Warmup

Steam engines – 20 on each side

Good mornings – 15 reps

Cherry pickers – 15 on each side

Twists – 20 on each side

Wind mills – 10 on each side

Workout

This workout will interval an intense exercise with an “easier” one so that your body is challenged and all the while, you’re getting in a killer workout in less than ten minutes. We will also be alternating between working the core muscles in the front of your body and then switching to work the core muscles in the back of your body. Each combo set contains 2 exercises that targets different areas of your core muscle group. You’ll be working your upper and lower abs, obliques, hip flexors and back.

Combo set 1:

Start with 20 Bicycle kicks and then do 12 Birddogs with right arm and left leg, then do 20 more Bicycle Kicks and 12 Birddogs with the left arm and right leg.  

Combo set 2:

Atomic sit-ups x20 and 20 Superman Squuezes. Try to do 2 sets of each.

Comb set 3:

Start with 30 Flutter Kicks and then turn onto your stomach and do 15 Snow Angels. Do 2 sets of each.

Combo set 4:

Do 20 Reverse Crunches and then do 20 Hip Bridges. For an added challenge try doing the hip bridges with one leg at a time to really target your hamstrings. Do 2 sets.

Combo set 5:

Finish with 30 Mountain climbers and 15 Side Plank Pumps on each side. Do 2 sets of each, switching sides for the side plank pumps.

This is a great workout to add to your triathlon strength training repertoire. You can do the whole routine once a week, or you can pick and chose your favorite exercise and add them into your workouts. This workout is quick enough to before a swim, bike or run workout or even during commercials when you watch your favorite shows at night!

Looking back, I wish that I had someone to talk to… someone who could answer all of my questions and give me training tips and advice. So, if you’re thinking about doing a triathlon or if you’re already training for one, here are some answers to 10 of the most frequently asked beginner triathlete questions.

1. I’m not a strong swimmer/biker/runner, can I still do a tri?

YES! The beauty of a triathlon is that you don’t have to be good at all 3 sports to be able to race. Most people usually have a strong sport and a weak sport. When I was a beginner triathlete, I found out that I was actually a pretty fast swimmer but I ran like a turtle. Davey dreads the swim but is super fast on the bike. The point is… you CAN do a triathlon even if you’re not “good” at swimming, biking or running.

And if that’s the case, then you will probably need to devote a little more time training for your weakest sport. Be sure to check out our swim, bike and run sections (on the menu at the top) for all of our best tips, strategies and specific workouts you can do to gain confidence and turn your weakest sport into a strength!

2. What distance triathlon is the best for a beginner?

A sprint triathlon is the PERFECT distance for a beginner triathlete. A ½ mile swim, 12.4 mile bike and 3.1 mile run creates a challenging, but achievable distance for anyone who wants to get started in the sport of triathlon. The great thing about this distance is that you can still have a life… you don’t have to devote hours upon hours to your triathlon training (see #4).

Have you completed your first sprint triathlon already? Why not continue to challenge yourself and try a different sprint race that has a more challenging bike course or a run route with more hills? Or take the plunge and train for an Olympic! You’ve got this! For more on triathlon distances, click here.

3. Do I need to buy expensive gear?

NO! So many people don’t do triathlons because they think they have to spend a ton of money on the gear. I did my first triathlon with a pair of cheap goggles, a borrowed wetsuit, a Wal-Mart bike and an old pair of sneakers. Even though there were moments when I wished I had a fancy triathlon bike or a custom pair of running sneakers, I made do with what I had, borrowed what I could and found great deals on inexpensive gear that ended up working out great! Only after I completed my first triathlon and fell in love with the sport, did I decide to invest in a nice bike that would carry me through many more triathlons.

While you don’t need to spend a ton of money on gear, there are a few things you don’t want to skimp on. Make sure you get a helmet that fits properly, a pair of goggles that don’t leak and a comfy pair of sneakers. And then shop around for good deals on everything else! Check out our swim, bike and run gear guides.

