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Entries Tagged as 'cycling'
Improve your Bike Speed in Triathlon
Are you a pedal masher? Here are some quick technique tips to make your bike one of the strongest portions of your triathlon race.
Pedal in Circles. A Pedal Masher pushes only on the down stroke, and this strategy will not make you fast, and wastes your energy. The goal is to use as many muscle groups as you can work together. To do this – you need to be even during the entire pedal stroke, not only pushing the pedal down (called “mashing”) but pulling leg up when you are in the upward stroke.
Pedal in circles by applying force through as much of the pedal stroke as possible, especially through the top and bottom.Push forward over the top, pull back and the bottom keeping your heal down and then pull [Read more →]
Where do you find the time to train?
One of my favorite blogs to read for business is Seth’s Blog. Today, he wrote about Marketing Time. How did I find time to train for an Ironman with four kids, a wife and a job? We’re all busy. And, there are a million excuses about why we don’t have time to train.
A contractor that prides himself on finishing every single job on the day it’s due, regardless of what it takes, is telling a powerful story, doing marketing that’s actually cheaper and more effective than advertising ever could be.
Finding time is a simple formula.
- Hit the pool.
Hit the bike.
Hit the track.
Do your training today, and leave nothing left undone for tomorrow.
What are the official rules for Triathlon?
According to Wikipedia, Traditionally, triathlon is an individual sport: each athlete is competing against the course and the clock for the best time. As such, athletes are not allowed to receive assistance from anyone else inside or outside the race, with the exception of race-sanctioned aid volunteers who distribute food and water on the course. This also means that team tactics, such as drafting, a cycling tactic in which several riders cluster closely to reduce the air resistance of the group, are not allowed.
This has begun to change with the introduction of triathlon into the Olympic Games. Many Olympic-distance races, including the Olympics themselves and ITU World Cup events, now allow drafting during the cycling stage. This change has [Read more →]
How much should I train for a triathlon? A training schedule
It’s spring, and it’s right before race season. Right now, you’re goal is to build fitness and endurance for the upcoming races. I’ll post a sample triathlon training schedule here that covers swimming, cycling, running, transition and core strength. Follow this schedule at least 8-10 weeks before your first race.
Let’s say you’re signed up for 2 triathlons this summer. Your triathlon training schedule should run 5 - 6 days per week, with one - two days off for rest – Friday is the best rest day, because if you race on Sunday, you’ve got a built-in day of rest already in your schedule. Here’s one way your triathlon-training schedule could look:
- Swim: 30 min 2 xs per week Mon/Wed: Focus on drills and stroke.
- Core: 2x per week, Mon/Wed: 15 reps lighter weight. [Read more →]
What is a triathlon?
What is a Triathlon? A triathlon is an athletic event that includes swimming, running, and cycling. How long is the swim? How long is the bike? How long is the run? There are different lengths of triathlons:
How long is a Sprint Triathlon?
- ½ mile (750m) swim
- 12.4-mile (20Km) swim
- 3.1 mile (5km) run
How long is an Olympic Triathlon? [Read more →]
Base Training
Well, I’m in my 8th week of base training for the upcoming Coeur d’Alene Ironman race in June. The exciting thing is that I’ve lost 8 lbs already, and estimate I will trim another eight pounds by race day based on my race weight last IM race. The main routine right now is about an average of 8-10 hours per week (3 runs, 3 bikes, 3 swims and 2 days of weights) focusing on technique and improved fitness to start the next 10 week build phase.
During my morning swim I had a 600 meter warm up broken up by 200 meters swim, kick, drills. Then in the main set was 10 - 200s. The format was 200 swim, 200 pull with paddles, 200 pull w/o paddles, 200 kick swim and 200 swim then repeat. I am trying to work on my endurance today so wanted to add some extra kicks to the routine to help build strength and technique using my zoomers. You can add drills if you like such as single arm, fist, pause, finger tip, etc for each 25 in the 200. Then a 400 cool down for a total of 3000 meters.
This evening on the bike was a straight 1 hour spin on the trainer at 100+ rpm at low heart rate (zone 1). This helps build technique and it becomes rather difficult after about 30 mins. Throw in some single leg drills too. I actually tried playing with the kids on the Wii. It was fun for all of us and a little distracting but hey time management takes multi-tasking. Cheers!
Is your core strong enough for the Triathlon?
Want a competitive edge? Start with a strong core. This does not take a long time to build (15 mins 3-5 days per week) - however, it’s one of the most overlooked components of triathlon training. Your core muscles are the focal point for all of the 3 main elements of the triathlon; swimming, cycling and running:
- Swim: Helps you maintain your body position in the water while you work your arms and legs together.
- Bike: More power to the pedals - it’s not just about the legs.
- Run: Keeps your posture aligned, to prevent back pain, maintain your balance, and improve your speed.
These “core muscles” are more than just your abdominal muscles: Think about what you feel when you’re cycling up steep hills on your bike - that’s the core. Your core is all those small muscles running along your spine, and the small muscles that connect to your hips, groin - giving your base the power to fully work your arms [Read more →]
Should I Pedal Fast or Slow?
What is the most efficient speed to pedal during triathlon?
Is it better to pedal slower or faster?
When I bike with my wife, she always keeps the bike in a harder gear, even when going up hill. I tell her to switch down to an easeir gear to make it easier, but she never listens. She’s pushing against more resistance with each pedal stroke, and tiring more of the muscle fibers in her legs to give her enough power to keep her going. But she’s not running a marathon after the bike ride — she’s more concerned about building muscles in her legs — so for her, it could make sense to pedal slower in a harder gear.
But if you’re biking in a triathlon, your goal is to save your legs for the marathon. Ironically, that means [Read more →]
