Triathlete's Training Bible Ed. 4 is not just an update but a complete rerun

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Examples of new topics in the book

Triathletes' approach to planning a season and creating an annual training plan

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• Periodization philosophy: The closer in time you get to the race, the more like the race your workouts must become.
• It means that when you are many months away from the race, you can include things that are very different from racing in your training plan. Like lifting weights, for example. The farther away you are in time from the race, the more beneficial it is to do things that are very unlike the race.
• On the other hand, we do workouts that are very race-like, like riding a bike at the intensity intended to be used on the race day, as we get closer to the race.
• We move away from very general training (unlike the race) to very specific training (very much like the race). There is a gradual change in the course over several weeks and months.

Specific phases of periodization and what you do in each phase

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• Linear / Traditional periodization: During the base period, generally 3-6 months before the race, you do a lot of volume, building up mileage and training duration. You then gradually start to include higher intensities. In the last weeks before the race, you train at race-like intensities.

Reversed periodization when training for an Ironman

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• Reversed periodization: Essentially, Ironman races don't require a lot of intensity. So in the base period, you can do a lot of high intensity training but the training volume is not very large. In the weeks leading up to the race, workouts will become longer, and the duration will increase.

Other periodization models aside

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• Undulating periodization: Has the same type of pattern as linear periodization. From high volume in the base period to higher intensity in the build period. The only difference is that you manipulate your schedule on a weekly basis, to do things like emphasizing the bike one week, and then emphasize run or swim training next week.

• Block Periodization: This is the newest of the methods. It focuses on one aspect of fitness at a time instead of doing all at the same time. For example, instead of doing both aerobic endurance and muscular endurance workouts in a training block, you'd do just one of them throughout the block. It works best for elite athletes.

How do you structure your training week?

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• It depends on an athlete and how they handle hard workouts and recover from them. Some athletes have the capacity to handle a lot of training stress and a high density of hard workouts, others cannot do that.
• You need to learn what works best for you. Do you need just one easier day between hard workout days, or do you train better with two or even three easier days?

Tips for masters athletes

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• You can maintain your aerobic capacity (VO2max) to a much higher level by doing high-intensity training. If you do, the decline of VO2max will be slight. It drops faster if you quit doing high intensity training. If you stop training altogether, it will drop really quickly.

• Do not stop lifting weights (or start lifting if you haven't already done that). This helps maintain lean muscle mass.
• Keep your body from storing too much fat by stimulating hormonal adaptions with intense exercise. This again comes down to doing intervals, lifting weights, and similar. Also, make sure you get enough sleep.

New concepts in Triathlon training

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• ​Distribution of training: how much training should you do in different intensity zones?
• Polarized training. This means training mostly below the aerobic threshold and above the anaerobic threshold. Most athletes try to do most of their training in the region between these two thresholds. That is the intensity zone you want to save only for when you train specifically for a race.
• Training stress score. Using TSS you can quantify the work that you do and your overall training load, not only in terms of the duration or distance, but also in terms of intensity.

Rapid-fire questions

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• Favorite book, blog or resource: Super Forecasting
• Favorite piece of gear or equipment: Power meters
• Personal habit that helped Joe achieved Triathlon success and success life in general: Being consistent
• What is Joe’s favorite race? The Ironman World Championship