TriDot - Page 5

Why Triathlon Training Should be Fast Before Far and Strong Before Long – Part 1

Traditional training principles and workouts in distance events often preach the theory that one must first conquer the desired distance and then work toward increasing speed and strength. This may at first sound good and seem to make sense. But it can be short-sighted, self-defeating, and possibly even injury-inducing. It can also result in meaningless and even harmful “junk miles” and increased training time. The better strategy is “fast before far and strong before long.” It’s one of TriDot’s fundamental beliefs which focuses first on developing strength and speed, and then emphasizes distance. Here are two of four primary reasons this belief makes good sense and produces better results: 1. Fast Before Far and Strong Before Long emphasizes stamina, not…

Training / Triathlon

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Why Triathlon Training Should be Fast Before Far and Strong Before Long – Part 2

In this morning’s blog, we discussed two key reasons why “fast before far and strong before long” is a wiser, more productive training strategy: It emphasizes stamina over endurance and recovery over merely logging miles. Here are two more crucial benefits: 1. Fast Before Far and Strong Before Long emphasizes proper form Perhaps the greatest casualty in the “first far then fast” mentality is it often produces poor athletic form. As the body overstresses and is exhausted by the overreached distance, it starts to break down and lose form. The result is poor body mechanics, as the body isn’t as fresh, alert, and responsive as it should be. TriDot Founder and four-time IRONMAN Jeff Booher cautions athletes to avoid “having…

Training / Triathlon

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For the Record: March 2016 - Does Having the Latest Triathlon Equipment Help the Average Age Group Triathlete?

Does having the latest triathlon equipment help the average age group triathlete? NO: COACH CASEY ARENDT When I walk onto the deck of any pool, I can spot the presence of triathletes immediately – they are the ones with the pile of equipment at the end of their lane. Our sport is full of people who like to have the latest gear, and there are hundreds of companies vying for our hard-earned dollars. Flip through any triathlon-oriented magazine, and you’ll be barraged with the latest in running shoe technology, ultralight carbon bikes, aero wheels and helmets, GPS watches, electronic shifting, power meters, watt-based trainers, swimming paddles and gadgets, etc. It’s enough to make any newcomer to the sport hang onto…

For the Record

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5 Tips for Your Best Triathlon Start

We’ve heard it before – how you finish is more important than how you start. And triathlons often reflect this importance with crowds, cameras, and screams of encouragement. Truth be told, the not-so-spectacular start of a triathlon has just as much importance to the overall performance and psychological well-being of your race than you might imagine – and can impact how well you finish. Going out too fast or too slow, failing to familiarize yourself with the course, and not having a sure and steady race plan are all miscues that can cost you valuable time as well as create added physical and mental strain during your race. These five tips will give you an added edge at the triathlon…

Race / Start / Training

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3 Reasons to Train with Purpose

Roger Bannister, the first man to break the four-minute-mile barrier, talked about the purpose for which he ran in his autobiography, “Four Minute Mile.” He wrote that it “should become a striving to achieve more and more, not for purely selfish motives, but because of the recognition of some higher purpose.” Bannister found the purpose for why he ran, and he changed his life and the world around him. You can do the same in triathlon training. If you can find your purpose for competing in triathlons and train with that purpose in mind, you’ll not only be able to determine a motivation and method for your athletic pursuits, you’ll develop the strength and mental fortitude to accomplish them. There…

Inspiration / Training

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TriDot Check-In with Athlete Rodney Friend

RODNEY FRIEND is an IRONMAN and the founder and president of Merchant Management Group, a full service credit card processing company in Panama City, Florida. A city commissioner who is active on several boards as well as his local church, he is also a founding member of Team Reach, a triathlon group who raise funds and awareness for three non-profit organizations. Married to Jeanette, his wife of 27 years, they have a daughter, Katelyn, who is a senior in high school. How did you get started in triathlon? I didn’t have a big athletic background but I did a lot of athletic things growing up, like a lot of other boys. Basketball was my primary sport. I also competed…

Training / TriDot Check-In

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3 Reasons to Consider a Triathlon Coach

Triathletes are typically a solitary lot. Self-driven. Self-trained. Self-reliant. They often like to do things alone. The notion of seeking a coach to add value to their triathlon training can take many out of their comfort zones. But triathlon is a rigorous, multi-dimensional, multi-disciplined sport, which requires more than the average demands on an athlete. When you add the uniqueness of each athlete, from body composition, to athletic background, to triathlon experience, the best data and an experienced coach who can assist in the physical and mental demands of the sport will give you the best advantage you can ask for. A coach delivers three key values to your athletic achievement and enjoyment: 1. Securing a triathlon coach reduces…

Coaching / Training

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What's Your TriDot?

What reaction would you get if you asked a fellow triathlete, "What's Your TriDot?" Today, they'd probably give you an expression similar to the "eyes-wide-open-with-a-straight-line-mouth" Emoji face. But the reality is the TriDot Score can change triathlete conversations about training, performance and potential. Think of it like a golf handicap. If you're a 19 handicap and you're talking to a 2 handicap, you immediately have context for the conversation. The same is true of the TriDot Score. Before you start weeks of triathlon training, wouldn't it be great if you could quantify your overall triathlon fitness with a baseline score? And get a score for each discipline too? What if these scores helped identify which areas offer the biggest training payoff (i.e. better results, more efficient training) and served a role in tracking your progress? You can and…

News / Training

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Patents applied for in the U.S. and abroad. TriDot and the TriDot logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Predictive Fitness, Inc. in the US and other countries. Other trademarks include Optimized Triathlon Training, nSight, TrainX, RaceX, Physiogenomix, EnviroNorm, Normalized Training Stress, and Training Stress Profile. Additional Predictive Fitness trademarks can be found at www.predictive.fit/trademark-list.