Category Archives: Strength Training

January 30, 2013 · 11:32 AM

Ways to Workout Aboard a Navy Ship

images (45)Ironman Triathlon training is a tough: period.  Doing so while stationed on a US Naval Submarine is off the charts tough. I was inspired by a US Naval Officer who did just that. He went on to compete and complete the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii several years ago. If that does not erase all excuses, what does?

Endurance training, like that done for an Ironman triathlon is a challenge for military members for generations, and continues to this day. Regardless of the branch of service, members of the United States Military must keep physically and mentally fit. Although most American soldiers stationed at bases throughout the world have well equipped gyms at their disposal, sailors and Marines of the United States Military stationed aboard ship may not have that same luxury, especially those stationed aboard smaller ships and submarines. With space, time, and exercise equipment at a premium, sailors must be creative to keep motivation high and workouts effective.

Dance Workout

Aboard the USS KEARSARGE, the contingent consists of men and women with the United States Navy, as well as tough United States Marines. A large ship, the Kearsarge offers many opportunities to use parts of the ship itself for exercise. According to an article about the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit stationed aboard the ship, written for a United States Marine Corps web site, dancing aboard ship is all the rage. Friday night is dance night where service members use salsa, merinque, and bachata routines to keep exercise fun and fresh, while learning something new.

Superset

Two issues often found aboard ship is time and equipment, both in short supply. Military.com suggests using supersets to tackle both issues. Stew Smith, a former Navy Seal and fitness author recommends ten cycles of each superset, taking approximately two minutes per cycle. One catch to the routing; there is no rest period between exercises. One superset consists of push-ups and crunch exercises. The other superset consists of abdominal and legs exercises. Consider alternating between the two supersets daily, keeping it fresh. The author also suggests bringing a metal pole for pull-ups and a pair of dumbbells aboard ship.

Improvisation

Marines and Sailors have improvised and come up with ingenious ways to keep in shape. On large transport ships, service members have used vehicle ramps, running up and down them for a great cardiovascular workout. Service members use the steep stairs as makeshift stair climbers. The push-up, sit-up, lunge, jumping jack, jump rope, and plank can all be performed in small space. Yoga is popular and is recognized as a way to prevent injuries. Shadow boxing, or sparring with fellow service members is an excellent cardiovascular activity. Strength bands are inexpensive, and offer strength and toning workouts in a limited space.

Gregg S. Seltzer is a certified USAT, USAC, USATF, ASCA, and Master Swim coach with www.triabilitycoaching.com based in Southern California. He may be reached for coaching or comment at 800-884-2194.

 

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December 5, 2012 · 1:05 PM

The Foot of the Matter

images (40)As athletes, we spend a lot of time training all major parts of the body that are specific to our sport — triathlon. However, the all important foot seems to be an afterthought, if thought of at all, getting little to no special training. This, I argue is a mistake that will likely lead to aches, pains, and injury if not addressed. The problem is most of these aches, pains, and injuries happen elsewhere in the body and therefore not thought of as a foot related or induced injury.

Think about the foot this way; as your home derives its strength and sturdiness from its foundation, so does your body structure derive its strength and sturdiness from your feet. This is where the comparison ends — a homes foundation is made of concrete and steel, the foot is much more complex; obviously.

The foot is the perfect union of form and function containing 26 bones, 2 sesamoid bones, 33 joints, 19 muscles, and 107 ligaments. The foot is capable of handling hundreds of tons of force placed on it daily, weekly, monthly, and so on; especially as you run or apply force while on the bike. Because of this the foot is more likely to sustain an injury than perhaps any other part of the body. Whether you have had a foot injury or not, the likelihood is  high unless you begin taking care of your feet.

So, what can be done to not only protect your feet, but strengthen them as well. Perhaps you have never really given this much thought having been so busy taking care of and strengthening everything else. I recommend you buy your running and cycling shoes from a run, bike and/ or a triathlon specific shop; an educated professional will analysis your running gait and other factors to ensure you select from the products best for your needs. Once you have the right kicks on your feet, hire a certified run or triathlon coach to look at your run technique and offer his observation and recommendations. There is a right and wrong way to run, and cycle for that matter; learning the right way and carrying that into your training will return dividends to you in spades throughout your triathlon or running career.

Here are a few exercises you can do to strengthen your feet:

Calf Raises:

Stand on a step with your toes on the edge and your heels hanging off. Push up with both feet into a calf raise. Lift one leg off the step, and lower your other leg so that your heel drops below the step. Take at least 10 seconds to lower it all the way down–that’s the eccentric part of the move and has been shown to help prevent Achilles Tendon issues.

