Swim Training: Is it really that important for a triathlete?

Swimming is that part of a triathlon that many of us "just make it through so we can then start the race!".  Triathletes often train in the pool just enough to finish the distance they need to finish in their races.  But, many triathletes underestimate the real value of training in the pool.  Swimming not only improves your swim fitness, but it also serves to improve your overall fitness, and has proven time and again to contribute to fitness gains on the bike, and even more so on the run.  Swimming allows an athlete to improve their cardiovascular fitness and endurance without over-stressing the muscles, joints, bones and ligaments that we use repetitively during cycling and run training. 

So how much swimming should you do as a triathlete?  Well, that depends on what your goal is.  If your goal is to simply finish your first triathlon, then swimming once or twice per week may be all you need to build up the endurance to swim for the required duration.  However, if your goal is to improve on previous performances, upping the swim frequency will be beneficial!  As a general guideline, swimming 1 to 2 times per week is necessary for pure maintenance of swim fitness.  Swimming 3 times per week consistently will lead to slow improvement for most athletes.  Swimming 4 to 5 times per week will lead to the most significant improvements in swim times as well as overall fitness. 

Now - for most athletes, swimming 4 to 5 times per week may seem unrealistic if you are trying to maintain your run and bike volume of workouts.  However, at the right time of year, it may be worth it for you to take an 8 week period of time to focus on the swim, and decrease the number and duration of run and bike workouts.  The added fitness has been shown to positively affect overall triathlon performance. 

The season comes quickly!

Recently we have had many athletes sign up for our annual AETT Training Camp in Tucson Arizona. The camp is a terrific way to enhance fitness and give the winter training an added boost and, the spring race season a real primer! Not to mention, kick back and have some great fun. The camp is held in Tucson starting April 6 and goes for 5 nights. Tucson is an interesting city from an urban planning standpoint. Its the most bike friendly place I have ever seen with generous bike lanes everywhere. 30k out in the desert and there are still bike lanes. On top of that and because the city is so bike friendly I have found the motorists to be courteous and aware. We host athletes of all abilities from beginner to professional and because each ride swim and run are supervised, all participants feel engaged and safe! Our support vehicle lets riders stash their favorite snacks or warm and alternative clothing during the long rides. At breakfast each morning we all convene and go over the days schedule of events and the map for the ride. While writing this it seems like everything is taken care of and for the most part it is. However! What we have found in the past is that there is a world of "pre-trip" prep required to ensure campers can enjoy all that is provided for them while they are away. Below is just one small section of the checklist we provide for campers at the pre trip meeting we host at Absolute Endurance.

Training Camp Checklist!!

Anti-Fog Solution
Body Glide
Cap
Ear Plugs
Goggles
Open
Body Glide
Spare Goggles
Swim Suit
Medications

Aero Water Bottle Straw
Aero Water Bottle Elastic
Bar-end Plugs
Bike
CO2 Accessories
CO2 Cartridge (local bike shop contact)
Cycling Gloves
Cycling Shirt
Cycling Shoes
Cycling Shorts
Electrical Tape
Floor Pump
Spare
Headband
Helmet


While we do provide many of the things of the list and bear in mind the list is 4 pages long, we encourage participants to be diligent about bringing as much as they can. This makes the trip more efficient and seamless. It also ensure its more enjoyable for the campers. We do have a vehicle and driver ready to help in a pinch but its always better to be prepared.
We swim in a pool right outside our hotel and the views of the mountains are amazing. There are many trails to run on as well. During the pre trip stage we encourage participants to go over their checklist a few times. The trip is 2 months away but it will come quickly just like the race season! The point here is that the greater the preparation, the greater the enjoyment. If we apply this principle to race season there are certainly parallels. The better the prep the better you will race. Make a checklist  because the season will be here quickly.

The annual Tucson training camp is filling up fast with only 6 spots remaining. If you are interested please let us know and we can tell you all about it! 

