{"id":519310,"date":"2026-07-01T03:27:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T03:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/519310\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T03:27:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T03:27:18","slug":"what-should-triathlon-strength-training-really-look-like","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/519310\/","title":{"rendered":"What Should Triathlon Strength Training Really Look Like?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Training for triathlon can be very time-consuming, so adding gym sessions to the mix every week may sound like too much for some people. The thing is, you shouldn\u2019t be looking at strength training as an addition, you should view it as a necessity. Hitting the gym (or doing at-home strength workouts) will not only help you get stronger as a swimmer, cyclist and runner, but, more importantly, it will go a long way in keeping you injury-free. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s one thing to know you need to be doing some form of strength training, but another thing entirely to know what you should be doing. Many triathletes feel clueless when they walk into a gym, just as avid gym-goers would probably be lost at the pool. To help with this, we spoke with Erin Carson, a certified strength and conditioning specialist based in Boulder, Colo., who has worked with world champions, Olympic medallists and more in their strength training journeys. Carson outlines what triathletes need to do when they get to the gym to ensure they\u2019re making the most of every workout (all without overdoing it).<\/p>\n

Simple is Best <\/p>\n

Carson says \u201csimplicity is key\u201d when it comes to strength training for triathletes \u2014 even when it comes to pros. Among the triathletes she works with at ECFit, her performance strength company, is three-time 70.3 world champion Taylor Knibb, and Carson says \u201cpeople would be blown away at how simple\u201d her gym program is.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need to have an endless list of exercises to complete every time you enter the gym, nor do you have to cycle through various routines every session, Carson says. Instead, she points to Knibb, who \u201cprefers to keep things the same and very simple.\u201d <\/p>\n

As she points out, \u201cthe proof is in the pudding and the performance\u201d when it comes to Knibb, who has won some of the top prizes in the sport of triathlon and is always among the women to beat no matter what race she enters. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to acknowledge and know who you are as an athlete,\u201d Carson says. \u201cThe kinds of programs with tons of variety can be good for some people, but they\u2019re more fitness based. Triathletes get most of their fitness from their other training, so I really think the essence is to keep it very simple.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"\"Carson has been helping Boulder-based athletes since 1991. Photo: Erin Carson<\/p>\n

This simplicity should come in the exercises themselves, too, Carson says. She prescribes programs with \u201clow neural demand\u201d for many of her athletes. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat that means more than anything is that when you show up in the gym, it\u2019s very simple for you to get these eight to 10 things done,\u201d she says. \u201cThat way, you can go home and be with your family or go out and have a social life or whatever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Complement Your Training<\/p>\n

Before stepping into the gym, Carson says you need to think about how your strength training can complement your swim, bike and run workouts. <\/p>\n

\u201cFirst and foremost with endurance athletes, we have to acknowledge the level of fatigue that they carry,\u201d she says. \u201cMost age groupers have full lives and therefore the strength training regimen can\u2019t impede their ability to recover and adapt to the swim, bike and run training. It has to complement all of that, not take away from any of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

One thing that can certainly take away from swim, bike and run training is if you push things too hard with strength work, which is something Carson says not to shoot for in the gym. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s OK to leave the gym not feeling sore,\u201d she says. This may seem counterintuitive to many triathletes, but she reiterates the \u201cprimary goal\u201d of strength programs, saying they should \u201csupport the sport and the desired outcome.\u201d <\/p>\n

Leaving the gym sore could inhibit your training in the days that follow, which is the opposite result of what you\u2019re looking for when it comes to the gym. Carson says she sees a lot of triathlon and endurance coaches who are great at swimming, cycling, running and whatever other cardio activities, but they \u201cdon\u2019t do strength for a living.\u201d <\/p>\n

Many of these coaches over-prescribe strength work, she says, sending their athletes to the gym too many times a week for too long doing too much. This won\u2019t help the athletes in the long run, it will \u201cjust make them tired.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"\"Knibb has won many races, thanks in large part to her work outside of swim, bike and run training. Photo: Eric Wynn<\/p>\n

How Much and How Heavy?<\/p>\n

There are two questions you probably have at this point: how often should you be going to the gym and how heavy should you be lifting when you\u2019re there? <\/p>\n

\u201cI think twice a week is really solid,\u201d Carson says. \u201cIf an athlete is really trying to ascend, but they\u2019ve plateaued, we might add a half session or a full extra session to bring up that level of athleticism, but for most people, two times a week is perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Strength routines don\u2019t have to be complicated \u2014 in fact, Carson recommends you keep them quick, easy and simple. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon<\/p>\n

When it comes to the weight you\u2019re lifting, Carson says she first wants to define \u201cwhat heavy is\u201d for triathletes. She doesn\u2019t have a set number \u2014 results will of course vary from athlete to athlete \u2014 but she says you should find a weight that allows you to complete \u201cfive to eight repetitions with two to three reps in reserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

What does this mean? You should be able to complete those five to eight reps with \u201creally good range of motion\u201d and get to the last one with the knowledge that you could go for two or three more, but you won\u2019t. For most gym-goers, the objective is to work until failure, but according to Carson, that\u2019s not the best option for triathletes. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re eking out one extra rep, that\u2019s going to do a little bit of tissue damage, maybe too much more than we want,\u201d she says. \u201cYou will heal from it, but it\u2019s a little too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carson has provided a four-week strength training plan for Slowtwitch users, which can be found here<\/a>. Be sure to use the code \u201cSlowTwitch26\u201d to get free access to the plan.<\/p>\n

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