Swim Bike Run

Training for a triathlon is never an easy task. You not only push your body to the edge, you need to engage in specialized forms of training to get the performance you need. This is as true for swim workouts for triathletes as for any other section of the race. The reason why the exercises are so important is because you need to train your upper body to be strong enough to do the majority of the work. This way you will be able to save your leg muscles for the other two sections which are ahead.

Using Paddleboards

One of the many swim workouts for triathletes is to use paddleboards. These will help you to find the strengths and the weaknesses in your stroke. They will also help to develop the muscles you use to pull your body through the water. Because the paddleboard is a thin piece of hard plastic, you will recognize it immediately if you have your hand at the wrong angle. Your hand will slice through the water rather than meeting with great resistance. As long as you are using a good stroke, you will feel resistance the whole stroke. The more resistance, the more power you develop.

Using Floaters

Another effective method of swim workouts for triathletes is to use floaters. These are little more than cylindrical pieces of Styrofoam connected by tethers. What you do is clench the tethers between your legs. You then swim through the water without kicking your legs. You will have only your upper body to pull you through. The floater creates drag, but more importantly, it prevents your lower body from sinking towards the bottom of the pool. This prevents you from using your legs at all.

Closed Fist Training

One of the swim workouts for triathletes seldom heard about is the closed fist training drill. This is a method by which you will dig your fingers into your palms as you swim. This will force you to use your forearms as a paddle to move you through the water. This is a good exercise to use with floaters as you will not be going very fast. Do not use your legs and concentrate on how your arm is moving through the water. This will help to make sure your arm will combine with your hand to create a great force to propel you through the water.

High Intensity Interval Training

A training method used as swim workouts for triathletes among others is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This is a method which includes short intervals in which you are swimming as hard as you can for about a minute and then taking a thirty second break. This is used because a 15 minute workout will be more effective than a thirty minute workout. The level of workout will train your muscles to be more powerful for the big day. The secret is the fact your body will continue to be effected long after you get out of the pool.

Photo Credits: Grahambones

• Finding the Best Swimming Facilities in Your Area Swim training can be a challenge when you do not have the right swimming facilities to train in. The good news is there are facilities available to you no matter where you live. Some will be more convenient to use than others. Finding the right place to train is important......
• Improving Your Swimming Kick for Faster Swimming The most effective stroke for people in a triathlon is the overhand crawl. This is a style which is also known as freestyle. The swimming kick used for this stroke is very important to your performance. It is also the most undertrained part of most people’s stroke. It is taken......
• 5 Steps to Improving your Triathlon Swim Swimming is a sport that can be extremely technical, and as a result, determining how you can concentrate on improving your triathlon swimming capabilities is often difficult. Here are five steps that you should be taking in order to improve your swimming capabilities for an upcoming triathlon. There is no......
• Swimming in Your Triathlon The first leg of every triathlon is going to be the wettest, but it really also should be the most relaxed and the most enjoyable leg of the race. If you experience a good swim, then the rest of your race is going to be good as well regardless of......
• Triathlon Gear If you are going to participate in a triathlon, having the best equipment is vital. Experience and endurance are important, but those will only go so far towards being at the top of your game. It will vastly depend on the athlete the sort of equipment needed, since every human......

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When it comes to triathlon competitions such as the Iron Man, fitness alone is not going to be guarantee enough that you are going to win. It is absolutely vital that you develop good nutrition habits as well. This is one of the most important parts of planning for the ironman. The bicycling section is one of the hardest parts of the ironman competition, and preparing nutritionally is vitally important to your success. Here are some triathlon nutrition tips that will steer you in the right direction toward success in your endeavor.

1 – Triathletes are aware of their maximum heart rate, their power output, their average speed and many other arbitrary numbers such as these, but for some reason they fail to address how many calories that they are going to require per hour during their bicycling. You need to know how many calories you need as well as how many calories will be provided by a gel or a bar. If you are falling behind in your calories, those calories will add up and you will suddenly find yourself running on fumes at the end of a long race.

