maximum effect. However it is
always useful to have some real-life examples to
help lift the science off the page. Therefore the
case studies below are highlighted to give some
idea of how sessions may look in real life and also
hopefully to fire the imagination to enable the
athlete to use creative workouts to truly impact on
their triathlon.

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Case Study The Absolute beginner

Andrew had been involved in triathlon for just over two years during which time he had been
completely bitten by the triathlon bug and consumed all the information he possibly could from
books, magazines and online blogs. As a result of his reading and talking with fellow competitors
he decided that he wanted to move to the next level and the best route to doing so was improving
his strength and power.

When Andrew first came to the gym we went through a basic movement screen, and it quickly
became clear that his body control through fundamental movements was poor and he also lacked
flexibility. We agreed that Andrew’s S&C was part of a long-term plan and therefore we would take
an approach that built a solid foundation of athletic development and movement quality.

Andrew first came to see me in March, which was obviously coming into the triathlon season.
Thankfully the type of work we were doing was not especially physically demanding as the focus
was on technique and some injury prevention conditioning. As a result we were able to train
through the season without fear of impairing performance. We decided that starting in March
allowed us a good period of time to make the first season of S&C directed towards foundations for
the following year. By the time winter training would come around in October we would have an
excellent base to build on.

When we first met we went through a simple needs analysis process to determine how training
would be directed. This was a combination of Andrew’s own feelings about how he could improve
and my observations of his qualities in the gym. As is generally the case, the two approaches
matched up well. Although the swim was his weakest discipline this was generally down to lack of
practice and technique, and so no particular discipline was targeted as a priority. His injury history
was best described as having ‘a few niggles’. He had not lost more than a few days at a time to
injury, although the problems that he had could be traced back to movement issues seen in the
gym. Thankfully a number of these would be addressed through our foundation of movement
approach. The programme consisted of three main elements: movement control and preparation;
whole body strength and patterning; and isolated conditioning.

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Table 8.2 Sample exercise regime for an absolute beginner

Name: Chris Session Date: 22 March 2010

Exercise Comments Sets Reps Weight

1a. Lunge walk 3 25 metres 30kg

1b. Spiderman crawl 3 15 metres n/a
1c. Yoga sun salutation 3 n/a n/a
2a. Step-ups 4 8 30kg
2b. Hop-stick 4 5 n/a
3a. Front squat 3 8 40kg
3b. Shoulder swimmers 3 15 n/a
4a. Side plank 3 40s n/a
4b. Glute bridge 3 12 n/a
4c. Calf raise 3 12 n/a

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Case Study The second-season trainer

Debbie was a pretty advanced trainer with a good background of gym work. She had been a good
middle-distance runner in her youth during which time she had done a lot of athletics drills. Over
the past 18 months she had also been carrying out a good progressive S&C regime, which had seen
gains in both the gym and in her race times. She was highly motivated, but did not have a great deal
of time to dedicate to her sessions.

The sample workout below is taken from January/February. Having built a good base of conditioning
through the winter, the focus was on strength and power in the gym (these qualities will later be
developed in more specific ways). There are relatively few exercises in the session, because the
emphasis is on working very intensely on a few key movements. The session uses a ‘complex
training’ type system, which pairs strength exercises with mechanically similar power exercises.

Table 8.3 Sample exercise regime for a second-season trainer

Name: Debbie Session Date: 4 Jan 2009

Exercise Comments Sets Reps Weight

Barbell mobility Front squat, dead 3 10 20kg

warm-up lift, clock lunge
1a. Box squats 5 5 75kg
1b. Rebound jumps 5 5 Body
weight
2a. Single-leg squat off Hold a med ball 4 8 10kg
a box for weight
2b. Hop on to a box 4 5 Body
weight
3a. Assisted pull-ups 4 5 n/a
3b. Med ball slams 4 5 6kg
4a. Aleknas 3 10 10kg
4b. Weighted plank 3 45 secs 15kg

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Case Study The Advanced trainer

Adam was an elite triathlete competing at a national level and had medalled in several Ironman
competitions. He ran his own business and was able to dedicate around 25 hours per week to
triathlon. His performance gains had plateaued and it was clear that just adding more volume was
no longer going to be the answer. This gave us the luxury of having complete freedom to write the
perfect programme to suit him with almost no lifestyle constraints.

The programme featured below is taken from a pre-competition phase during April. The
programme is split over a number of micro-sessions rather than large gym sessions.

Table 8.4 Sample exercise regime for an advanced trainer

Session 1 – Swim strength Session Date: April

Exercise Comments Sets Reps Dist.

1. Swimming drills set Use this session as part

by coach of a normal swim
session, preferably speed
2. Normal swim
sets. Take three mins
warm-up
recovery between sets
3. Bungee resisted
4 5 25m
swimming

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Case Study The Advanced trainer cont.

Session 2 – Cycle-specific strength Session Date: April

Exercise Comments Sets Reps Weight

10 mins progressive cycling Either use a good

warm-up (safe) hill or on
a stationary bike,
Dynamic flexibility if indoors
both in a high
Power sprints (10-sec max gear/resistance
3 10 n/a
sprint, 50-sec recovery)
Cycle easy for 3
Finish with either short fast minutes between
session or cool down power sprints

Session 3 – Running mechanics and Session Date: April

plyometrics
Exercise Comments Sets Reps Weight

Hurdle drills warm-up Perform this

3 6 n/a
(choose three drills) micro-session prior
to a running
1a. Skipping 3 30 metres n/a
speed workout.
1b. A-march This will serve as 3 20 metres n/a
great preparation
1c. Strides 3 50 metres n/a
and give the best
2. 60m sprints @ 80 per transfer of
training 1 10 n/a
cent max.

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Session 4 – Gym strength and power Session Date: April
Exercise Comments Sets Reps Weight

1. Dynamic flexibility warm-up 1 n/a n/a

2. Jump squats 4 5 30kg
3a. Deep single-leg squats off box 3 8 5kg
3b. Lunge jumps 3 4 Body weight
4a. Roll-outs 3 8 n/a
4b. Clap press-ups 3 8 Body weight
5a. Hanging leg raises 3 12 n/a
5b. Weighted plank 6 15s 10

Session 5 – Prehab session Session Date: April

Exercise Comments Sets Reps Weight

1a. Face pulls All exercises 2–3 30s n/a

performed as
1b. YTML 2–3 40s n/a
a circuit.
1c. Dead bugs Perform 2–3 2–3 40s n/a
times per
1d. Weighted glute bridge 2–3 20s n/a
week at
1e. Side lying leg raise home 2–3 20s n/a

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part 4
exercise
reference
009
conditioning
exercises
 CHAPTER 009 conditioning exercises
9.1 Introduction so this collection will allow the athlete to compose
This chapter serves as a reference for conditioning a well-rounded conditioning regime.
exercises. These are subdivided into leg and hip
exercises, trunk work, movement control and Unlike strength exercises, which can be made
shoulder work. Of course there are literally harder or easier through the weight of the bar,
hundreds of exercises that can be used to achieve conditioning exercises tend to have an inherent
these goals and there is no way they can all be intensity. Therefore a very simplistic guide is given
included in this book. However most of the as to whether the movement is easy, medium or
fundamental ‘families’ of exercises are described, hard (or across a range if load can be added).

9.2 Leg and hip exercises

Ex 9.1 Glute bridge
The glute bridge is an unavoidable classic, which addresses the hugely common problem of ‘underactive
glutes’. The main function of the glute (buttocks) is to extend the hip, which is exactly what this exercise
does. It is important to make sure that you feel the work is coming from the glute and not the hamstring
(back of thigh). In the case of the latter you will need to use a lower-intensity version of the movement
until the glutes are performing correctly.

Key points • Arching the lower back at the top of the

• Start with your hips on the floor and your knees movement
bent to approx. 45 degrees
• Push your heels into the floor Progressions and variations
• Consciously try to contract the glute • Basic double-legged
• Perform slowly and with control • Double-legged with weight across the hips
• Single-legged
Errors/Issues • Single-legged with weight across the hips
• Hamstrings doing most of the work
(This means the exercise level is too hard)

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Ex 9.2 Fire hydrants

Unlike the glute bridge the fire hydrant exercise covers the other main function of the glute – external
rotation – as well as hip extension. It also requires a good level of trunk control to keep the hips level and
to avoid the back arching. Therefore while it is a fairly low-intensity exercise the fire hydrant is excellent
for developing movement control around the trunk and pelvis.

Key points
• Begin by opening the hip out
sideways (see middle image)
• Next, extend the leg back fully,
squeezing the glute as you do so
• Keep the hips level as you open
the thigh
• Maintain a neutral spine as you
extend the leg out

Errors/Issues
• Athletes often attempt to make up
for weak or immobile hips through
compensatory movements. This will
lead only to the practice of poor
movement and exacerbate the issue

Progressions and variations

• Small ankle weights may be used,
but really this is best kept as a
low-intensity control drill rather than
making it high intensity

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Ex 9.3 Band walks
This exercise targets the small glute medius, which lifts the leg out to the side of the body and is
important for keeping the knee stable and avoiding ‘dropping in’. Athletes tend to rate this highly
because it induces a major burn in the glutes and so you definitely know it’s working. The key is to
make sure that the technique is tight, as small differences in posture can mean that very different
muscles get worked.

Key points
• Keep feet wide apart and move sideways by
pushing the knee outwards
• Adjust the difficulty through different
thicknesses of band and adjusting the position
on the leg (lower makes it harder)
• Stay tall

Errors/Issues
• Sitting back will cause the pelvis to change
position and take the emphasis away from the
glute medius
• Keep the torso upright – athletes often lean to
the side to cheat the movement

Progressions and variations

• Manipulate distances walked and band
position to avoid getting stale

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Ex 9.4 Calf raise (Gastrocnemius version)

The calf complex, including the Achilles tendon, can take quite a lot of abuse in a triathlete. The high
volumes of cycling place a great demand on the muscle, and the tendon is key for producing elastic
energy in running. The calf raise can help to improve the quality of both these tissues. Placing a greater
emphasis on the eccentric phase (the descent) is a good way of ensuring against tendon problems,
which many triathletes suffer from.

