OnFitness Magazine - July/August 2014 - 54

MYTHS

Exercise later in the day and you're more likely to stay with an exercise program. Wrong.
As happens so often, things we put off until the end of the day often do not get done. Research
actually shows that if you work out earlier in the day you will most likely stick with your program
better, no matter how much you may wish it otherwise. So put your workout in your calendar
and make it happen. One way to help get going early in the day is to give yourself alternatives
for bad weather, fatigue from a poor night's sleep or traveling. Always have a plan B.

W W W. O N F I T N E S S M A G . C O M | V O L 1 5 N O 1 | 2 0 1 4 5 4

Pull-overs

Triathlete
training
10 REASONS TO
GO COMPOUND

________
You keep hearing a lot
about compound
exercises, and that you
should focus on them.
Here are 10 reasons why.
1: More calories burned
during training and
after during recovery.
2: Mimics real life movements, from picking
something heavy off the
ground to hoisting
something heavy
overhead onto a high
shelf.
3: Improves balance and
coordination.
4: Saves time by working many muscles at
once rather than one
muscle group at a time.
5: Reduces risk of injury
during sports and on
the job or around the
house when doing
laborious tasks.
6: Improves stability in
the joints.
7: Improves neuromuscular response.
8: Improves heart
health. Working more
than one muscle group
at a time puts more
oxygen demand on the
body.
9: Makes your overall
body stronger and more
resilient.
10: Makes you look
better. Compare the
bodies of people who
do mostly isolation work
with people who do
mostly compound work.

How to prevent repetitive
stress injuries

Curls with
forward
press

Bent-over rows

here are several training protocols that are necessary to prevent repetitive stress injuries and general wear and tear from triathlon training.
The average triathlete trains for many hours and is
under a tremendous amount of physical stress. On average, most triathletes burn between 4,000-10,000 calories
on race day. So the issues of overtraining and stress
related injuries are high on the list.
Heavy weight training is not the answer since stressing
the joints with too much weight requires "long term recovery," which is something that most triathletes don't have.
Ironman training has to be short, intense and wellorganized. Maximize recovery time and never add more
than 10 percent to any training protocol.
Weight training during the competitive season is best
done every three days for maximum stimulation and
optimized recovery.
The format recommended is circuit training. A series
of exercises that are performed in succession without rest
and done at different paces will provide the best stimulation to protect the joints from fatigue and injury.
It's best to have your weights completely set up prior
to beginning exercise. You will need a watch that's easy to
read from a distance; usually digital is best. Having a
training partner to time you is also preferred.
Use several stations that are relatively close to each
other. Start with some simple stations like:
> Abdominal movements, such as leg lifts
> Power cleans with an overhead press
> Pushup with various hand placements
> Bent-over rows
> Reverse lunges with dumbbells
> Pull-overs with medicine ball. Lie on your back and
with extended arms lift the ball off the ﬂoor and over
your head, then to your waist while keeping arms
extended; use a large arching movement.
> Curls with forward press. Curl to forehead, then
extend arms and swing down to sides.
> Windmills. Hold two dumbbells, one overhead, the
other down by your side. With a simultaneous action,
move both arms so they are opposing each other.
The protocol will consist of performing each exercise for
10 seconds as you advance through each station. Rest for
two minutes after you have performed all of the exercises.
Then do the next two rotations at 20, then 30 seconds.

Sample workout
Exercises (one group): leg lift, clean & press, pushup,
bent-over row, reverse lunge, pull-over, curl with front
press, windmill
Week 1: Each exercise, 10 seconds
Week 2: Each, 10 seconds, rest two minutes after the
whole group is ﬁnished and then repeat the whole group.

Leg lifts

Pushup

Week 3: Each, 10 seconds, rest two minutes and
then repeat twice.
Week 4: Each, 10 seconds, rest two minutes and
then repeat; on the last rotation do each for 20 seconds.
Week 5: As previous but do last two rotations for 20
seconds.
Week 6: All exercises for 20 seconds
Week 7: First two groups for 20 seconds; last group
is done for 30 seconds.
Week 8: First group for 20 seconds and the remaining two for 30 seconds
Week 9: All exercises for 30 seconds; rest two minutes after the whole group is done.
Week 10: All for 30 seconds and each week subtract
rest time by 15 seconds.
These exercises have been chosen to meet the needs of
the average triathlete to help balance out muscles. Since running and biking are strong leg pushers, the idea of working
the elements of pulling the legs helps prevent injury.
Flexibility is another key issue that should be added
to this type of program. Training muscles for overly long
durations builds toxins that will result in spontaneous
contraction and lead to overtraining pain and abnormal
joint friction.
It's important to perform stretching as part of your
everyday regimen, but specifically on the weight lifting dates. Hold each stretch for 10, 20 and then 30
seconds.
As your conditioning progresses, attempt to perform
the entire program at a quicker pace, prior to adding
more weight. The effort of performing more work in
less time is the goal of any triathlete and leads to personal success.
- Dr. David Ryan

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OnFitness Magazine - July/August 2014

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