Weight Training

In article said:

Hello people, after an 8-month hiatus, Im trying to get back into just *training*. I just read
Gordo's "going long" and re-read the triathletes training bible. I think a good start for now
would be to work on core-strength and just plain hit the weights room.. My head is spinning in the
combinations however, so, can someone tell me a good set to start with (assuming that Im going to
be in the "prep" phase for the next 16 weeks)?

Ill need reps, weights and exercises -- Im planing on two sessions a week for the first two weeks
and then one more (if possible).

thanks -a

The Training Bible sums up prep weight lifting pretty well. It's listed as the "AA" lifting phase
and is comprised of seven different exercises. Off the top of my head (and I only know this because
I've also been in the prep phase 🙂 ):

1. Squats
2. Lat-pull downs
3. Leg Press
4. Bench Press
5. Seated Rows
6. "Weakness" (choose a area of weakness you need to work on)
7. Abs/Obliques

Aim for anywhere between 3-5 sets and 20-30 reps per set.

- chris

Thanks for the pointers -- I was too lazy/ overwhelmed to figure it out.

School, life goals, delusions of finishing an ironman, getting a life -- too many things to do!

-a

Chris said:

Aim for anywhere between 3-5 sets and 20-30 reps per set.

Why do you recommend cardio-vascular work in the prep phase?

Chris wrote:

-snip-

Quoted message said:

The Training Bible sums up prep weight lifting pretty well. It's listed as the "AA" lifting phase
and is comprised of seven different exercises. Off the top of my head (and I only know this
because I've also been in the prep phase 🙂 ):

1. Squats
2. Lat-pull downs
3. Leg Press
4. Bench Press
5. Seated Rows
6. "Weakness" (choose a area of weakness you need to work on)
7. Abs/Obliques

Leg presses are only for those who don't have or don't want the back strength to squat or
deadlift. I avoid them like the plague for that reason - doing squats _and_ leg presses doesn't
make much sense.

Why do lat pulldowns if you can do pullups or chinups?

Overhead pressing, e.g., dumbbell or kettlebell shoulder presses or Arnold presses will give you
strength where you need it without building up relatively useless strength in the chest muscles.

Quoted message said:

Aim for anywhere between 3-5 sets and 20-30 reps per set.

20-30 reps per set! <sigh>

There is always the question of whether one should train with weights for general fitness or for
specific sports performance enhancement. Most folks, IMHO, do better with weight training for
general fitness - they'll get less injured and they'll feel and look better, even if they don't get
faster. An entire other discussion, I realize, but when I see weight lifting routines like the one
above, I gotta chime in.

I have some good information on weight training with kettlebells on my web site. I have cut down my
running, swimming, and bicycling since I started kettlebell training and have lost none of my
fitness in any of those sports at short distances. (Longer distances would require more
sport-specific training - the shorter the distance, the greater the carryover from the type of
strength/endurance training I do.)

More info on my site, kbnj.comkbnj.comOpen ↗.

-S-

Quoted message said:

- chris

In article 1064187042.973874@ns said:

Chris said:

Aim for anywhere between 3-5 sets and 20-30 reps per set.

Why do you recommend cardio-vascular work in the prep phase?

I'm just going by what Friel says in his book. He does say the speed of motion should be slow, so
it's not necessarily that you have to do the above in a fashion that gets your heart rate up too
much. Although he does say that you can add circuit training in with this phase if you like. At this
stage, you're really only preparing your mulscles and tendons to take on greater loads in the next
phase (Maximum Strength).

- chris

In article said:

Chris wrote:

-snip-

Quoted message said:

The Training Bible sums up prep weight lifting pretty well. It's listed as the "AA" lifting phase
and is comprised of seven different exercises. Off the top of my head (and I only know this
because I've also been in the prep phase 🙂 ):

1. Squats
2. Lat-pull downs
3. Leg Press
4. Bench Press
5. Seated Rows
6. "Weakness" (choose a area of weakness you need to work on)
7. Abs/Obliques

Leg presses are only for those who don't have or don't want the back strength to squat or
deadlift. I avoid them like the plague for that reason - doing squats _and_ leg presses doesn't
make much sense.

