IN THIS EDITION…

  • Get Rid of Your Splayed Kick for Good
  • 4 Mistakes Undermining Your Bike Training
  • Best Strength Exercise for Running
  • How to Nail Your FTP Test
  • 6 Principles for Faster Swimming

ACE THE TEST

One of the best ways to improve your cycling is to follow a zone-based training plan.

In order to get the most benefit from these programs, you must know how to establish your training zones, based on your current fitness.  To determine your zones, begin by testing for your FTP.

This article by Matt Wilpers is one of the best we’ve found that clearly describes why knowing your FTP is the first step to getting faster on the bike.

He describes numerous testing protocols so that you can choose the one that’s best for you.  He also outlines where, when and how often you should test your FTP.

Finally Wilpers lists the most common misunderstandings athletes have regarding FTP, and how to avoid them.

MOVE TO THE FAST LANE

We all want to swim faster.  As triathletes it’s usually technique deficiencies, not fitness, that limit our progress.

Coach Christophe Keller discusses the 2 objectives that must be simultaneously pursued for more speed: decreasing drag and increasing propulsion.

To decrease drag Keller explores the importance of balance, swimming posture and an effective kick, and provides drills and tips that will help you become more streamlined.

To increase propulsion, he suggests fundamental ways to improve your stroke mechanics.

By following these 6 principles for faster swimming, and including his freestyle drills into your routine, you’ll finally see improvements in speed.

CYCLING SABOTAGE

Are you frustrated with your lack of cycling progress?  If so, then Chris Carmichael suspects you might be guilty of sabotaging your training by making one of these 4 mistakes.

Mistake #3 might sound familiar: neglecting training specificity.  Too many triathletes simply ride to log their miles, rather than establishing an intentional goal for each session.

Of particular interest is mistake #4: not updating your training zones.  After reading the first article in this edition of TriathlonWire (!), remember that your fitness is constantly changing, and your FTP can fluctuate by 15 to 20% each year.   That means, to get the most from your training, your training zones must keep pace, too.

Evaluate whether you’re making any of these mistakes, and then make the necessary adjustments. As soon as you do, you’ll see your cycling performance improve.

UNLOCK BETTER PERFORMANCE

The great-tasting, sugar-free energy gel – UCAN Edge — delivers hours of stable energy to power your best performances.

The secret to UCAN Edge is LIVSTEADY, its proprietary low-glycemic, complex carbohydrate that has changed the way triathletes train and race.   It provides athletes with steady, long-lasting energy without the spikes and crashes associated with sugar.

Validated in multiple clinical trials and used by pro triathletes and Olympic marathoners, UCAN is proven to be a smarter way to fuel.

TriathlonWire readers can experience this new standard in sports nutrition and get 15% off by using this link.  Try it now!

SPLIT YOUR SQUAT

Trying to carve out enough time each week for training can be a never-ending challenge and, when time is tight, often the first thing to be eliminated is bodywork.  That’s why choosing the most effective strength exercises is vitally important.

For running, physiotherapist Joe Uhan extolls the benefits and sports specificity of the split squat.

Its staggered stance position is similar to the single-leg loading of your stride.  It also eccentrically isolates the glutes, and promotes overall hip strengthening.

Follow this in-depth guide on the split-squat, and you’ll improve your alignment, stability and balance… all of which contribute to stronger running performances.

BAN THE SCISSOR KICK

Do your legs splay when you swim?  If so, you’re losing at least 1 second per hundred.

Even with your body in a good position, if your head goes off-center when you breathe, it can cause your body to snake and your legs to splay.

Brenton Ford dissects the stroke of an otherwise accomplished athlete who tends to “do the splits” on his breathing strokes, which acts like a parachute and slows you down.

Reducing body rotation, striving for a narrower kick and improving your breathing with proven drills are all effective strategies for curing this technical mistake.

QUICK HIITS:

  • How They Rank
    If you haven’t checked them out recently, you might find the PTO’s men’s and women’s pro rankings interesting.  After a shaky start, they now seem to reflect defensible scores for triathlon’s best, with Daniela Ryf and Kristian Blummenfelt currently leading their respective packs.