2 – Another vital part of preparing yourself nutritionally is knowing and meeting your fluid requirements during the bicycling portion of the triathlon. The maximum amount of fluid that you will be capable of using efficiently during the race is going to be based upon your race. You must be aware of how you can use or consume fluids based on your body size, body type and weight. You are going to need 10ml of liquid per 1 kilo of your body weight. If you weigh 70 kg, for example, then you need 700 ml of fluid per hour. This means that you need to be prepared to have and use this kind of fluid. 20 ml of fluid is about one gulp, so how many gulps are you going to need to consume in a period of an hour in order to keep yourself properly hydrated? The best way for you to plan is to try sipping a 750 ml bottle to see how long it takes you. Can you reasonably drink this much fluid in an hour? This is vital because learning how to keep yourself properly hydrated is vitally important as part of training to succeed in a triathlon competition.

3 – You also need to be aware of your calorie needs at all times. How much are you consuming in the span of an hour? Putting these calories back into your body while you are cycling is vital. There are gels and bars that you can consume to make this happen. You need to make sure that you are planning and preparing yourself to burn and regain the calories that you need throughout the process in order to perform at your best possible level during your triathlon.

Photo Credits: kisekino01

Originally posted 2009-06-18 17:42:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Swimming Equipment for Triathlon Training Unlike running or biking, swimming does not have nearly the high tech gadgets, but you will need some gear, possibly more than you would initially think. Your swimsuit should not be difficult, as in the end they are all basically the same. Your swimsuit needs only to cover you without......
• Triathlon Wetsuit Selection One of the most vitally important pieces of equipment that you are going to need to choose when it comes to triathlon preparedness is a wetsuit. One of the first things that you're going to need to consider when it comes to buying a wetsuit is the type of races......
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• Training Tips for Beginners Who Race for Fun There is a large variety of athletes who participate in triathlons. These can range from the professional triathlete to the people who just appreciate being able to compete and finish. These different types of athletes lead to different requirements when it comes to training. The professional type of athlete will......
• Tips for Swimming in the Triathlon Swimming in the triathlon is different from any other kind of swimming. There are tips which will allow you to perform well in this portion of the competition without sapping all of your energy. This is important seeing as you will still have two kinds of competition to engage in......

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Are you a new triathlete or someone that has been around the track a few times? Whether you are brand new or have been doing this for a while, you should have an appreciation for how nice it is to have all of your gear packed up and ready to go when you are. Forgetting an essential item is a fear that all of us end up having, and so packing ahead of time and having a packing list for all of your essentials is a really good idea that you should put some thought into. Here is a basic packing list for essentials for your triathlon preparation, put together by some of the best triathletes in the biz. This includes all of the most basic items, some that are rather optional in nature and some tips and tricks that you’ll want to know as you go along.

Preparation for Swimming, Pack These Things

In preparation for the swimming leg of your triathlon competition, you are going to want to make sure that you have your tri suit, a wristwatch, a pair of goggles, a backup pair of goggles, a wet suit, your swim cap, a backup swim cap, a timing chip, and optional nose plugs and ear plugs.

Preparation for Bicycling, Pack These Things

In preparation for the bicycling leg of your triathlon competition, you are going to want to make sure that you have your bicycle helmet and your bicycle with your number already attached, your bike shoes, a working bike pump, a spare tire kit, a camelback or a water bottle, sunglasses, socks and optional bike gloves.

Preparation for Running, Pack These Things

In preparation for the running leg of your triathlon competition, you are going to want to make sure that you have your running shoes and a race belt that already has your number attached.

The Transitional Area

Preparation for the transitional area is a little different, so make sure that you have a towel, gels or power bars, body glide, an extra water bottle, sunscreen and lip balm, a large bike pump, a black market so that you do not have to stand in the body marking line, toilet paper, a basin that you can wash your feet in, optional anti-fog for your goggles, optional Vaseline, a large trash bag to handle any wet gear that you have and some way of locating your stuff such as a balloon or a friend that can locate you.

Preparation for a triathlon really isn’t difficult. When you plan ahead, make a list and check it a dozen times before you leave home, you can make sure that you do not forget any of the essentials that you really need come race day.