Key points Progressions and variations

• Make sure only the ball of the foot is supported • Single-leg version
• Work through a full range of motion up and • Eccentric – two feet up, one foot slowly down
down (unless this causes pain) • Add dumb-bells or kettlebells for extra load
• Use a leg press to add heavy load
Errors/Issues
• Avoid rapid movements or holding on to
supports excessively

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Ex 9.5 Calf raise (Soleus version)
By performing the movement in a bent knee position the gastrocnemius is shortened, which means
the emphasis is placed on the other major calf muscle – the soleus.

Key points
• Make sure only the ball of the foot is supported
• Work through a full range of motion, up and down (unless this causes pain)

Errors/Issues
• Avoid rapid movements or holding on to supports excessively

Progressions and variations

• To add load either place a weight on the knees or have a partner lean on you

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Ex 9.6 Hamstring bridge

As a rule of thumb triathletes don’t tend to suffer from hamstring injuries. However if you have sustained
an injury in the past this may still come back to hamper your triathlon running. This simple exercise works
effectively to strengthen the hamstrings through hip extension (which is what they do when running).
However if you want stronger hamstrings for performance enhancement then the whole body barbell
exercises in the strength and power section (see p. 154) are more suitable.

Key points
• Keep the movement slow and controlled and don’t try to force out extra reps
More TUT (time under tension) through the range is most important

Errors/Issues
• Make sure the opposite knee doesn’t swing up to generate upward momentum to cheat
• Keep the active knee soft, not locked

Progressions and variations

• Double- or single-legged version
• Raise the height of the box or bench

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Ex 9.7 Side lying leg raises
This is a very simple but effective exercise for targeting the glute medius. This is a muscle,
which is often weak and has implications for control of the knee, particularly during running.

Key points
• Keep hips forward and lift from the side
• Perform slow controlled lifts

Errors/Issues
• Do not allow the hips to open out towards the ceiling

Progressions and variations

• Add light manual resistance or light ankle weights
• Add a hold and a small circular movement to increase work

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Ex 9.8 Tibialis anterior raises

An important principle of training is that the body must be in balance. The tibialis anterior (the thin strip
of muscle that runs down the front of the shin) may seem fairly insignificant. However if this is not kept in
balance with calf development it can lead to big problems. This is a very simple exercise, which can be
done between sets of bigger exercises, or even at home through the day.

Key points
• Focus on time and quality rather than repetitions

Errors/Issues
• Make sure you control the eccentric – don’t just let the toes drop without control

Progressions and variations

• Progress to a single-leg version

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9.3 Trunk conditioning exercises
Ex 9.9 Dead bugs
This is one of the most underrated exercises on the planet. It is ideal for developing the ability to
move one arm and the opposite leg while keeping the trunk stable – in nutshell, exactly what we do
when swimming, cycling and running!

Key points
• One arm and the opposite leg are extended out, keeping close to the ground without touching
• The back must stay flat/neutral and not change shape from the start position
• Try to keep the pelvis ‘tucked in’ with the lower abdominals
• Movements must be slow and controlled

Errors/Issues
• The back position cannot be maintained
• The work feels as if it is coming from the back rather than the abdomen

Progressions and variations

• Hold a light weight in each hand (1–2.5kg)
• Hold the end position for 10–30 seconds
• Add ankle weights (1–2kg)

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Ex 9.10 Aleknas
The alekna (named after a famous thrower credited with inventing this exercise) is essentially a more
challenging version of the dead bug. Although it lacks the specific diagonal pattern that the dead bug
offers, it makes up for it with the high-level challenge it places on the ability to hold a neutral spine.

Key points
• Extend both arms and legs, keeping close to the ground without touching
• The back must stay flat/neutral and not change shape from the start position
• Try to keep the pelvis ‘tucked in’ with the lower abdominals
• Movements must be slow and controlled

Errors/Issues
• The back position cannot be maintained
• The work feels as if it is coming from the back rather than the abdomen

Progressions and variations

• If too difficult the exercise can be regressed by shortening the range of movement and gradually
extended over time
• Hold a light weight in the hands
• Place a weight on the shins as well as in the hands (maximum 10kg each end)
• Hold the end position for 10–30 seconds (without weights)

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Ex 9.11 The plank
In recent years this exercise has become extremely popular. It is an excellent tool for developing
stability through the trunk, as it is based on preventing movement. However while it is frequently used
it is also often abused. Make sure that the work is directed to the mid-section and that form is perfect.
Too often athletes adopt horrendous positions in an attempt to rack up the longest plank they can –
quality definitely beats quantity.

Key points
• Keep body parallel to the floor, with hips level
• Shoulders must be relaxed and not rounded
• Treat 60 seconds as the maximum time; if it is easy, move to a harder progression
• If the work feels like it is coming from the lower back then it is too hard

Errors/Issues
• Lifting hips
• Sagging hips
• Bracing shoulders to take the load

Progressions and variations

• Start with a basic plank for 30 seconds; if this is too hard, go from the knees
• 3-point plank: one arm or leg is removed from the floor while staying level
• 2-point plank: one arm and the opposite leg are removed from the floor
• Marching plank: feet are alternately lifted slowly 3–5cm from the floor
• Weighted plank: a light to moderate weight (5–20kg) is placed across the hips during a basic plank

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Ex 9.12 Side plank

Although it shares a common name with the plank, the side plank should be considered separately as the
focus is distinctly different. To have a truly stable trunk we need to be able to stabilise from all angles and
this includes side flexion (think of the cyclist rocking from side to side). The exercise not only targets the
trunk but also the hips, and it can help to improve knee stability.

Key points
• Keep shoulders, hips and ankles all in line
• Exercise should stress the mid-section; if the shoulder is burning then move to an easier version

Errors/Issues
• Shoulder hitching up towards ear
• Hips either sagging or fixed higher than neutral

Progressions and variations

• Start with a side plank with knee on the floor and progress to feet on floor
• Add slow leg lifts (top leg raised towards ceiling then lowered)
• Partner resisted – partner applies small amount of downward pressure to the hips

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Ex 9.13 Roll-outs
This is a tough exercise but an equally effective one. Similar to aleknas it requires the ability to keep
the trunk fixed while the arms are moving. It also works the serratus anterior very effectively, which is
an important muscle for controlling the position of the scapula. Therefore this is a fantastic exercise for
improving swimming trunk strength.

Key points
• Slowly roll the barbell forwards allowing your hands to move out in front of the body
• Work at a level that allows you to perform the movement to its full range
• Keep the elbows slightly soft
• There should be a straight line from the shoulder to the knee throughout (don’t let the hips flex)

Errors/Issues
• Stop or regress the exercise if the back hurts or it feels as if this is where the work is coming from

Progressions and variations

• Begin with a barbell and perform the exercise from the knees
• A slightly easier but more functional version can be performed with dumb-bells, rolling each arm
out alternately
• For a highly advanced version perform either of the above from the feet

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Ex 9.14 Superman
While the previous exercises are excellent for developing the capacity of the trunk, the Superman
is all about control. The movement itself is not taxing but control of posture requires a great deal
of concentration. Therefore it is useful if possible to use a mirror or have someone watch you.
Don’t be afraid to be ruthlessly perfectionist with this one – quality is everything!

Key points
• Move slowly with control
• Make sure you get some form of feedback as to how you are moving
• Extend one arm and the opposite leg while keeping the trunk stable throughout

Errors/Issues
• The back should not arch at all from its original position
• There should be no twisting through the spine/trunk

Progressions and variations

• None – just aim to perform this movement perfectly with total consistency

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Ex 9.15 Prone extension hold
Specific lower-back training is often uncalled for as sufficient work can be achieved during whole body
exercises such as squats. However if this is a particular area of weakness or the athlete is not doing
whole body strength movements then this can help to give a more rounded trunk training regime.

Key points
• Have a partner sit on your legs to secure you
• Line up so that the top of the hips just come off the bench
• Keep torso level with the floor, looking downwards
• Keep to a maximum of 90 seconds

Errors/Issues
• Beware of excessively arching the back
• Once position drops, terminate the exercise
• Stop immediately if pain is experienced

Progressions and variations

• Extend arms in front
• Hold a weights disc (2.5–10kg) across your chest

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Ex 9.16 Woodchop
Rotational exercises are often ignored or at best under-represented in most training programmes.
However given that all three triathlon disciplines involve alternate use of the limbs and therefore the
control of rotational forces, they should be considered a fundamental. Although the woodchop is a
dynamic movement it is performed slowly, so the focus is more on controlling the rotation than
producing it powerfully.

Key points
• Hips should remain facing forwards at all times
with the movement coming from the chest and
shoulders (thorax)
• Move in a controlled manner from the hip
diagonally across the opposite shoulder

Errors/Issues
• Avoid arching the back at the top of the
movement or rounding at the bottom to gain
a greater range of movement
• Arms should remain pointing in the same
direction as the chest and not come across
the body
• Keep the movement controlled at all times and
do not try to force the end of range

Progressions and variations

• Stick to moderate loads up to a maximum of
10kg (either med ball or disc). Alternatively
cable pulley machines can be used effectively,
particularly hydraulic resistance machines
• Can be performed from standing or on knees

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Ex 9.17 Rolling
This may get some strange looks at the health club, but it is a superb exercise for improving trunk
control in swimming. It also serves as a good test of trunk control. Rolling is not a high-intensity
exercise, but requires high levels of skill and control.

