Strength: It's All in the Trunk

"Strength training is often an equalizer," says Tom Purvis, an Oklahoma City-based physical therapist and the biomechanics/resistance training specialist for the National Academy of Sports Medicine. "While strength work certainly shouldn't be the focus of long-distance event preparation, even the fittest heart and lungs aren't going to propel you through a race," he says. "You need a core muscle foundation." We asked Purvis to take a look at the foundations that the Balfs built: Tom's high-rep weight-room regimen and Todd's heavy-bag, home push-ups routine. "Truth is, there's nothing magic about either program," says Purvis. "It's not what kind of equipment you use--or don't use--it's what you do, and to reach what particular goal." Here are the goal-oriented strength regimens prescribed for Tom and Todd by Rob Sleamaker and Goody Petronelli, respectively--and Purvis's commentary on what will best propel the Balfs come race day.

TOM'S STRENGTH BASE-TRAINING WEEK
Days 1, 3, & 6

Two or three sets of 15-20 reps of each of the following:

• bent-knee sit-ups
• bench presses
• lat pull-downs
• triceps pull-downs
• biceps curls
• squats
• leg extensions
• hamstring curls
• lunges

PURVIS COMMENTS

• "If Tom gets through all of these exercises in 23 minutes, the workout will keep his heart rate up. However, he should be particularly careful not to rush from one machine to the other at the expense of form. Sloppy technique means less effective work and can sometimes lead to injury. So I'd tell Tom to slow down, try to completely forget the 23-minute plan, and really concentrate on lifting properly. For the same reason, he should be careful not to cut corners on his pre- and post-workout stretching."
• "The high reps here are good for building muscle stamina, but if Tom wants to get stronger, too, he should be adding a little more weight. Generally, five to eight reps is for strength building, eight to 12 for bulking up muscle mass, and 12 to 20 for endurance weight-training. I'd like to see Tom with enough weight on there to occasionally put him in the strength target zone instead of hovering in the endurance-building range."
• "I know Tom needs some bulk in his biceps to help pull himself uphill on his bike, but the big omission here is posterior trunk strengtheners. If he doesn't have the time to add them to his routine, he'd do better to drop the arm builders and replace them with some seated rows and back extensions, which will develop a foundation around which everything else will function better. Your extremities are only as strong as your trunk: What usually drives elite long-distance runners into retirement, for example, isn't that their legs give out, but that what their legs are attached to gives out, resulting in chronic back and hamstring problems. For the same reason, on days when Tom's pressed for time and has to skimp, it's not the trunk work that should go."

30 minutes of calisthenics, consisting of three to five sets of the following:

• 25 sit-ups
• 15 push-ups
• 15 leg lifts
• 25 crunches

• Three rounds--each three minutes followed by one minute of rest--of jumping rope
• Three to four similar rounds at the heavy bag
• One or two rounds of sit-ups (or three sets of eight pull-ups and four sets of 15 push-ups)
• Five minutes of stretching

• "Every time Todd hit that heavy bag, he rotated his torso, the same motion that accompanies every running stride. It works the erector spinae and oblique muscles and teaches balance."
• "By forgoing weights and relying on his own body weight and gravity--two constants--for resistance, Todd will eventually reach a plateau with his strength workouts. He can add reps to increase endurance, but he just won't get stronger without being able to add weight."
• "Todd's doing his muscles a big favor by working in three-to-one rounds: The one-minute rests not only allow him to go longer, extending the total amount of work time, but also let him keep at it without dropping in intensity."
• "Jumping rope the way boxers do--with feet barely coming off the floor--might strengthen Todd's calves and work his wrist and forearm muscles, but these aren't the most important strengths for a duathlon. However, rope-jumping is a legitimate cardiovascular break from riding and running. But it still doesn't belong in a strength regimen."

Copyright 1995, Outside magazine