Static Single Leg Stand

Stand on one leg while lifting the other up towards your pelvis by bending the knee. Ensure that the foot you are balancing on is directly under your hip. You may place your hands on your hips, or have your arms down by your side, whichever is more comfortable. To help you balance, keep your eyes forward, your head in a neutral position and focus as your the muscles in your foot fight to keep you stabilized. Hold this position for up to 30-seconds before switching to the other foot and repeating, completing one repetition. Perform 3 to 5 repetitions.

Barefoot

One of the greatest threats to healthy feet are shoes. This includes slippers and the flip-flop family of footwear. Whenever possible, especially when at home, walk barefoot. This will allow your feet to function as they were designed, to go through their full range of motion and develop strength and flexibility. Flip-flops and slippers bad for your feet for a number of reasons, perhaps the worst is the stress on your toes which have to tighten and lift upward in an attempt to keep you feet in place.

Gregg Seltzer is a triathlon and run coach at Triability Coaching in Southern California. He advocates  foot care through strengthening exercises, proper footwear, routine maintenance, and proper running form. He may be reached at www.triabilitycoaching.com or 800.884.2194 for triathlon, run, or swim coaching and training. Coach Gregg’s Email address is gregg@triabilitycoaching.com.

 

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October 26, 2012 · 9:43 AM

Boil an Egg Perfectly

I love a hard-boiled egg — it is the perfect source of protein after a session of strength training at the gym. Yet, perfecting the technique of boiling them has eluded me for a lifetime.

After swearing off the eggs, I decided not to quit so easy and try to tweak my technique. After many trial and errors, here is what has produced the perfect hard-boiled egg, for me. Give it a try,  let me know if you don’t agree.

1. Place your eggs in a pot and fill with water so the eggs are fully submerged with perhaps an inch of water to spare.

2. Add one-tablespoon of salt.

3. Turn on the heat source to high and let the water reach a turbulent boiling point.

4. Let the eggs boil for two-minutes.

5. Remove the pot containing your eggs from the heat source, cover, and let stand for fifteen-minutes.

6. Remove the eggs from the pot and place into a bowl. Please the bowl in the refrigerator to cool.

When you peel the egg, it is best to do so under cool water.

Plan ahead if possible. I train at the gym Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Therefore, I boil my eggs for the entire week on Sunday night. The eggs are easy to peel, and taste better than ever.

Enjoy

 

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May 15, 2012 · 9:47 AM

Fitness Protocols

Push-ups on the sand.

 

Fitness protocols gauge an individual’s current fitness level compared to a set of acceptable fitness standards. These protocols are a series of exercises with predetermined parameters of acceptability measuring an individual’s health, physical fitness, or both. Government agencies, insurance companies, physicians, sports teams, personal trainers, and others use the results for a variety of reasons. The YMCA fitness protocol, or fitness assessment, as an example tests body composition, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, strength, and muscular endurance.

Cardiovascular Testing

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, cardiovascular fitness is the ability to perform moderate to high intensity exercise, using the body’s large muscles, for prolonged periods. The Park City Fire Service District uses a treadmill to administer the cardiovascular fitness protocol to firefighter applicants. The test increases the treadmills belt speed and incline percent until the applicant’s heart rate exceed 85 percent of their predicted maximum, or the test reaches 11-minutes in length. Although the Park City Fire Service uses the treadmill, other methods such as jogging around a track can render similar conclusions.

Body Composition

The YMCA uses body composition as part of their fitness assessment protocol. Assessed are a participant’s height, weight, body circumference, body mass index, and skin-fold measurements. Additional techniques used at the test administrator’s discretion are weighing a participant under-water, waist to hip ratio, and a participant’s ideal body weight compared to his actual weight.

Strength and Muscular Endurance

Strength and muscular endurance are common elements of fitness protocol evaluations. Muscular strength testing includes the participant lifting the maximum weight possible for a single repetition. Muscular endurance tests the maximum weight a participant can lift for ten-repetitions. Other tests include the applicant’s maximum bench-press, push-up, sit-up, and pull-up capability within a limited period.

Flexibility Test

The Mayo Clinic says the sit and reach test measures flexibility in the lower legs, back, and hips. Begin this test by placing a yardstick on the floor. Sit on the floor so that the soles of your feet are equal to the 15-inch line. Stretch forward to the farthest point possible, holding for 2-seconds. Record the distance of this first stretch. Now, repeat the process two more times, recording the distance of each effort.

