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Strength Training for New Triathletes

If you're new to the triathlon world, welcome! A sprint triathlon is a great place to start. But be warned, there is also a good chance the Tri Bug will bite you.

Strength training is the triathlon's fourth component, and a consistent regimen will help you become more efficient in all three disciplines. Strength training will help by lowering your risk of injury, helping the body be in better balance and building self-confidence. If you're new to triathlon, there is a chance you're new to the weight room. There's a lot of misinformation on strength training, so let's clear some things up for you:

1. Stay away from the machines, they are not nearly as effective as free weights. 2. Compound exercises are the best at building strength (i.e. squats, presses and deadlifts). Compound exercises use multiple joints and engage the most muscle mass. 3. Beginners should keep the exercise selection to 4-5 exercises. 4. Try to get to the gym two times a week, and you don't need to be in the gym longer than 45 minutes (that includes warm up and cool down). 5. You need to progress: Slowly try to increase the weight on each exercise by 2.5 to 5 pounds every week or two. 6. Learn the proper technique for each exercise.

Here are some exercises to get you started.

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