Is your core strong enough for the Triathlon?
Want a competitive edge? Start with a strong core. This does not take a long time to build (15 mins 3-5 days per week) - however, it’s one of the most overlooked components of triathlon training. Your core muscles are the focal point for all of the 3 main elements of the triathlon; swimming, cycling and running:
- Swim: Helps you maintain your body position in the water while you work your arms and legs together.
- Bike: More power to the pedals - it’s not just about the legs.
- Run: Keeps your posture aligned, to prevent back pain, maintain your balance, and improve your speed.
These “core muscles” are more than just your abdominal muscles: Think about what you feel when you’re cycling up steep hills on your bike - that’s the core. Your core is all those small muscles running along your spine, and the small muscles that connect to your hips, groin - giving your base the power to fully work your arms and legs from a balanced base. When our core is solid, you create a solid base to generate powerful
movements.
To build a strong core for triathlon training, you’ll need to do some xercises that work all of these muscles - not just your abdominals. Here’s a Triathlon Core Strength Routine that takes only 15 minutes. These exercises work the developing agonist (prime movers) and antagonist muscles.
You can do 12 to 15 reps of each exercise 3 to 5 times per week. Gradually add more reps as they become easier:
- Flat Back Crunches: With your legs bent, lying on the floor, flatten your entire back along the floor by pulling your belly button in toward your spine. You should be able to breathe evenly. This move works your transverse abdominus.
- Front Leg Raise: Lying with back flat on the floor, raise one leg at a time to a 45-degree angle in front of you. Keep your foot flexed. Switch legs.
- Side Leg Raise: Lying on your side, raise your top leg as high as you can, keeping your body straight. Try not to roll back.
- Superman Back Extensions: Lying on your belly, keep head straight and raise opposite arm and leg. Return the arm and leg to the floor, and then switch and raise the other arm and leg. Then raise both arms and legs together.
- Hip to Shoulder Shrugs: Lying with back flat on the floor, pull your hip up to your shoulder, while at the same time shrugging your shoulder to that hip.
- The Virtual Crawl: Get on your hands and knees. Extend first your right arm, and then your left leg out from your body. Hold for a few seconds, and then repeat the other arm and leg. Keep your back straight and don’t let your stomach sag.
There are other ways to build your core in triathlon training. Medicine balls, wobble boards and stability balls can help. Yoga and Pilates help you build your core, and build flexibility.
Going to be doing my first Tri in about 90 days or so… never thought of the core as a needed group, these exercises will now be part of my daily pre-workout.
Hey Dave,
I googled core training for triathletes and your site came up. Hope all is going well. We all need to get together soon and look at photos.
Take care,
Geri