All-around body strengthening and conditioning, in short, will make the athlete stronger from head to toe to push bigger gears and to apply more power in your swim stroke.
The goal is to get stronger while your swim, bike and run training schedule is relatively light and you can afford to hit the weights hard a couple times each week.
The optimal number of times you should weight train is dependant on the time of year, how close you are to your A race, and which training cycle you are in.
A correct strength training program increases strength in the muscles, joints, and connective tissues. This should lead to greater stability and fewer injuries.
Today, exercise physiologists are intently researching the best ways to build muscles — without steroids, that is! This article touches upon the science of eating to build muscles.
I don't really strength train (because I never have and don't really know much about it) and feel like my lack of upper body strength is the reason why I'm not getting faster.
A strong core will allow you to keep optimal body alignment for whatever you’re doing (swim, bike or run), and this in turn will reduce your fatigue in the long run.
