Week

Most people have a tendency to take pleasure in what they are good at and tend to train with a little more focus and intensity in their area of expertise. To ensure well-rounded development, I regularly incorporate single-sport focuses into my athletes’ training plans. However, this first four-week block will be about getting more comfortable while building endurance in all three disciplines.

Monday: OFF

Tuesday: Swim 25 minutes

200m warm-up, choice stroke
8 x 25m freestyle (with 20 seconds rest after each 25)
3 x 50m (as 25 backstroke/25 breastroke, with 20 seconds rest after each 50)
8 x 25m freestyle kick (all at easy effort, working on kicking with relaxed feet, with 20 seconds rest after each 25)
6 x 25m freestyle (easy, working on distance per stroke, or DPS)
100m easy cool-down, choice of stroke
Total: 1000m

Note Distance per stroke: work on lengthening out your stroke by reaching as far forward above the water as possible before entry and extending your arm as far back as possible at the end of your stroke. Take a stroke count for each 25m, then try to decrease your stokes-per-length through the set.

Wednesday: Run/walk 25 minutes

5-minute warm-up walking
5 x (2-minute jog, 1-minute walk)
5-minute cool-down walk

Thursday: Bike 30 minutes

10-minute warm-up spin
4 x (15 seconds left leg spinning, 45 seconds both, 15 seconds right, 45 seconds both)
3 x (30 seconds hard gear/tension, 30 seconds recovery spin)
10 minutes warm-down spin

Note Single-leg spinning: this will help your overall foot rotation as you are able to isolate each leg. Concentrate on pulling up with your leg while pushing down with the opposite leg.

Friday: Swim 25 minutes

100m warm-up choice
8 x 25m freestyle (as 1 free, 1 drill [glide to 3], with 15 seconds rest after each 25)
4 x 50m (distance per stroke, with 30 seconds rest after each 50)
200m kick easy choice (grab a kickboard)
100m cool-down, choice stroke
Total: 1000m

Note Glide to 3: at the end of each freestyle stroke you will pause for a count of three seconds. This ensures body rotation, as you will have to balance and use your legs to help move you through the water.

Saturday: Run/walk 25 minutes

5-minute warm-up walking
4 x (2-minute jog, 2-minute walk)
5-minute cool-down walk

Sunday: Bike 45 minutes

15 minutes warm-up spin
6 x (20 seconds left leg, 40 seconds both, 20 seconds right leg, 40 seconds both)
6 x (20 seconds standing, 40 seconds recovery spin)
10 minutes cool-down spin

TOTAL TRAINING TIME: 2hrs 55min

This third week is quite general and is still geared toward getting more comfortable while building endurance in all three disciplines. This is more of a rest week with regard to intensity, but there have been a few more minutes added to each workout to ensure overall base and endurance building.

Again, this current cycle on triathletemag.com is designed for the sheer beginner. So if you truly feel you need to back things off, do so. However, if you feel you would like to add a few minutes to the end of a workout, proceed with caution and always remember to listen to your body. If you are fairly serious about your goals and specific training regime, and have many unanswered questions or concerns, consider consulting a coach to add some personal touches to reflect your own individual strengths and needs