Overview

Whether you are running your first 5K, doing your first triathlon or are trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, it seems everyone eventually wants to know from our Triathlon Running Coaches how to run faster. Some runners swear by running track sprints, while others argue for running more miles. There seem to be as many methods as there are runners, but very few Champion level coaches… that’s where Veteran Training fits in. However, most effective speed improvement programs have four basic components: speed work, tempo runs, leg-strength exercises and rest days. Incorporating these into your weekly runs should help you improve your speed.

Step 1

Incorporate speed work. Running faster for short periods of time will strengthen your heart, lungs and skeleton. After warming up, complete intervals, or repetitions, of 200 to 800 meters, jogging slowly after each so your body can recover. Aim for four sets of intervals once a week to start with.

Step 2

Add a weekly tempo run. Tempo running is running for a sustained period of time at a faster-than-normal pace. Tempo runs should feel between somewhat hard and hard on the rate of perceived exhaustion (RPE) scale. This equals between 70 to 80 percent of your maximum effort. Once a week, warm up for 10 or 15 minutes at an easy pace, then run between 20 and 40 minutes, or about 3 to 6 miles–depending on fitness and goals–at tempo pace. Cool down with another 10- to 15-minute jog.

Step 3

Improve your leg muscle strength through weight-bearing and plyometric–jumping–exercises. Good exercises engage the hip, knee and ankle, and include squats, dead lifts, lunges and power step-ups. Improve your explosive leg force and your speed by doing 30 to 50 vertical jumps for beginners, or 100–or more–if you’re an advanced athlete.

Step 4

Get adequate rest. Without adequate rest, your body can’t rebuild from all your hard work. On your rest days, either cross-train by doing non-running activities, such as biking, swimming or walking, or do nothing at all. Aim for one rest day per week.

Veteran Training provides the Best Triathlon Coaching, Personal Training & Boot Camp Services in Pembroke, Hanover, Hingham, Duxbury, Kingston, Plymouth, Scituate, Cohasset & Marshfield Massachusetts.

Recently, one of our coaches came across this article about comparisons to Military Fitness and Civilian Physical Fitness. After having spent time training members from the Naval Special Warfare community in Coronado we wanted to pass it along to our Veteran Training team and readers.

(And just to be clear on a personal note to a few of you from Team 3… No, we have not forgotten about the “issued” swimmies to swim the Coronado Bridge).

Training to be a Navy SEAL is far more challenging than training for an Ironman. But a Navy SEAL who has had recent Ironman success had these tips for would be Ironmen or even those who want to be successful at triathlon or whatever your athletic goals are.

1. Eliminate self-limiting thoughts. More often than not, people have preconceived notions about what is possible for them to achieve. They sell themselves short. Abolish thoughts that hold you back from achieving your true potential.

2. Optimize your skills. Everyone begins at a different place and each of us are dealt a different set of genetic cards. Use that to your advantage and optimize your assets.

3. Be willing to spend the effort and energy to be successful. Anyone can succeed if they are willing to work at it. Too many people want to reap rewards without the sacrifice that is necessary to achieve any goal.

4. Enjoy the journey. If you can enjoy the pursuit of excellence, you’ve got it made. Aiming to enjoy only the end result makes it impossible to endure the necessary sacrifices to achieve any goal really worth having.

5. Be a student. The more you understand about what it is you’re trying to do and how to do it, the easier it is to be successful. Be a student of your passion.

6. Persevere. There are many things that can get in the way of successfully achieving any goal. You have to be willing to figure out how to get over, under, around or through those obstacles. Keep trying.

7. Develop mental toughness. It is not the physical challenges that keep men from successfully surviving the SEAL training, it is mentally giving up. You need to start believing that you can do it, you can be successful. Others have been successful before you, you can do it too.

8. Be prepared to suffer. When you are training for an event as large as a 140.6-mile triathlon, it is a long haul. There is going to be bad weather, aching body parts and times when you are just plain tired. Know that some stress, followed by rest, will make you stronger physically and mentally.