Conclusion

Most fitness protocols determine an individual’s level of fitness, however there are protocols designed to increase, rather than test fitness levels. This is the case with a protocol for fitness conducted by Washington State University. They determined that a 12-week swimming program could help asthmatics with their condition. The University developed a well-structured, thought-out swimming program. The results reported the swimmers to have more energy in the morning, and made daily activities, such as climbing steps easier.

In my Hawaii hotel room days before the start of the 2011 Ironman World Championship.

About the Author

Gregg Seltzer is the founder and coach of Triability Coach, a Los Angeles based athletic studio specializing in coaching, advising, and training master’s age amateur athletes. He is a USAT, USAC, and USATF certified coach, and personal trainer. Gregg competes in a half-dozen triathlon races of various distances annually, and is a crazed trail racer in the off-season. Reach Gregg at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, questions, or for training arrangements. You can also follow him at Twitter.com/triabilitycoach. Our phone number at Triability Coach is 800.884.2194.

 

 

 

 

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May 1, 2012 · 8:12 PM

A Weight Training Exercise Guide for Guys

Core work is key to good health and fitness. On the surface, it appears easy enough—however looks can deceive. Physical fitness participants lift     weights for a variety of reasons—most never achieve results equal to the effort they put into it. The body is complicated and tearing down your muscles intentionally for them to grow is downright science. Fortunately, there are some relatively simple concepts that remove guesswork and almost guarantee results.

 

Total Weight

When you walk into the weight room, it is nice to know you are lifting the correct weight to achieve your goals eliminating the guesswork. One effective method of establishing the proper weight is the one repetition principle— using 75 percent of the maximum weight you can lift with proper form for a particular exercise or lift. Another method is using the weight that fatigues the muscle within 40 to 70 seconds, or eight to 10 repetitions. If you can curl 50-pounds for 15 repetitions, the weight is likely too low.

Repetitions

The amount of repetitions you select for any given lift depends on a variety of factors. Most common is the eight to 12 repetition ranges that according to some are best if your goal is increasing the muscle size. However, not everyone is looking to increase muscle size—some may be looking to increase muscular endurance. In this case, the 12 to 20–repetition range is best. A good rule to follow is begin with a lower repetition, increasing the amount of repetitions, as you get stronger over time.

Correct Form

Improper form is one of the most common and costly errors weight lifters make in the gym. The lower back should remain flat or slightly arch inward, unless working the lower back. This will prevent injury and promote proper form. Controlling the movement of the weight is important—slowly lifting and lowering the weight to the start position yields better results than relying on momentum, by throwing the weight around or rocking your body back and forth. Position your feet naturally and comfortably instead of forcing them to point straight or angled to one side or another as often suggested in exercise directions.

Workout Frequency

Rest and recovery are important aspects of any athletes training program. Muscle growth occurs when you are out of the gym, as muscles have time to recover and repair the muscles fibers damaged under the stress placed on them by the weight lifted. Growth hormones are at their highest levels during sleep. The amount of training that can be performed before performance and results are impacted vary from one athlete to another. However, two to three weight-lifting sessions per week is likely sufficient to achieve results.

Conclusion

As any knowledgeable fitness geek will tell you, the key to any exercise or fitness program is consistency. Fitness is a lifelong pursuit, a lifestyle and you should be in it for the long-haul, not just until you reach your desired weight or fitness goal. To achieve this level of consistency and dedication, variety and keeping it fun are critical. I think some of these fitness programs that promise extreme results in 90-days are great, but are you really going to do that for your lifetime: likely not. So, keep your routine fresh – do not kill yourself, and enjoy your life.

Gregg Seltzer is the founder and coach of Triability Coach, a Los Angeles based athletic studio specializing in coaching, advising, and training master’s age amateur athletes. He is a USAT, USAC, and USATF certified coach, and personal trainer. Gregg competes in a half-dozen triathlon races of various distances annually, and is a crazed trail racer in the off-season. Reach Gregg at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, questions, or for training arrangements. You can also follow him at Twitter.com/triabilitycoach. Our phone number at Triability Coach is 800.884.2194. 

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April 24, 2012 · 11:15 AM

Exercise with Weights and a Fitness Ball

Core work using the exercise ball.

