Strength Exercises for Triathletes

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinyoutubeinstagram

It’s important to incorporate exercises that work areas that are typically weak in triathletes in order to prevent injury, keep the body balanced, and become a faster athlete.  For triathletes, these areas are the core, shoulder girdle, and glutes (in particular the glute medius & minimus).

Working the core muscles (the abdominals, pelvis, back, glutes & hips) are important for endurance athletes because the core plays a big role in good running & swimming form.  Becoming a faster athlete requires attention to good form so that you are more efficient and use less energy at faster speeds.  If you compete at longer distances, such as half Ironman and Ironman races, your form will break down as fatigue sets in, which is why strengthening these areas and having good form play an important role in your training.

The shoulder girdle is responsible for scapular stabilizing, which helps in swimming.  These muscles can be strengthened with exercises such as the YTWLScapular Push Ups, Shoulder Shrugs, Shoulder External & Internal Rotations, Lat Pull Downs, etc.

Glute & hip strength plays a vital role in injury prevention.  Weaknesses in this area have been associated with injuries in the knees, shins, and ankles.  And like mentioned above, these muscles also help with correct form.

Corrective exercises can be included in your usual strength training sessions two to three times per week.  Regardless of the distance you race, strength and corrective exercises will help you become a better, more efficient athlete.

 

Read more about the top strength moves for injury prevention and body balance.

Share the love! - - >Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

4 Responses

  1. Mistakes Every Triathlete Should Avoid — Rise Endurance LLC

    […] Strength and corrective exercises benefit endurance athletes not only by improving fatigue resistance, but also by helping you to swim, bike, and run more efficiently, increasing your strength and power, and decreasing risk of injury.  Strength training doesn’t have to take up all your time, so be sure to follow these time effective strength training tips. […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *