Effective Workouts for Triathletes

John Mendenhall
Aug 12
4 min read

Triathlons are not just about endurance; they require a combination of strength, speed, and a disciplined training regimen. Having an effective workout plan can significantly enhance your performance. With the right triathlon coached plans, you can prepare your body to excel in swimming, biking, and running in a seamless and efficient manner. In this post, we’ll explore effective workouts designed specifically for triathletes, emphasizing strength training, interval workouts, and recovery strategies.

Triathlon Training Plans

Creating a well-rounded workout plan is vital for triathletes. A successful plan should focus on improving strength, endurance, and speed across all three disciplines. Here's a breakdown of effective workouts you can incorporate into your training routine:

Endurance Workouts: These workouts involve long-distance swimming, biking, or running at a steady pace. Aim for at least one long workout in each discipline every week. For instance, try a 2-hour bike ride or a 1-hour swim session. This needs to gradually build up over time to avoid injury. Having a coach can take the guess workout of determining if you are increasing your volume too much.
Speed Workouts: Incorporating intervals is crucial. For running, you might do 400-meter sprints at a track with rest intervals in between. For cycling, consider performing hill repeats to build power. Working on speed will allow for your normal pace to feel easier. Building up the amount of reps and distance of intervals is crucial for not getting too sore where it would impact your other workouts during the week.
Brick Workouts: These combine two disciplines in a single workout. A common example is biking immediately followed by running. You might bike for 60 minutes and then run for 10-15 minutes. This training develops the transition skills needed for race day. Nothing prepares you for transitioning from swim to bike or bike to run like a brick session. Getting comfortable with this feeling will build your confidence come race day!
Recovery: Don't forget to include recovery sessions in your plans. Light swimming, cycling, running, stretching, foam rolling, massage, physical therapy or yoga can help your body recuperate while still encouraging mobility and flexibility.

Wide angle view of a triathlon biking course — Group rides/workouts can make training more enjoyable

Benefits of Strength Training for Triathletes

Strength training is a critical component of any triathlete's training plan. It helps increase muscle mass, improve performance, and reduce injury risk. Strength training for triathletes is very different than strength training for body builders and other sports. The more specific you are the better outcomes you will get. Here are some key benefits:

Enhanced Performance: Stronger muscles allow for better efficiency in all three disciplines, especially in maintaining speed over longer distances. Nobody enjoys not being able to push to finish their race strong. Strength training can significantly change your "kick" at the finish line.
Injury Prevention: Strength training strengthens muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This reduces the likelihood of common injuries associated with high-impact activities.
Improved Overall Fitness: Incorporating strength training into your routine enhances your overall fitness, contributing to better stamina and energy levels.

Eye-level view of a gym with weights and training equipment — Ready for strength training?

Interval Workouts for Enhanced Speed

Interval training is essential for improving speed and race performance. Here’s how you can incorporate it into swimming, running and cycling:

Swimming Intervals

One popular swimming workout is the repeat intervals at race pace with a short recovery.

Warm-Up: This will be dependent on the swimmer, I know I need about 30 minutes of swimming to get a comfortable feel for the water and get my muscles and hear rate ready to swim fast.
Intervals: Swim for 50, 100, 200 or even 500's for 3-10 reps, focusing on holding a pace you want to race at. Depending on the speed and distance, you can take anywhere from 10-30 seconds rest. Short rest intervals will train your body to be ready race day! This should be challenging but doable, start with a few intervals and short distances and build up as you progress towards your race.
Cool Down: Finish with at least 200. This is crucial for getting your body ready for your next workout.

Running Intervals

One popular running workout is the tempo run, where you run at a challenging pace for a sustained period:

Warm-Up: Start with a 10-20 minute easy jog.
Tempo Segment: Run for 20-30 minutes at a pace you can sustain but is challenging.
Cool Down: Finish with a light jog or walk for another 10-20 minutes.

Cycling Intervals

For cycling, consider the following interval session:

Warm-Up: 10-20 minutes of easy cycling.
High-Intensity Intervals: Alternate between 1 minute of hard effort and 2 minutes of low effort, repeating for 20-30 minutes. As you progress you cycling fitness, you lower the amount of rest and maintain the hard effort duraiton, or gradually increase that as well.
Cool Down: Finish with 10-20 minutes easy.

These interval workouts enhance your body’s ability to handle lactate build-up, ultimately improving race performance.

High angle view of cyclists on an outdoor road — Cycling partners can also push you

Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Training

One of the most overlooked elements in a triathlete's training plan is recovery. It's crucial not just to train hard but also to allow your body sufficient time to recover. Recovery should be an integral part of your training plan for several reasons:

Muscle Repair: After intense or longer workouts, muscles need time to repair and rebuild stronger.
Mental Health: Constant training can lead to burnout. Taking breaks helps maintain motivation and enthusiasm for the sport. The people around you will thank you for you taking recovery seriously.
Performance Gains: Adequate recovery enables you to perform at your best in subsequent workouts.

Consider incorporating a variety of recovery techniques, including foam rolling, stretching, and rest days into your training regimen. Each of these helps maintain flexibility and reduce muscle soreness.

Final Thoughts: Crafting Your Ultimate Triathlete Workout Plan

A successful triathlete workout relies on a balanced approach that incorporates endurance, strength, and recovery. A variety of workouts will enhance your performance in swimming, cycling, and running. Remember that consistency, patience, and listening to your body are key. As you work towards your next event, always remember to modify your plans according to your progress and energy levels. Coaching with MEND Training is here to take the guess work out of your training.