 

The balance, or exercise ball is a popular piece of fitness gear that can fit into just about any workout routine, regardless the fitness goal. When used properly, the fitness ball effectively works the core muscles. Although thought of as a standalone fitness tool, the exercise ball can be a bench, used in conjunction with lightweight dumbbells to replicate many different exercises. It adds to exercises effectiveness, as the user not only needs to lift the weight, but use small stabilizing muscles to limit the ball’s movement.

Balance Ball Dumbbell Press

To begin the dumbbell press, lie on the exercise ball with it positioned against your upper back, shoulders, neck, and head. Bend your legs at the knee so your quad muscles are parallel to the floor. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing upward, arms bent so the weights are close to your torso at chest level. Push the weights up directly up toward the ceiling until your arms are fully extended. Hold for one second before lowering the dumbbells back to the starting position, completing one repetition. Keep control of the weights throughout the exercise. Do two to three sets of 10 repetitions apiece.

Balance Ball Shoulder Press

Start the exercise by sitting on an exercise ball with your feet flat on the floor, your back straight. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing upward—the dumbbells held at shoulder height. Raise the dumbbells straight up to a fully extended position, elbows locked. Hold for second before returning to the starting position, completing one repetition. Be certain to control the weights throughout the movement. Do two to three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each.

Balance Ball Weight Press

To begin the weight press exercise, lie down on your back and place your calves and heels on the exercise ball so that your lower legs are parallel to the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand level with your chest, your palms facing upward. Push the weights straight up towards the ceiling until your arms are straight. Hold this position for one second before returning to the start position, completing a single repetition. Complete two to three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each.

Balance Ball Hyperextension with Weights

To start this exercise, lie on the exercise ball making contact with your torso, the back of your head facing the ceiling. Keep your legs straight with your feet together using your toes and balls of your feet to maintain your stability. Use a weighted plate and hold securely to your chest with your hands. Raise your torso from the stability ball bending backwards at your waist, rising away from the floor until you reach your full range of motion. Hold for one second before returning to the start position, completing one repetition.

Final Thoughts

I love the fitness ball: I use it almost everyday not only when training clients, but also in my own routines. My wife also uses the fitness ball for core work. The fitness ball goes by many names, and many as guises, however it remains just a plain, simple ball that should be part of your home gym. One work of caution; be certain to get the right size ball for your height and weight and master balancing on the ball before ever introducing weights to your fitness ball routine.

Gregg Seltzer is the founder and coach of Triability Coach, a Los Angeles based athletic studio specializing in coaching, advising, and training master’s age amateur athletes. He is a USAT, USAC, and USATF certified coach, and personal trainer. Gregg competes in a half-dozen triathlon races of various distances annually, and is a crazed trail racer in the off-season. Reach Gregg at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, questions, or for training arrangements. You can also follow him at Twitter.com/triabilitycoach. Our phone number at Triability Coach is 800.884.2194. 

 

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April 11, 2012 · 9:45 AM

The Lower Body-Weight Workout

The body-weight squat.

I have long been a believer in body-weight workouts; this is especially true with the master age athlete I work with. That being said, here is a great workout for your lower body using only your body-weight. I have my athletes perform this routine before running a sprint or stride workout. Do not rest between exercises, just flow into the next exercise.

  1. Perform 24 body-weight squats.
  2. Perform 24 body-weight lunges, alternating legs.
  3. Perform 24 body-weight jump lunges, alternating legs.
  4. Perform 24 body-weight jump squats.
  5. Perform a front plank for two-minutes.

The rest interval between completion of the above exercises and your sprint or strides workout is five-minutes.

Gregg Seltzer is the founder and coach of Triability Coach, a Los Angeles based athletic studio specializing in coaching, advising, and training master’s age amateur athletes. He is a USAT, USAC, and USATF certified coach, and personal trainer. Gregg competes in a half-dozen triathlon races of various distances annually, and is a crazed trail racer in the off-season. Reach Gregg at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, questions, or for training arrangements. You can also follow him at Twitter.com/triabilitycoach. Our phone number at Triability Coach is 800.884.2194.

 

 

 

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April 10, 2012 · 10:59 AM

Some Necessities for Weight Loss

Proper body composition is obtainable, but requires commitment.

More Americans are either overweight or obese than ever before. A New York Times article says 34-percent of adults are obese, according to a 2010 report released by the Centers for Disease Control. The mountains of evidence health care professionals have presented–meant to motivate Americans to eat healthy, exercise, and control their weight, does not appear to be working. Most know the straightforward blueprint of weight-loss; burn more calories than you consume. Unfortunately, losing weight and keeping it off is not so simple. As many as 87% of persons beginning an exercise program are unable to stick with it consistently.