Photo Credits: Mat Honan

Originally posted 2009-10-09 03:55:15. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Swimming for a Triathlon Here are some tips for any triathlete when it comes to training and then racing in the swimming leg for any triathlon competition. The first leg for any triathlon is going to be the wettest one, and yet it should be the one that is the most relaxed and the......
• Buying Shoes for your Triathlon It is obviously quite important for you to have a really good pair of shoes that you can run in when you are going through the closing stage of a triathlon - But equally important is making sure that you have a solid pair of triathlon shoes that is also......
• Triathlon Nutrition Tips When it comes to triathlon competitions such as the Iron Man, fitness alone is not going to be guarantee enough that you are going to win. It is absolutely vital that you develop good nutrition habits as well. This is one of the most important parts of planning for the......
• Preventing Injuries While Triathlon Training pt 2 Preventing Injuries when Running Running is actually the sport of the three that is most capable of causing injury. Running injuries are unfortunately quite rampant, and most runners have certainly received a fair share of running injuries. Here are some tips to improve your technique and your gear so that......
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Strength training is a vitally important part of your training program when you are a triathlete. Maximizing the quality level of your workout is going to need to be a prime objective if you want to develop a strength training program that is going to help you improve your performance.

Today there are a wide variety of different tools that an athlete will be able to use in order to get stronger and benefit themselves in other ways. There are also a number of things that you can reasonably avoid because they will not help you maximize your gains in training for your triathlon. Most machines that you find in a gym, for example, are an example of this concept. Triathletes are going to need to learn how to support and coordinate their own body in an effective manner in order to maximize their gains come race day.

The best way for you to maximize your triathlon training capabilities is to simulate the conditions of the race as much as you can. There are plenty of machines as well as contraptions out there but none of them are going to effectively train you for your triathlon because they are not simulating the race or benefiting your race training in any way. Here are three things that you should be focusing on instead:

1 – First and foremost, as a triathlete your number one focus should be on multiple joint, whole body types of exercises. Multiple joint exercises mean that you should be getting more than just a single joint involved one at a time in every exercise movement that you make. Squats and lunges are both excellent examples of multiple joint exercises because they simultaneously work the knees, the ankles and the hips all together when movement is produced. Multiple joint movements are the best thing that triathletes can do to train because these are things that triathletes do when they swim, bike and run during competition.

2 – Bands and free weights tend to be much more practical for a triathlete in comparison to machine workouts. When it comes to using these tools for the purpose of strength training you should be stabilizing the movement of your body more than if you were using a work out machine. This, in turn, will build more strength specific to planning and preparing for race day.

3 – Supporting your entire body while you are doing the exercises should be one of your main focuses. Sitting on a stable surface such as a machine is going to take away from the specificity of training for race day rather than contributing to it. Keep this in mind when it comes to choosing strength training workout options and varieties for your needs.

Photo Credits: jonnystiles

Originally posted 2009-09-10 03:54:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Triathlon Tips Which Really Work Competing in a triathlon is one of the most challenging experiences you can hope for. This is why so many people look for good triathlon tips. This is because while many will be happy just to finish, others would like to move up in the rankings as they compete in......
• Preparing For your Triathlon With the Right Gear Most people who are facing the concept of their first triathlon are wondering what type of gear and equipment will best suit them. Depending on your skill level, your budget and what equipment you currently own, your needs for the right gear will certainly be difficult. Assuming that budget is......
• The Importance of the Right Training for Triathlon Competition Even the fittest individuals need extra training when they compete in a triathlon. Your training for triathlon means setting a schedule and sticking to it. This is important not just so you will do better in the actual competition. It is important so you will be able to avoid injury......
• Gear Up for your First Triathlon When it comes to packing in preparation for your triathlon race, it is best for you to break all of your necessities down into four different categories. This way, you can focus on each of the categories one at a time. One example of breaking your categories down is to......
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If you are looking for a pair of positive pressure swimming goggles, consider the Barracuda B300 goggles, which are part of the Barracuda line. This concept makes use of a closed cell foam in order to seal against your skin without requiring suction, and what this means is that as a result you have a much, much more comfortable goggle. When you are training for a triathlon, having goggles that are comfortable without putting pressure on your face is vitally important.

Although many triathletes prefer swim mask types of goggles because they offer an increase in peripheral vision, the Barracuda brand claims that the Barracuda B300 Goggles are very popular among triathlon swimmers, and this is a claim that has been backed up by reviews. As far as swimming goggles go, the Barracuda B300 Goggles are really comfortable and they offer an outstanding quality with optics that are unsurpassed. They also come with the perfect screwdriver for adjusting the tiny screws that adjust the nose bridge width, and this is a classy touch because tiny details like this really matter.