4. Will triathlon training take over my life?

If you’re doing a sprint or an Olympic triathlon, then it shouldn’t. (Training for a half-ironman or an Ironman is a different story…) For your first triathlon, you should spend about 30 minutes to an hour training 4-5 times a week. If you’re already going to the gym or getting in daily workouts, then you’re set!

However, if you’re going from couch to triathlon, (which we think is SO AWESOME, by the way!) then you will have to schedule some time and perhaps rearrange your schedule to make sure you get your workouts in.

And if you’re really worried about missing out on spending time with your friend or family, then invite them to do the triathlon with you, or to join you for a bike ride or a swim! Training with someone else will help keep you accountable and you can encourage each other along the way.

5. Will a strength-training program make a difference?

Yes. Strength training helps prevent injury, swim stronger, bike harder and run faster, not to mention, makes you look great in your spandex! We have a ton of great swim, bike and run specific strength training workouts that are fun and will improve your endurance, increase your speed and make your legs feel less like Jell-O when running after the bike.

As a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer and Triathlon Coach, Davey has created lots of great triathlon specific strength training workouts that will not only help keep you injury free and feeling great, but they’ll help you tone up and look awesome in your race day spandex!  And stay tuned for our Triathlon Strength Training Program (Coming Soon!)

6. Should I use a beginner triathlon training plan?

Totally! The reason a beginner triathlon training plan is the best option for anyone doing their first triathlon is because it takes all the guesswork out of your training! You’ll be able to train with confidence, knowing that you’ll be ready for race day. A good plan should have swim, bike and run specific stretches and strength training routines to keep you feeling great and to help you gain strength and endurance for your race. Check out our plan here.

7. How will I know if I’m ready for my triathlon?

Most everyone wonders this as race day approaches. If you’re already in decent shape, then a 12 week training program is the perfect amount of time to get ready for your triathlon. If you’re going from couch to triathlon, then you’ll want to train for at least 16-20 weeks.

If you can do each of the individual distances by about ½ way into your training, then you’re on track! Once you have built your base (aka, the ability to do each distance separately), then it’s a good idea to do some bricks, or back-to-back workouts. Try to swim ½ your distance and then bike 8-10 miles or bike 10 miles and run 2 miles. This will help you get comfortable with transitioning from one sport to the next and it will help you get used to how it will feel to bike after swimming and run after biking.

Make sure you get in at least 1 open water swim, and a handful of outdoor rides and runs before your triathlon. And make sure you practice your transitions! As long as you don’t take too many days off and you’re diligent about getting in your workouts, you will be ready for your sprint triathlon!

8. What should I eat before my triathlon?

Whatever you want! We don’t recommend eating something new the night before or the morning of your race, but the point we want to make is that you should eat whatever energizes you and whatever doesn’t upset your stomach. One of my favorite parts about a triathlon is carbo-loading! Now it’s not 100% necessary to carbo load, but who doesn’t love a big plate of pasta… or an excuse valid reason to indulge!

You may be tempted to try a new energy bar or sports drink, or even a gu or sport gel the day of your race. DON’T DO IT! You’ll have plenty of time after the race to try out all those things. Nothing is worse then swimming, biking or running with… well… the runs.

We like to go out to our favorite local Italian restaurant for dinner and order a dish we’ve had before that we know won’t upset our stomach.

Then we make sure to drink lots of water and the morning before the race, we’ll make whole-wheat toast with peanut butter and banana slices for breakfast… the same thing we eat before our morning training sessions. Go with what your body knows.

9. What should I wear?

Here’s what we usually wear for our triathlons:

As a beginner triathlete, I had a bit of a spandex phobia and so those one-piece tri suits were out of the question. Years later, I still haven’t worn a tri suit because I like the flexibility of putting on my tank top after the swim. Davey has just warmed up the whole spandex culture, but my brother still wears baggy shorts when he races. It’s all about preference and whatever you feel comfortable and confident in.

