P90X, Strength Training and Triathlon

Okay, I am at the end of week two of my training plan for the Halfmax Half Iron triathlon in October. And I have formulated my thoughts about how to use P90X and/or strength training into into my training plan.

I have never done any strength training, aside from a few crunches or lunges. In part, because I never wanted to join a gym. And my training plan book by Matt Fitzgerald does not have anything about strength training. Well, it does have a chapter at the end talking about the importance of stretching and strength, but no details about exactly what to do.

I got P90x last fall when I started to work full time, as a way to squeeze short intense workouts into my overly busy life. I love Tony Horton, and the videos are very motivating. If you want to get lean and buff and don’t want to join a gym, P90X is a great way to do it.

However, now that I am into serious training mode, I don’t think the P90x system is good for triathlon training. I find that it leaves my body so sore that it negatively impacts my other workouts. And I don’t think doing 300 different kinds of push ups and chin ups are really all that beneficial to a triathlete. The leg stuff is great, especially in the Legs and Back workout, but I don’t want to do all those chin-ups in between all the lunges and squats! I wish he had just a “Legs” workout. What I really do like is Ab Ripper, Core Synergy, and Plyometrics. I will fit those three workouts into my plan.

Here’s the plan I came up with. Well, actually, Gale Bernhardt came up with this. In her book, “Training Plans for Multi-sport Athletes”, she includes very specific details about strength training in her plans. Twice per week, at varying levels, this is what she recommends:

1 Leg Press
2 Lat Pull Down
3 Hip Extension
4 Chest Press or Push Ups
5 Seated Row
6 Personal Weakness (for me, this is glutes/adductors)
7 Ab Exercises
8 Optional: back extension

Since I joined O2 Fitness in Cary, I now have access to gym machines. The first phase of Gale’s plan is called “AA” for Anatomical Adaptation. You do high reps using low weights. I did this workout at lunchtime at the gym twice this week, and it was not hard. I did not even break a sweat, or have to take a shower afterwards. My muscles were a bit sore the next day, but not so bad that it ruined my other workouts. Best of all, just this little bit of strength training makes me feel like I have a little bit more pep in my muscles for swimming and running. 🙂

For #7, Abs, I am doing the Ab Ripper DVD. For #3 and #8, I am doing this Roman Chair Hip Extension, which I found on Youtube:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=114JFJJzoEc]

After four weeks of “AA” in Gale’s plan, you increase the weights, and lowers the reps. Then even later, she lowers the weight, and ups the speed of the movements to build power and adds Plymotrics. For the Plyometrics, I will do P90X plyo dvd! In the final phase, as the training plan peaks, her strength plan goes to maintenance mode, still 2x per week. I may do 1x at the gym, and 1x Core Synergy at that point. Haven’t decided yet. This is still a work in progress, but I am excited about it.