Proactive Strategies when Pain Happens

Many people experience pain.  Whether it’s from bad postural habits, prolonged sitting, overuse, disuse, poor movement, or a previous injury, pain symptoms can halt your progress in a fitness program.  As a fitness professional, it is out of my realm to diagnosis injury.  Let’s leave that up to a medical professional like a physical therapist or an orthopedic doctor.  But it is within my scope of practice to assist people manage specific pain sites.  In a perfect world, no one would get hurt and experience pain but when you push your body physically and athletically, things happen.  When pain arises, I believe taking a proactive approach to managing the situation.    

What do you do when red flags are brought to your attention?  Red flags can be slight discomfort, inflammation, a burning sensation, affected walking or running gait, sharp pain, or dull and achy pain.  Pay attention to these red flags because completely ignoring them will put you down a path to a serious injury that takes you out and stops your efforts of progressing forward.

Strategy #1: Once this “red flag” is introduced, first stop the activity that caused the trauma.  If running initiated the issue, stop running.  If throwing a baseball was the initial movement, don’t throw a baseball.  This is an important first step.  Many people “work through pain”.  They change their mechanics based on their discomfort so they can continue their activity.  This is called compensation and will affect other areas of the body.   Be disciplined when pain first arises.  Quickly managing the issue in the beginning stages can get you back to full potential with minimal time off.  

 

Strategy #2: Be a detective.  Start by answering a few questions. 

When did the pain first surface?  (Knowing the first occurrence is important to managing pain.  If you say, “well it’s been about 3 months”, you have waited too long and now the pain has probably turned into an injury that affects your day-to-day activity.  Always pay attention to your body and how it feels.)

Did I have a previous injury that could be related?  (Previous injury can predict a new injury.  If you have had shoulder problems in the past, elbow pain can occur later in your life.)

What has my training program been like the past few weeks?  (Are you randomly training without attention to proper progressions and overload?  If you are not building in a smart manner, pain can quickly show up due to overuse.)

Strategy #3: If it hurts, don’t do it.  Plain and simple right?  But many people skip this concept.  If you continue to work through pain, worse things will happen.  Take shin splints for example.  If you continue to run through this issue, eventually a stress fracture will happen.  Then you are in a walking boot, debilitated and out of action.  Be smart and disciplined to stop if needed.  Read this article by Mike Boyle about this strategy: http://www.strengthcoach.com/public/1602.cfm.  

Strategy #4: Be proactive.  Again, don’t do the activity that is causing the pain.  But complete rest is not necessarily the answer either.  Our body is meant to move - blood flow is a good thing. Finding movements that can still strengthen the body without any pain is a remedy that can decrease your pain site and improve function and durability at the same time.  You will maintain fitness this way.  Example: If your knees hurt, you need to foam roll your quadriceps, IT band, hamstrings, calves and glutes.  You also need to strengthen your hips and the muscles of the glutes.  You can decrease inflammation by icing the affected areas.  Taking anti-inflammatory medications and complete rest might work in the short term but you didn’t handle the root of the problem, you just took away the symptom.  The pain will resurface.

Become an Optimistic Thinker

I am a big believer that when you create a positive outlook on life and yourself, you produce the ability to accomplish almost anything you desire to achieve.  This concept of optimistic thinking takes consistent mental conditioning.  Our brain is a powerful muscle and building a strong belief system in our daily life and ourselves is possible.  But just like we need weight training to build stronger muscles in the body, we need mind conditioning to build a strong and positive brain.  Below are strategies to work on daily to create optimism in your life. 

1.     Start your day with something positive.  The best thing you can do when you first wake up is to fill your brain with positivity.  In the morning, our mind is fresh and ready to take on the day.  The worse thing you can do is watch or read about everything negative happening in our world.  This is a mistake many people make.  I encourage you to find an inspirational story or video that will set you up for a successful day.  Filling your mind with optimism is the first step of reprogramming this thought process.  (try the video below)

2.     Be aware of your thoughts.  “Change your thoughts and you change your world”.  When I work with people on their nutritional habits, the first thing I have them do is write down all of their food.  This is such a critical component as it creates awareness for the individual of what and how much is going into their body.  It’s the same thing with our thoughts.  We must first be aware before we can make a change.  What is the first thought when you hit that alarm in the morning?  Is it, “Ugh, I just want to go back to sleep?”  Or  “Let’s take charge and create success today.”  What is the thought when you look in the mirror?  Is it, “I’m fat, I hate the way my body looks.” Or  “I am proud of the way my body looks.  I am working hard with my fitness and nutrition routine and I will continue to push myself.”  Get that thought in the head and quickly change it if it is a negative one.  You will see the benefit it will have on your day-to-day life.  

