Ottawa Triathlon Club

Training Resources

Muscular Strength Exercise

Regular MSE training will not only help to give you greater strength and power, it will also help your body to avoid injury. In the off season two to three workouts a week is ideal and one is better than none. During the season, one workout is usually enough to keep your muscular balance in check. *This list is designed to compliment our program coaching and not be a stand alone training guide.

General Technique:
1. Tempo: Always perform the exercise slowly in both directions. A slow count of three is a good guide. Pause at the top and bottom of each motion
2. Range of Motion: Avoid fully extending and fully flexing your arms and legs - leave the joint still slightly bent or slightly open.
3. Breathing: Exhale on exertion/inhale on recoil.
4. Neutral Back: Unless flexing the torso, keep your back neutral.
5. Weight: It's better to choose a light dumbbell (3 or 5lbs), and then choose more challenging body positions which require greater core activation.
6. Volume: Shoot for one set of 15 repetitions. It's better to less reps and more
exercises than more repetitions of fewer exercises.

Muscular Strength Exercises from our 2006 Base Training program

1. Push Up
Level 1 – on hands and knees, bend at waist L2 – hands and knees, straight from head to knees L3 – full military push up
2. Bent Row	7. Hip Adduction
L1 – one dumbbell L2 – two dumbbells in one hand	L1 – hands on wall for support L2 – no support
3. Shoulder Press	8. Lunge
L1 – normal position L2 – stand on one foot	L1 – limited ROM* L2 – deeper ROM
4. Biceps Curl	9. Calf Raise
L1 – normal position L2 – stand on one foot	L1 – Both toes at once L2 – One foot only
5. Front Raise	10. Crunch
L1 – normal position L2 – stand on one foot	L1 – hands at side L2 – hands on chest L3 – hands at temples
6. Squat	11. Back Extension
L1 – normal position, limited ROM L2 – greater ROM	L1 – hands under chin L2 – hands at side L3 – hands at temples

*ROM: range of motion