Strength

Do you measure HRV and/or resting heart rate? If so, how do these metrics influence your training for the day?

Using HRV and Resting Heart Rate to Optimize Training

I use actually both heart rate, variability and resting heart rate on a daily basis. I use those metrics primarily to make sure that I am in a position to get better as an athlete. I use, heart rate, variability and I watched the trend, my goal is to maintain heart rate, variability. Consistently if not slightly upward Trend, when I see a downward trend on my Heart rate, variability. I know that my stress load is too high and I can make adjustments. I'm not a super patient person. So the adjustments that I tended to make our little bit more proactive. So rather than just sit back and say, I need to train less and rest more, I actually started adding things like meditation, gentle stretching. I decrease some of the intensity, on some of my zone 2 days. I might only do Zone 1. So there are subtle changes that you can make in your training and your daily. Tivities or bring in, as a lifestyle change, that can actually help your heart rate variability, which is your state of stress and response to stress in a, in a really healthier way. So that when you want to train hard and get better and get stronger and get faster, you're in a position to really accept that training load when it comes to resting. Heart rate. There are so many different variables that can come into my life with regards to resting heart rate it Be dehydration. It can be total. Chronic stress load with regards to emotional and intellectual stress. Perhaps a little bit more than physical. I also enjoy a cocktail every now and then and that will change my heart resting heart rate immediately. So my response to exercise when it comes to resting heart rate is typically to look at what I did. The day before it actually put myself in kind of a crappy position, make sure I don't do that again and it typically comes right back. So for me, I'm a pretty well trained athlete as an older ass. Sleet. And it definitely makes me just really look at my lifestyle choices.

I use heart rate and variability to monitor my stress levels. When I see a downward trend, I adjust my training intensity and lifestyle to help improve my response to stress. Resting heart rate is affected by many things like dehydration, chronic stress, and alcohol, so when I see it change, I look at what I did the day before and try not to repeat it.

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I actually measure both heart rate variability (HRV) and resting heart rate on a daily basis. These metrics play a significant role in guiding my training as an athlete. My goal is to maintain or slightly increase my HRV trend, as it indicates a healthy stress load. If I notice a downward trend in HRV, I know that my stress levels are too high and I make proactive adjustments.

Instead of simply reducing training intensity or increasing rest, I incorporate practices like meditation, gentle stretching, and decreasing intensity on certain training days. These subtle changes in my training and daily activities help improve my heart rate variability and manage stress in a healthier way. This ensures that when I push myself during intense training sessions to improve strength and speed, my body is better prepared to handle the load.

Resting heart rate is influenced by various factors such as dehydration, chronic emotional or intellectual stress, and even alcohol consumption. When it comes to resting heart rate, I analyze what I did the day before that may have negatively impacted it and make sure not to repeat those choices. Typically, my resting heart rate returns to normal once I address any lifestyle factors that may have affected it.

As an older athlete, I pay close attention to these metrics and make lifestyle choices that support my overall well-being and training goals.

What is your favorite core exercise for swimmers? 

Perfect your core strength with this swimmer's favorite!

How many each side 5 each side? Hold low back into the ground that sand. Steady. Perfect.

5 sides, hold low back into ground, steady.

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My favorite core exercise for swimmers is the side plank. It's a great exercise that targets the core muscles while also engaging the stabilizing muscles. To perform the side plank, start by lying on your side with your forearm on the ground and your elbow directly under your shoulder. Lift your hips off the ground, creating a straight line from your head to your feet. Hold this position for a set amount of time, such as 30 seconds, then switch to the other side. Remember to keep your lower back pressed into the ground and maintain a steady and controlled form throughout the exercise.

How does a lifting plan for hypertrophy differ from one for developing strength, explosiveness, or endurance?

