Bike Strength Intervals

Trainer Bike

• 50:00 total
• 3 x 6:00 strength intervals (5:00 rest between)

Pull-ups Day 5

• Wide Grip Pullups = 1, rest 10 seconds
• Wide Grip Pullups = 2, rest 10 seconds
• Wide Grip Pullups = 3, rest 10 seconds
• Wide Grip Pullups = 4, rest 10 seconds
• Wide Grip Pullups = 5, rest 10 seconds
• Wide Grip Pullups = 3, rest 10 seconds
  

Leg Strength Plus

Today's Workout

Lift (Legs)

• Squats = 235LB x 12reps, 285 x 3reps
• Front Squats = 120LB x 12reps
• Dead Lift = 70LB (each hand) x 15reps
• 1 legged Calve Ext = body wt x 15

Pull-up Program Day 1: http://trizack.blogspot.com/2009/01/pull-up-program.html

• Wide Grip Pull-ups(5 sets-90sec rest between) = 13,8,6,5,5
• Chin-Ups = 13
• Dips = 26 (instead of pushups)

Cardio

• Burpees = 25
• Run = 28:00 (3.4M)

Leg Strength

I had to run on the treadmill today. I am dreaming of summer though. I thought a nice outdoor picture would be fitting.

Lift

• Squats= 230LB x 12reps, 275 x 4 reps


• Front Squats= 115LB x 12reps


• Dumbell Dead Lifts= 65LB(each hand) x 15reps


• Hamstring Curls= 100LB x 12reps


• One Legged Calf Extensions= body wt x 13reps

Run (treadmill hills)

• 40:00 total time


• 6 x 2:00 @ 7.5% gr & 8:34 pace w/2:00 rest between


• 4.5M total distance

Leg Strength

Run

• 28:00
• 3.33 miles

Lift

• Squats= 225 x 12reps, 275 x 3 reps
• Front Squats= 110 x 12reps
• Dumbell Dead Lifts= 61(each hand) x 15reps
• Swiss Ball Hamstring Curls= body wt x 25reps
• One Legged Calf Extensions= body wt x 14reps
• Crunches = x 15

Importance of Power to Weight Ratio Training

1 aspect of training as I prepare for Ironman Wisconsin 2009 is improving my power to weight ratio. During Lance Armstrong's run to 7 straight TDF championships, one of the main things that set him apart from his main rivals was his superior power to weight ratio on steep mountain climbs. In other words, his relationship between his maximum sustainable pedaling power output and his body weight was greater than his competitors. That gave him a number of advantages, one being the ability to pull away when gradients of hills increased(http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=6121). What can I learn from Lance? How can I increase my own power to weight ratio? The first and easiest way is to lower my body weight. Specifically, I need to be about 167 LBS while retaining all of my leg strength and power by next September. I currently weigh about 178. The other way to improve my ratio is to increase my maximum sustainable pedaling power. This can be acomplished by strength intervals (at varied cadences) while pushing larger gears on my Bike Trainer. Also something I will be doing to increase overall leg strength is lower body strength training. The idea in my mind is to have a combination Schwarzenegger type leg strength while being disgustingly lean. This would make for a nasty combination to combat the hills of Ironman Wisconsin.

To take a step back for a second, I do realize that leg strength alone is useless in an Ironman type of endurance event without the ability to push the pedals for a very long time (IE. endurance). But when combining a very strong power to weight ratio with superior endurance, those are ingredients for a very strong Ironman bike leg. This type of training is inspired by Iowa Wrestling Coach Tom Brands. I want to produce the very best product to race the Ironman in September. In order to do this, I must leave no stone unturned. Tom Brands once described the ideal training peak and mindset for his wrestlers as "Bulletproof". That is the idea I have in mind for my training and condition this September.





With the Idea of power to weight ratio in my head, here was my workout for today:


Lift

• Squats= 220 x 12reps
• Front Squats= 105 x 12reps
• Dumbell Dead Lifts= 56(each hand) x 15reps
• Swiss Ball Hamstring Curls= body wt x 25reps
• One Legged Calf Extensions= body wt x 12reps

Bike Trainer

• 1:30:00
• 100 RPM