1. Strength Training with College Triathletes for USA
Triathlon National Championships
Michael J. Litzenberg ACSM CPT, Levi Kane ACSM CPT, John Edward Coumbe-Lilley PhD, CC-AASP, CSCS, CWWS, CWWMP
Figure 1. Comparison of Strength Pre-
and Post- Training
Figures 2. and 3.Speed and Power
Measures
Figure 4. Muscular Endurance Pre-
and Post- Training
Triathlon Parameters
National Championships
Works Cited
105
85
165
65
130
115
95
165
75
140
150
105
150
65
90
185
125
185
115
145
0
50
100
150
200
Subject 1 Subject 2 Subject 3 Subject 4 Subject 5
Weight(lbs.)
Press Pre Press Post Squat Pre Squat Post
0:00
1:12
2:24
3:36
4:48
6:00
7:12
8:24
9:36
10:48
12:00
Subject 1 Subject 2 Subject 3 Subject 4 Subject 5
Time
Figure 2. Comparison of Speed Pre- and Post
Training
Speed Pre Speed Post
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Subject 1 Subject 2 Subject 3 Subject 4 Subject 5
Height(inches)
Figure 3. Comparison of Power Pre- and Post-
Training
Vertical Jump Pre Vertical Jump Post
0
5
10
15
20
25
Subject 1 Subject 2 Subject 3 Subject 4 Subject 5
Repetitions/3mins
Pre Post
Type Swim Cycle Run
Sprint 750 m 20 km 5 km
Olympic 1.5 km 40 km 10 km
Half
Ironman
1.93 km 90 km 21.09 km
Full Ironman 3.86 km 180 km 42.2 km
A Triathlon is a multiple-stage competition that involves the completion
of three continuous and sequential endurance disciplines. Most
commonly a triathlon consists of swimming, cycling, and running.
Popularity of triathlon competition gained world-wide acceptance with
its introduction to the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Five members of the UIC Cycling and Triathlon Club have qualified to
compete in the 2015 USA Triathlon National Championships, Collegiate
Club. Held in Clemson, South Carolina.
Introduction: Since its international debut at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, the
growth in triathlon has reached an all-time high. In 2013 USA Triathlon reported a 5.5%
increase in membership, from 165,698 to 174,787 marking the third highest growth
percentage in the last five years (www.usatriathlon.org.) Triathlons consist of three
consecutive sport disciplines, swimming, cycling and running. Triathletes must be in peak
physical shape in order perform well in these events. Strength training provides the
foundation for power and endurance for a triathlete’s periodized training program.
Objective: The purpose of this project was 1) to implement a strength training program to
prepare college triathletes for the 2015 national collegiate triathlon championships at the
Olympic distance (1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run) and 2) test learning gained in the
Kinesiology major in a live setting.
Design: Supervised, group instructed sessions conducted over 8 weeks, 1 time per week
for 90 minutes.
Setting: The project was completed in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition,
conducted in the department’s strength and conditioning room. Training took place,
Wednesday night from 5:30pm-7:00pm.
Participants: The characteristics of the subjects was (N=5) healthy adult members of UIC’s
Cycling and Triathlon Club participated in an 8 week, single session sport specific
periodized program. Members were aged 19-26 years; 3 males and 2 females. 4 of the 5
competed in triathlon. Training was supplemented by undocumented swim and run clinics
led by students and coaches.
Interventions: Using high intensity evidence based training modalities including the
following methods: Tabata, power lifting, core strengthening and development and lower leg
resistance training.
Outcome measures: Data was collected using repeated measures evaluating upper body
strength by one repetition maximum (1RM) bench-press and lower limb strength by 1RM
back squat, using ACSM protocol (Williams and Wilkins 2013). Lower limb power was
assessed using Vertical Jump Test, NSCA guidelines (Brown, 2007). A timed (3min.) field
based test of muscle endurance using a weighted back squat. Members completed a
1.5mile run too. Specific measures were taken in the final 3 weeks of the program from
squat and bench press activities.
Results: Using the non-parametric Sight test, results showed improvements in 1-RM bench
press with an average of 8 lbs.SD ±4 lbs., 1-RM back squat with an average increase of 39
lbs. SD ± 12.41 lbs.; increased repetitions of muscle endurance weighted back squat field
test of an average of 2 repetitions, SD ± 2.9 repetitions. Four subjects completed vertical
jump test with an average of -0.25 inches SD ± 0.83 inches. Four subjects participated in
the 1.5 mile run time of an average increase in time of 0.73 sec. SD ± 0.57sec.
Conclusions: The impact of this study included, but was not limited to 1) improvements in
athletic performance suggested by the case findings (see Figures 1 and 4), 2) providing a
service to a campus group provides a benefit to both parties, 3) establishing campus
partnerships, 4) small groups helped supervision, instruction and testing, 5) communicating
effectively in athlete-coach interactions supported by smaller group size, 6) demonstrating
sport specific training competence and 7) improvising implementation when group
members did not attend training.
The authors achieved their objectives for the course requirement and the training
experience was valuable. The limits of this project included a small sample size for
evaluation; inconsistent athlete attendance; duration of study; definition of a training status
survey may have hidden predictable improvement of untrained triathletes and injuries
sustained to participants outside of the training session leading to drop out.
The Club in Action
American College of Sports Medicine (Ed.). (2013). ACSM's health-related physical fitness
assessment manual. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Brown, L. E. (2007). Strength Training: National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
NSCA-National, S. &. C. A., & Reuter, B. (Eds.). (2012). Developing Endurance. Champaign, IL,
USA: Human Kinetics. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com
Emberts, T., Porcari, J., Dobers-Tein, S., Steffen, J., & Foster, C. (2013). Exercise intensity and
energy expenditure of a tabata workout. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 12(3), 612-
613.
Nande, P. J., & Vali, S. A. (2010). Fitness Evaluation Tests for Competitive Sports. Mumbai,
IND: Himalaya Publishing House. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com
USA Triathlon. (2015). Retrieved Friday March 13 from http://www.usatriathlon.org
Club members prepare for
competition by strength
training in the Department of
Kinesiology and Nutrition’s
strength and conditioning
room.
UIC Triathlon and Cycling
Club Vice President Diego
and Assistant Coach Levi in
the midst of competition.