The eyepieces of the Barracuda B300 Goggles are large and foam, and you need to get them wet so that they will seal right up against your skin. If they are not made wet first, then the Barracuda B300 Goggles will leak, and this is not a good thing when you are racing in a triathlon. It’s also important to know that while those pieces of foam are comfortable and capable of providing a good seal, they unfortunately put some limitations on your ability to see peripherally, which can cost you in a serious race.

The head straps that come with the Barracuda B300 Goggles are long and both ends come out of the same side rather than being able to adjust independently. Unfortunately, this means that you can end up with too much of the strap sticking out, and you may have to tuck it in, which can be a bother. The easy solution is to cut the excess off if you are not going to end up needing it at some point. Having a flapping piece of head strap while you’re swimming is a pain, so deal with it before you train.

The Barracuda B300 Goggles definitely offer decent performance and high quality. They are decently attractive for what they are, and they are a good value for what they offer. If you depend on your peripheral vision, they will be limiting. If you prefer waterproof vision while swimming and don’t mind a bit of a sacrifice, then the Barracuda B300 Goggles are definitely an option worth considering, especially when you consider that they are a value. You may want to use them for training but not for the actual race, but ultimately it is up to you to decide. They retail for about $28, which is a solid price for decent goggles.

Buy: Barracuda B300 Optical Grade Goggle

Originally posted 2009-08-14 05:21:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Preventing Injuries While Triathlon Training pt 1 In our athletic careers, many of us have experienced injuries. Some of these setbacks only seem to sideline us for a couple of days or a couple of weeks while others are capable of ending our careers. It is important that you learn how to listen to your body before......
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• Preparing For your Triathlon With the Right Gear Most people who are facing the concept of their first triathlon are wondering what type of gear and equipment will best suit them. Depending on your skill level, your budget and what equipment you currently own, your needs for the right gear will certainly be difficult. Assuming that budget is......
• Planning and Preparing for your Swimming Triathlon Make sure that you plan long ahead of time by making a list of the materials that you are going to need in order to participate in the swimming portion of your triathlon. Here is a list of basic supplies that you are going to need for your training regimen......
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Strength training is capable of being a vitally important part of the training program for all triathletes. Maximizing the quality of your workout should be your prime objective when it comes to developing a solid strength program that is going to benefit your triathlon progress. There are a wide variety of different tools today that you can use as an athlete in order to benefit yourself in strength training and getting stronger. You need to learn how to coordinate as well as support your own body as effectively as possible in order to maximize the gains that you receive by the time race day rolls around.

Some exercise machines appear to be good for the end result, but do not actually produce the results that people are looking for. One example of such a machine is the chest press machine. This machine will not allow you to get the most out of your strength training routine for triathlon training. The machine allows for you to sit down and then push your arms out straight using resistance, but this one track movement is actually preventing most of the muscles in your upper body from ever balancing a level of stability, which means that you are not getting the most out of this work out no matter how you try.

In order to get the absolute best possible results out of your training for a triathlon, you need to simulate the conditions of the race as best you can. The way that you can do this is to figure out the best ways to simulate the behaviors that you will exhibit in the race and work on those instead of machines that will not balance your core stability. Here are three things that you absolutely need to focus on in strength training for your upcoming triathlon.

- * As a triathlete you should be focusing on whole body exercises and exercises capable of working multiple joints at once. What multi-joint means is that more than a single joint should be getting involved in every exercise movement, such as squats and lunges for example.

- * Free weights as well as exercise bands tend to be more practical than machines when it comes to training for a triathlon. When you are using these particular tools for strength training, you have to stabilize your body much better than when a machine is doing some of the work for you.

- * You should be constantly aiming to support your entire body while you are doing your strength training exercises. If you sit on a stable surface like a weight machine, you will not be as balanced or prepared come race day.

If you keep these three things in mind, you will prepare yourself better for your triathlon because you will build a strong core and a good balance and stability unlike anything you had before you began your strength training routine.