Training Variables: Hypertrophy vs. Strength, Explosiveness, Endurance

Hey Lane, we're really looking at acute training variables. When we're talking about muscle hypertrophy pure strength power. You said explosiveness, same kind of vibe for me or endurance. So we're gonna start at the beginning, which would be strength endurance, which we get a lot of neurological development and skill development using strength endurance. We're going to go anywhere from 12 to 20. Reps understanding that the intensity or the the amount of load being lifted at the end of the set, you should be able to do. Three or four more reps, but you don't do them. And that's how you want to make sure that you have the right amount of load when we're training for endurance. We also want to have 20 to 30 seconds between sets. So we're not looking for a lot of time. Between sets. We're looking for a relatively accessible load and 12 to 20 repetitions when we're looking at hypertrophy. We're going to move up into 70 to 80% of what your one rep max. Now I kind of stopped doing a one rep max. Test because it's risky. Anyway, never want to put our athletes at risk. So we're going to take a few weeks or maybe a few sessions depending on the skill level of the athlete to figure out just how strong they are. And just how skilled they are. When we're looking to develop muscle and have that outcome be an increase in muscle size. And that acute training variable, is going to be 8 to 12 repetitions with 70 to 80% of that. One rep max said, another way. We might look to that when we finish the 12th rep, we maybe could have done one or two. To but we choose not to the time between sets for that is going to be 60 to 90 seconds. And that's really important because a lot of people out there trying to build muscle, who are actually taking far too much time between sets. So you're almost ready to go. But if you're if you don't need the time between sets the 90 seconds, you probably not going heavy enough. If you feel like you need more time between sets, you are probably going to heavy so that rest interval between sets is really, really important. Aunt, the next one is going to be pure strength, and that's kind of where I live with most of my endurance athletes. That's my goal is to get them to the point where their skill is high enough there. Knurled neural load is low enough that we can actually get these asks of them. So they're not so fatigued that they can safely get under pretty good significant amounts of weight in order to build tension strength in their connective tissue, as well as just get stronger without increasing muscle size. So that represents Change that I use is anywhere from two to six. Repetitions six. Being I know, I can add more load if they can comfortably get six reps. So, the the 90% of 1 rep max would be, we could probably leave one in the bank for that. So if you finish your sixth repetition, you could have done seven. We want to make sure that then we know, we're in the right place for Pure strength development. The time between sets there. That's where it becomes really interesting with endurance athletes. I think we can do. Stuff with that time. So the technical acute training variable would be 90 seconds between sets up to two and a half minutes and that's with pure strength. I can probably fit in some core training, some complimenting must muscle group or a and distracting muscle group. That would be on the other side of the body. So if we're doing a heavy push we might do some lighter poles during that rest period, to make sure we get the most of our time. When we start talking about power. We're really talking about one to four reps. Any time you get there? You start talking about risk and reward, and what are we really trying to accomplish with that athlete? So power is something that I saved for my most experienced athletes. I'm always looking for a long-term relationship with them so that we can, in fact, use that phase of training in a really productive way. So hopefully that gives you a really good outline of the acute training variables for the intended outcomes.

Acute training variables depend on the intended outcome. For endurance, use a load of 70-80% of your one rep max, do 12-20 reps with a rest period of 20-30 seconds between sets. For hypertrophy use 70-80% of your one rep max, 8-12 reps and a rest period of 60-90 seconds. For pure strength use 90% of your one rep max, with 2-6 reps and a rest period of up to 2.5 minutes. For power, use 1-4 reps but save it for experienced athletes as it carries a risk.

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When designing a lifting plan, the specific goals of hypertrophy, strength, explosiveness, or endurance will determine the differences in the plan. Here's an overview of the acute training variables for each goal:

1. Strength Endurance: This focuses on neurological development and skill improvement. The rep range is typically 12 to 20, with the intensity allowing for three to four more reps at the end of the set. Rest periods between sets are around 20 to 30 seconds.

2. Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth): The goal here is to increase muscle size. The rep range is 8 to 12, with the intensity set at around 70 to 80% of the one-rep max. Rest periods between sets are longer, ranging from 60 to 90 seconds.

3. Pure Strength: This aims to build tension strength in connective tissues and increase overall strength without significant muscle size gains. The rep range is lower, typically 2 to 6 reps, with the intensity around 90% of the one-rep max. Rest periods between sets are longer, ranging from 90 seconds to 2.5 minutes.

4. Power: Power training is reserved for experienced athletes due to the risk involved. The rep range is usually 1 to 4 reps, focusing on explosive movements. The goal is to optimize the risk-reward balance. Rest periods between sets may vary based on the specific exercises and goals.