3.     Eat healthy and workout.  Your body and mind work together.  Optimizing the significance of each day runs parallel with taking care of your body.  That is why eating high quality foods and daily exercise are a must.  When you feel good physically you will feel even better mentally.  You will be more apt to battle through tough times and hard days when you are physically strong and resilient.  

4.     Surround yourself with optimism.  You have to take a close look at everything in your life.  Who do you surround yourself with?  What music do you listen to?  What type of TV shows do you watch?  What do you put into your body?  Trying your best to eliminate negativity will set you up to be successful.  This is easier said than done because of the society we live in.  Turn on the television right now and crime is happening, people are arguing over politics, TV shows are vulgar and offensive and it’s everywhere. This negativity can destroy any seed of hope that we may otherwise have in striving for our goals.  Do your best to put yourself in a position of consistent optimism.  Your mental state will become toxic if negativity is always in your life.  Exchanging negative thoughts and actions to positive ones will get you from being uninspired and de-motivated, to feeling uplifted and driven to greater self growth.  

Nutrition Principles to Live By

Nutrition seems to be the #1 reason people do not get their desired results in their fitness program.  Healthy nutrition does not mean, “dieting”.  And healthy nutrition does not mean you have to eat steamed broccoli with chicken everyday.  Healthy nutrition is about consistently following these ten nutrition principles to get your results. 

FYI, the definition of "principle" is: A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.  With that said, principles are not written in stone and do not have to be followed perfectly.  That is not the idea.  Principles are behaviors that are performed consistently to get a specific result.  When you instill healthy principles in your life, you will be a healthier person.  Pretty basic right?  But yet, it's something that our society has an issue with as 68% of America is overweight or obese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).  

 
Improving with the below principles will escalate your results in your fitness program. 

Principle #1: Eat vegetables and fruits.  These foods should be our main carbohydrates.  Carbohydrates will give us energy and brain function to have high-level days.  We need these quality “carbs” for improved performance.  Vegetables and fruits are nutrient and fiber dense and supply the body vitamins and nutrients so we can have energy, health and vitality.  A diet rich in fiber promotes heart health, normal bowel function and helps the body absorb nutrients and fluids from the foods we eat.  You can basically eat high quantities of vegetables.  In my opinion, the more the better.  

Principle #2: Eat lean, low fat proteins.  Eggs, chicken, turkey, lean red meat and fish can be options.  Lean proteins help us build lean muscle.  When we build lean muscle we increase our metabolism.  When we increase our metabolism we burn more calories throughout the day.  Whether you are looking for fat loss or muscle gain, eating adequate amounts of protein is critical for desired results.  For weight loss, aim for a minimum of 1/2 - 3/4 of your weight in grams of protein (example: 130 pound female looking for fat loss should eat 65-97 grams of protein each day) .  If you are looking for muscle growth, aim for ¾-1 gram of your weight in grams of protein (example: 200 pound male looking for muscle growth should eat 150-200 grams of protein each day).  

Principle #3: Limit the processed foods.  The majority of our food should be fresh choices.  After you have gone grocery shopping you should be stocking most of the food you bought in the fridge not your cupboards.  Processed foods have limited nutrients and should be consumed sparingly throughout the week.  Shop the perimeter of the grocery store as the majority of healthier foods lie there.  When looking at your food intake, processed foods should be 10-15% of your consumption.  Stick to this principle and not only will your results go in the right direction but your energy will increase, you will get less stomach issues, you will be forced to eat higher quality foods and performance will improve.  

Principle #4: Drink your water.  This principle needs to become a habit.  Don’t leave home without a water bottle.  When that water bottle is by your side you are more likely to drink so take it everywhere you go.  Substitutes like Crystal Light and Lipton Iced Tea do not count as water intake.  Do your best to stay away from liquid drinks with simple sugars and/or artificial sweetners.  To add flavor to your water, add some strawberries slices, a handful of blueberries or some cucumber.  