Photo Credits: Grayskullduggery

Originally posted 2009-07-28 05:44:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• The Importance of the Right Training for Triathlon Competition Even the fittest individuals need extra training when they compete in a triathlon. Your training for triathlon means setting a schedule and sticking to it. This is important not just so you will do better in the actual competition. It is important so you will be able to avoid injury......
• Triathlon Wetsuit Selection One of the most vitally important pieces of equipment that you are going to need to choose when it comes to triathlon preparedness is a wetsuit. One of the first things that you're going to need to consider when it comes to buying a wetsuit is the type of races......
• Strength Training for Triathlons Strength training is a vitally important part of your training program when you are a triathlete. Maximizing the quality level of your workout is going to need to be a prime objective if you want to develop a strength training program that is going to help you improve your performance.......
• Weight Training for the Triathlon If you want to compete successfully in a triathlon competition, then you need to be willing to put time and effort into strengthening your body. However, this is quite obviously easier said that done, because training for three different events and training for cardiovascular fitness, strength, endurance and good technique......
• Triathlon Training 101 Are you planning on training for your first triathlon? This is not an easy task for anyone to master if they do not know the ropes. There are three completely unique disciplines that are involved, and you are also going to need to be lifting weights and training in other......

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Here is a brief glossary of terms used in triathlon training and triathlon racing.

70.3 - This term is used to describe a Half Ironman race distance, which is a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike an 13.1 mile run.

140.6 – This term is used to describe an Ironman distance, which is a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run.

1/2 IM - This term is used to describe a Half Ironman race distance, which is a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike an 13.1 mile run.

1/2 Mary – This term describes a half marathon, or a 13.1 mile run.

10k - This translates to 6.2 miles.

2 a Day - This is a term referring to completing two workouts each day.

40/30/30 - This is a term referring to calorie percentages for carbs, proteins and fats.

5k - This translates to 3.1 miles.

Aero Bars - These are handlebars on a bicycle that face forward and that have places where you can place your elbows. These aero bars make it possible for triathletes to maintain a more comfortable and more aerodynamic position on the bike.

Aerobic Exercise - This is a term used to describe any type of exercise that is performed at a moderate level of intensity over an extended period of time in order to maintain a slightly elevated heart rate. Swimming, biking or running for long periods of time at a moderate pace are also considered to be aerobic exercises.

AG - This is an acronym for Age Group.

AHR – This is an acronym for Average Heart Rate.

Anaerobic Exercise – This is an initial phase of exercise, or it can be used to describe short, intense bursts of exertion such as in jumping, sprinting and weight lifting.

Anaerobic Threshold – This is the exercise intensity level at which lactic acid is being produced more quickly than it is capable of being metabolized, meaning that it begins to accumulate within the blood stream.

Aquabike - This is the swimming stage followed by the biking stage without a running stage.

AR – This is an acronym for Adventure Racing.

AT – This is an acronym for Anaerobic Threshold.

ATP - This is an acronym for Annual Training Plan.

Basal Metabolic Rate – This is the amount of energy that is expended while you are at rest in an environment that is neutrally temperate in a stage where your digestive system is currently inactive, requiring approximately 12 hours worth of fasting, known as the post absorptive state.

Base – This is the solid foundation for fitness that you use to build speed and power.

Bike Porn – This is a slang term for photographs of brand new bicycles that colleagues and team mates pass around for showing off.

BMR - This is an acronym for Basal Metabolic Rate.

Photo Credits: jimmyharris

• Cycling Glossary A good part of understanding your triathlon training and performance is having a grasp on the lingo. Here is a guide to cycling terms that you should know in order to get the most out of your experience. Aero Bar - An aero bar is a type of handlebar that......
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• What to Pack in Your Bag for a Triathlon You have probably spent months if not years preparing for the upcoming triathlon race, so in all honestly, the last thing that you need right now is to have your mind wandering to things that you may have forgot. Why worry about whether or not you forgot something, when putting......
• Gear Up for your First Triathlon When it comes to packing in preparation for your triathlon race, it is best for you to break all of your necessities down into four different categories. This way, you can focus on each of the categories one at a time. One example of breaking your categories down is to......
• Triathlon Cycling Terms Continued Here is the final installation of our glossary of triathlon cycling terms and definitions. Team Pursuit - This is a type of race that is similar in nature to the individual pursuit style of racing, however instead there are two different teams, each of which is made up of four......

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