Key points
• Start by lying on your back and slowly roll to one side, then on to your front
• The movement should involve all body parts rolling simultaneously with full control at all times

Errors/Issues
• Look out for one body part (e.g. shoulders) ‘leading’ the movement
• There should be no jerky movements and you should not drop at any point

Progressions and variations

• Aim to perfect your control. Once you have done so you can revisit this exercise intermittently
to ensure that you have kept in touch with this skill

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Ex 9.18 Swiss ball Russian twist

Although this can be looked on as something of a relic from the obsession with Swiss balls and core
stability in the late 1990s it actually offers several useful benefits. As well as working the obliques
through the rotational movement it also requires the athlete to keep the hips and lower back stable.
This helps to promote the ability to dissociate between the hip, lower and upper back, which we have
learned is important in swimming skills. Furthermore we get a free workout for the glutes and hamstrings,
which are working to keep the hips elevated.

Key points
• Hips up and parallel to the floor
• Shoulders, neck and head are
supported by the ball
• The ball should roll from
between the shoulder blades to
the outside of the upper arm

Errors/Issues
• It is possible to cheat this by
moving the arms to the side
without rolling the shoulder
• Try to keep the rotation in the
upper back and shoulders, and
not in the lower back

Progressions and
variations
• Start with no weight and slowly
introduce light loads (5–10kg
dumb-bell)
• If you are very advanced you
may be able to lift the leg (on
the side you are turning) off
the floor

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Ex 9.19 Double leg lowers
This is a challenging exercise that is often used as a test of an athlete’s capacity to hold the trunk stable
while moving the legs.

Key points
• Line up by placing one ankle level with the opposite knee then bring both feet level, extending the
legs to give you the start position
• Stop the exercise if you feel pain and/or cannot keep your lower back flat to the floor
• The legs are then slowly lowered to just above the floor, being kept straight throughout before
returning to the start

Errors/Issues
• Avoid bouncing feet off the floor
• Form must be kept intact throughout

Progressions and variations

• Can be progressed to variations of hanging leg raises (see below)

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Ex 9.20 Hanging leg raises

These can be performed using anything you can hang from, including wall bars or a chin-up bar.
The exercise can also be made slightly easier using a Roman chair. This challenging exercise is
excellent for athletic development.

Key points
• The pelvis should roll backwards with the movement
• Keep slow and controlled for effective development,
particularly during the descent

Errors/Issues
• Beware of using the arms to ‘cheat’ the movement
• If it feels as if the work is coming from the hip flexors
regress the intensity and focus on rolling the pelvis

Progressions and variations

• Begin with a bent knee version
• Progress to straight legs, with the ultimate aim being to get
feet to hands
• All versions can also be intensified by hold a med ball
between the feet or knees, which also works the adductors

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9.4 Movement quality development
Ex 9.21 Lunge walk
This is one of the most commonly used warm-up exercises. It is no wonder, because a whole host of
important elements can be developed. As a result there are many variations on the standard exercise.
Lunge walking helps to mobilise the hips, develop knee stability and by retaining posture we are able
to develop trunk control. Be wary though – the range of movement and eccentric stress of landing can
cause the uninitiated to become very sore. Start off with small amounts and gradually progress over
the weeks.

Front view Side view

Key points Progressions and variations

• Focus on control at all times • Reverse lunge
• Keep the whole of the front foot on the floor • Clock lunge
when pulling through for the next step • Lunge with side flexions

Errors/Issues
• Knees ‘falling in’
• Loss of control in the upper body – should
remain tall and strong and avoid leaning back,
falling to the side, etc

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Ex 9.22 Hop-stick (also known as Hop and hold)

The hop-stick is a classic exercise for developing what S&C coaches call ‘load acceptance’. While single-
leg strength exercises develop the strength to hold the knee in position when running, hop-stick work will
develop the coordination and control to fire the muscles during the brief period that the foot is in contact
with the ground. Control and quality are everything with this work. Try to use a wide number of variations
in order to make sure that the learning stimulus is kept fresh.

Key points
• Work to a level that is challenging but can be controlled:
if too easy the exercise will not provide a challenge; if too
tough it will not give you a chance to control the
movement
• Maintain excellent posture and stay relaxed; avoid
rounding the back and becoming overly tense
• Flat foot landing

Errors/Issues
• Knees ‘falling in’
• Landing on toes/front of foot
• Excessive tension through upper body
• Failure to ‘stick the landing’ – i.e., double-bounce

Progressions and variations

• Start with a basic left–right–left
• Gradually increase the distance of the hop
• Also use same leg to same leg variation
• Introduce diagonal and rotational hops to mix things up
View from the front

View from the side A View from the side B

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Ex 9.23 Spiderman crawl
This somewhat novel exercise is a hugely effective and efficient warm-up activity that gives lots of bang
for your buck. In addition to the primary benefit of improving mobility around the hips prior to training,
the crawl also helps to improve shoulder and trunk stability. There is even a theory among developmental
psychologists that performing primal infantile movements such as this can ‘prime the brain’ to be in a
state of readiness to learn. On this basis they offer added benefit before special strength sessions or
skill drills that involve motor learning.

Key points
• Look to work through a full range of motions in each exercise without straining excessively
or losing form
• Concentrate on keeping the shoulders set and the spine in neutral

Errors/Issues
• Try to avoid rounding the back and make sure the knee goes outside the elbow

Progressions and variations

• Start off working over 5–10m and gradually build up to around 20m
• Combine crawl series for a greater conditioning stress

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Ex 9.24 Downward dog

Yoga is a fantastic way of stretching the hamstrings and calves (the back chain). When stretching these
areas the aim is to stress the muscles at the back of the legs while keeping the lower back flat/neutral.
However far too often the lower back becomes rounded in an attempt to ‘cheat’ more movement.
The downward dog provides a great way to stretch the nerves (often overlooked) and even adds an
element of shoulder stability work.

Key points
• Perform the exercise at a level you can manage with good technique; use blocks to raise your hands
if need be
• Continually monitor your form: heels down, knees pushed back, back flat and neck relaxed

Errors/Issues
• Don’t bounce or force the positions

Progressions and variations

• Progress the duration you hold the pose
• Start to incorporate into routines to add a conditioning component

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Ex 9.25 Sun salutation
One of the issues that prevents many triathletes from regularly utilising the benefits of yoga is the time
factor. With three disciplines, plus strength and conditioning, the idea of adding a 90-minute yoga class is
completely impractical. A great way of getting a bite-sized element of yoga into your training is the sun
salutation, which involves a rounded series of mobility challenges combined with a good level of muscle
conditioning. The series itself can be quite complex and the coaching of its intricacies is beyond this
book. Therefore you should seek a yoga teacher to learn a sequence that is appropriate for your level.

Key points
• Only perform movements you can execute properly – incorrect shapes are ineffective and dangerous
• Perform regularly before gym sessions to make steady progress and also gain an excellent warm-up

Errors/Issues
• The most important point is to only attempt elements of the pose which you can do comfortably and
correctly

Progressions and variations

• There are many variations on this theme, try to find one which is best suited to your ability

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Ex 9.26 Thoracic extension mobiliser

One of the most common side effects of modern life is thoracic stiffness (lack of mobility in the vertebrae
of the upper back), as discussed in chapter 3. This can have direct performance implications such as the
inability to execute the swim stroke efficiently. It may also have implications for injury risk as the lack of
movement must be compensated for by other areas such as the lower back and the shoulder. This
exercise can be performed either with a foam roller or two tennis balls in a sports sock. Each of these
works slightly differently: the foam roller helps to open the joints, whereas the tennis balls release
tension in the surrounding tissue. Therefore using both methods give better overall results.

Key points
• Position the foam roller/tennis balls between two vertebrae around the bottom of the rib cage
• Deliberately arch the spine over the implement, aiming to open the specific area being worked
• Repeat 1–2 times and then move up to the next vertebrae

Errors/Issues
• Always keep this technique to the upper back only; avoid the lower back and the neck

Progressions and variations

• n/a

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Ex 9.27 Indian sitting
While the foam roller and tennis ball work help to improve thoracic extension, Indian sitting exercises
target rotation and lateral flexion.

Key points
• Sit on a cushion or block that enables you to sit
cross-legged with a flat back (if the back is
rounded then raise the block)
• Perform rotations and side flexions separately

Errors/Issues
• Avoid rounding the back or excessively forcing
the range of movement

Progressions and variations

• n/a

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Ex 9.28 Scorpions
This is another exercise that helps to mobilise the spine and improve overall mobility. These types of
movement are particularly important for ‘resetting the body’ after long periods of sitting, such as desk
work or driving.

Key points
• Keep the shoulders on the floor and allow the hips to roll
• Gradually build the range of movement through the sets

Errors/Issues
• Don’t try to force the movement
• Make sure rolling comes through the upper rather than lower back

Progressions and variations

• n/a

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Ex 9.29 Foam roller ITB
One of the most common issues and movement dysfunctions that triathletes exhibit is ITB (iliotibial band)
syndrome, which can lead to this long tendon pulling the kneecap out of line (patella tracking). Continuing
to train through this problem can be very painful and lead to serious damage to the knee. Releasing
tension in the ITB with a foam roller is a painful but very effective method of alleviating this issue.

Key points
• Place the foam roller on the outside of the thigh and allow a little body weight to be applied into
the roller
• Start close to the thigh and gradually move downwards
• Find the areas that are most sensitive and concentrate on them

Errors/Issues
• n/a

Progressions and variations

• Ultimately this is a short-term fix and needs to be combined with an exercise programme that
strengthens the hips and restores muscle balance

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Ex 9.30 Towel scrunches

We have already learned that the feet are ignored at an athlete’s peril. This is a simple exercise that
works the intrinsic muscles of the foot, which keep it healthy and promote the natural elastic mechanics
of its design.