Principle #5: Food log.  Being aware of the food that goes into your mouth is very important.  When you know you can modify accordingly.  You do not need to food log all year long.  Whenever you have hit a plateau or are looking to jump start your results, food logging for 2-4 weeks can get you dialed in and refocused.  Pay attention to the big picture, not just one meal.  Look for consistency not perfection.  Find your calorie needs and do your best to hit the number. Things to look for when food logging: your processed food intake (is it too high; go back to the 10-15% rule discussed above), servings of vegetables and fruits (aim for 5-7 servings), your protein intake (look at Principle #2) and the consistency of your calorie intake throughout the week (you do not want big jumps from day to day; try your best to be consistent in your calorie consumption each day).  For an easy to use food logging resource, check out www.myfitnesspal.com.  They also have a phone app that is simple to use during the day.  

 

Principle #6: You need your healthy fats.  Many people think eating "fats" will make them fat but that is not the case.  Olive and coconut oils, raw nuts, almond or natural peanut butter, avocados, and fish can be great options.  Good fats, like omega 3 fatty acids can protect against memory loss, reduce the risk of heart disease, ease arthritis, joint pain and inflammation and can support a healthy pregnancy.  Having a serving of healthy fat post workout will assist the recovery process after tough training sessions.  Aim for 3-5 servings of healthy fats each day to support a heart healthy plan.  

 

Principle #7: Plan.  Get to the grocery store, plan a few dinners ahead of time, cut up your vegetables on Sunday night, and cook up some chicken breasts at the beginning of the week.  These planning strategies will set you up to be successful during the week.  If you do not have a plan, you end up running around without direction and this leads to poor food choices.  Most people that are successful, whether in their fitness programs, running a business or managing a professional sports team plan!  They set up success steps for them to achieve the desired goal.  The more organized you are and the better time management you have, the more successful you will be.  

Principle #8: Drop the empty calories.  Now when I mean "drop", please do not take it literally and assume you can never have any of these foods to get results.  But it is crucial to consume these foods very sparingly in order to see a change in your physicality.  Alcohol, cakes, pastries, candy and sodas are examples of empty calories.  These foods supply minimal nutrients to the body but are loaded with calories. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a few beers during the week (because let's face there's nothing like a cold beer at the end of the day) but the majority of my calorie intake will be nutrient dense and quality foods.  Pay attention to the big picture.  

 

Principle #9: Train to eat.  You have a party planned on Friday night.  You know there will be high calorie foods and drinks consumed.  The idea is to make sure you are in the gym, not skipping workouts the entire week.  Do a few extra minutes of cardio and hit a few extra repetitions in the gym.  Then enjoy yourself.  One day of poor eating will not hurt you.  The idea is to get right back on it the next day with a good workout and healthy eating habits.  

  

Principle #10: You are not looking for perfection.  Improvement is what we are after.  If you try to be perfect, you will fail and you will end up frustrated.  This is not what healthy living should be about.  If you are looking for results, then you need to get focused and do your best to eat nutritious foods and be consistent. 

"Inspire" Someone Today

What a week...

One week ago, I got the call no father wants to get.  I was in the middle of a training session and my wife's (Stephanie) doctor was on the phone.  Stephanie was going in for her normal check up to see how our baby was doing.  She was 35 weeks pregnant and the excitement of a new child entering this world was dynamic.  We were so close, 18 days to the due date to be exact.  The doctor's subdued and serious voice made it clear that something was wrong.  Honestly, I am not sure the exact words he said.  I just remember, "lost heart rate and died".  I guess you can say that I went into somewhat of a shock.  I quickly left work and drove to the doctor's office.  Many thoughts were running in my head, "What happened?"  "Why?"  "Is this for sure?"  "Did I hear the Dr. correctly?"  But the biggest thought was, "How is Stephanie?"  She was devastated.  I was devastated.  We lost our child.  We sat in the office crying and holding each other as we tried to contemplate everything that just happened. 

We still had to give birth and the Dr. advised a "normal" labor and that we do it that afternoon.  But nothing would be normal about this labor.  During the 22 hour hospital stay, there were pockets of time where it felt as if it was a normal labor but that thought would quickly go away knowing we would not be taking home a beautiful child.  As the time grew closer to give birth, our sadness grew deeper and deeper.  By the way Stephanie was unbelievable and showed major courage and strength during this very tough experience.  

On Wednesday morning at 9:45 am we gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  We nicknamed her Inspire.   We held her, we cried, we smiled, we were sad, we were humbled.   Life is so fragile. And we only get one.  Unfortunately Inspire was unable to live in this life.  But we can live with Inspire in all of us.  Her beauty was like an angel.  Her eyes closed were peaceful.  She was amazing.  

