Lose your Love Handles

When developing an effective off-season training program one must look at the functional demands and primary movement patterns of the sport or activity they are training for. As many of you multi-sport veterans can attest, Triathlons are truly demanding. To maintain swim technique, tuck position on the bike, and gait over a prolonged period of time is no easy task.



A common problem faced by many Triathletes nowadays is the training programs don’t match the demands of the sport. One of the reasons involved is the negative effects of two dimensional training paradigm made popular by traditional training techniques. Popularized by bodybuilding, “traditional training” involves single plane movement, in two-dimensional space with specific focus on isolated movements for muscle size and strength. The question is, Will this type of training improve your Run, Bike and Swim? The answer is a big, NO! What this method of training will lead to for many, without proper guidance or reason is muscle imbalance, dysfunction, injury, and poor performance. Ultimately there is little to no functional carryover when working in single planes of motion, supported by machines in a controlled environment, we are three-dimensional beings, (1) it is time to move like nature intended.



So to meet the functional demands of the Run, Bike, & Swim we need to train accordingly, and here are three exercises Fitness Expert Ryan Shanahan has taught me , that will give you the best bang for your buck: The Hip Shrug, The Matrix Twist, and the DaVinci AB Wheel.



The Hip Shrug on One Leg



A great exercise for developing strength in the lateral core muscles, as well as the stabilizers at the knee and ankle. The primary objective is to contract the External and Internal Oblique in a side flexion motion, while maintaining a neutral spine on one foot. This Exercise strengthens the largest muscle in the core (External Obliques) as well developing one of the key stabilizers of the low back (Internal Obliques) . Each of these muscles plays a primary role in trunk rotation which is key in the water as well as on the run.



The Matrix Twist



One of my favorite exercises, this again utilizes the lateral core muscles (Internal & External Obliques) but in the Transverse Plane (rotational movement). This is one of the best exercises for developing rotational strength, which is needed to produce those personal bests in the water and on the road.



The DaVinci Ab Wheel



This exercise develops strength in the lateral core muscles, as well as the stabilizers in the knee and ankle by shifting the weight from one leg to another, much like you do when you are in the middle of a run. Unlike the other two exercises, The DaVinci Ab Wheel focuses on Frontal Plane strength and stability, which tends to be a weakness in most triathletes because of all the Sagittal & Transverse Plane strength from the Run, Bike & Swim. These three exercises will dramatically increase your performance, not to mention sculpt some great and USEFUL abs! Go Fast !



This article was contributed by : Ryan Shanahan Official Fitness Expert for Swyft www.energyflow.tv

Dax Wilcox, Member of The Energy Flow Research & Education Association www.daxwilcox.com