ASK 220

STRENGTH VS ENDURANCE

Q What’s the difference between training for strength and training for endurance? How do I do both? Ian Ball

a There are many differing factors to consider when training for strength and endurance. Mostly, it’s encouraged to train for them completely separately, but at other times they can be combined. The main variables are the duration and the intensity of training.

In order to boost endurance, workouts need to be completed at a low-moderate intensity which can be sustained for hours, working just underneath your anaerobic threshold. The benefit of this is that it doesn’t require as long to recover, reducing the likelihood of injury.

A classic example is the long weekend ride, where you can maintain conversation while sustaining a consistent output of pace. On the other hand, strength training requires high power and explosive movements, which needs to be done more sparingly and with periods of recovery in between. Strength training should make up no more than 15% of your overall weekly training volume.

Triathletes can and should include both forms of training in their regular routines. We’re predominately endurance athletes, but at times we require the ability to engage more strength. For instance, both hill climbs and overtaking demand the ability to work anaerobically for a short period of time. Dermott Hayes

BENEFITS OF WALKING

Q I enjoy hiking with my family as well as racing triathlons. How much does walking help strengthen my legs and core for running and cycling? Patricia Jameson

a Though walking will give your legs an element of conditioning and increase your tissue load tolerance, it’s not going to give you the sport-specific strengthening that’s directly transferable to running and cycling. Hilly hiking will give your legs more general strength, but certain other muscle groups (e.g. hamstrings and glutes) need separate attention as they’re challenged more in running and cycling.

Your core won’t receive much strengthening, so this is something that would require specific exercises, progressing them as your control improves. Walking with a backpack over challenging terrain will help to some degree, yet because you always have one foot on the ground it’s not that functionally transferable to running and cycling.

There’s plenty evidence to suggest that having good, functional core strength and control equals a lower rate of injury in the peripheral joints, so make sure you do directed work for this. The key for strengthening and performance is to try to make your training as specific as possible to the activity, so aim to incorporate specific drills for each discipline. Alan Robb

TYRE WIDTH

Q How much does tyre width influence speed? Jackson Phillips

a The simple answer is quite a lot and is why the pro peloton has gravitated towards 25mm or even 28mm tyres when 23mm or less always used to be the standard. There are three main factors that make wider potentially faster: rolling resistance, comfort and aerodynamics.

When looking at rolling resistance, the key factor is tyre deflection. Any tyre is flattened under load, creating a flat contact area, which is detrimental to tyre rotation as it causes the wheel to lose ‘roundness’ and increases rolling resistance. If you pump a 23mm and 28mm tyre to equal pressure, the contact area will be the same, but the wider tyre is flattened more across its width, whereas the narrower one has a longer contact area, and greater resistance.

So, a wider tyre allows you to run lower pressures with no rolling resistance penalty, allowing for a plusher ride. Although not directly upping your speed, it’s easy to see how having to contend with less road buzz could be significant, especially over a long bike leg.

Finally, with modern wider rims, a wider tyre creates a smoother transition between tyre and rim. This can be significant aerodynamically, and faster. Nik Cook