By Simon Lessing
Nov. 27, 2007 -- This is the third installment of a new series on Triathletemag.com, in
which readers will have a chance to send their triathlon training
questions to former World Champ Simon Lessing. Twice each month, Simon
will select a few questions, personally answer them and the response
will be posted here.
Simon is the perfect athlete to tackle your
training inquiries, as he has had success at every distance in the
sport.
This
week, Simon shares his knowledge on technical skills, weight training and the off-season.
If you'd like to see your questions answered by Simon in the future, please send them to Brad Culp, at brad@triathletemag.com
I have some technical questions pertaining to each discipline.1) When swim training, should you glide after every stroke or have a continuous paddle? I find I can travel further with less energy spent by gliding a bit, but I lose some speed.2) On the bike, what is the ideal foot position? Should I be lifting my knees straight up? I've read that you should pull back as if scrapping gum of your shoe, how does one do that?3) During running, how high should you kick your legs up behind you?Joel
Simon Says...
1. A small glide or stretch will help you set up your stroke for a more efficient initial catch phase. The problem is that if you glide for too long, you will slow the cadence of your stroke down and ultimately swim slower. We all have a different natural stroke count and I have found that this is always dictated by one thing -- the kick! Most triathletes are lazy when it comes to kicking but if you devoted quality kick time at each swim workout, it would definitely help develop other areas of your stroke. A good example of a kick set would be 9 x 50 (slow, medium, fast) on a descending interval for three and then repeat.
2. There has been some debate about this recently, but the old rule of thumb which has worked well for me is that the axes of your peddle should be in line with the bunion of your big toe. I do like the gum analogy, but again, it is important not to over emphasize this, as it will make your peddle stroke choppy and uneven. Try to concentrate on a nice even peddle stroke that will also prevent any unnecessary movement or swaying of the torso.
3. It's not an easy question as everyone is different. A shuffler will not kick high at all and that form of running is very efficient for longer distances. Changing one's gait is not a good thing, making someone more efficient with their form is excellent.
Simon,I have been doing triathlons for seven years. Each year I have gotten faster in all three disciplines, however, I have done little or no weight training to supplement my swim, bike and run workouts. I feel that to have a breakthrough season I need to get stronger. What is your philosophy on weight training? How much weight is too much? In answering these questions perhaps you could offer a sample of your weight training program.Scott
Simon Says...When I was in my 20's I never worried too much about weight training. I would do a few months of weight training over the winter months when I was not doing any intensity and did not have the same fatigue level as I did in the summer months.
You could argue that I got away with it, but in hindsight, I would have been a lot more consistent with it if I had known it would have prevented some of my back problems.
In my opinion, endurance athletes with busy schedules should dedicate more time to a regular core strength exercise routine rather than a key weight training program that over emphasizes isolated muscle groups.
I like to look at core strength as the foundation of a sound body, it helps develop a solid structure that ultimately has a physical impact on all three of our multisport disciplines.
This is my recommendation for most people:
Get a screening from a reputable physical therapist to identify any potential problem or weak areas and follow suggestions accordingly.
Find a reputable personal trainer that can “walk” you through a core exercise routine concentrating on the correct posture, number of reps, etc. This is very important as you can do yourself some serious injury if you do not have a program that is tailored to your needs.
Repeat the routine three times a week for 8 weeks, increasing the number of exercises and reps after the first two weeks.
After eight weeks you can start adding a weight routine to your core routine that isolates identified weaker areas that need strengthening. Again, I would initially work with a reputable personal trainer that will emphasize technique, etc.
Once you have found a routine that works for you try and maintain it through out the year. Winter is easy as we typically are doing less swimming, biking and running. Summer is more challenging as overall fatigue sets in!
Simon,In terms of time, what do you feel is the idea amount to completely take off following the last race of a season? How much of a base would you suggest building at the beginning of next season before starting to race again?Brad
Simon Says...Some athletes find it almost impossible to take any time off at all. The fear of losing what they have in fitness terms, totally overrides any thought of an off-season break from training.
The break is not only important for your physical well being, but also your mental approach that ultimately defines your attitude, objectives and accomplishments.
When I was in my 20's I used to take six weeks off completely and do absolutely no exercise at all. I always found that I would bounce back fairly quickly, feeling motivated and refreshed. Sure it was hard initially, but I enjoyed the process of getting fit again.
In my early 30's the inevitable happened. When I took time off I simply gained weight which left me susceptible to injury when I started training again.
Over the past 5 years my break has consisted of 4-6 weeks of light exercise with absolutely no designated training structure. I do no more than one sport a day and enjoy the opportunity to take it easy.
I have found that this approach keeps the weight off and helps maintain a minimum level of muscle memory and fitness that aids my introduction into pre-season training. My base phase consists of around three months before I start ramping things up with more intensity workouts that are pointed towards early season races.