How Often Triathletes Should Strength Train
Finding the Right Strength Training Balance:
For Boston triathletes, balancing strength work with swim, bike, and run training can be tricky. Train too little, and you won’t see improvements. Train too much, and fatigue can interfere with endurance sessions. So how often should a triathlete really strength train? The answer depends on many factors, including your age, training phase and race schedule. For as to why strength training is so important, see this blog post.
How Strength Training Frequency Changes with the Season:
A triathlete’s strength training plan should shift throughout the year:
Off-Season (Base Phase): 2-3 sessions/week, focusing on heavy strength work (4-6 reps per set) and building maximum strength.
Pre-Season (Build Phase): 2 sessions/week, emphasizing power-focused exercises like kettlebell swings and plyometrics.
Race Season (Peak Phase): 1-2 sessions/week, shifting to shorter sessions, and mobility work to maintain strength without excessive fatigue.
A 2019 study in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports found that endurance athletes who strength trained twice per week maintained performance improvements for an entire season, while those who dropped to once per week still saw benefits, but at a reduced level (Storen et al., 2019).
Strength Training in Race Prep
As you approach the final two weeks before your race, it's important to adjust your strength training to align with your taper. Some may benefit from shifting away from weighted exercises to bodyweight or band-based movements, whilst others may taper best under heavy loads for very little reps. Either way, maintaining neural activation is key.
5 Guidelines you can follow during your taper:
Stick to What You Know: Avoid introducing new exercises.
Prioritize Mobility: Keep joints and muscles moving freely.
Control Your Intensity: Maintain effort without overexertion.
Fuel Properly: Support recovery and performance with smart nutrition.
Keep It Simple: Reduce complexity to stay fresh for race day.
Why Boston Triathletes Shouldn’t Skip Strength Work:
One of the biggest mistakes endurance athletes make is abandoning strength training as race season approaches. While volume should decrease, completely eliminating strength work increases injury risk and can lead to performance regression. Even one session per week is enough to maintain gains, particularly if you’ve laid the foundation with consistent strength work in the offseason! See here for the best strength exercises triathletes should be doing.
Focus on Quality Work:
For Boston endurance athletes, strength training is about quality over quantity. By adjusting frequency based on your race calendar, you can maximize performance gains while avoiding unnecessary fatigue. Whether you’re training for an Ironman, 70.3, or local sprint triathlon, strategic strength training can make the difference between just finishing and excelling.
Curious about how to periodize your strength program? Book a free 15-minute discovery call to learn more!