Instead of asking questions of why, or what if, or when was the last time we heard the baby move or could we have done this or that, let's start the journey of moving forward.  Let's live for our Little Levine.  Let's be a little better in our day to day lives.  Let's INSPIRE others to be positive, to be healthy, to live life at a high level.  Let's get rid of gossip, negative thinking and poor judgement. Life is too short to nit pick and be negative.  Let's come together as a community and strengthen our relationships and our friendships.  Inspire will always be with us, maybe not in flesh, but in spirit.  And the human spirit is one of the strongest forms of man kind.  So use her optimism, use her inner beauty, use her inspiration to get you through a tough time, maybe on your next run or bike ride or your next triathlon or workout, because she will give you determination, she will give you peace and she will give you the strength to move forward.

This tragic ordeal has really given me a chance to really think about Life and what it means.  The thoughts are running in my head and I am trying to manage the ups and downs my emotions bring.  But one thing that I do know is that Life is Awesome!  And it must be lived with faith and vision.  Faith is believing in something without any proof.  It's having complete trust that there is a plan.  And this plan can be amazing if you decide to live your life with optimism and in a humble and unselfish way.  Bad things do happen. And I am not going to sit here and keep asking why these things happen.  But when these tragic things happen, it fuels my fire to live even harder, and better, with more motivation, and to INSPIRE more people.  Living with vision runs parallel with living with faith.  We can not live based on our circumstances.  Our vision will continue to move us onward and know there are better days ahead.  And this vision will create resilience so we can get back up after we have fallen.  

As we move forward through our daily lives, I ask a big question, "How will you live today?"  Will you wake up with negative thoughts, blaming other people for a misfortune and walk around with your head down?  Or will you decide to live to inspire others and create positive thoughts?  Will you give back to your community?  Will you live a healthy life?  Will you take responsibility for the things you want and the goals you want to achieve?  I encourage you to be a little better than you were yesterday, to not accept average in your life, to hold your head high and believe in your abilities.  I encourage you to support others and inspire other people to live at high levels.  I encourage you to wake up EVERYDAY (even the tough days) and LIVE HARD!  Take it head on.  

If you had made it this far so far, thank you for taking the time to read my blog.  Do me a favor today, go out and "INSPIRE" someone.  And then do it again tomorrow and the next day.  Continue this process for 20 days in a row.  Be aware of that feeling it will give you.  You will be empowered and motivated each day because you are out there helping others reach their success.  If you reach a tough day, or an obstacle that stops you head on, be resilient to keep going.  Find that determination we all have inside of us and push forward.  

I leave you with a quote that was printed on a memory card for our little INSPIRE...

"Obstacles will come and resilience is needed.  And when we get back up after we have fallen, strength will be gained.  We must have faith and vision knowing that God has a master plan for all of us."

RIP INSPIRE LEVINE...

  

 

 

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The Importance of Running Well

Is it more important to run well or run more?  When you show up to a half or full marathons there are many recreational runners out there who have trained to just finish. They will sludge through the event, shuffling their feet so they can cross the finish line.  The achievement of finishing an endurance event can be exhilarating but the damages it can have on a body can be debilitating.  66% of runners get injured. Why is this stat so high?  My opinion is that many people rush into running more and cause overuse problems that can hinder their overall performance.  

Notice the different techniques of these recreational runners.

As volume is an important component to the endurance world, we should not rush into more mileage. I say, get better at running.  Be smart with your training and don’t let volume be the only aspect you are focusing on.  Running well is the way to go. Focusing on improving your form, efficiency and economy are going to keep you running longer.  Look at these big marathons; you get thousands of people out there. You can see some horrific running technique.  Sloppy reps performed over and over creates bad behaviors, which in running will eventually cause injury.  That is why dialing in your technique is critical; it might be the most important component to an injury free program.  Here are simple tips that are very important to add to your training to create a more intellectual approach: 

Elite runners with efficient form and very similar styles.

Recreational runners shuffling their feet.

1.     Running drills: Take a 7-year-old soccer team.  Would it be smart to just put them on the playing field and say, “Play”?  Drills will be the main aspect these young kids ingrain in their skill set to become better at soccer.  It goes for running as well.  It’s poor thinking to just go out and run without attention to proper technique.  Running with sloppy form will eventually put you on the sideline because injury is destined to happen.  Running specific drills are needed (see video).  Performed consistently throughout the week, these drills will aid in improving your overall running performance.     