We try to stay away from cotton shirts and shorts because they chafe and stay wet FOREVER. Another good rule of thumb to follow is that you want to change as little as possible during your race, so wear clothes that can take you from swim to bike and bike to run. I forgot to put my shorts on over my spandex so during my first race, so I’d recommend that you either make friends with spandex or don’t forget to put on your shorts.

10. What can I expect on race day?

An AWESOME DAY! The day before your race, you should’ve picked up your race packet. Read through your races’ rules and any specific directions they’ve provided. Ask questions when you’re at the race expo so that you know exactly where to go on race morning.

You may not sleep very well the night before the race as a mix of excitement and nerves will probably cause you to wake up a few times before your alarm goes off. If that happens, just lie in bed and rest until you fall back asleep. Make sure you think positive thoughts and remind yourself that you’ve trained well and that you’re going to have an awesome race!

Once your alarm goes off, hop in the shower to help wake yourself up, get dressed, have breakfast and double check that you have everything you need. We recommend packing the night before so that you’re not scrambling around the morning of your race looking for your missing sock. Check out our race day checklist here.

Once you arrive at the race, you’ll have to get your race timing chip and body marked. If you’re not sure where to go, just follow the crowd. Put your timing chip around your ankle, chip side facing out so that it doesn’t rub up against your other ankle when you run. Someone will write your race number on both of your arms and your age on your calves. Then you’re ready to set up your transition area. Check out our transition area tips here.

Once you’re all set up, do a light jog from the swim start to your transition area. This will help you be able to find your spot easier during the actual race. If you’ve got time to spare, stretch or chat with some of the other triathletes… you may get some much needed encouragement before the race!

Be aware of the time and make sure you are at the swim start a few minutes before your wave starts. Then when the whistle sounds, run into the water and have an amazing race!

We hope that many of your questions were answered in this post and that you now feel more confident about your first triathlon!

Feel free to leave a comment and ask us any of your questions!

Another thing we noticed is that our shoulders were getting pretty tight, so we had to be more diligent about stretching and warming up before and after we swam.

*Side note: if your shoulders get tight and lose flexibility, it will alter your swim technique and hinder your stroke. 

So here are 6 quick and easy stretches to do before and after your triathlon swim training:

1. Jack & Jill’s

This dynamic stretch comes from the military and since they use it before they do thousands of pushups, I think it’s good enough for us to use before we swim what feels like thousands of laps. This one’s great because it warms up your major muscles in your upper body, but also loosens up your rotator cuff muscles.

Keep your upper arms at a 90 degree angles and think about pressing backward with your palms to get a better stretch.

2. Chain Breakers

These warm up your chest and the front of your shoulders as you press towards the rear; and your lats, upper back and the back of your shoulders as you cross in the front.

Begin with your elbows bent and as you warm up more, you can extend your arms to get a deeper stretch.

3. The Swimmer Stretch

I love this stretch because it feels great and helps to pulls my shoulders back to improve my posture by stretching all the muscles in the front of the chest and shoulders. These are the muscles in the stroke phase of your swim, or when you pull your arm down after it enters the water.

This is an easy one that you can also do throughout the day while your sitting at your desk at work.

4. Shoulder Stretch

Many swimmers get tight lats after a tough swim workout, so use this stretch by pulling your arm across your body. Try different angles to target your sore spots. Start with your arm straight across your body, then try with your arm angled down and then with your arm up under your chin.

5. Arrow Stretch

Press your palms together and reach to the sky to straighten your elbows all the way. It’s important to keep your arms pressed backward to get more of a stretch in your lats (back) and triceps. Next, lean from the hip without letting your shoulders rotate and you’ll feel this stretch all the way along the side of your body.

6. Doorway Stretch

This is one of my all time favorite static shoulder stretches. It’s great for swimming because  it stretches the muscles that are directly responsible for moving your through the water.

With your elbow at a 90° angle, lean your body weight forward like you’re reaching to pick something off of the floor. Then, gently rotate your body away from the tree or doorway to stretch and open up your chest.

