IN THIS EDITION…

  • Double Down on Your Cycling Now
  • 4 Keys to Faster Swimming
  • Are You Strong Enough for Triathlon?
  • More Taper Tips
  • Making Swim Drills Work for You

DRILL BITS

Despite consistent drilling, many swimmers are frustrated that their technique hasn’t improved.  Why is that?

Coach Andrew Shaeff believes your lack of progress might have something to do with when you schedule drills into your workout.  Swim drills can be remarkably effective, if the positive techniques isolated in a drill can be immediately applied to your freestyle.

In this article he offers 2 strategies to use drills in a more systematic manner.

Experiment by modifying the structure of your sets, and you might experience dramatic improvement.

ARE YOU STRONG ENOUGH?

Do you have the physical competency to accomplish your race goals? Are you strong enough to be a successful triathlete?

If we can meet the basic physical requirements necessary to absorb the stress of training, then we can continue to improve.

An effective way to measure your physical proficiency is through these 5 bodyweight strength exercises vital for better endurance performance.  These exercises focus on the feet and ankles; calf strength; hamstrings; your upper body and core.

Most triathletes find that they have work to do in one or more of these areas.  Integrate consistent strength training into your weekly routine, and track your progress in these exercises.  Before you know it you’ll be training more effectively and racing faster.

SHAPING BIKE FORM

Since the bike represents the longest single leg of triathlon, it’s vital to be in top riding shape for your priority event.

That’s why coach Lance Watson often recommends a mid-season focus on cycling to build strength and speed, which generates a boost in overall race performance.

Check out Watson’s 5-week plan for improving your cycling.  It’s the ideal training block to insert just before your taper. Best of all, while incredibly detailed, this plan is free.

AVOID NUTRITION DISASTERS

We’ve all heard “nothing new on race day,” but how many of us really practice our race day nutrition with the same intensity as we expect at the event?

The best way to avoid mid-race nutritional disasters is to train with what will be served on course, preferably during race pace brick sessions.

Whatever combination of products you expect at the aid stations, you can pick them up at TheFeed.com. Hydration, energy, electrolytes… it’s all there.  The prices are incredible, too.

Now there’s no excuse not to dial-in your best race day fueling strategy, thanks to TheFeed.com

APPROACHING RACE WEEK

For some reason, triathletes have a tendency to overcomplicate their pre-race tapers.

In edition 96 of TriathlonWire, we shared the insights of 5x World Champion Craig Alexander on how to optimize the final week before your event.

This week, elite coach Brett Sutton reinforces the importance of a simple plan leading up to your event.

From his perspective, the number one mistake among age group triathletes is reducing their training too much in the final 7 days before their race.  After months of consistent high-volume training, abruptly backing off creates undue stress on the body that often translates into lackluster performance. 

Instead follow his 3 points to personalize your taper and ensure the best race result possible.

4 FOR FAST

If you want to swim faster (and we know that you do), then you need to train faster.

That means abandoning those long, steady state swims and chunk your total distance into sets of shorter, more intense intervals.  By doing so, you’ll cover the same total distance, only faster.

Coach Aaron Page describes how to make interval swimming work for you, along with other actionable tips.  His 4 strategies for faster triathlon swimming will immediately energize your pool sessions and deliver almost impressive results.

QUICK HIITS:

  • Even More Impressive
    While the triathlon world was abuzz over the Sub7/Sub8 exhibitions, the greatest performance of last weekend was attained by German pro Laura Philipp who, while racing in a real event, posted the fastest IRONMAN time ever of 8:18:20 (which is quicker than 3 of Mark Allen’s Kona victories)!
  • Apple Joins the Tri Scene
    At its recent Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced massive updates to its Apple Watch OS that support sports and fitness.  Included is a triathlon mode that continuously tracks swim, bike, run and transition times along with other performance metrics relevant to endurance athletes. Expect its release in September.