Customer Reviews

Strength Training for Triathletes

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is extremely helpful for putting together a well thought out strenght program to prepare for triathlon season. Not only does it provide a list of discipline specific exercises, but it also helps with the number of reps and the proper amount of weight. The best part of the book is the distance specific workout plans.

I recently purchased this book with two hopes: exercises and programs that will directly enhance triathlon performance and the best way to incorporate strength training into endurance training. This having been said, I give the book 3.5 stars out of five.

The first shortcoming plagues every exercise "program" I have ever encountered. The time claim. The book claims that you can strength train three times a week in only thirty minutes. Sounds great, right? However, as you delve further into the book, it details proper warm-up and stretching, which then tacks on another twenty minutes. Suddenly, you have fifty minutes a day, or nearly twice what he claimed in the beginning. Why not just be up front and say fifty minutes?

The second concern is the dearth of medical references. He presents an enormous amount of information but no studies or medical papers to verify his statements. As an avid researcher, this would've been nice.

Lastly, my largest concern is that he skips over how to assimilate strength training into your endurance training. This should be an integral part of the book. After all, strength training the muscles used in endurance training will fatigue them and negatively impact your times, distances, etc.

That having been said, this book is excellent for people unfamiliar with strength training, breaking down terminology, detailing exercises thoroughly, and explaining different methods for accomplishing your goals. It is designed so that you can create your own workouts based on your own needs, even breaking it down by what length triathlons you are participating in. I will be using it to construct my own strength training program.

If you are serious with your triathlon training, no matter the distance you aim for, you need to do efficient workouts. The gym sessions are too often disregarded. Reading this book you will not only get knowledge on why you need strength training. You also get plans for what to do, and how.

This book is exactly what I was looking for - straight-forward workouts with specific goals. I have been strength training according to this book for 3 weeks and although I've never been really sore afterwards, I am already seeing results. I would recommend this to anyone that is already in shape, but wants to be slightly better/faster at all 3 sports.

I've found this book to include nearly everything I need for my strength training plan. I first checked out the book at my local library and liked it so much that I renewed it three times then purchased it.

It's just the right amount of information. Not too much that you're bored or can't absorb it all and not too little that it leaves you with lots of questions. It's well organized and the illustrations are very clear and helpful.

I highly recommend this book.

The book appears to be written by an expert in weight training to cover triathletes and not a triathlete. The book details a lot of exercises that are useful to triathletes. Two issues. Given how much training a time a triathlete already spends, would be very help to prioritize exercises. Second, would have been very useful to talk about how to schedule strenght training with swim/bike/run workouts.

The information in this book is presented very logically and clearly so you really do end up with a way to think about weight training. For people who are NOT life long athletes it is invaluable. There is also an emphasis on developing a program for YOUR body, not just a generic set of work out or exercises.

Somewhat superficial as a general strength training program, but pretty good at keeping one focused on moves that are tri-specific. I would simply incorporate the exercises found in this book into a broad strength training program during the off season and through the early/build phase, then transition more toward these activities found in this book toward the middle of the season.

This book while containing a lot, not a plethora, of great exercises they are directed to general toning and strengthening of deficiencies.

I really enjoyed using this book in preparation for this year's season. I have lifted before for general fitness, but not specifically in preparation for triathlons. What I really enjoyed about the books was the different exercises and the program to change the weight and reps as the season drew near. My programs in the past were relatively static when it came to these factors and this book provides a plan to mix up the exercises and the program as well.