Sometimes it’s hard to add a warmup and stretching routine to your triathlon swim training because it takes a little bit of extra time. However, stretching is  so important and will not only help you have better workouts and improved swim techniques, but it will also keep your arms and shoulders feeling great. (And  it will also keep you out of the doctor’s office because it helps you avoid injuries!)

So take a few minutes and warmup with these stretches before your next swim. Your shoulders will thank you!

This past week for our triathlon trianing, Davey and I ran and biked in new places. New places that had lots and lots of HILLS. Our typical run loop ends with one huge hill, but other than that, it’s relatively flat.

And I never really realized how flat our bike route is until after we did a 30 mile ride with some friends out in the country. Oh the country… it’s filled with hills.

I have a love/hate relationship with hills. If I had the choice, I’d probably choose a nice flat road… well, that was until I read this:

I don’t know about you, but I think that’s a pretty awesome way of looking at hills… as opportunities to make us stronger. And I mean, come on, how AWESOME does it feel to make it to the top?!

So whatever your “hill” is, or whatever challenge you’re facing in your triathlon training or in life, I encourage you to look at it with a new perspective. Look that obstacle straight in the eyes and do whatever you can to overcome it.

That quote rings true for me and as I look back on my past triathlon experiences, I realize that the “hills” and the challenges I faced during my training were what made me stronger. They also make for the best stories too!

So the next time you face a hill, whether literal or figurative, charge up it with all the strength you can muster!

And, while we’re on the topic of hills, why not try a new running or biking route that has lots of hills? A change of scenery will not only help keep your triathlon training more interesting, but it will also challenge you push yourself harder than before.

Sore today = strong tomorrow! Be a hill seeker!

What “hills” have you faced and how have you overcome them?

Do you have lots of hills on your running or biking routes?

Do you wish you had enough energy to finish the bike portion of your triathlon feeling strong? Wouldn’t it be great to be able to hop off your bike, lace up your shoes and power out of the transition area into the run without your legs feeling like jello?

 Here’s a quick and easy triathlon strength training workout that will take you about five minutes and will build power, strength and endurance for your bike ride. You can do this workout anywhere, anytime… all you need is a chair.

The idea for this workout is to move quickly with little or no rest in between each set an cycle through all of the exercises in about 5 minutes. Shoot for 15 reps, but always make sure you use good form and stop your set before you have to get sloppy. Repeat the circuit 2-3 more times for a great upper and lower body blast.

I’ve also thrown in a couple exercises that will really help strengthen your upper body so that your neck, arms and shoulders feel great when you go for a long training ride.

So grab a chair and let’s get started: 

(Make sure your chair is next to the wall so that it doesn’t slide out from under you when you do these exercises. You could also use a weight bench, a park bench, a ledge, a picnic table…the options are endless! You really can do this workout anywhere! No excuses!)

Sit squats

Use this exercise as a warm-up. Get your blood flowing and strengthen your glutes at the same time.

How To: Start with your feet shoulder width apart standing slightly in front of the chair. Squat down until you barely touch the chair and then pop back up into an upright position. Do 25 quick repetitions.

High step lift offs

These target your glutes and quads to help you build explosive power in your pedaling.

How to: Start but by planting your right foot on top of the chair. Press through your heel or to lift your body’s around like you’re stepping up stair. Be careful to keep your balance at the top as you can carry me for an extra crunch. Don’t let your bodyweight fall coming back down but rather stay in complete control by engaging your core. Tap your toe and pop right back up into your next rep. Do 15 on each side.

Bulgarian split squats

These are an awesome exercise that will improve your muscle balance to ensure that you’re pedaling with equal power from both legs. This is a challenging strength move that is great to help you build speed on your bicycle. This strength move works your glutes and quads which are the major muscles in your legs, but it also targets your hamstrings and that’s important to help you develop a solid full circle pedaling technique. 