Portion Control

According to the American Council on Exercise, portion control is one of the ABC’s of losing weight and keeping it off. Several portion control tips from ACE include eating from smaller plates, measure or weigh servings, read nutritional labels whenever possible, and do not fret if you leave food on your plate. A good portion size is equal to the size of your palm, or hockey puck.

Use the Scale

The scale can be an important tool in your fight to lose and maintain your weight over the long haul. Although you do not need to weight in each day—or worry over a gain of ounces, stepping on the scale a few times a week is a good practice. Use the scale at the same time of day is advisable — mornings are best before having breakfast. According to Lance Armstrong, the scale is one of the best fitness tools.  Scales that additionally measure water, fat, and muscle percentage are best, and inexpensive.

Fiber Intake

Shape magazine suggests fiber is a necessary part of an effective weight loss program—recommending 25 g of fiber each day. A fiber rich diet will leave you feeling full, helping you reduce your caloric intake. Fiber is in fruit, vegetables, and foods containing whole-grain.

Exercise

Exercise, according to CBS News, can help or hinder your efforts to lose weight. Most believe that exercising burns calories—resulting in weight loss. This is true, however exercise can leave you feeling hungry, causing you to eat more than you burned during your workout. In addition, many people reward themselves because they exercised, seeing a piece of cake or some other treat is an earned entitlement or reward. Finally, many people over-estimate the amount of calories they actually burn exercising and therefore eat more recovering from their workout then they burned.

Heavy Drinking

Proper hydration is an import part of a successful weight-loss program. However, be careful not to over-hydrate.  Water will also make you feel fuller, causing you to eat less. Shape magazine suggests drinking at least eight, 8-oz. glasses of water daily. Learn to check your hydration factor: if your urine is light yellow with good volume, you are doing fine. If the color is dark yellow or beer-brown, it is time to drink up.

Finally;

According to the ACSM, for the majority of adults, weekly exercise resulting in the burning of 2000 calories is likely necessary to promote and sustain desired weight loss. This equates to roughly 250 to 300 minutes per week or 30 to 60 minutes per day of exercise. The intensity of aerobic exercise sessions, as you might already know, is best at 40 to 60 percent of V02 R, while resistance training is best at 60 to 80 percent of 1-RM.

About the Author

Gregg Seltzer is the founder and coach of Triability Coach, a Los Angeles based athletic studio specializing in coaching, advising, and training master’s age amateur athletes. He is a USAT, USAC, and USATF certified coach, and personal trainer. Gregg competes in a half-dozen triathlon races of various distances annually, and is a crazed trail racer in the off-season. Reach Gregg at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, questions, or for training arrangements. You can also follow him at Twitter.com/triabilitycoach. Our phone number at Triability Coach is 800.884.2194.

 

 

 

 

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February 23, 2012 · 9:46 AM

Ten Metabolism Boosters

A burning hot metabolism is key to body composition.

If you have attempted weight loses or the maintenance of your ideal weight, you are familiar with the word metabolism. According to Medicine Net.com, metabolism refers specifically to the breakdown of food and its transformation into energy. Put another way, an efficient metabolism helps you control your weight. Although genetics have a role to play with our metabolism, you can boost your metabolism by incorporating some lifestyle changes you can make.

Water

Water is a natural appetite suppressant that relieves bloating – flushing out the sodium and toxins lingering in your body. Drinking the right amount of water helps to keep you from mistaking hunger for thirst. Begin the day with a glass of water shortly after rising from bed. Continue to drink water throughout the day. The proper amount depends on factors such as weather and your activity level, but a good rule is eight 8-ounce glasses of water. You may also check your urine color. The color of lemon aid or lighter is good. A darker yellow and beyond should have you reaching for water.

Breakfast

Begin your day without breakfast and your body may prepare for what it perceives as looming starvation, slowing down your metabolism to conserve energy. Do not skip breakfast under any circumstance. Smart breakfast choices include whole grain cereal with skim milk or sugar-free yogurt with fruit.

Eat Small and Often

According to an article on Web MD, a website dedicated to health and wellness, eating more often, helps you lose weight. Small, frequent, meals helps your metabolism run in high gear – meaning more calories burned. Eating five or six smaller meals throughout the day, at three-hour intervals if possible, is a great weight loss or maintenance strategy. When your body goes without nourishment for long periods of time, your metabolism slows to survival mode.

