MY 5 BEST TRIATHLON TIPS

20 YEARS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Throughout my 20 year pro triathlon career I trained under a a great range of best triathlon, swim and run coaches Australia produced both old school and modern.

Time and time again I learnt there are different ways to skin a cat to achieve a similar positive outcome.

He's 5 training ideas to think about so you can skip some of the mistakes I have made in the past.

Seek Proven Expertise

It's simple. Before you follow someone's triathlon training advice asked the question: where's the proof in your claims and/or who and how many athletes have you succeeded in improving in the past? This can save a lot of pain in the long run. The keyword is proven. You wouldn't trust the GP to treat any illness that requires a specialist. Sport is no different.

Understand stress

Over training doesn't develop from exercise alone. Work, family, travel and no sleep can often be more stressful to overall recovery then getting out and training hard.

Having a consistent daily method to monitor overall feeling and health goes a long way in identifying fatigue early, enabling adjustment of training or life accordingly.

Strength and activation

As I've aged the importance of keeping the body and check and not just smashing out the training has become a priority.

It doesn't need to be in the gym lifting weights, but body weight exercises, activation exercises and core work especially focused around the glutes not only help with injury prevention, but also with better motion while swim bike and running - which equates to free speed!

The best rider doesn't win

I see so many triathletes and who are so preoccupied with how fast they ride that I wonder why they are not cycling instead of racing triathlon.

Triathlon is a combination of three sports and each of those effects the other in both positive and negative ways. Working out the best way to put your jigsaw puzzle together using strengths and weaknesses will have you finishing the whole triathlon event fastest.

Change it up

If you want to improve something but keep doing the same thing you've been doing, then you just get more exactly that: the same. So change!

Throughout my career I've discovered that, within a timeframe of about three months, I know whether a changing total training will be favourable or destructive. Sometimes it takes even less time. The main point is be realistic with yourself and ask the right questions.