Time crunch: strength training in triathletes

Olympiapark Triathlon Course, Munich, Germany - France’s Leo Bergere in action before he crosses the finish line to win the Men’s Triathlon Elite Final REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Triathlon has been an Olympic sport since 2000 and has been growing rapidly among recreational and elite athletes⁽¹⁾. Triathlons require athletes to dedicate time to training each discipline: swimming, cycling, and running. Training for three sports, many lack time to fit in strength training or feel extra endurance training would be more beneficial. Furthermore, there is very limited research on triathletes. Still, practitioners and athletes can analyze the research on the effects of strength training and injury reduction in the three specific sports.  

Strength training comprises explosive and heavy-weight training. Strength training improves movement economy, anaerobic capacity, and maximal speed. It also delays fatigue and, most importantly, prevents injury in endurance athletes⁽²⁾. However, despite these findings, only 54.6% of triathletes included some form of strength training in their normal training regime. They report barriers such as time restraints and a lack of knowledge on exercise selection, progressions, and proper technique⁽⁴⁾. Triathletes and coaches often complete “strength-endurance” workouts such as swimming with paddles, cycling in a big gear (low-cadence), or hill repeats to build strength. However, this does not conform with the definition of strength training and does not provide the same benefits as heavy weightlifting⁽⁴⁾. This practice is concerning as strength training is the most effective form of injury prevention and results in performance benefits for the athletes.

The prevalence of overuse injuries in triathletes is 56%, and substantial overuse injuries of 20%. The most common site of injury is the knee (25%), followed by the lower limb and lower back (23%)⁽¹⁾. Another study found that the most common site of injury is the knee (44%), calf (20%), hamstring (20%), and lower back (20%), with most injuries sustained while running (60%)⁽¹⁾. Due to the high demands of triathlon, science and research play an integral role in how athletes plan their training demands to maximize performance gains while minimizing chances of injury.

Researchers at the Institute of Sports Medicine Copenhagen in Denmark conducted a systematic review with 26 610 participants to determine if exercises can reduce sports injuries. The researchers found that sports injuries were reduced to less than one-third and overuse injuries more than halved. Stretching was found not to affect injury prevention⁽⁵⁾. Furthermore, strength training to prevent ACL injuries in runners should start within the off-season, run for at least six weeks, and then continue during the competitive season at a less frequent rate of one to two times a week⁽³⁾. There is clear evidence of the beneficial impact of strength training on performance and injury prevention. As a lack of knowledge on exercise selection remains a barrier to entry, triathletes and coaches can refer to evidence-based guidelines to ensure an optimal prescription (see table 1).