Fats

Consuming sources of healthy fats is another effective metabolism booster. Healthy fats come from nuts, fish, olive oil, and flax oil. Replacing processed carbohydrates with unsalted almonds is another great source of healthy fat.

Calorie Count

You do want calculate what ideal caloric intake, based on your unique physical and lifestyle variables, and reduce your caloric intake if it is currently too high. Reducing your daily caloric intake too quickly will slow down your metabolism as your body adjusts to prevent starvation. Slowly reduce your daily caloric intake, giving your body time to adjust. Do not go too far. Consult your physician or a dietician for guidance on what your proper calorie count should be.

Strength Training

Samantha Heller, a contributor to Health Magazine, says strength training is a great way to fight the impact aging has on your metabolism. After completing a moderate to high intensity program of strength training, your metabolism will continue to work at a higher rate. How much depends on age, gender, and genetics, but it can reach 25 percent higher for as long as 15 additional hours after your workout has ended.

Aerobics

Aerobic exercise will increase your metabolism following a moderate to high intensity workout. As with strength training, the increased intensity is what does the metabolism wonders. After an intense workout, the metabolism will continue to burn calories long after you have left the gym. Push yourself, but be sure to consult with your physician first.

Spices

Chemical compounds found in spicy foods will get the metabolism moving. Although the results may be small, this perfect, healthy additive is easy to add to your daily routine. Adding spices throughout the day in foods you enjoy can increase your metabolic rate up to 23 percent for half hour increments. An example would be red pepper flakes, perhaps added to your next pasta dish.

Protein

Your body uses twice the amount of calories digesting protein, as is does carbohydrates or fat. Replacing processed carbohydrates or bad fats with protein while maintaining a balanced diet is great for speeding up your metabolism. Consider nuts, eggs, low-fat dairy, and chicken as welcome sources of protein.

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January 12, 2012 · 10:13 AM

Workouts for Speed and Power

Strength and power on display.

Athletes, professional or otherwise, can benefit from added speed and power—regardless of their sport. Although there are workouts or movements that are sport specific, many exercises are for muscle groups that benefit an athlete’s overall fitness level and health. Athletes that participate in golf can benefit from many of the same exercises that benefit the football, basketball, or hockey player. As with any routine, effectiveness hits a wall if not changed in a way that keeps muscles confused.

Tempo Runs

Most runners have heard the term—but many do not understand how this simple routine, done correctly can improve any runners speed. Begin your run with a brief 10-minute warm-up session. Tempo runs teach you to run relatively comfortably outside of your comfort zone; tempo runs are consistent 20-minute efforts at threshold pace. Beginning runners, or new to tempo training should start at 5-minutes, and work towards the ideal 20-minutes. Most experts agree a good pace for most runners is 25 to 30 seconds below their 5-k pace.

Plyometrics

Plyometrics are specific exercise movements that increase an athlete’s explosive power—such as jumping. Plyometrics are best suited for sports where fast-twitch muscles are most valued, such as tennis, basketball, high jumping, and speed skating. Exercises used in plyometrics include bounds, single leg and bunny hops, tuck jumps, jumping jacks, and jumping rope.

Stair Climbs

Stair climbs are an effective way to increase your lower body’s strength. Performing lunges while climbing stairs can improve one’s lower body strength. For an added challenge, do lunges using every other step. Running up stairs will also increase lower body power and strength. Run 10 to 15 repetitions up the steps, recovering on the walk back down before beginning the next repetition.

Single Leg Pedaling

Cyclists often use this training technique to develop leg strength. Single leg pedal exercises allow equal development of both legs. Mostly road and mountain cyclists while riding their bike use this exercise; however, non-cyclists can use an exercise bike at the gym with equal effectiveness. After a brief 10-minute warm-up, begin with your left leg—pedaling at a 50 to 60 revolutions per minute cadence in a large gear–or resistance setting if on a trainer or exercise bike, for 60-seconds. Isolate each leg five times, recovering for 60-seconds in-between sets.

Conclusion

Many triathletes forgo leg training, wrongly believing the run and cycling training they do in their triathlon workouts is enough. However, this does not identify and correct leg strength in-balances which left unchecked could impede peak performance, and cause various injuries.

Gregg Seltzer is a certified USA Triathlon coach and  licensed USA Cycling coach. He is also a strength & conditioning trainer. Coach Gregg competes in multiple triathlons, and other types of endurance events annually. Coach Gregg can be contacted through email at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, or questions – or if you have an interest in establishing a future coaching arrangement. 

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