A maintenance strength training program recommended by a former world-class triathlete included the following exercises: lat pulldown, lunge, bench press, dumbbell pullover, triceps extensions, biceps curls, abdominals and press ups. These mostly are general exercises good for conditioning but have little to do with execution of the triathlon events. In other words, they will have little if any, transfer to the sports of running, cycling and swimming.
It is important to make a distinction between general and specific exercises because results from doing these exercises are distinctly different. Since maintenance of strength is called for during the in-season, the selection of exercises used becomes extremely important. It can determine whether you will improve your performance, maintain the same performance as in the previous years, or do worse than the previous year.
As has been mentioned in previous blogs, specialized exercises should be used in the immediate pre-season and during the season. These exercises should duplicate the same movement technique as seen in execution of the game or event skills. In addition, they should entail the same type of muscular contraction and the strength should be developed in the same range of motion as displayed in the competitive execution.
If we examine the exercises recommended, it can be seen that in the lat pulldown, the arms move in a sideward manner from over the head to slightly below shoulder level. In freestyle swimming, the arm moves from directly overhead in front of and slightly to the side of the body all the way down to the thigh. However, in the backstroke and breaststroke there is greater similarity to the lat pulldown as described.
Thus, even though the same muscle is involved, it is involved in a different manner in freestyle and through a different range of motion. In running, the arms move forward and backward, not sideward. In fact, if you closely examine most sports you’ll see that very few have power movements with the arm moving sideways to the body.
The lunge is of benefit in running and cycling, but the range of motion does not duplicate that is seen in these events. In addition, the popular way of doing the lunge is in reality closer to a split squat, not the Russian or classic lunge which is most important. The bottom line is that neither of these variants duplicate precisely what occurs in these events. There are much better exercises.
The bench press may be of value in cycling when going uphill and the dumbbell pullover is of value in swimming but it is very limited. In the freestyle the initial movement of the arm is slightly to the side immediately after the catch. Only later does it move down and duplicate somewhat the range of motion seen in the pullover. As popular as this exercise is, it is not related to very many sports movements. It is best as a breathing improvement exercise.
Triceps extensions and biceps curls play a limited or minor role in swimming, running and in cycling. Thus, they are of some benefit but more suited for the off-season rather than in-season.
Doing abdominal work (mainly crunches), however, is of limited value. These muscles assist in swimming but have little value in cycling and running. Most important in these latter two events and to a good extent in swimming, is strength of the lower back, but yet there is no exercise for this all important body part. In regard to press ups, it is unclear whether this means the overhead press or a push up. However, in either case, both of these exercises have little to do with any of the events.
In addition to lower back exercises being omitted, there are no exercises for the hips, especially the flexors which are all important in running. It is one reason triathletes do poorly in the run. They are unable to drive the thighs forward to maintain stride length. The hip extensors, however, are important in all three triathlon events. They are needed for the pawback in running, upward drive of the thigh in swimming, and in the down power phase in cycling. Also omitted are exercises for the calves which are important in cycling and especially in running for the push-off.
To learn which exercises are most specific to your sport, see Kinesiology of Exercise, and Build a Better Athlete, or one of the books specific to your sport as for example, Explosive Running.