Again, the above post is based off Friel's "Bible" and is to be used only during the prep phase of
lifting. It's not really used to build maximum strength and it's more to get the body to be able to
push heavier loads in the next stages of training. During those later stages, you'll see the number
of exercise that you do goes down. You don't do both squats and leg presses in the later parts -
it's either or.

Quoted message said:

Why do lat pulldowns if you can do pullups or chinups?

I personally prefer doing pullups to lat pulldowns, but I'd rather do lat pulldowns when my natural
bodyweight isn't the proper weight that I need to be using. I don't much like holding plates between
my legs when doing pull ups. I'd rather use a machine in that case.

Quoted message said:

Overhead pressing, e.g., dumbbell or kettlebell shoulder presses or Arnold presses will give you
strength where you need it without building up relatively useless strength in the chest muscles.

You'll also see in Friel's plan that bench presses are only done during the prep phase and not in
any other phase.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Aim for anywhere between 3-5 sets and 20-30 reps per set.

20-30 reps per set! <sigh>

There is always the question of whether one should train with weights for general fitness or for
specific sports performance enhancement. Most folks, IMHO, do better with weight training for
general fitness - they'll get less injured and they'll feel and look better, even if they don't
get faster. An entire other discussion, I realize, but when I see weight lifting routines like the
one above, I gotta chime in.

The above program is but one part in a weight program for an entire triathlon season. As you move
into your base training and your build periods, the type of lifting that you do varies accordingly.
The original poster asked specifically about prep lifting.

- chris

Steve Freides said:

Chris wrote:

-snip-

Quoted message said:

The Training Bible sums up prep weight lifting pretty well. It's listed as the "AA" lifting phase
and is comprised of seven different exercises. Off the top of my head (and I only know this
because I've also been in the prep phase 🙂 ):

1. Squats
2. Lat-pull downs
3. Leg Press
4. Bench Press
5. Seated Rows
6. "Weakness" (choose a area of weakness you need to work on)
7. Abs/Obliques

Leg presses are only for those who don't have or don't want the back strength to squat or
deadlift. I avoid them like the plague for that reason - doing squats _and_ leg presses doesn't
make much sense.

Why do lat pulldowns if you can do pullups or chinups?

Lat pull downs can be modified and repeated to more accurately represent a pull/stroke in
swimming. The closer the weight lifting action is to the actual motion in the sport the
better. I guess doing a workout on one of those "swim" machines woudl be even better.

~Matt

Quoted message said:

Overhead pressing, e.g., dumbbell or kettlebell shoulder presses or Arnold presses will give you
strength where you need it without building up relatively useless strength in the chest muscles.

Quoted message said:

Aim for anywhere between 3-5 sets and 20-30 reps per set.

20-30 reps per set! <sigh>

There is always the question of whether one should train with weights for general fitness or for
specific sports performance enhancement. Most folks, IMHO, do better with weight training for
general fitness - they'll get less injured and they'll feel and look better, even if they don't get
faster. An entire other discussion, I realize, but when I see weight lifting routines like the one
above, I gotta chime in.

I have some good information on weight training with kettlebells on my web site. I have cut down my
running, swimming, and bicycling since I started kettlebell training and have lost none of my
fitness in any of those sports at short distances. (Longer distances would require more
sport-specific training - the shorter the distance, the greater the carryover from the type of
strength/endurance training I do.)

More info on my site, kbnj.comkbnj.comOpen ↗.

-S-

Quoted message said:

- chris

Chris said:

-snip-

Quoted message said:

Why do lat pulldowns if you can do pullups or chinups?

I personally prefer doing pullups to lat pulldowns, but I'd rather do lat pulldowns when my
natural bodyweight isn't the proper weight that I need to be using. I don't much like holding
plates between my legs when doing pull ups. I'd rather use a machine in that case.

Spend $25 and get a dipping belt. Cheap, simple, effective, works with any kind weight as long as
it's got a hole in it (both standard and Olympic plates) or a handle on it (kettlebell). You could
even loop the chain around a dumbbell. Own a regular weightlifting belt but not a dipping belt? Use
that and just attach the weights with $5 worth of chain.

Steve "avoids machines" Freides kbnj.comkbnj.comOpen ↗