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Functional Fridays: Squat, Curl, Press

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Our new weekly series will help you get strong while saving time in the gym.

by Lisa Dolbear, images by Rae Baumann

Functional strength has been part of the fitness industry for years, articulated in a variety of ways depending on the context of the workout. At its heart, this kind of training is best defined by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as an exercise which enhances "the coordinated working relationship between the nervous and muscular systems." This gives you improved efficiency and fewer injuries, among other things.

That’s a pretty worthy return on investment in and of itself. But for triathletes, there’s an even better reward to functional strength training: targeting more muscle groups in fewer exercises. Think of it as the multitasking strength routine for the multisport athlete.

Behold, the "Squat, Curl, Press." I could have taken the time to give this exercise a flashy name, but I decided to leave it this way as the cadence was comfortable and familiar—like "swim, bike, run."

This exercise gives your legs, biceps, shoulders, and core a workout in just three sets of 8 to 15 reps. We’ll talk about how many you should do in a moment.

You’ll need a wall, a pair of weights (8 to 10 pounds is a good starting point), and a stability ball to get started. Begin by placing the stability ball behind you, so that it’s nestled in the curve of your lower back. Stand tall, applying pressure to the ball with your body to keep it from falling. Hold the free weights in hand and keep your arms down to the side.


With your feet shoulder-width apart, lower the body into a squat, keeping the weight in the heels and the shoulders back as you continue leaning against the ball. Let’s check your position here.

Your legs should be bent at a right angle, as if you were seated on an invisible chair. If you aren’t down far enough, you won’t engage the full power of the legs. If you’re down too low, you put stress on the knees.

Next, we complete the squat by pushing through the heels back to standing position, curling the biceps as we grow taller. The curl should be completed by the time you are standing.

We complete the exercise with a shoulder press. At the top of the curl, rotate the hands so the palms are facing out, then press up to feel the squeeze in the shoulders.


Gently lower the weights down from the press, and control the arms as they unfold and return to your side, weights still in hand.

You have completed one rep.

Now you have some decisions to make. Do you want to build strength and see your muscles grow? Choose heavier free weights, but do fewer reps (8 to 10). Keep in mind that even as you are building strength, you should always be able to control the weight and guide it through the range of motion (i.e. don’t let it fall down to your side).

The off-season is the best time to work on increasing strength (i.e.: using heavier weights) as the high intensity swimming, biking and running will give way to longer, more aerobic workouts where added mass will not hinder performance.

If your goal is to lightly tone and define the muscles without adding mass, choose a lighter weight and increase the reps (12 to 15). Keep in mind that even though you aren’t looking for a high-intensity weight lifting experience, you should still feel some fatigue in your muscles by the end of the set.

How does core come into play? By using the stability ball, we are engaging the core as we keep correct posture (remember how we started with the shoulders back? Keep that in mind throughout the exercise).

MULTISPORT MINIMALIST: No free weights and no ball? You’re not off the hook. Substitute wine bottles, gallons of water, firewood, or fire extinguishers for free weights. (You know that creative imagination you have when you need to find out how you’ll get a 14-mile run in during your lunch hour? Use it to turn everyday objects into your home gym). Instead of leaning against the wall on the ball, you will stand tall away from the wall and perform the same routine. Keep those shoulders back and body weight in your heels. To get your abs, add a 45- to 90-second plank at the end of each set.


Lisa Barnes Dolbear is a USAT Level 1 coach and three-time IRONMAN finisher who lives and trains in upstate New York. She runs a popular "Dare to Tri" program at her local gym to help introduce new people to the sport, and strives to help athletes balance daily life with their passion for multisport. Follow her blog on mental training, Tri Mojo.


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