Strength Training and the Triathlete

Many endurance athletes do not partake in strength training.  Some because they do not like it, but many because they do not feel that it is useful and/or cannot find an extra couple of hours per week to fit strength training into their training schedule.  However, it is safe to say that specific strength training is key to performance and to injury prevention in endurance sports.  And, they key work here is "specific".  Going to the gym and "pumping iron" doing bicep curls, shoulder shrugs, etc, is unlikely to benefit your performance.  In fact, the typical gym program could be detrimental to your performance.  Triathletes (as well as cyclists, runners and swimmers) should partake in a specific strength training program that addresses the movement patterns and muscle activation patterns present in their sport.  They should also address muscle balance, to ensure that those muscles that are not used as often in their sport maintain strength and balance with the muscle groups that are used repetitively.  A strength training program should also be periodized;  in the off-season, exercises should focus on large movements and big muscle groups.  This is where the more traditional squats, lunges and leg presses fit in.  As an athlete moves through the season, their strength training program should progress and change in combination with their swim, bike and run workouts - becoming more specific to their sport and to their target races.  Exercises become more sport specific, incorporating the movement patterns required in the athlete's sport as well as more balance and coordination exercises.  As the racing season comes closer and closer, plyometric exercises are introduced to maximize the athletes rate of muscle firing, further increasing their power and speed.  So, to re-iterrate, strength training is very important for the endurance athlete, just as it is for the power athlete, and finding time to fit it into your training program is well worth it for both performance enhancement and injury prevention.  It should not be seen as second on the list, and even replacing a swim, bike or run workout with strength training, if need be, will be worthwhile.  They key to it all, however, is ensuring that your strength program is periodized through the year in relation to your "A" or "goal" races, and that it takes into account the movement patterns and muscle activation patterns that are required in your sport.  As an athlete, your workout program should stand out in a typical gym setting - if you are doing the same thing as most of the others around you, you could probably use a review of your program.  Stay tuned to this blog - future posts will further discuss some ideas on exercises to include in your program as you make your way through the year. 

Two Similar Athletes Very Different Results

Athletes looking for multisport coaching come to us regularly. We are privileged to have a growing and successful coaching component to what we do at AETT and all of our Nationally Certified Coaches are passionate about helping athletes of any ability achieve their personal goals.
Recently two fellows signed up. As part of the process we do a very detailed "set up" phase of the coaching which includes a one on one meeting with the coach; some lactate testing; a functional and fitness assessment; a meeting with the nutritionist; a soft tissue massage as well. This portion of our coaching is integral in getting to know our athletes such that we can provide safe and effective plans for them. What struck me about these two fellows was that they were very similar. Both in their mid 30s. Both had one year of experience in the sport. Both came from Professional Hockey backgrounds. Both were very strong and terrific athletes in their own right. Both are moving up from half iron to iron distance racing.
Also a very important part of our coaching process is the team or holistic approach we take. Each month the coaches meet to among other things; exchange ideas; share new information; keep a pulse on the industry and generally stay on top or ahead of the curve!
At our most recent meeting these two athletes came up for discussion but for very different reasons. One coach was absolutely beaming because her athlete was following the program diligently. When he couldn't do a workout (which happens and we totally understand and appreciate that we all have busy lives) he notified her straight away so she could modify the plan, which is part of our service.  This athlete was improving and feeling challenged but healthy.
The second coach was frustrated. It seems that the other athlete wasn't so diligent when following the plan. He often did more than he was supposed to and when he missed workouts he decided to make them up when he decided to. And of course the first athlete filled out his online training log regularly and the second athlete filled it out sporadically. As a consequence of this the athletes improvement was minimal at best and he didn't feel refreshed after scheduled recovery  periods. The interaction between coach and athlete (which we encourage and take a great deal of pride in) is so important for long term success.
Next up for the frustrated coach is a meeting with the athlete to go over the plan and set some goals and objectives moving forward. Some of  these goals will actually relate to better communication; feedback from the athlete; (we don't take it for granted that the coach is 100% of the time articulating the message perfectly) and a schedule of regular meetings to monitor how the progress is. No doubt this will create a recipe for success moving forward!
Two very similar athletes two different results. Let us know if you have any questions about coaching with Absolute Endurance Training and Therapy! And we look forward to seeing you soon.

Training with a Group

Over the past three years I have seen people experience significant improvements in swimming, cycling and running.  In particular, we have seen cycling strength and power improve for athletes who attend group cycling classes on a regular basis.  Triathlon has been labelled as an individual sport, and many of us spend many gueling hours out there on our own, riding our bikes and/or running seemingly endless miles.  At Absolute Endurance I have been lucky enough to see and take part in more group training, which has proven to produce even greater improvements in bike fitness.   I teach cycling classs on the computrainer at Absolute Endurance several times per week.  It never ceases to amaze me how much energy my participants have and how they share energy with each other and encourage each other to work a little harder, and a little harder.  Besides having a bike workout that is of higher quality, this energy that comes from the group stays with the athletes to the end of the class and beyond, leaving them mentally strong and excited for the next workout, rather than mentally drained from slugging it out on their own.  Certainly, for longer distance races such as Ironman and Half Ironman events, some longer workouts on your own are important and valuable.  However, more than a few of these, for most long distance endurance atheletes, can result in the athlete experiencing significant mental fatigue and less enjoyment and excitement towards their sport.  Most of us do this as a hobby, and we should enjoy our training just as much as racing!  Group training for all three disciplines of triathlon is valuable and help you break through your mental and physical barriers.  Come out and join a cycling class, a swim workouts, or a soon-to-be available run group.  The extra challenge is worth it!

