Strength training is one of the best ways to boost your triathlon performance. It not only helps build muscular endurance and increase power, but with the right exercises, you can build sport-specific strength, too. Start with these three full-body exercises from top coaches.
3 Full-Body Exercises to Build Strength
Dive Bomber Push-Ups: Why
Submitted by Ben Greenfield 1 of 7
Dive bomber push-ups are a fantastic body-weight exercise you can do anywhere. They help boost upper body muscular endurance for activities like swimming, improve lower- and upper-body range of motion, and can even help with digestion.
Dive Bomber Push-Ups: How
Submitted by Ben Greenfield 2 of 7
Begin in a push-up position, but with your feet spread wide and your hands out in front of your shoulders. This is also known a "Down-Dog" in yoga. Imagine a barbwire or electric fence above your hands, and "swoop" under that fence as you exhale, ending in a low back stretch very similar to the "Cobra" pose in yoga.
Then reverse that range-of-motion back up to the original starting position.
Fitness benchmark for triathletes: 20 Dive-Bomber push-ups without resting.
Tire Pulls: Why
Submitted by Miriam and Jay Zacharias 3 of 7
This exercise helps develop run-specific strength and improves running form by enhancing forward lean.
Tire Pulls: How
Submitted by Miriam and Jay Zacharias 4 of 7
Attach a size 13 or 14 tire to your waist or chest harness and run on a flat surface or a slight incline. You should do this once or twice per week towards the end of an aerobic run session. Concentrate on good form and quick leg turnover completing 6 to 10 reps per session.
Kettlebell Swing: Why
Submitted by Joe Venarre 5 of 7
To develop explosive hip drive and improve lower body strength, resulting in greater power output during the swim, bike and run.
Kettlebell Swing: How
Submitted by Joe Venarre 6 of 7
When performing a kettlebell swing, the hips—not the arms or upper body—are used to propel the kettlebell through the swing. Power is created by the large muscles of the lower body including the quads, glutes, hamstrings and core. Begin in the squatted athletic position, grasping the kettlebell with long arms. Drive from the heels through the ankles, knees, hips and core. While rising out of the athletic position, driving with the hips, the kettlebell rises through the full motion of a swing.