Key points
• Curl the toes to drag the towel towards you
• Work slowly through a full range, including when straightening the toes

Errors/Issues
• Focus on working for increasing time periods (30–90 seconds) rather than reps

Progressions and variations

• This is just the tip of the iceberg for footwork. Barefoot exercises in sand (pit, or beach if you’re lucky)
are another great option

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Ex 9.31 Hip flexor stretch
The hip flexors at the front of the hip can easily become shortened and tight due to the amount of
sitting we do. This simple stretch is excellent for opening out the hips before a session.

Key points
• Use the initial lunge position to open out the front of the hip. This will hit the iliacus portion of
the hips
• Add the side lean towards the lead leg to stretch the psoas

Errors/Issues
• Make sure posture remains tall and allow the hips to sink towards the floor

Progressions and variations

• This can be done statically or adapted into a lunge walk to provide a more dynamic warm-up activity

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Ex 9.32 Hamstring march

The hamstrings are probably the most commonly stretched muscle group. Static stretching of the
hamstrings is of questionable benefit, and many common stretches are performed poorly and actually
just open out the lower back. The hamstring march is excellent for opening the muscles and nerves of the
hamstrings and, if performed correctly, will help to improve control of the hips and back.

Key points
• Start by lifting the thigh, then extend the knee
• Keep the toes pulled up towards the shin

Errors/Issues
• The back must be kept in neutral. Avoid rounding the back in order to try cheating some apparent
extra range in the march

Progressions and variations

• This can start as a controlled walk and gradually be advanced into a skip

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Ex 9.33 Walking glute stretch
This is another good dynamic movement to do when the hips can become tight. It opens up the hips
while helping to warm up at the same time.

Key points
• Staying tall, hug the knee into the chest as you
slowly walk
• Alternate legs with each step

Errors/Issues
• Pull the thigh towards you, rather than the
other way around

Progressions and variations

• n/a

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Ex 9.34 Ankle rolls

This is a very simple exercise, which can be used to achieve multiple goals. In addition to mobilising the
ankle it should improve balance and control around the hips, knees and ankles as well as the muscles in
the feet. All of these benefits will be increased further if the exercise is performed in bare feet.

Key points
• Slowly roll with full control from the heel through to the big toe

Errors/Issues
• Look for and avoid any points where control is lost and the foot ‘collapses’
• Keep the rest of the body tall and loose; avoid becoming rigid in search of balance

Progressions and variations

• n/a

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9.5 Shoulder prehab
Ex 9.35 YTML
YTML are the shapes made by the arms during the four movements. This is actually several exercises in
one but when combined they take the shoulder through pretty much all of its fundamental movement
patterns. Therefore the old cliché that if you do only one exercise for shoulder health make it this one,
is probably true. The emphasis is on programming good movement patterns and fine control around the
shoulder. Therefore this is also a good pre-swim warm-up exercise as it may improve fine motor control
during the session

Key points
• Each part of the
movement begins and
ends with the start
position
• Technique is everything ‘Y’
with these movements
– the idea is to train the
correct movement
pattern and so focus
is vital
• If in doubt, do fewer
reps if fatigue starts
to cause a loss of form Start ‘T’
• All movements should
be performed slowly and deliberately

Errors/Issues
• Allowing the shoulders to ‘hitch’ up towards the ears
• Throwing the arms into each action to make it easier
• Cheating to get extra range of movement by using
compensatory patterns
‘M’

Progressions and variations

• Very light weights (1.25kg) can be used to enhance the
exercise
• Change the order of performance, sometimes perform all
of the Y’s, all of the T’s, etc. Other times perform one of
each in sequence

‘L’

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Ex 9.36 Swimmers
Named for obvious reasons, this exercise is great for firing up the scapular retractors, which pull our
shoulders back. It is rare to find an individual who does not need this type of work. You may find this is
particularly useful after a long session in the saddle, when the back has been rounded and the shoulders
pushed forwards. As well as improving shoulder health, this exercise is also important for helping to open
out the chest to allow the powerful swimming muscles to work to their optimum level of function.

Key points
• Actively squeeze the shoulder blades back and lift hands off the floor
• Reach out to stretch the arms and gain a full range of movement

Errors/Issues
• Lifting the chest off the floor to assist
• Lifting head to look forwards (keep looking down)

Progressions and variations

• Add light weights (1.25–2.5kg)
• TUT (time under tension) is more important than reps here so work slowly for a set period of time
rather than rushing to finish reps

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Ex 9.37 Scap press-ups
The scap press-up is a fantastic exercise for working a muscle called the serratus anterior. This is important
for keeping the shoulder blade flat to the rib cage and avoiding so-called ‘winging’, which can increase the
risk of shoulder impingement. As well as working this muscle, the exercise is also good for teaching the
ability to control the movements of the shoulder rather than using gross movements of the upper back.

Key points
• From press-up position allow the chest to drop and the shoulder blades to pinch together, then round
the upper back to push them far apart
• This movement should come only from the upper back and nowhere else

Errors/Issues
• It can feel strange performing such a small
movement, so athletes are often tempted to
compensate by flexing and extending their
upper back

Progressions and variations

• If you struggle to control the movement or
View from the side
fatigue through holding the position then
regress to a press-up from knees position
• Some athletes with a history of shoulder injury
may still struggle and need to lean against a
wall in a standing position
• For those who find it easy a weight can be
placed across the shoulders (5–20kg) or a
partner can apply resistance

View from the top – notice the shoulder blades pinching together

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Ex 9.38 Single-leg PNF pulls

This is actually a slightly novel version of a basic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) pull.
By performing it on one leg training is more efficient, because the glutes also get a workout and anti-
rotational trunk control is also developed. However if your main focus is the shoulder and this version is
too challenging, then go back to both feet on the ground. The PNF movement itself is a diagonal pattern
across the body, which incorporates all of the major shoulder muscles. Ideally you can use elastic bands
or hydraulic resistance machines, but a traditional cable stack machine or even a light disc will also work.

Key points
• The hand should move
from the opposite hip in
a diagonal path across
the body
• The hand should take the
furthest possible path
across the body
• Keep the arm straight at all
times

Errors/Issues
• Make sure as closely as
possible the hand finishes
at 45°

Progressions and
variations
• Regress to double foot if
necessary
• To challenge balance more,
move to standing on the
foot of the side you are
pulling from

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Ex 9.39 Face pulls
This is another shoulder exercise that requires elastic tubing but can also be performed using a cable
stack. Face pulls are good for developing the strength of the shoulder retractors. The essence of it is
pretty simple as the clue is in the title!

Key points
• Keep hands close together and
pull in a controlled manner

Errors/Issues
• Keep shoulders ‘set’ and avoid
hitching up towards ears

Progressions and
variations
• The exercise itself remains
pretty constant but can vary in
load considerably. Light loads
with elastic are good for
training the movement,
whereas heavier loads with
weights will help to develop
strength

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Ex 9.40 Bruce Lees

I must confess to being guilty of giving this exercise its slightly dubious name! Regardless of the title
though it is an effective movement for developing both strength and control of the shoulder. The key is to
keep the movements within the exercise distinct: first pull the shoulder back; then pull the elbow back;
and finish with a rotation. This is certainly a more thorough approach than the ‘physio’s favourite’, the
external rotation, which is a very one-dimensional exercise.

Key points Errors/Issues

• Start with the shoulder pulled forwards. Begin • Don’t let the elbow drop during the rotation
by pulling the shoulder back; next pull the • Make sure the shoulder stays set
elbow back as far as possible. Finally, rotate
the forearm to a vertical position without letting Progressions and variations
the upper arm drop • For strength gains, an elastic resistance band
• Keep as three separate movements should be used; however this is also a good
control exercise if performed unresisted and
can be included as part of a pre-swim warm-up

Start Shoulder retraction

Elbow retraction External rotation

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Ex 9.41 Stick dislocations
These have a slightly different emphasis to the previous exercises in that the focus is on improving
shoulder mobility rather than strength or control. As such it is probably most suitable for pre-swim
sessions, pre-gym sessions or post-bike sessions.

Key points
• Start with a very wide grip and ease your way into the movement

Errors/Issues
• Make sure the arms stay straight
• Don’t force it! This should be comfortable and
should never be painful or hard work

Progressions and variations

• Dislocations can be performed with a stick,
a rope or a rubber band
• Progression is based on mobility and is
measured by how close the hands are held
together

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strength and
power exercises
 CHAPTER 010 strength and power exercises
10.1 Introduction
This chapter deals with exercises that are
naturally suitable for developing strength and
power. The true value of these exercises lies in
the fact that they are based on fundamental
movement patterns such as squatting, lunging,
pressing and pulling. This means that developing
excellent control, then adding strength and power,
is most likely to transfer to athletic performance
in these types of activity. The exercises have the
capacity to be heavily loaded. This means that
they can induce a very significant training
stimulus, which can have a profound effect on
movement quality and capacity. However be wary
of the temptation to load too quickly. Developing
absolute excellence in movement will be the most
fruitful path to increased athleticism, but only the
smartest coaches and athletes are able to stick
faithfully to this philosophy. In my experience
90 per cent of athletes load the movements too
heavily, too quickly.

The power exercises offer more dynamic explosive However I would urge athletes to focus on
options than the traditional movement patterns. developing a good range of squat and strong
Do not rush into these, because without strength technique before concentrating on strength
there can be no power. development. By developing a good deep squat
you will be able to unlock the potential for power
in your hips and will produce stronger more stable
10.2 General strength knees (contrary to mythology, which warns against
Bilateral squat patterns deep squatting).
The squat is one of the key fundamental movement
patterns and is often used by S&C coaches as the Treating squats as a ‘leg exercise’ does them a
starting point for an assessment of an athlete’s great injustice. They are a whole body movement
movement ability. The movement has several and develop mobility, trunk strength and body
derivatives including the front squat and the back awareness. Therefore they are a staple in training.
squat (describing the position of the bar in relation Occasionally an athlete may have an issue that
to the body). It is also somewhat unusual in that, makes squatting contra-indicated, such as disc
unlike most exercises, it is often performed herniation. For these athletes the leg press may be
through only a partial range of motion. There are used as an alternative. It may also help the athlete
a number of factors that influence the choice of who needs greater leg strength but whose
squat and the depth of movement. (see chapter 5). squatting is limited by trunk strength.