Recovery!!!!

We teach classes in our CompuTrainer Studio every day of the week now. Each class has a different focus. It could be an interval set or a strength development set or a technique set as well. We structure the weeks so that all athletes weather they are coached by Absolute Endurance or not (we have many athletes who are coached by other coaches and they are ALWAYS WELCOME) know what the focus is ahead of time so they can safely and effectively incorporate the workout into their respective schedules. While instructing the class this morning I made an observation that may help some of you.
Each class has warm up and cool down periods as well as hard portions and recovery portions. While the work to recovery ratios may change depending on the time of year or the type of workout, its safe to say there is ALWAYS a period of time in between harder efforts called recovery. When we put recovery portions into a workout, the purpose is quite simple. Allow the athlete to recovery sufficiently so that the harder portion can be done to the athletes full potential and thus provide the greatest benefit. This morning I noticed a new athlete pushing fairly hard during the recovery portion. When I queried him he said " I feel like I will get a better workout, a better sweat" if I go harder during recovery. UGH! As previously mentioned the work to recovery ratios will change and so will the recovery efforts. But for now when your workout says recovery, feel good about taking it. Feel fresh for the tougher portion of the workout and do those to the best of your ability. If you take the suggested recovery on a consistent basis, your performance will almost certainly improve. Have fun and we look forward to seeing you at AETT soon.

Good Winter Training

Well it’s January and it seems that more than ever before folks are resolving to get fit and fast for their 2011 season! This morning at 6am I saw a new triathlete in our Computrainer Studio and it reminded me to share my thoughts on winter training with you. At Absolute Endurance we see many athletes of all abilities come into our Computrainer Studio and begin the process of riding their own bike to get a head start on the season. Most of the athletes are intent on improving their performance from previous seasons, which is terrific! Most of them have families/jobs/other hobbies and as such have carved out a finite amount of time to train in the off season. One of the favorite expressions we hear from people riding the Computrainers is “today I am going to HAMMER”. (Hammer- is loosely defined as riding as hard as possible). What is prevalent and obvious to us here is that we see many folks who feel  the need to "hammer" away on their bikes because of the previously mentioned finite amount of time. UGH!
In the winter season it is especially important to develop proper base fitness, muscular strength and efficiency, and ultimately create the building blocks to prepare the rider to do harder efforts closer to the season when those efforts will pay off in spades.
It’s like preparing a big recipe when working with athletes in the off season to structure a proper and SAFE training plan for them. At Absolute Endurance we regularly do a number of diagnostic tests to determine the proper ingredients for success. These tests include lactate threshold test; fitness assessments; functional assessments and nutritional consults. Once the testing is done, our team of coaches can then create the recipe. Fortunately over the past four years we have had the privilege and pleasure to work and help many athletes of all abilities improve in a safe and timely manner, which is our passion.
So for a New Years Resolution try this, “I am going to HAMMER away on my bike, BUT, not until its time. For now I am going to create safe and healthy building blocks in a structured manner to allow me to HAMMER away. LATER!!! Have fun and we will look forward to seeing you all at AETT soon.

Happy New Year!

The staff at Absolute Endurance Training and Therapy would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and a great 2011! 

January is here, and with the new year comes the need to re-start your training program for your next Endurance event, if you haven't started already! If you are in need of some extra motivation to get off the couch and kick start your training program, you might consider being in touch with one of the coaches at Absolute Endurance.  Our certified endurance coaches work with beginner to elite and professional athletes.  They provide a training program that is individualized to each athletes specific needs, taking into account their work and family schedules as well as their specific training and racing goals.  At Absolute Endurance we also provide a facility for our coached athletes to work out at and see their coaches on a regular basis.  Absolute Endurance is a 5000 square foot training and therapy centre - and our coached athletes get a membership included in their coaching program.  We have found that by providing this facility whereby coach and athlete see eachother on a regular basis and by providing an environment consisting of other like-minded individuals with similar goals, our athletes experience greater results and a greater overall experience!  For more information, email cindy@absoluteendurance or alan@absoluteendurance.com and we will organize a free consulation on coaching and other Absolute Endurance services that may be right for you. 

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