2.     Learn to run well first: don’t rush into running long.  This is a mistake I see many endurance athletes make.  They want to rush into a marathon training program without running a handful of 5k’s and 10k’s.  And in all actuality, this is a problem.  As I am all for setting ambitious goals, it’s imperative to be smart with the build up.  Get better at running shorter distances with good form first.  Go see if you can run with perfect technique for 10 seconds, walk for a bit and then repeat. Add some speed to the 10 second intervals to promote good running form and get good at this first before moving to longer durations.  Progress to 20 seconds, 30 seconds and so on.  Before you know it you will be running with great technique over longer durations. 

3.     Build your kinetic chain.  This might be my first priority when setting up a program for an endurance athlete.  If the kinetic chain has leaks and movement dysfunctions, running will just cause more harm than good.  But yet, many endurance athletes skip this component in their program.  Building the “chain” does not mean going to the gym and performing bicep curls and leg presses.  Implementing the “inside-out” approach is imperative to strengthening the body in a systematic way.  We need strong stabilizers in our hips, ankles and shoulders, adequate range of motion to move efficiently, a stable inner core to protect our spine and durable connective tissue to enable us to accept the demands of training loads.  For more details on a proper strength program, check out my article I wrote for Active.com here: http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/6-Tips-to-Boost-Your-Triathlon-Fitness.   

Our body is connected from head to toe.  We are not isolated muscles, we are one chain.  This is how we should train.  

4.     Be patient.  Endurance for any sport takes time.  Years, in fact, to build a solid foundation of aerobic endurance.  So don’t expect to be running marathons your first year in the sport.  If you are patient and allow ample time to build technique, endurance, speed and strength, you will become a better runner.  Running is a lifestyle so allow yourself to be progressive and you will increase your longevity in the sport. 

5.     It’s ok to run fast.  You must know your level of course but running fast promotes good running technique.  Slow, methodical jogging forces bad patterns.  Running uphill or at a faster speed will force good form and will utilize the correct muscles.  Here is a simple way to periodize intervals into your training program:

                        (Remember to always go at your own level and modify the sets and                                                 repetitions accordingly.)

                        Week 1
                        5x200's at 5k goal race pace, jog 200 for recovery
                        Week 2
                        7x200's at 5k goal race pace, jog 200 for recovery
                        Week 3
                        9x200's at 5k goal race pace, jog 200 for recovery
                        Week 4
                        No intervals, light running for recovery
                        Week 5
                        4x400's at 5k goal race pace, jog 200 for recovery
                        Week 6
                        6x400's at 5k goal race pace, jog 200 for recovery
                        Week 7
                        7x400's at 5k goal race pace, jog 200 for recovery
                        Week 8
                        No intervals, light running for recovery

Strength Training Principles for the Triathlete

You have all read that strength training is a positive element for triathletes to implement.  The question is what type of strength work is going to maximize triathlon fitness?  From P90x to Crossfit to Yoga and Pilates to “functional” strength, we can get a big confused as to what specific program can best fit the needs of our sport.  Let me give you some key principles to look for when deciding on a strength program:

1.     Working your soft tissue.  As a triathlete we are putting stress and impact on our body during training.  Our muscles become tight and inflamed and it can limit our performance and increase our chances of injury.  Soft tissue work using a foam roll, massage stick or a baseball should be part of your strength program.  Athletes that come through our facility start every workout with soft tissue work.  It’s the foundation of human movement.  “With soft tissue and flexibility issues, strength gains will be limited if we don't solve the tissue problems first”, says Lee Burton, President of The Functional Movement Systems.   We will limit our triathlon performance if we do not improve our muscle tissue quality first.  

2.     Movement quality versus movement quantity.  Just because you get sore and tired from a specific strength workout doesn’t mean you are improving your triathlon fitness.  In fact, hard, aggressive and random program design can actually lead you down the path of chronic pain and injury, and then you cannot do anything.  If you train to absolute failure, your form breaks down, the wrong muscles are being utilized and your movement will be impaired.  This sets you up for injury and bad patterning down the road.  Think technical failure.  Do as many repetitions as you can with absolute perfect form.  Stop when the movement is no longer perfect.  I can have someone do 100 squats; think they will feel a burn?  Absolutely.  Is there a point to performing 100 squats?  Not really.   Like I said above, a sore body doesn’t necessarily mean you did something right.  Clean movement enhances your functionality which sets you up to push harder in your swim, bike and run workouts, which then improves total performance.  Quality over quantity!

