Strength training often sits somewhere between “should do” and “don’t have time” for endurance athletes, but according to Coros athlete Alex Yee, it can make a measurable difference to performance.
The Olympic champion recently shared details of his gym routine, explaining how carefully planned strength sessions support his racing across all three triathlon disciplines.
Despite training more than 20 hours a week, Yee still dedicates time to the gym, typically scheduling strength training sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays, with plyometric drills and technique work on other days.
And his goal isn’t simply to build muscle, but to improve efficiency across swim, bike and run.
“Everything we do always comes back to the same question: will this make me a better triathlete?” Yee explains.
Even if you aren't planning on becoming the next triathlon Olympic champion, the benefits of strength work are particularly clear for endurance athletes, runners included.
Yee focuses on developing lower-leg stiffness, core stability and explosive power, all factors linked to improved running economy and reduced injury risk.
Data from his training between the London and Valencia Marathons, which he ran in 2:11:08 and 2:06:38, respectively, suggested that the added strength work contributed to measurable performance improvements.
Small details, big performance gains
Yee’s programme includes a mixture of plyometric exercises, single-leg strength work and core stability drills designed to translate directly to endurance performance.
Among the movements he uses are slant-board calf isometric holds, lateral medicine-ball bounds, and box-to-box jumps, all aimed at improving fast ground contact and explosive power.
Traditional strength exercises such as Bulgarian split squats, seated calf raises, and glute-hamstring raises help build resilience in key running muscles.
Upper-body work also plays a role, with single-arm cable pulldowns targeting the muscles used in the swim stroke, while barbell rollouts reinforce the core stability required across all three disciplines.
Why endurance athletes shouldn’t skip the gym
For Yee, the biggest takeaway is that strength training isn’t optional once athletes reach a certain level of fitness.
“As you get faster and fitter, your form, efficiency and mechanics become essential,” he says. “If you want to continue to develop, strength training should be a vital component.”
The principle applies just as much to runners as it does to triathletes. By improving power, stiffness and stability, targeted strength work can help endurance athletes run more efficiently and stay injury-free over longer training cycles.
Yee’s message of consistency and attention to detail matters. Even small improvements in strength can translate into meaningful gains on race day.