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The squat is a hugely versatile exercise that can • The movement should be initiated by sitting
be manipulated in many ways. This is vital as some the hips backwards. The knees will bend
form of squatting is ever-present in programming automatically, but starting with the hips will
and so variety is essential: ensure a balance between these two key joints.

• Light, full range squats can be used to develop • Keep the back tight with the abs braced and do
mobility and athletic balance. not allow the back to round at all. If the lower
back starts to round you have gone too low,
• The addition of a pause at the bottom of the the weight is too heavy or basic technique and
movement, such as in a box squat, makes the control need work.
movement much harder. Here a powerful drive
is required to overcome the initial inertia and • The knees must remain stable and in line with
so the squat becomes more explosive. Similarly the toes (i.e., not ‘falling in’).
the addition of chains or rubber bands to the
bar alter the weight of the bar, so that it • Tempo will vary according to the goals of the
becomes heavier towards the top of the session (see below), but the descent should
movement. always be controlled and the athlete should
never ‘bounce’ out of the bottom.
• Jump squatting with a light to moderate bar is
another way of developing explosive power. • Feet should be around shoulder width apart
but most importantly you should feel
Key squatting technique points comfortable.
Each of the squat variations has its own specific
technical points. However there are a number • Weight should be evenly distributed across the
of elements that are consistent throughout all whole foot, not allowing it to shift to the front
squatting patterns: of the foot or roll inwardly.

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Ex 10.1 Back squat
The back squat is the most common form of the squat exercise and simply refers to the position of the
bar. Novice trainers often complain that this feels uncomfortable on their backs and request a foam pad
(also known as a sissy pad!) to make it more comfortable. This should be discouraged, not because of
macho gym culture but because it is likely to promote poor technique. If the shoulders are pulled back
and the chest is made big the upper traps should provide a ridge of muscle for the bar to rest on – even
on the skinniest triathlete. If a pad is used the athlete no longer needs to produce this position, and as a
result is likely to perform with inferior posture and a looser upper back.

Occasionally an athlete may have such limited mobility in the shoulders that they are unable to hold the
bar comfortably in position. In this situation the front squat is a more suitable option. Athletes with
particularly long femurs (thigh bone) may also find the back squat difficult. This problem can be
countered somewhat by widening the stance or alternatively moving the bar to the front position.

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Ex 10.2 Front squat

The front squat is less popular than the back squat, largely due to the fact that it is harder and therefore
the weights used tend to be somewhat lighter. However, as already seen, there are a number of situations
when the back squat may not be suitable. What is more, the front squat also provides variety and can be
used to mix up sessions. The position of the back is generally safer, and it is also more effective for
developing back strength.

The biggest obstacle to performing this exercise comes from difficulty holding the bar in the correct
position. The bar should be held across the collar bones and almost rest across the wind pipe (see below,
left). It is crucial that the elbows are kept high throughout the movement in order to prevent the bar
pulling the athlete’s weight forward at the bottom of the exercise. Many struggle with this, because of a
combination of wrist and lat tightness. Ideally you can work through this as the exercise itself will help you
to develop mobility in these areas. However if this is too painful or the correct position cannot be achieved
then the ‘cross arms’ technique can be adopted (see below, right). Try to avoid using it exclusively,
because this will mean that the flexibility required to perform orthodox technique can never be developed.

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Ex 10.3 Box squats
Both the front and back squats can also be performed as a box squat. This involves sitting the
hips backwards to a box or bench and touching lightly (never sitting down fully). This can help in
power development because of the need to drive hard off the box; it also provides a good guide to
squat depth for consistency. If mobility is a key goal this can be quite motivating – quantifiable
improvements can be seen as the boxes and benches get lower and lower.

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Ex 10.4 Dead lift

Along with the squat, the dead lift is one of the most effective whole body strength exercises at an
athlete’s disposal. The movements actually appear to be very similar to the naked eye. The biggest
difference is that the dead lift is a ‘pull’ whereas the squat is a ‘press’. This means that the dead lift
targets the back chain (i.e. lower back, hamstrings and glutes) to a greater extent than the squat,
which relies more on the quadriceps on the thigh.

The dead lift is an excellent exercise but should be used with caution. In general an athlete will fail in
their technique before they reach the point of true failure (i.e. unable to move the bar). As a result it is
very common to see dead lifts performed badly. This will typically come about when either the weight
of the bar is too great or the athlete does not have enough mobility to hold form at the bottom of the

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movement. Both of these will result in the lower back rounding. Pulling from this position, even with
moderate loads, is very dangerous for the back and should never be accepted. One way in which this can
be overcome, other than not overloading the bar, is by raising the height of the bar. The size of the
weights discs are completely arbitrary, and so for some people this is not suitable. Therefore if the bar is
raised the height of the bar can be changed to suit individual body dimensions. The easiest way to do this
is to place weights discs under each end of the bar.

The dead lift has several key coaching points, which are paramount for safe and effective training:

• Keep the back tight and neutral at all times. Any rounding of the back or loss of position should
be avoided.
• The start position will vary according to body dimensions, but the shoulders should always be higher
than the hips with the feet fully under the bar.
• Start the movement by squeezing the back and lats and by pushing the feet ‘through the floor’.
This will lead to better technique than simply trying to pull the bar.
• The hips should not be allowed to rise before the chest.
• Keep the bar close to the body at all times.
• Make sure you ‘finish’ the lift by pressing the hips into the bar and pulling the shoulders back.
• Initiate lowering the bar by sitting the hips backwards. If the movement begins at the knees you will
have to swing the bar around the knees, which places it further from the spine and so adds stress.

Single-leg options
While the bilateral exercises are great, many athletes are quick to point out that most sports are
performed in a unilateral manner. This is certainly true of all three disciplines in triathlon. During even a
very basic movement assessment it quickly becomes clear that many triathletes are very poor when it
comes to single-leg stability. This has serious implications for both efficiency of power delivery and injury
risk. Therefore some form of single-leg training is a must in any triathlete’s S&C regime.

There are a number of different single-leg options, each of which has its own unique characteristics and
benefits. Generally these tend to centre around a trade-off between potential for loading (and therefore
strength development) and the challenge to stability. Clearly high loading in unstable exercises is not
wise. Therefore it is important to establish exactly which of these qualities you wish to target in order to
select the appropriate exercise. As outlined earlier in table 5.1, they can broadly be defined as squatting,
lunging and stepping patterns. These respectively offer a bias towards strength development, stability or
a balance between the two.

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Ex 10.5 Bulgarian squat

The Bulgarian squat (also known as rear foot elevated squat) is excellent for developing single-leg
strength and provides a good balance of both quad and glute contribution. The fact that the front foot
remains in place with weight directly over it provides a ‘clamping’ effect whereby the knee becomes
inherently more stable. This allows it to be loaded to a greater extent than with other exercises.

Emphasis
• Single-leg strength

Key points
• Weight should be placed through front foot with knee in line with toes
• Make sure that the foot is placed sufficiently far forwards that the knee does not drift beyond the toes
• Descend to a point whereby the top of the thigh is approximately parallel
• Keep the back tight and chest up
• Do not lock the knee at the top of the movement (remain slightly bent with knee over foot)

Loading
• As a guideline it is achievable to reach a level whereby loads of 75–100% of body weight can be used

Variations
• Although technically a different exercise, the split squat is very similar. Rather than elevating the rear
foot the athlete simply adopts a split stance; all other coaching points remain the same

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Ex 10.6 Single-leg squat off a box
This is great for demonstrating that you don’t always need a barbell to get strong. It is a very challenging
movement that uses either body weight or light med balls and is therefore ideal if you travel a lot or do
not have access to a gym. The fact that the non-working leg hangs freely allows a great range of
movement in the non-working leg. Therefore this often allows athletes to work in ranges that they cannot
usually achieve. There is a steep initial learning curve with this movement and after a short time fairly
impressive depths can be achieved once the body gets used to these unfamiliar positions.

Emphasis
• Single-leg strength,
range of movement
and balance

Key points
• Let the free leg hang
vertically
• Keep arms out in front
to counterbalance
• Keep the back tight
and chest up
• Watch for the knee
falling inwards (and
avoid it)
• Aim to develop a deep
position under control

Loading
• Often no additional
loading is required
and body weight is
sufficient. However a medicine ball of up to 10kg can be added. This often makes the exercise easier
to perform with good technique, because of the counter-balancing effect

Variations
• The pistol is another popular form of single-leg squat (leg held out in front while descending to a box/
bench). While this is also effective the position of holding the leg out in front results in a rounded back
and so the off-a-box version is preferable

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Ex 10.7 Reverse lunge

Often regarded as no more than a novel derivative of the forward lunge, the reverse lunge is a highly
underrated exercise. The more traditional forward version is essentially a force control exercise rather
than force generation. For this reason the forward lunge walk is placed in the movement quality
conditioning exercises in chapter 9. If knee stability is the athlete’s primary focus then I recommend that
they utilise this type of work before strengthening. The reverse lunge is a very effective tool for targeting
strength in the glutes and hamstrings. The entire lunge series is also an excellent method of developing
trunk control during dynamic movements.