  This is an example of quantity versus quality.  The goal of this workout is to get the reps done as fast as they can.  There is no attention to clean movement.  Remember if your form breaks down, the wrong muscles will be utilized and your movement will be impaired, which will lead to injury.  

3.     Working your “core” through smart training.  This word is probably one of the most used words in the fitness industry.  Proper core development teaches the entire body to cohesively work together.  If our “core” has weakness, we will limit the use of our lower and upper body strength and power.  The inner core incorporates the Multifidis (small spinal muscles), transverse abdominals (built in “weight belt”), pelvic floor (small muscles lining the pelvis) and the diaphragm (skeletal muscle used for respiration function).  These are muscles that we will never see but when functioning properly can aide in athletic development, optimal recovery, deep strength and stability and total body strength development.  Working your core is not just isometric “ab” training.  Performing thousands of crunches is not considered smart “core” training.  Researchers like Dr. Stuart McGill and Dr. Craig Liebenson are providing the world of athletics information on smart core training.  

 This is the "back expert" and all fitness professionals should learn from Dr. McGill. 

4.     Look for a system.  Your strength program should have a similar system each day you workout.  There should be a recipe that you follow each day.  If you are doing something completely different every workout you will increase your chances of injury and progress will be stagnated.  You shouldn’t just randomly run through a workout without detailed attention to progressions, appropriate sets and repetitions based on your triathlon-training schedule and proper functional training. 

A system that we use in our facility could look like this:

Soft tissue work with foam roll

Activation/mobility (glutes and shoulder stabilizers/t-spine and ankles)

Movement Preparation

(Series of drills to prepare the body for the work ahead)

Power Work

(Olympic lifts or Jump training; 2-leg and 1-leg drills can be used and medicine ball throws for upper body explosiveness)

Strength Work

1a) Knee dominant

1b) Loaded carry movement

1c) Upper body pull

2a) Hip dominant

2b) Core stability

2c) Upper body push

This system is consistent every workout for the endurance athletes that we train.  

5.     Stretching for everyone?  Flexibility training improves muscle length by going through specific range of motion movements and allowing the muscle to increase elasticity.  It also increases the circulation and supply of oxygen and nutrients the muscles need to work effectively.  If flexibility is limited, our movement and range of motion will be inhibited, thus making us more susceptible to injury.  Increasing flexibility through stretching is one of the basic principles of physical fitness.  Does everyone need to stretch?  In my opinion, the answer is no.   Hyperflexibility is an issue.  Individuals who participate in dance, martial arts, cheerleading and gymnastics can generally have extreme flexibility.  When muscles are overly stretched, the affected joint will lose the ability to control movement during activity.  This will cause abuse to the joint, which can cause debilitating injury (shoulder and hip labrum tears, rotator cuff trauma, ankle sprains, etc).  We need adequate range of motion, not extreme.  These overly flexible individuals need to focus on building stability and strength to support their joints.   Now if flexibility is an issue then yes, you need to stretch throughout the week.  Your range of motion limits your movement; thus causing a lack of performance.  

This young lady has extreme flexibility which can actually cause more issues than someone who limits range of motion.  She needs strength and stability work to protect her joints.

6.     How does your body feel after a workout?  This is a key indicator of a smart strength training program.  If you are having trouble walking the morning after a strength workout, you did too much.  I am not saying that you shouldn’t be sore, but having minor muscle soreness and having trouble sitting and standing are two totally different effects from training.  As triathletes, we are not looking for extreme soreness after strength work.  In fact, you should feel really good after a strength session because you have worked on the above principles.  You didn’t just go to the gym and bang out endless repetitions of squats and lunges.  There was a balanced attack of full body, multi-joint movements implemented to improve your athleticism. 

A little extreme.  This is not what you should look like after a workout.

Triathletes should be strength training.  Triathletes shouldn’t be extreme in the gym.  The #1 goal of a strength program for triathletes should be injury prevention.  If you are getting hurt inside the gym, you should reconsider what you are doing.  If you are constantly getting hurt outside the gym, you should reconsider what you are doing.  There is a smart way to implement strength training into your program.  Abide by the above principles and you will set yourself up for a successful triathlon season.