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Training Tools |
Use it or Lose It By Ginger
Pharr As of this year I will have been participating in Triathlons for 10 or is it 12 years? I forget, could my memory be lapsing. Anyway, I was around 33 years old when I entered my first triathlon, I will soon be 45. Having been an athlete all my life I thought triathlon would be a piece of cake. Quickly I learned it would take more planning to combine all 3 of these sports to produce the outcome that I would like. I now think back to those days when recovery was much faster and, injurys were less frequent. But surprisingly so I feel the fittest I have ever felt. I didn't say fastest. I said fittest. I think age (maturity) has brought me to a place of more quality training, and less quantity training. Let me explain; I have found with not only myself, but a number of masters athletes I have trained and coached over the past 4 years, if you don't keep some intensity in your training, you will begin to see a more rapid decline in your performance and your VO2 max. There are a growing number of studies that support this theory. But I have witnessed it first hand in myself and in others. Getting older means a reduction in aerobic capacity(VO2 Max). The amount of oxygen that can be used to produce energy at a maximal work load. The higher the aerobic capacity the more likely you are to have better performances. Studies have shown that around age 20 there is decline in aerobic capacity, this equates into a lower maximal heart rate which means less oxygen delivered to the working muscles. This decline rate has been measured in the range between 6 to 10 beats per decade. However you must remember that these studies were not performed on a group of aging triathletes for a signifigant period of time. They were more less performed on various groups of trained endurance athletes and intensity was more than likely not factored in. Other longer term studies show that if the intensity of training is maintained that the measure loss is more likely around 2 percent per decade. My suggestion for training as a Masters athletes is not to just focus on the length of your training, but more importantly the quality of your training. Now, I am not saying to give up your endurance workouts. I am merely suggesting that you give some priority to the intensity in your shorter workouts. These workouts can be as little as 30 minutes, but using some intervals that put you at or near your lactate threshold. Hold the interval for a given period with equal recovery time. You can also experiment with less recovery time, just make sure you don't feel wiped out after the interval. In other words stop before failure, save that for your races. Use your intensity wisely. You should limit your intense workouts to 2 or 3 a week and make sure you are fully recovered before you do another one. Monitor yourself, your body will let you know how many of these workouts you can handle. Remember a little intensity goes a long way. Make sure you get plenty of rest. I have found that as I get older, some weeks I might need two days of rest instead of one, or one day with just one easy swim. You also want to plan rest weeks after you have had several weeks of hard training. A rest week could consist of less volume and strictly aerobic workouts. In other words get out and just enjoy the scenery. We all know that as you get older you start to lose muscle mass and bone mass, so it is crucial to strength train year round. You should consider some type of maintenance strength training program, even during the race season. It does not have to be as much as you did in the off season, but, just enough to keep you strong and injury free. I would also suggest some type functional training to go along with that, that will maintain balance, core stability and flexibility. Keep your nervous system stimulated by incorporating higher cadence in riding and running. Such workouts could include isolated leg drills, spin-ups and running strides. Doing this will minimize the risk of injury. Other ways to soften the blow of harder workouts would be to use a treadmill for your interval running. Treadmill running is known to be easier on the legs. Using a bike trainer for your interval sessions can prove to be quite productive. Sure you don't have the wind and hills (unless you own a computrainer) but it is consistent and safe. So remember, add intensity training, get some quality rest and stop looking for those wrinkles. Ginger Pharr is a Triathlon Coach living in Greensboro North Carolina and can be contacted at Fitsolve@aol.com |
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