Emphasis
• Back chain strength, knee
stability, trunk control

Key points
• Step backwards, keeping
the weight across the
front foot
• Descend to a parallel
thigh without the rear
knee touching the floor
• Return to the start
position by ‘pulling
through’ with the front leg
rather than pushing from
the rear leg
• Keep the trunk rigid and
upright throughout the
movement

Loading
• Only a light to moderate loading is appropriate with this exercise as one foot comes off the floor:
30kg is generally sufficient for most people

Variations
• There are many possible variations of the lunge (too many to describe in detail). However notable
additions include the side lunge and the clock lunge (which uses a combination of forward, reverse
and side lunging). Both of these have the relatively unusual feature of working the hips through
planes of movement, which is not seen in most gym exercises. Therefore they can be an invaluable
addition and help provide more balanced hip stability and mobility

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Ex 10.8 Step-ups
Step-ups provide a good
balance of both strength
development and control.
The technique at the start of
the movement is crucial as
there are many ways to
‘cheat’, which must be
avoided if the exercise is to
be fully effective.

Emphasis
• Hip strength, trunk
control and knee stability

Key points
• Start with one foot on the
box, initiate movement
by pushing through the
heel
• Avoid leaning the trunk
forward or pushing off
the back foot to gain
momentum at the start of
the movement
• Keep the hips high and
don’t let them sit back during the ascent
• Finish the movement with the knee locked and glute tight with the free leg lifted to a parallel thigh

Loading
• Similar to the reverse lunge, a light to moderate loading is appropriate with this exercise as one foot
comes off the floor: 0–40kg is generally sufficient for most people

Variations
• The step-up can be tweaked in small ways that make a big difference to the emphasis and outcome.
A controlled step with the foot starting on the box is excellent for hip strength and control. Stepping
into the box dynamically requires less control because of the momentum; it is more suitable for
training power. Also the height of the step can be adapted. A 40cm step is suitable for an average-
height athlete (although it can be changed according to height and mobility). The height can be
lowered to allow greater loads and thus more emphasis on strength development. Alternatively it can
be raised and used with lighter loads for control and mobility to become the focus

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Upper body strength

Developing strength in the upper body is important for triathletes for a number of reasons. Apart from
more obvious aspects of performance such as the swim stroke and the running arm drive, the upper body
also plays a key role in transferring forces around the body and maintaining posture. If either of these is
not done effectively then technical performance will suffer. This means that rather than simply building
strong arms we need to select exercises that simultaneously work the upper body while holding form
through the trunk, etc. Therefore the athlete will often find that their ability to perform these exercises is
limited by trunk strength and control rather than sheer brute force. Please note that bench press, bicep
curls and any form of machine are notable and deliberate omissions from the triathlete’s arsenal!

Ex 10.9 Press-ups
The humble press-up is quite possibly the best upper body exercise ever invented. It offers all the trunk
strengthening benefits of the ubiquitous plank plus an excellent method of developing strength through
the chest, shoulders and arms.

Emphasis Placing a plate on the upper or lower back

• Chest, shoulders (strength and stability), will influence whether it targets the shoulders
triceps and trunk or trunk

Key points Variations

• Start with and maintain a flat body, lowering to • There are an almost unlimited number of
the floor as one unit; do not let the hips sag variations on a press-up and so there really
• Keep the elbows at approximately 45° to the are no excuses for plateauing and sticking with
body the basic version. Suitable examples include
• Good range and a steady tempo are more dead press-ups (take hands off the ground at
important than achieving huge numbers of the bottom of each rep) and clap press-ups
poor-quality repetitions (good for developing upper body power rather
than strength). The use of gymnastic rings of
Loading suspension training systems can also
• Advanced athletes can add up to a 15kg plate dramatically increase the gain in shoulder
or a weighted vest to advance the exercise. stability

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Ex 10.10 Inverse pulls
One of the detrimental effects of modern daily life on posture is that the muscles of our upper back
become long and weak. This in turn leads to even worse posture, poor mechanics and increased risk of
shoulder injury. Therefore anything we can do to redress this balance is very welcome. The inverse pull is
an ideal tool for this as it works on pulling the shoulder back and opening the chest. Speed of movement
is really important if the inverse pull is to be effective – a point that is often missed. The first part of the
pull is relatively easy and primarily uses the arms. As the athlete approaches the bar it becomes
increasingly harder and the muscles of the upper back come into play more. For this reason many athletes
will try to pull hard at the start to generate momentum and make the top half easier. This is obviously
flawed as they fail to work the upper back properly, which is the main focus.

Emphasis
• Upper back, biceps and trunk

Key points
• Begin with shoulder-width grip (overhand), body flat and
head in neutral (looking forwards and up)
• Shoulders should be pulled back at the start and
throughout so that the chest is big and never concave
• Pull up in a controlled manner to a point where the
sternum touches the bar without having to arch the back
to do so
• As you lower, keep the shoulders pulled back and the
chest big

Loading
• Strong athletes may wish to add a weighted vest.
Progression beyond this is not needed as control is the
key. For a greater strength stimulus athletes should use
pull-ups
• As with press-ups, the exercise often needs to be regressed to allow good form. This can be achieved
through a couple of variations. The knees can be bent to reduce the weight lifted. Alternatively the
height of the bar can be changed. Raising the bar makes the movement easier. It is also possible to
have a partner assist you, particularly through the end of the movement where you may be weak

Variations
• Changing the tempo to give an eccentric bias. Try holding the top position for 3–5 seconds and then
taking five seconds to descend slowly. You will need to perform fewer reps but will spend much more
time working the part of the movement that helps shoulder posture and control
• The use of a suspension training system is useful if the athlete is asymmetric and has issues as a result.
This is an effective way of ensuring a balanced development of pulling strength in left versus right

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Ex 10.11 Pull-ups
Much like squats, describing pull-ups as simply an upper body exercise does them an injustice. Anyone
who has performed both pull-ups and lat pull-downs can attest that there is a lot more to them than
simply arms. Unfortunately the exercise can be limited by its difficulty, because many athletes cannot
perform a single repetition with appropriate form. Thankfully resistance bands can now be used to gain
crucial assistance. The lats play a key role in both the swim stroke and in stabilising the trunk on the bike,
so even if the athlete can only perform one or two repetitions it is worth investing time in this movement.

Emphasis
• Upper back and lats,
biceps and trunk

Key points
• Select a grip based on
target muscles and ability
(see below)
• Try to keep the shoulders
‘set’, with the shoulder
blades squeezed
downwards
• Pull with good control and
minimal ‘swinging’
• Aim to bring the chest (not
the chin) to the bar
• Avoid poking the chin in an
attempt to cheat extra
height; this will put a strain
through the neck and
upper back

Loading
• The vast majority of athletes should aim to master this exercise through a full range of movement
for 8–10 repetitions. Very strong athletes may also use a weighted vest to add variety and overcome
plateaux
• Bands can be used to assist the exercise, as can a smaller range. Alternatively, inverse pulls are a
good way of building pulling strength in preparation for triathlon

Variations
• There are two main variations of the pull-up, which influence the difficulty and the muscles used:
the narrow underhand grip (which is for greater emphasis on arms and is slightly easier); and the wide
overhand grip (which targets the upper back and is very difficult)

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10.3 Explosive power extent of their capacity. The key to making these
Explosive power is the holy grail of most sports. gains comes from intent. Every effort must be
As described in chapter 2, even in endurance made to concentrate on producing the absolute
sports it is speed that separates the winners from most explosive effort possible. Simply going
the losers. It can be tempting to leap straight into through the motions will be a waste of time.
power work, but this will yield only limited gains
because it must be supported by a base of The exercises in this section are naturally suitable
strength. That said, the act of producing a single for power development because they involve an
explosive movement, which represents all of an acceleration through the movement rather than
athlete’s capacity in an instant, is a skill that decelerating as most exercises demand. The most
requires much practice. While the likes of sprinters accessible and effective tool is the jump series.
and weightlifters are highly trained at maximal Therefore I recommend the athlete focuses on
efforts, the nervous system of the endurance building skills in the jumps rather than using a
athlete is often unfamiliar with such tasks. As a vast range of different power exercises. When
result quite impressive gains can be achieved combined with special strength training methods
without any physical change at all – the athlete (see chapters 8 and 11) these will give an excellent
just becomes more skilled at summoning a greater basis for performance enhancement.
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

Ex 10.12 Jump series

Jumps are not only the single best movement for power development in triathletes, but they also form a
foundation for many other power movements. As well as working as explosively as possible it is also vital
to focus on attaining good technique. If the body parts do not work in the correct order the ability to
produce and express force will be highly limited. The basis for all jump skills is the counter-movement
(CM) jump, which is described below along with key variations.

Start Mid-point

Emphasis • Aim to ‘bounce’ out of the bottom. The

• Whole/lower body power transition between descent and the jump
should be as brief as possible
Key points • As you descend make sure the whole of the
• Start with feet about shoulder width apart foot stays in contact with the ground – do not
• Descend rapidly, keeping the chest up. Be drift on to the toes
careful not to descend too low; simply dip as • As you jump the movement should flow from
you would when aiming to jump as high as the hips to the knees, ankles extending last
possible • Aim to be fully extended and as tall as possible
in the air

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Variations
• A useful variation on the basic jump is a jump
to a box. The height of the box can be
manipulated by adding/removing weights
discs. This helps to quantify training gains and
also pushes the athlete on to greater efforts as
they work harder to beat previous best jumps
• Jumping to a smaller box and landing straight-
legged is another twist that helps to promote a
full extension and a taller position in the air
Completion of the jump • Rebound jumps are excellent for developing
reactive/elastic strength. This involves
continuous jumping, with the aim being to land
with minimal bending at the hips and knees
and to bounce rather than jump. This should
mean that time on the floor is kept to an
Loading absolute minimum
• There is no need to load the counter-movement • Hops are very similar to jumps in terms of the
jump as the greatest power outputs come from movement and the benefits. The hop requires a
jumping with body weight alone little more skill and control but naturally lends
• The movement can be used in a jump squat, itself to the rapid change from descent to jump.
although this is a separate exercise rather than Hops can also be performed to a box or in a
an automatic progression rebound series

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Ex 10.13 Medicine ball toss

Medicine balls (also known as med balls) are naturally suitable for power work and can provide some
variety to the jump series. The medicine ball toss is a great whole body exercise that uses a jump-like
pattern to direct force into throwing the ball rather than jumping high.

