Triathlon Training Camp

I have traveled from Delray Beach, FL to West Chester, PA for a summer triathlon training camp. Additionally, in PA, I will be visiting my parents. The trip will last at least a few weeks. During this time, I have decided to shake up the training. I have put together a dramatically different training program for the summer.

There will be no long winded discussion of the rational behind the training. This article is just a snapshot of the new program.

The new training program will build off this strong endurance base. Here's what it looks like:

Sunday: Grass Run. A local school has a campus with many athletic fields, and a loop around the fields takes about 25 minutes. I do a quick warmup and cool down, and two loops around the field.

Monday: Lift and about 2500m swim. I will explain the lifting program in just a minute.

Tuesday: Morning: Hill run. I will do about 10 hard hill repeats on a local hill. I am looking to build some running strength that I've been missing in those florida flatlands.
Afternoon: Riding with the Biker Chicks. I'll typically ride about 30 miles beforehand, then hook up with the chicks for around 20.

Wednesday: Morning: Lift and about 2500m swim. I will explain the lifting program in just a minute.
Afternoon: Trail Run. This is REALLY a trail run, with curvy, rock covered, hilly tracks through the woods.

Thursday: Riding with the Biker Chicks. I'll typically ride about 30 miles beforehand, then hook up with the chicks for around 20.

Friday: Lift and about 2500m swim. I will explain the lifting program in just a minute.

Saturday: Long Ride. Typically I'll ride about 50 miles, then hook up with the chicks for another 40ish.

Before I describe the specifics of the lifting, let me give you an outline:
Monday and Friday will be a Big Lift day (squats and deadlifts, respectively). Wednesday will be a single leg day (with exercises such as lunges, King Deadlifts, etc.). Monday and Friday will have four parts: 1) Warmup 2) Barbell Complexes 3) Big Lifts 4) Leg Matrix. Wednesday will have: 1) Warmup 2) Barbell Complexes 3) Single Leg Work 4) Leg Matrix

Here's the specifics:

1. I'll start with the warmup and butt training I have previously described in the AssMan article.

2. 15 minutes of barbell complex work. I'll alternate between one of the following four complexes:
Complex A

Bent Over Barbell Row

Hang Clean

Front Squat + Push Press Hybrid

Jump Squat (bar on back)

Good Morning

Complex B

Romanian Deadlift

Hang Clean + Front Squat + Push Press (combo lift — perform one rep of each in series)

Reverse Lunge (alternate legs)

Complex C

Deadlift

High Pull (onto toes)

Squat Clean (clean the bar from the hang and then drop into a full squat on the catch)

Military Press (strict)

Jump Lunges (switch legs) — Insert my evil laugh here!

Complex D

Jump Squat

Squat

Squat and hold for 10s

Military Press

Push Press

Squat and Press (combo lift — perform one rep of each in series)

Note: Try to work all exercises at a speed of 1-2 reps per second.

The complexes will progress as follows:

Week One: 4 sets of 5 reps of each — 90s rest

Week Two: 5 sets of 5 reps of each — 75s rest

Week Three: 5 sets of 6 reps of each — 60s rest

Week Four: 6 sets of 6 reps of each — 45s rest. Then puke.

Complexes are courtesy of Alwyn Cosgrove.

3. Monday and Wednesday:

8 sets of 3 with either Squats on Monday or Deadlifts on Friday. Use a load so that the third reps is taken to failure on the last few sets. Each set is a super set with one of the following eight exercises:

1. Eccentric Vaslide Hamstring Curl

2. Mule Kicks

3. RDL

4. Cable Pull Through

5. Spread Eagle

6. Wood Chopper

7. Calf Raise

8. Medicine Ball situp

Just to clarify, you do a set of squats, then jump right into a set of Vaslide Hamstring Curls, then rest 90s, then continue to a second superset.

Wednesday:
Single Leg Training:
Only Four exercises here, with each done in a straight 3x8 fashion.
1. Single Leg Deadlift with two dumbells
2. Single Leg RDL with two dumbells.
3. Lunges with two dumbells.
4. King Deadlift

4. Leg Matrix:

24 bodyweight squats
12 lunges each leg
12 lunge jumps each leg
24 jump squats

This is again courtesy of Alwyn Cosgrove. The goal here is to complete the circuit in less time.

That's the program.