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Training Tools |
Turning
Up the Heat By Sonni Dyer of TRImyCoach.com Without thinking, most triathletes will join in a weekly interval session w/ a group (or even alone) and by the end, if they've achieved fatigue, nausea, or lactate-induced pain, then they figure: "Hey, that must've been a good session." And while "discomfort management" is a key in some type of interval sessions these sessions should be used VERY sparingly. You see what is most lacking in race-specific workouts is simple: F-O-C-U-S. So how does one gain "FOCUS" in your race-intensive workouts? Ahhh, this is the key to the vault, because when you master how to answer this question (& know how to adjust the workouts accordingly) you maximize your time/energy "investment" for the greatest "return" and do so w/ the least possible damage-effect to your recovery or volume each week. The better that you recover from these sessions………the more you can do. The more you can do (without over-training), the longer that your intensive training cycles can be. And that means one thing……….improvement. In determining what a workout's FOCUS should be, know that the first step is to honestly ask the question: "Where is my game weak right now?" Then ask: "Does this weakness REALLY affect my race goals?" (For example: If you have an endurance weakness but are planning for a season of sprint races, then endurance may really be a secondary issue. If you're targeting sprint races and find that you 'blow-up' after hard efforts in a race……then THAT is a race-specific weakness……… because you'll very likely dance the line of "hard efforts" often in sprint races.). When you've honestly assessed where you could stand to most improve…….then you simply choose from 1 of 3 "intensity-tools". As a coach, believe me, I know that the prevailing attitude towards intensity training is that……… "An interval is an interval is an interval". NOT SO!! Here are the 3 types: Threshold pace, subjectively, is a pace that can be described as "comfortably difficult" & could be held for 20 to 30minutes w/ ease. Very often, I call this pace "tempo" when communicating w/ our athletes. Because the pace is sustainable, the duration of these efforts can be longer. 'Threshold' would be an intensity that most could sustain for a half-ironman. I find that MOST people tend to want to over-run their threshold intensity. Here are some samples of Threshold sessions:
The purpose of a 'Threshold session' is to being able to clear lactic acid accumulation from blood (ie: blood lactate) at faster and faster speeds while swimming, cycling, and running. Going any faster than ''tempo'' pace in these sessions is NOT better for you because it drastically raises the need for recovery and is, still, not fast enough to gain any speed-benefit. If you train w/ a heart rate monitor, 'tempo/threshold' pace occurs at about 90% of max-hr. The goal is not to do these sessions at harder and harder heart-rates throughout the season. It IS to be able to travel faster and faster at your tempo hr. 2-True Interval Training "Intervals" are a training pace that stresses one's VO2max………your capacity to deliver oxygen very fast to working muscles. The term "interval" actually refers to the brief rest between efforts…..not the efforts, themselves. Here are some samples of Interval sessions:
As a rule, most folks will begin true interval training after a base build…..continue it from spring until fall……and then wonder why their so tired late in the season?!?! Interval training is like a grinding stone…….it can SHARPEN you for a period. But after that, if you keep it up, it can wear you down. We employ intervals for specific "race-prep" cycles (& ONLY after some 'threshold work' to prepare an athlete)……and then LEAVE THEM ALONE when we feel that we've milked them for all their worth. As an athlete gets more "race-fit" {because of them}………interval sessions positively impact his/her game less, yet the need for recovery remains high………this is NOT an ideal 'return-on-investment'. It's best to cycle them well before A-priority races…….and stay away from them the week before a target event. In other words……'love-em & leave 'em' and USE them intelligently in your training. 3-Speed Reps "Reps" are also the most fun to do, yet, very few triathletes will make use of them. They are short, done very fast…..and you are to take FULL recovery between each in order to keep intensity/pace high. Shortening the recovery portions (to make it "hurt more") is a huge mistake………because this diminishes the intensity of each. Don't think that 'reps' are all-out sprints. They are not. But they are as close to sprinting as you can come without actually sprinting. Here are some samples of "Rep" sessions:
To conclude, I recommend using each of the three types of intensity in your workouts keeping some 'creative variety'……….but ultimately making the focused decision on WHICH type by reviewing your last race and determining the biggest area of improvement. Know too, that you can do "focus-bricks" by combining swim/bike, bike/run, & even swim/run sessions…….@ threshold pace, in intervals, or w/ reps. Have Fun. |
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