It's important to note that these guidelines provide a general framework, and individual variations and specific training needs should be considered when designing a lifting plan.

How should amateur athletes balance S&C with their other triathlon training? How many sessions, etc.?

Optimizing Training: Balancing S&C for Amateur Athletes

Hey said Sid great question. The most important thing for an amateur athlete to recognize is where is their opportunity to improve. We want to break down our training into five specific areas. Number one, preparation for training number two strength endurance and Mobility. Number three, generals strength, and just bringing everything. You have to the next level. Number four, a little bit of speed and power. And number five, the ability to recover from those. Sessions. So there's many different things to take into consideration when planning but generally speaking, we want to look for the athletes opportunities and then fill in the training objectives around those opportunities. So if an athlete can show me even just some of their results from their last race or some of the feelings that they felt during the swim during the bike, during the runner, even just during transition. Did they have a hard time? I'm getting down to their shoes, to tie the shoes up. That would be important thing. So, I have a lot of questions to be able to ask to optimally load, load something up for somebody. But the most important thing is to recognize where your opportunities are fill in those gaps. And then in conjunction with your Swim Bike Run training, we definitely want your hard days to stay hard and your easy days to stay easy. I think one of the biggest mistakes people make is they do Jim. Work on their off days because they tend to have more time on those days and that is not allowing them to fully recover. Remember those five key areas. We want to consider. Do I need help setting myself up for Success using a pre-flight or pre Mobility session. Do I need more strength endurance that would help my pelvis stand in neutral position or perhaps open up my thoracic spine and help me move a little bit better. Do I need just to get stronger so that I can compete on hills and run downhill faster or Or uphill faster or just generally get stronger and faster at the same time. So that that pure strength is really important power speed and rate of force production. That's really really important as well. So different people have different objectives. They have different specific needs. I'm sorry. I can't give you the exact right answer, but it's worth digging deeper for everybody.

The most important thing for an amateur athlete to recognize is where their opportunity to improve lies. We want to break down training into five areas: Preparation for training, Strength and Mobility, General Strength, Speed and Power, and Recovery from Sessions. It's important to recognize opportunities and fill in the training objectives around those opportunities. Additionally, it's important to keep hard days hard and easy days easy. Depending on the athlete, different objectives may be needed such as pre-flight or mobility sessions, strength endurance, strength, power, speed and rate of force production.

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When it comes to balancing strength and conditioning (S&C) with other triathlon training, amateur athletes should focus on identifying their areas for improvement. Training can be broken down into five specific areas: preparation for training, strength endurance and mobility, general strength, speed and power, and recovery.

To plan effectively, athletes should consider their individual opportunities for improvement. This can be done by reviewing race results, assessing performance during each discipline (swim, bike, run), and even evaluating transitions. Identifying areas of weakness or difficulty will help determine the training objectives.

In conjunction with Swim, Bike, Run training, it's important to maintain a balance between hard and easy days. One common mistake is doing gym work on rest days, which can hinder full recovery. It's crucial to allow the body time to rest and recuperate.

The specific number of S&C sessions will vary for each athlete based on their needs and goals. Some key considerations include incorporating pre-flight or pre-mobility sessions for optimal setup, focusing on strength endurance to improve posture and movement, building overall strength for better performance on hills or challenging terrain, and developing power, speed, and rate of force production.

Ultimately, each athlete will have different objectives and specific needs. It's important to dig deeper, ask relevant questions, and tailor the S&C training accordingly to ensure optimal performance and progress.

Should I schedule my weekly lifts by body parts or by movements (push/pull)?

Maximize your gains: Body parts or movements for weekly lifts?

Hi Sam, Aaron here strength coach. Great question, you know, there has been so much good research done when it comes to strength training and performance. My first question, back at you, is going to be what is your desired outcome? Because there's always a place there's really not a wrong answer when it comes to strength training. There's just a better strategy. So when it comes to separating The Body by Body Parts, as very bodybuilder, it allows you to train more often with Fatiguing a certain muscle group and potentially grow that muscle and create muscle hypertrophy. When we start to talk about time with as a runner, or as a triathlete. We want to start looking at movements push-pull legs, and we also want to incorporate it in conjunction with your other training in the other things that you're doing. So ask me another question and let's keep going with this topic and see if we can get you exactly where you want to be and make sure you're not wasting your time. I'm or your energy.

