When endurance athletes think of ways to become faster, it’s common to picture track workouts, longer rides, or tough swim sets. Strength training for endurance athletes is often overlooked but can make all the endurance training more effective and better able to withstand all those miles.
For endurance athletes, lifting weights isn’t about bulking up. It’s about building durability, improving efficiency, and keeping injuries at bay so that you can keep training and performing at your best.
Endurance sports are repetitive by nature. Running, cycling, and swimming use the same muscles in the same way over and over. Over time, that can lead to imbalances, weaknesses, or injuries.
Strength Training for Endurance Athletes helps:
- Build resilience
- Correct muscular imbalances
- Improve running economy
- Enhance power
You don’t need a complicated routine or hours in the gym. It can be as simple or as complicated as you want or need. But remember to be consistent so that you can progress. Follow these guidelines for building your strength training routine.
Strength Training and Your Race Season
Your strength sessions can also vary based on where you are in your race season or off-season. The same we we periodized your running or triathlon training, strength training can also be periodize to optimize for the best results.
And just because you’re a runner or triathlete, doesn’t mean you should not lift heavy. Lifting heavier weights has a place in your training, but remember that “heavy” is based on what heavy is for you, not a particular weight that you see others lift.
Strength training doesn’t take away from your endurance goals, it multiplies them. With just a couple of short sessions per week, you can run, swim, and cycle more efficiently while protecting yourself from injuries.
Want help weaving strength into your endurance training without overloading your schedule?
Let us design a plan that fits your life and goals.
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