Emphasis
• Whole/lower body power

Key points
• Start with feet about shoulder width
apart with the arms held out parallel to
the floor and holding the med ball
• The descent is identical to a counter-
movement jump. As you bend the legs
the arms should naturally lower in
rhythm so that they hang vertically at
the bottom of the movement
• Explode with the legs, allowing the
arms to swing up naturally
• Movement must come from the hips
and legs first. If the arms try to throw
the ball rather than swing then the
power will not be transferred from
the legs
• Fully extend the whole body and launch
the ball as high as you possibly can

Loading
• If the ball is too heavy technique will
suffer. If it is too light the athlete won’t
be able to develop enough force.
Most athletes will work best with a
ball of 3–8kg

Variations
• The med ball toss can be adapted to a
forward toss or an overhead toss. The
difference in training outcome is very
minor for the triathlete, and so these
are more likely to be used for variety
than anything else

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 CHAPTER 010 strength and power exercises
Ex 10.14 Medicine ball slam
The medicine ball slam is primarily of interest to those seeking to
improve pulling power for the swim. The movement involves a
powerful overhead pull in concert with the trunk.

Emphasis
Pulling power

Key points
• The ball is lifted with both hands above the head as the athlete
goes up on to their toes
• The ball is powerfully ‘slammed’ towards the floor keeping the
arms long
• Power development begins by contracting the abs (without letting
the trunk flex) and the power spreads out from the trunk to the
arms (not the other way around)

Loading
• A ball of 4–10kg is generally most suitable for the slam

Variations
• Skilled athletes may be able to perform a single-arm version
with a lighter ball

173
011
specific strength
exercises
 CHAPTER 011 specific strength exercises
11.1 Introduction recruitment mean that the skill and motor control
Specific strength is very much the icing on the involved are very different. As a result the transfer
cake of strength and conditioning. It is here at best will be poor and at worst will risk
that many of the foundation qualities that interference with water technique.
have been developed earlier in the programme
are ‘moulded’ into performance qualities. I would strongly advocate a philosophy that
Unfortunately the eye-catching nature of this develops swimming-relevant (rather than
work and its obvious relationship with the swimming-specific) strength in general training.
triathlon disciplines mean that too many athletes When complemented by the correct work in the
are drawn to this work without having established pool, this can then begin to transfer into swim
these basic qualities. While a cake with no icing strength. Of course this begs the question:
may seem somewhat dull it is still preferable to ‘What is the correct work in the pool to achieve
icing on its own! this transfer?’ The answer lies in the following
types of work, which can be used for special
An interesting question arises as to who ‘owns’ swimming strength:
this type of work. For the novice who coaches
themselves this may not be an issue. For the elite • Sprint efforts
triathlete who has input from both a triathlon • Bungee/tethered resisted swims
coach and an S&C coach it may be less clear. • Bungee/tethered assisted swims
I would suggest it is best left to an individual • Float kicking exercises
decision as to who is technically and practically • Float arm exercises
best placed to deliver this training. In an ideal
world the two coaches should liaise closely, with Sprint efforts
programming and delivery being split between Possibly the best form of special strength training
both roles. for the swim component of a triathlon is
performing sprint efforts. If strength training is
about working appropriate movements at a greater
11.2 Specific swimming intensity than usually experienced then this fits
strength precisely. In order to make sure that the movement
Historically coaches have attempted to improve is as close as possible to ‘normal swimming’ and
‘swimming strength’ through traditional gym that there is no negative transfer of poor technique
exercises, which use similar movements to the every effort should be made not to change the
swim stroke. This tends to bring about mixed stroke. The only other issue that must be
results and in my view is a flawed plan. These considered when doing sprints is the sets, reps,
types of exercises are generally compromised distances and recovery. The volume of work should
in terms of force, because the ability to load is not be so high that a good intensity cannot be
sacrificed in favour of stroke replication. This maintained, but it also needs to be enough to
means that the capacity for strength gains is achieve a training effect. Therefore this will be
limited. On the other hand, while these somewhat individual. However a typical block of
movements may appear similar to the swim strength work may consist of 50-metres all-out
stroke, variations in load, timing and muscle efforts with a 1:2 work:rest ratio.

175
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

A decision also needs to be made as to how ‘pure’ maintain form while developing propulsion
the work will be. Many triathletes will already use power. Once again the key here is to make sure
repeated sprints with limited recovery as part of a that the goal of the session is clear (i.e., strength,
high-intensity fitness session. This may still have a technique, conditioning, etc.). Just doing some
strengthening effect but is very much a hybrid float exercises will achieve little unless the
strength/fitness session. The smart coach or physical intensity and mental focus are matched
athlete will use a combination of pure strength to the goal.
sessions (or blocks within a session) and hybrid
work to provide variety and match the aims of the
particular phase of training. 11.3 Specific cycling strength
When we talk of cycling strength we often end up
Bungee/tethered resisted and on dangerous ground. The intensities we work at
assisted swims and the durations that they can be sustained for
Resisted and assisted swims have always been mean that what we actually develop are strength
popular tools among swim coaches. This can be endurance or power. Even a very short hill of 60
achieved through tether ropes, bungee cords or seconds means we have drifted into endurance.
water jet pools. Resisted swimming enables the When riders talk about doing a 60-minute strength
swimmer to develop a greater ability to produce ride it is clear that pure strength is not being
propulsive force, whereas assisted swimming developed. Similarly even short efforts of several
develops stroke rate. Like many areas of coaching seconds in a high gear are not true strength.
though this remains an area of much debate. Both Although the intensity is high and the duration is
of these methods have been found to have positive short the force generated is only moderate in
effects on swim performance. The evidence for this comparison with true strength training. (Don’t get
is both anecdotal from coaches and scientific confused between force and power. The highest
through controlled studies. Despite this others still forces occur at slow speeds so if we are moving
argue that these methods have detrimental effects quickly we will have high power but moderate
on technique when being performed. On balance I force.) All of this is not cited to denigrate the
would suggest that even though technique may importance of bike work; it simply means that it
suffer during these efforts it seems that the must be used in conjunction with other methods
outcome is still faster swimming. On that basis it is that will develop force-generating abilities to lay a
worth using. However it is probably best to avoid platform for this work.
this work if the athlete’s technique is poor already,
if they have recently made technical changes or at Essentially cycle-specific strength sessions consist
times close to competition. of much shorter efforts than normal, working
against a tough resistance with good recovery
Float kicking and float arm time. This increase in resistance can come either
exercises from hills or cranking up the gears (or a
Similar arguments can be made when using a combination of the two). Personally I would
float to place a specific emphasis on the arm advocate doing this type of work predominantly on
action or the kick. These are often used to a stationary bike. This will allow the athlete to
develop technique and so it is entirely possible to precisely plan and monitor the resistance used

176
 CHAPTER 011 specific strength exercises
Table 11.1 Cycling-specific strength options

Session Target Setting Duration Recovery

Power sprints Power Indoor bike with high 8–20 secs 1:10
gear

Hills Strength endurance Steep hill or indoor 3–5 mins 1:1

high resistance

Big gear efforts Power endurance Indoor or outdoor with 30–90 secs 1:2
high gear

rather than relying on the local geography. It is required to hold good form. However this is not
also useful for measuring small improvements and the only form of specific work. We can also use
is safe as the athlete can get their head down plyometrics and high-intensity running to improve
without fear of traffic! Having said that, there is a reactive/elastic strength and make running more
lot to be said for the motivational benefits of efficient. The concept and methods of using fast
taking on a vicious hill – particularly in competition running and sprints for enhancing running
with training partners. mechanics are discussed in chapter 6.

There are lots of different permutations for these Exercises to improve technique
types of workout. Table 11.1 gives a starting point People don’t run with poor technique because
for defining the types of session the athlete should they haven’t been shown what to do. Poor running
do and how they might look. technique comes about through poor conditioning
and poor control (see chapter 6). Gym work will
effectively target conditioning, but postural control
11.4 Specific running strength is highly specific. The running drills below are the
Specific strength for running is a whole different most effective method of improving this control.
ball game when compared to the other two There is also a conditioning effect, which will give
disciplines of triathlon. Swimming involves the body the ability to hold form. The intensity of
generating propulsion to overcome resistance the exercises is very low, so there must be a very
through the water, while in cycling the athlete strong mental focus on technique.
pushes against the resistance of the crank and
the significant drag factor caused by air flow. In The devil is truly in the detail with these exercises.
both sports resistance increases with speed. The It is for this reason that I have strongly criticised
same cannot be said of running. Here the main magazine articles that use still photos. Therefore
resistance to overcome is gravity, which remains I would urge you to seek expert coaching where
constant throughout. As a result much, although possible seek expert coaching. This will enable
not all, specific strength for running is concerned you to get the most from the drills and perform
with the motor control or postural strength them with confidence.

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Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

Ex 11.1 A-march
The A-march is a fairly basic drill but can have big effects. Most runners have a style that coaches
describe as ‘sitting down’. This means that the hips are set back and the knee is quite flexed. This tends
to lead to longer ground contact times and less efficient running.

Emphasis Good technique Poor technique

• Postural control

Typical volume
• 10–30 metres with walk
back recovery
• 3–6 reps per session

Key points
• The focus of the
A-march is to squeeze
the glute of the
standing leg to get
the hips as high as
possible
• Try to be as tall as
possible; imagine you
have a fish hook lifting
your belly button
• Lift the chest without
leaning backwards
• Lift the knee of the free
leg without straining
and keep the toes pulled up towards the shin

Variations/Progressions
• This can be progressed into increasingly more dynamic versions of the movement, which are more
challenging to control, for example, an A-skip or a ‘jogging’ knee lift drill. These can be combined with
strides (form running over 30–50 metres), which greatly help to transfer the drill into ‘real running’.
However do not be tempted to progress until you have mastered the march with ease

178
 CHAPTER 011 specific strength exercises
Ex 11.2 Skipping
This is a very simple exercise, but there are some key benefits to be gained from it. A basic skip can
help to promote some key shapes that are important for good running mechanics. This includes a
‘hip–knee–toe’ lifting of the thigh (see chapter 6), good tall posture and a positive arm drive.
Furthermore skipping also helps to develop ankle stiffness (not to be confused with stiff ankles).
This is critical for elastic efficiency. There is even the possibility of power development as
progressions move towards the power skip.

Emphasis
• Running mechanics, ankle stiffness and
postural control

Typical volume
• 20–40 metres with walk back recovery
• 150–200 metres total work per session

Key points
• For the basic skip start nice and easy and
loose; let the arms swing freely and naturally
• Keep the contacts on the ground short and
sharp rather than heavy and long. Look to be
bouncy rather than land and jump

Variations
• The basic skip is a good warm-up drill, which
can be progressed into a more intense version.
As the intensity increases focus on driving the
high upwards to create greater lift. This should
produce a greater time in the air without
sacrificing time on the floor (i.e., long hang
time with very short contact time). Look to hold
a strong position in the air and anticipate the
landing, rather than waiting then reacting

179
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

Ex 11.3 Hurdle drills

Hurdle drills have long been a staple in the training of track and field athletes from all events. Fear not
though. These do not involve sprinting towards a high barrier, but instead use hurdles as obstacles to
walk or skip through. The main benefits of these drills are excellent postural control and mobility. More
advanced skipping versions can also improve rhythm and stiffness.

There is one small problem though, in that full-sized hurdles require a level of mobility that is beyond
many. Fortunately smaller hurdles, which are intended purely for these drills, are now available.
Nevertheless I have still seen many elite sports people performing these drills with terrible posture as the
hurdle is too high. Obviously practising postural control in poor postures is not what we are looking for.
Therefore I would suggest that the athlete uses any object of a height that they can cope with or even just
an imaginary hurdle. There are literally hundreds of variations of these exercises, but we will focus on the
basic hurdle walk-through, which is a great method of building strength and mobility through the hips.

Emphasis
• Hip strength and mobility, postural
control

Typical volume
• 6 hurdles per set
• 3–5 sets per session

Key points
• Lift the lead knee, keeping the
spine tall (don’t let your back
round) and your hips high (squeeze
the standing glute and keep the
knee locked)
• Step over the hurdle keeping the
shin hanging vertically and the foot
pulled up towards the shin
• The trail leg comes over by opening
out the thigh so that the inner thigh
faces forwards
• This is then lifted over and round without losing any posture through the trunk

Variations
• As mobility progresses the height of the hurdle/barrier can gradually be increased
• Some useful variations include holding the arms out to the side or holding a light ball above the head
• Other typical drills that can be useful include lateral leg swings and high knees down the side of
the hurdles

180
 CHAPTER 011 specific strength exercises
Ex 11.4 No arms running
This one is a little left-field but I have decided to include it as I have had such good results when working
with athletes who are developing basic running skills. I cannot take credit for this exercise as the idea
was introduced to me by the running mechanics expert Frans Bosch. His idea is very simple in that the
athlete simply runs at close to maximum effort, but without using their arms. This can be done in several
ways including the athlete wrapping their arms around themselves or holding a light stick across their
shoulders, as in a back squat. The effect is quite stark: all of a sudden the athlete is forced to bring the
trail leg through far quicker in order to keep balanced. This in turn has further implications, with much
less rotation to control and a taller more athletic-looking posture. The great thing about no arms running
is that it requires no coaching – the aim is for the athlete’s body to ‘learn’ how to run rather than their
mind. This makes the exercise ideal for triathletes who do not have regular access to expert supervision.

Emphasis
• Running mechanics

Typical volume
• 5–8 runs of approximately 50 metres

Key points
• Run at a pace hard enough to force you to have to drive the
knees forwards
• Concentrate on how the body ‘feels’ running this way and
then replicate this feeling during normal runs (alternate
drill and normal running)
• Focus on these feelings rather than thinking about
technique

Variations
• Use either arms wrapped around the chest or a bar/stick
across the shoulders

181
 index

182
 index
A circuit training 99
Alekna exercise 122 conditioning
A-march exercise 178 definition of 5-6
ankles 25, 40, 62-3 exercises 112-53
ankle roll exercise 146 sets for 96-7
arms 28, 31-3 tests 28-32
asymmetry, dealing with 50 core, strength and stability 28-9
cycling 54-65
B
back squat 157 D
ball exercises 130 dead bug exercise 121
band walks 115 dead lifts 59-60, 160-1
beginners, exercise regimes for 104-5 double leg lower exercise 28, 29-30, 131
box squat 159 downward dog exercise 136
Bruce Lee exercise 152 drills
Bulgarian squat 162 hurdles 78, 80, 180
running 76-80
C dysfunction 23
calf raises 28, 30, 116-17 causes of 24-5
chest 28, 31-3 common 25-7

183
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

E glute bridge exercise 113

efficiency, mechanical 18-19
elastic running efficiency 68-70 H
endurance training 15-16 hamstring bridge exercise 118
exercises hamstring march exercise 144
ankles 146 high force bilateral 59-61
back 138, 140 hips 25-6, 74-5
calves 136 hip flexor stretching exercise 143
conditioning 112-53 hop-stick exercise 134
cycling strength 176-7 humerus, internally rotated 27
explosive power 169-73 hurdle drills 78, 80, 180
feet 76, 142 hypertrophy 11, 56, 95-6
glutes 75, 113-15, 145
hamstrings 136, 144 I
hips 74-5, 113-20, 133, 135, 143 Indian sitting exercise 139
knees 133, 141 injuries
legs 59-63, 113-20, 133, 134, 136, 141, causes of 23-7
144, 161-5 preventing 22-41
movement quality development 133-46 inverse pulls 28, 32-3, 167
plyometrics 80-1
posture 76 J
regimes 104-9 jumping exercises 170-1
running strength 177-81
shoulders 135, 147-53 K
speed of 98-9 kettlebells 102
strength and power 154-73 knees 25
swimming strength 175-6
trunk 63-5, 74, 121-32, 133, 135 L
upper body 63-5 legs 28-31, 59-63, 119-20, 132
explosive power, exercises for 169-73 linear periodisation 87-8
lower crossed syndrome 24-5
F lunge exercise, reverse 164
face pull exercise 151 lunge walk exercise 133
feet 25, 40, 76
fire hydrant exercise 114 M
flexibility 36-7 macrocycles 86
foam roller exercise 141 mechanics
front squat 158 cycling 58
efficiency 18-19
G swimming 43-5
glutes 34, 75, 113-15, 145 medicine ball exercises 172-3

184
 index
mesocycles 86 risk, identifying 28-33
microcycles 85-6 rolling exercise 129
movement quality 28 roll-out exercise 125
muscles running 66-81
building 11, 56, 95-6 drills 76-80
conditioning tests 28-32 economy 69
contraction 12-13 efficient positions 70-2
explosive strength training for 67-8, 80
N high speed 78-80
no-arms running exercise 181 muscular conditioning for 73-6
non-linear periodisation 88 technique, basics of 72
nutrition 16
S
O scapula winging 27
overloading 7 scientific principles 9-13
scorpions exercise 140
P segmental control in swimming 43-44, 48-9
pelvic control 26, 75 sets, conditioning 96-7
periodisation 65, 84-91 shoulders 27, 35, 44-5, 147-53
common errors 89-90 skipping exercise 179
conjugate model 88 specificity 9
linear 87-8 speed and power 16-19
misunderstandings 89-90 speed reserve 18
non-linear 88 Spiderman crawl exercise 135
plan, training 92-109 squats, bilateral 155-6
plank exercises 123-4 squat off a box, single leg 163
plyometrics 80-1 step-ups 165
PNF pulls, single leg 150 stick dislocation exercise 153
posture 24-5, 76, 77-8 strength
power and speed 16-19 absolute 3-4
press-ups 28, 31-2, 64, 149, 166 cycling 55-8
progression 7-8, 65 definition of 3-5
prone extension hold 28, 29, 127 exercises for 154-73, 175-81
propulsion, improving for swimming 45-7, 50-3 explosive 4-5, 67-8, 80
pull-ups 64, 168 factors in swim, bike and run 5
postural 4
R reactive 5
recovery 13 relative 4
repetitions 94-6 swimming 45-7
resistance bands 102-3 training 15-19, 50-3
reverse lunge 164 trunk 44, 49-50

185
Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon

stretching 36-7 training

stretch shortening cycle 68-70 circuit 99
sun salutation exercise 137 endurance 15-16
Superman exercise 126 focus 100-1
suspension training systems 101-2 plan 92-109
swimmer exercise 148 principles 9-13
swimming 42-53 schedule 97-8
land training for 43 strength 15-19, 50-3
mechanics of 43-5 trunk 44, 49-50, 74, 121-32
propulsion, improving 45-7, 50-3
segmental control in 43-44, 48-9 V
strength for 45-7 variety and variation, importance of 8-9
technique, physical demands of 43-5
W
T woodchop exercise 128
tapering and peaking for performance 90-1
thoracic mobility 26-7, 49, 138 Y
tissue tolerance 23-4 yoga 136, 137
towel scrunching exercise 142 YTML exercise 147

186
While every effort has been made to ensure that the
content of this book is as technically accurate and as
sound as possible, neither the author nor the publishers
can accept responsibility for any injury or loss
sustained as a result of the use of this material.

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First edition 2013

Copyright © 2013 Mark Jarvis

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Acknowledgements
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