9. Take strength from others. This tip is particularly valuable for race day. Right when you are thinking things are really bad for you, look around. You’ll see that others are suffering too. Knowing you’re not the only one and that other people will suffer generates energy, if you’re willing to accept it.

10. You must want success. Doing something that is difficult requires that you want to be successful with every fiber of your core. The intense desire to succeed helps you overcome obstacles that crush other people.

11. Avoid over-training. It is easy for highly motivated people to over train. Achievers are often rewarded for doing more and working harder. While you must work hard and do the prescribed work, you must also rest in order to reap the benefits.

You may not be capable of becoming a Navy SEAL, but you are capable of successfully becoming a triathlete. So be inspired and inspire others.

“The only easy day was yesterday.” – Displayed at the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado

1. Get Stronger and More Stable

The famous “they” says that there is no clear scientific evidence that proves that strength training can reduce your chance of injury when you are competing in a triathlon, but Instructors from the Special Operations community believe that it does.  After training members from the Navy SEAL teams, we have developed a great strength training program. Our programs can make your muscles, joints and connective tissue stronger react quicker and perform longer. This will make you a stronger and more stable athlete and will reduce your chance of being injured as you train for and compete in triathlons.

2. Newbies Start Light

The type of triathlon that you are training for will, in part, determine the type of strength training you are going to do. For “newbies” to the sport who are participating in a sprint triathlon, some experts recommend a high number of repetitions of light weights. However, as you move into the Olympic distance or half or whole Ironmen competitions, you will want to lift heavier weights to improve your muscle’s aerobic capacity. Your goal is to build your strength through weights and build your endurance by swimming, running and biking.

3. Strengthen Your Legs and Hips

Leg exercises are an important part of a triathlon strength training program because your legs will be working hard in all three sports, but particularly in the bike and run legs of the triathlon. Some common exercises that are recommended are leg presses, which work the quadriceps and the gluteus maximus muscles; seated and lying leg curls, which work the hamstring muscles; and leg extensions, which also make the quadricep muscles stronger.

4. Develop a Strong Core

Having a strong core, which means that your abdominal muscles are strong, is important to being a successful triathlete. Experts generally recommend crunches, and sit-ups. Using a medicine ball is a good way to make your abdominal muscles stronger. Pilates is also helpful for strengthening the core. People with strong abdominal muscles have a number of advantages in a triathlon. For example, their feet usually don’t sink when they swim, and they are able to maintain better posture when they are running.

5. Work Those Shoulders for a Strong Swim

Your shoulders are extremely important, especially when you swim. Our Staff  recommends shoulder internal and external rotations, both of which can be performed by attaching a stretch cord to a stationary object at waist height. It’s best to have a personal trainer or other exercise expert check your form when you perform these exercises for the first time. Once you have perfected your form, you can do these exercises at the gym or at home.

Veteran Training provides the Best Triathlon Coaching, Personal Training & Boot Camp Services in Pembroke, Hanover, Hingham, Duxbury, Kingston, Plymouth, Scituate, Cohasset & Marshfield Massachusetts.

If you ask any of our Triathlon Coaching Staff they will all tell you that to perform well on race day, train properly, safely and with a solid program for your triathlon.

Overview

1. Heads Up

Our Triathlete Coaching Staff will always have you begin swimming freestyle to focus on how your body is in the water. Your head should be in line with your spine and you should be looking forward towards the wall. This may seem uncomfortable since you are basically moving your head to look straight upward but this position allows you to see where you are going and helps decrease drag as you move through the water. If you lower your head, you are creating an obstacle for the water to move around and will increase the amount of force you must exert to move through the water.

2. Flutter Kick

A flutter kick is used with the freestyle stroke. This is a kick that is done with your legs straight, knees slightly bend. You should use your hips and legs as well as your feet to move through the water. The kick should feel natural and not forced. Allow your legs to move in the water and to not try to lock your knees to force your legs into a completely straight position. In beginning swimmers there is a temptation is to create a huge kick but this will actually hurt rather than help. Kick you kick quick and efficient.