Strength training has a lot of research done around it, and depending on your desired outcome, there are different strategies to consider. When it comes to separating body parts, it allows you to train more often and potentially grow that muscle. However, for runners and triathletes, it is best to look at movements push-pull legs and incorporate it into their other training.

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Hi Sam, Aaron here, your strength coach. That's a great question. When it comes to scheduling your weekly lifts, there are different approaches you can take. The first thing I want to know is what your desired outcome is. There's no wrong answer in strength training, just different strategies.

If your goal is muscle growth and hypertrophy, then scheduling your lifts by body parts, like a bodybuilder, can be effective. This allows you to target specific muscle groups more frequently and potentially stimulate muscle growth.

On the other hand, if you're a runner or a triathlete, it may be more beneficial to schedule your lifts based on movements, such as push and pull, along with incorporating them into your overall training plan. This approach takes into account the other activities you're doing and ensures that your strength training complements your other training goals.

Feel free to ask me more questions so we can dive deeper into this topic and find the best approach for you. Let's make sure you're not wasting your time or energy and get you exactly where you want to be.

Beyond Six-Pack Abs: Unleashing the Power of the Core Complex

Jose, this is such a loaded question. ABS Building. Building the abdominal muscle in isolation is something that from a performance standpoint. We have really backed away from because it just doesn't serve performance as well as looking at the complete. Perhaps core musculature. I'm going to look and challenge you to think a little bit beyond the six pack abs and look towards the lats, the backside of the body, through the thoracolumbar fascia, which protects the sacrum and the lumbar spine into the Luke complex, and then the transverse. Abdominals that that really wrap the whole abdominal complex. If it's really ripped abdominal muscles, that you're after aesthetically, because there's a lot of situations where that's important, then that would be a whole different conversation and perhaps it would be more around a conversation around nutrition. So I'm not afraid of this question. I like it, but I definitely would ask you a question. What are we trying to accomplish? If we're trying to accomplish a better? Performance by getting stronger abdominal muscles. Then. I want to expand your way of thinking into a complete complex that we might refer to as the core complex. You re to really stabilize the midsection of the body connect to the lower and the upper body together, but I also really want to respect that. The question was ABS so crunches, but you also definitely want to maintain extension in balance with those spinal flexion exercises. And Challenges to the hip flexor complex as well. So throwing a question back at you. What are we trying to accomplish?

Building abdominal muscles in isolation is not ideal from a performance standpoint. We should instead look at the entire core musculature and focus on building strength and stability there. Additionally, we need to keep in mind what our goal is--if it’s just for aesthetics, then nutrition will be a key factor. We should also balance out any spinal flexion exercises with those that promote extension.

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When it comes to building abs, it's important to consider a broader perspective. Focusing solely on isolating the abdominal muscles may not be the most effective approach for overall performance. Instead, let's look at the complete core musculature, including the lats, thoracolumbar fascia, Luke complex, and transverse abdominals.

If your goal is to achieve ripped abs for aesthetic purposes, that's a different conversation that would involve discussing nutrition as well. So, before diving into specific exercises, it's important to understand what you're trying to accomplish.

If the aim is to improve performance by strengthening the abdominal muscles, we should expand our thinking to include the entire core complex. This involves stabilizing the midsection, connecting the lower and upper body, and maintaining a balance between spinal flexion exercises like crunches and exercises that promote extension. It's also essential to challenge the hip flexor complex.

In summary, the best exercises for abs building depend on your specific goals and what you're trying to achieve.

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Erin is a Colorado-based strength coach. She is the co-owner of RallySport, a Boulder training facility and health club, and head coach for ECFIT. Her clients include world champions and everyday athletes seeking excellence. Previously, Erin attended the University of Colorado on a basketball scholarship and played professionally in Europe. She has multiple masters degrees, is certified by NSCA, NASM, EXOS, PTA Global and is a Foundation Training and Titleist Performance Coach. Erin is also an accomplished triathlete placing 6th in her age group at the 2016 70.3 World Championships and has multiple podium finishes.