{"id":19081,"date":"2019-05-27T08:32:56","date_gmt":"2019-05-27T15:32:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.triathloncanada.com\/?p=19081"},"modified":"2019-05-27T08:34:32","modified_gmt":"2019-05-27T15:34:32","slug":"sabotez-vous-votre-entrainement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.triathloncanada.com\/fr\/sabotez-vous-votre-entrainement\/","title":{"rendered":"Sabotez-vous votre entra\u00eenement?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We hear a lot of talk about \u201cdoing the work.\u201d A quick Google search reveals many variations on the same theme, like:<\/h3>\n
\n

\u201cWhen you have a goal, you have to do the work. No excuses.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be upset with the results you didn\u2019t get from the work you didn\u2019t do.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDo the work, be the prize.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNothing will make you feel better except doing the work.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cShow up. Do the work. It\u2019s worth it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

These slogans can inspire and motivate! However, it\u2019s only through doing the\u00a0right<\/em>\u00a0work that we will achieve the results, win the prize, and make our big dreams a reality.<\/p>\n

We can think about doing the right work in three ways: consistency; discipline with intensity and volume; and recovery. If you don\u2019t nail these three training fundamentals, you might be sabotaging your training.<\/p>\n

Consistency<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Consistency is the most important element of any training plan. In order to build your fitness and prepare your body for the demands of race day, you need to be able to train\u00a0daily<\/em>.<\/p>\n

To train consistently, we need to plan ahead in order to\u00a0balance training with other life priorities<\/a>. By reviewing your schedule ahead of time, you make certain the ability to carve yourself a slice of training time while making sure to fulfill other important life responsibilities. Put your training on your calendar and consider it an appointment with yourself!<\/p>\n

Of course, in some cases, it may not be possible to fit the scheduled training on a particular day. Life is super busy, right? If you have one, make sure to review your schedule with your coach so she\/he can help you make the appropriate adjustments to keep you on the consistency bus.<\/p>\n

If you are self-coached, review the rhythm of the plan. Consider whether it\u2019s possible to swap days, shorten or modify a workout, or skip the session when unexpected conflicts arise. When making adjustments, just be mindful not to set yourself up for too many hard or long days in a row. While double sessions are par for the course in triathlon, quadruple workouts are a very bad idea for most (if not all) age-group athletes.<\/p>\n

When all else fails, remember one day here and there\u00a0won\u2019t ruin your overall consistency<\/a>. But if you find you are regularly missing multiple workouts (especially key workouts), you may need to rethink the flow of the plan and\/or your life schedule to set yourself up for success.<\/p>\n

Discipline with Volume and Intensity<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A second area where athletes unknowingly sabotage themselves is in their discipline sticking to intensity and volume targets.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to stick to the targets for how hard or easy a workout should be (intensity) as well as how long or short a workout should be (volume). These components bring about different performance adaptations. Over time, appropriate\u00a0exposure to varying training stimuli<\/a>\u00a0followed by recovery will allow your body to adapt, get stronger, and rock it out come race day!<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s consider the case of Robert (name changed to protect the saboteur), who is working toward his first 70.3 race. Robert has trained for short-course triathlon the past several years, so his coach designed workouts to help him develop his endurance for the longer event. On one particular Saturday, Robert has a standard two-hour endurance-paced bike workout, perfect for the development of his aerobic endurance.<\/p>\n

Ideally, Robert would nail both the duration target and the intensity target. But, he might start thinking that it doesn\u2019t feel hard enough (he\u2019s used to busting his lungs!), or that if two hours is good, then three hours\u00a0surely\u00a0<\/em>must be better.<\/p>\n

The next day, Robert feels so wiped that he can\u2019t complete his run. In fact, he winds up being drained for a few days, and missing a swim and a bike. Here is where discipline intersects with consistency.<\/p>\n

All too often, we see athletes like Robert pushing their endurance-based workouts into a tempo or Zone 3 effort because they feel like they aren\u2019t working hard enough. Unfortunately, by raising the intensity, the athlete no longer reaps the endurance benefits, and he isn\u2019t working hard enough to reap the benefits of a high-intensity session. He\u2019s\u00a0stuck in the gray zone<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 the consistency is threatened, and the athlete\u2019s performance may plateau, or even get worse.<\/p>\n

Robert is doing work \u2013 but not the\u00a0right<\/em>\u00a0work.<\/p>\n

Recovery<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Recovery is central<\/a>\u00a0to your body\u2019s ability to adapt to the training sessions. Training breaks you down \u2014 recovery lets your body put itself back together.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s consider the case of Sally (name also changed), an experienced long-distance triathlete who has completed 10 iron-distance triathlons. She is doing the workouts as planned and she is always consistent, but her performance has hit a plateau.<\/p>\n

Her training is compromised by heavy legs, soreness and fatigue. Sally finally comes clean to her coach and reports that she hasn\u2019t been sleeping well, and she\u2019s been trying to cut weight by restricting calories during training. Sally is harming her recovery, and may even be falling into a nonfunctional overreaching state (a precursor to\u00a0overtraining syndrome<\/a>). Although she isn\u2019t doing more than she should, she is\u00a0under-recovered.<\/em><\/p>\n

So, what are some ways to enhance recovery?<\/p>\n

The most important recovery tool is sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep deprivation or \u201csleep debt\u201d increases the production of the stress hormone cortisol while decreasing the production of glycogen. This combination means you won\u2019t wake up feeling ready to tackle the day\u2019s training session.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, this one is relatively easy to address. A series of studies conducted by the Stanford University Sleep Disorders Clinic found that athletes who increased how much they slept, saw improvements in their performance, lower resting heart rates, decreased daytime sleepiness, and improved mood and cognitive functioning. All of these improvements came without changing their training approach. All they did was get more sleep, which in turn reduced their stress, increased their glycogen storage, and improved their bodies\u2019 ability to rebuild and restore muscle.<\/p>\n

We like to say:\u00a0Sleep equals speed.<\/a><\/p>\n

Beyond sleep, you can enhance recovery with daily nutrition, as well as properly fueling and hydrating before, during, and after workouts. TrainingPeaks has an extensive\u00a0library of articles<\/a>\u00a0providing in-depth advice on how to improve daily nutrition, and fueling and hydration for training and racing.<\/p>\n

If you aren\u2019t putting the right gas in your tank, your car won\u2019t work the way you want it to.<\/p>\n

We also recommend that our athletes engage in some type of myofascial release to support recovery. This release may include some combination of\u00a0self-massage and foam rolling<\/a>, deep tissue sports massage, or active release technique. For example, work to incorporate foam rolling into your schedule. Start first with two days a week, then build to every other day. Deep tissue massage (or ART) is great once or twice a month, as your schedule or budget allows.<\/p>\n

If you aren\u2019t incorporating a consistent recovery protocol into your training plan, then your body won\u2019t adapt to the training stimulus. Eventually, this can lead to burnout, injury, or overtraining and under-recovery. This takes us back to overall consistency, which will be impacted as well.<\/p>\n

Proper\u00a0training isn\u2019t just about doing the work. It is about doing the\u00a0right<\/em>\u00a0work, which includes a focus on consistency, discipline with your intensity and volume, and recovery. Get the mix right, and you will continue to see your body and mind working properly towards your next big dream.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n