3. Arms Overhead

The pull in freestyle swimming is an important part of the freestyle swimming technique. To begin a pull in freestyle, begin with your arms over your head in streamline position. Pull one of your arms with your elbows bent through the water underneath your body. Create a paddle out of your hand by holding your fingers closely together and cupping your hand. Your elbow should be the first thing out of the water. Be sure to pull your elbow high out of the water and allow the rest of your arm you follow. Once your finger exit the water, move your arm quickly over your head and back to the streamline position. Your fingers should be the first thing to enter the water. Concentrate on maximizing your stroke by extending your arm to the maximum length in front of you. As you first arm exits the water after the pull, you should begin the stroke with the other arm.

4. Body Roll

As you swim your body should roll from side to side in the water. This motion maximizes your reach as you move your hands over your head and will give you a bigger pull with each stroke. This roll should extend from your hips to your shoulders. To get the most out of your stroke and to get used to the motion of the body roll, pretend to reach far above your head toward an object ten feet away. Allow your shoulder to reach and your body from one side to the one that you are reaching with.

5. Breathe in Three

It is usually recommended that you breathe every three strokes. This allows you to breathe on both sides. You’re going to breathe as one arm is coming out of the water and beginning to stretch out over your head. Midway through this recovery there is a opening created by the bend from your upper arm and forearm. Rolling your the side that is pulling, bring your face out of the water and take a quick breath.

Veteran Training provides the Best Triathlon Coaching, Personal Training & Boot Camp Services in Pembroke, Hanover, Hingham, Duxbury, Kingston, Plymouth, Scituate, Cohasset & Marshfield Massachusetts.

Try to learn to breathe bilaterally to help you balance your stroke. In just one hour in the pool, you can roll to your breathing side up to one thousand times so a stroke that is lopsided can quickly become pernanent when you practice a lot.

The benefits to bilateral breathing, are that you’ll no longer be blind in that direction. If you’re an open water swimmer, you’ll be able to avoid chop, sight better, check for landmarks, and in triathlon keep your eye out for other swimmers and perhaps prevent yourself from getting kicked in the face by another swimmer.

To learn this technique practice bilateral breathing at every opportunity possible. At first you will feel awkward but you’ll quickly find, that bilateral breathing becomes more natural as you practice. So during warm-ups, cool-downs, and slow sets try breathing to your weaker side. And also experiment with different patterns such as three breaths to your left, and three to your right, or four left, four right, until you find a pattern that works best for you. Most importantly, don’t give up because eventually breathing to both sides will come naturally.

After depleting your energy stores with exercise, you need to refuel if you expect your body to recover, repair tissues, get stronger and be ready for the next challenge. This is even more important if you are performing endurance exercise day after day or trying to build muscle. Ideally, you should try to eat within 30 to 60 minutes of the end of your workout and make sure you include some high-quality protein and complex carbohydrate.
Also remember to replace fluids. You lose a lot of fluid during exercise and filling up after exercise is an easy way to boost your recovery. Water supports every metabolic function and nutrient transfer in the body and having plenty of water will improve every bodily function.

1.      Fruits and vegetables for their wide variety of nutrients, high nutrient content, and their fight against heart disease and cancer.

2.      Whole grains for the nutrients they provide and for being such a great source of GI regulating fiber.

3.      Oatmeal and oats, and dried beans and peas for being great sources of water soluble fiber and helping to lower LDL cholesterol.

4.      Fish and fish oil for being the best source of omega-3 fatty acids and offering protection against heart disease, inflammation, and a number of other health related problems.

5.      Sports drinks for fluid, carbohydrate, and electrolyte replacement during training and racing.

6.      Recovery drinks that provide over half a gram of carbohydrate per pound of body weight and over 10 g protein when consumed in the minutes after hard training for their replenishment of fluid and fuel and a high level of convenience.