Winter Ironman Training for FitOldDog

Winter Ironman training
I used to use heavy weights, but now I employ those at the very far end of the photo. Ironman is about endurance, though strength is important. I recommend light weights with lots of reps.

The race is over, the report published, and now it’s time to prepare for my next Ironman. Which will it be? Lots of choices, but I need a fairly flat course, due to my peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Then there’s the methotrexate for psoriasis that kicks my ass once a week – hoping to get onto a biological soon. But those are just minor road bumps.

I always look forward to winter Ironman training, and getting back in the weight room. I prefer free weights to machines, though machines have their place.

Winter Ironman training is your time to build strength, get tight muscles to let go, and improve skills for the swim, bike and run. Swim is really about hours in the pool and thinking about what you are doing. Bike is all about strong hips and legs. For me, the run is about trying to perfect an extremely low-impact style, to minimize claudication (muscles locking up due to lack of blood supply – really painful and screws up muscle action).

Winter Ironman training
I do use some machines, especially quads and hamstrings for the bike, though I combine them with lunges and squats – not very low squats, to protect my AAA stent graft from dislocation.

If a new machine arrives, that I like the look of, I’ll check with Dalton and Jimmy to be sure I’m using it correctly. This is quite important, by the way.

Winter Ironman training
Dalton, left, and Jimmy. Great guys and gals run this place. Been going there for years.

I do loving O2 Fitness. Great gym.

Winter Ironman training

Don’t miss out on winter training, for strength, flexibility, balance, realignment, and the rest of the stuff in my book.

Which Ironman is it going to be? Chattanooga? Arizona? Anyway, I have to master a faster marathon, first, so I’ll do one or two in the spring.

Plenty of Ironman training to do, to save my life for a few more years.

Oh! Yes! I forgot. Due to the need to minimize hip flexion, because of the location of my abdominal aortic aneurysm stent graft, I had to abandon the rowing machine for warmup. I now use the elliptical trainer and the treadmill, instead. Of course, when weather permits, I’ll be running and biking outside, and do any short local runs when I can.

Have fun.

Keep moving.

Cheers,

FitOldDog

Winter Ironman training
Grey is muscle, white is fat, clear ring around the central white spot (bone marrow) is the femoral bone. Note the loss of both muscle and bone mass in the sedentary guy.

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Disclaimer: As a veterinarian, I do not provide medical advice for human animals. If you undertake or modify an exercise program, consult your medical advisors before doing so. Undertaking activities pursued by the author does not mean that he endorses your undertaking such activities, which is clearly your decision and responsibility. Be careful and sensible, please.