Weight lifting for endurance athletes

Touching upon one of the most controversial topics on the training of the endurance athlete was not an easy decision but I thought I would do it anyway and share with you all my own experience.

Weight lifting: some coaches believe it is necessary and key to success while some others avoid it at all costs.

I am not a certified trainer or a coach or someone with education deep enough to explain the physiological benefits of weight lifting. However, I am a competitive athlete, who has experienced the tremendous impact that a well planned weight training program may have in my athletic career.

Let me first be clear on a couple of things: Weight training for endurance athletes is not the same as for body-builders. It is not heavy-lifting (!) and it is not always targeting specific muscle groups isolated from the rest of the body. More importantly, it follows training cycles similar and in parallel to the main-sport training cycles.

Here is an example in my case of training for triathlons according to the periodization plan that has four main periods: Base, Transition, Oveload and Race.

BASE period: I lift two to three times a week during the winter doing more muscle-isolated exercises, trying to gain some weight and increase muscle mass. I have the luxury to do so because this period includes long, easy miles on the bike, on the run and in the pool, so there is minimal intensity on the main sports.

Benefits: Prevent potential injuries. Strengthen isolated areas that have shown weaknesses and/or imbalances. Gain some muscle mass in order to get strong and healthy before entering the transition and overload period.

TRANSITION period: I lift two to four times a week performing more dynamic and functional exercises that mimic or follow the patterns of the sports. These are
not isolated movements but include a lot of transitions from one muscle group to the other.

Benefits: Prevent potential injuries. Prepare the body for
neuromuscular adaptations and for adjustments to the increase in volume and intensity that will follow during the overload phase.

OVERLOAD period: I lift once or twice a week. This includes maintenance exercises. During this period, there will be (unavoidably) some muscle loss. This is why it is for my benefit to build on some muscle mass during the base period and try not to lose much during the overload period in order to stay healthy and not break down.

Benefits: Prevent potential injuries. Prevent too much of muscle loss and maintain energy levels.

RACE period: I lift maybe once a week. Time to focus on this one race!

Conclusions: Always consult a certified specialist before you jump into a weight training schedule. Maintain this valuable lean muscle mass, stay healthy, strong and never ever neglect your stretching routine afterwards!