How to: Put one foot up on the chair, and step out with your other foot. Lower your body in the split squat/lunge position until you feel a slight stretch in your hips. Focus on scissoring your legs back together and push through your front foot. Don’t rest at the top, rather go right back down into another rep.  Do 15 reps on each side.

Tricep Dips

Sometimes on a long ride my shoulders, elbows and neck become more fatigued than my legs. It’s important to build strength and endurance for your upper body as well.

How To: Place your feet out in front of you and support your body with your arms. Then drop your body down and press back up, focusing on using your triceps, not your legs.  Keep your torso upright and don’t go too low because that will strain your shoulders.

Hammer push-ups off the chair

The hammer grip push-up provides a unique challenge and mimics the position that your hands are in when you’re biking. These really work your triceps and shoulders that will improve your upper body stability on the bike.

How To: Make sure your chair is up against a wall or sturdy surface so that it doesn’t slide away from you. Place your hands on either side of the chair and do as many push-ups as you can do. Keep your elbows in close to really target your triceps.

Rockies

Lower abs are usually pretty hard to target, but this exercise one that really works your lower abs. It also targets your hip flexors and strong hip flexors are vital for strong pedaling.

How To: Balance on the edge of the chair and kick your knee up to your opposite elbow and then switch sides. If you find that it’s hard to balance with your hands on your head, then hold onto the chair as you kick your knees up… you’ll still get a great core workout!

So the next time you go to sit down in a chair, take 5 minutes and do these strength training exercises and get ready to be able to ride your bike faster and longer than ever before!

Thursday was a different story. We had a bike/run brick planned and I had just finished slathering on sunscreen when I heard a loud crack of thunder. All of a sudden it started POURING. An unexpected storm had ruined our triathlon training plans. (A storm?! Ain’t no body got time for that!)  Now, we’ve done a triathlon in the rain before, but I’m not too crazy about training in the rain. So now what? We can’t just rearrange our whole day around our triathlon workouts.

Last week, when I was at work, Davey went out on a bike ride. He was 2 miles from home when he got a flat tire. Normally that wouldn’t be a problem, but on that particular day, I had asked him to take a picture for me, so he had taken his inner tube out of his bike bag to make room for the camera. Also, our tire inflator was attached to my bike which was at home.

Poor Davey had to walk 2 miles home in his bike cleats. Not only that, there was so much pollen in the air that you could see it floating around. After Davey got home, he texted me this picture:

Unexpected obstacles, unpredictable weather and unforeseen challenges pop up ALL THE TIME in our triathlon training. Our workouts aren’t always as pretty as my Instagram feed portrays. Our best intentions and scheduled plans don’t always become a reality. We get flat tires, sore muscles, scrapes, sunburns, full blown allergy attacks, injuries, and have bad attitudes and blah days.

We love training together, but trying to coordinate our schedules to find time to workout isn’t always easy. And we don’t even have kids yet! (To all you parents out there who are training for triathlons… we don’t know how you do it. You’re AWESOME!)

Here are a few things that we’ve found really help us when things don’t always go as planned in our triathlon training:

1. Always Have The Essentials

There are a few things you should never leave home without. When you have an open water swim on the agenda, make sure you put sunscreen on if you’re not wearing a wetsuit! Goggle marks fade after a few hours… goggle sunburns don’t. And make sure you always swim with a buddy. When you’re biking, be sure to pack a spare inner tube, your tire inflator and lots of water.

Some of our essential items are: sunscreen, sunglasses, extra hair ties, spare inner tube, Co2 tire inflator, chapstick, iphone (for music, MapMyRun, emergencies or for capturing that amazing Instagram-able picture), and snacks. We never leave home without snacks. Figure out what things are essential for you and then make sure you either have them with you during your triathlon training workouts.

 2. Go With The Flow

When things go wrong, don’t go with them. Obviously, it’s important to train your body for your triathlon, but it’s also vital to train your mind and your attitude. Unfortunately, when I’m faced with an unexpected obstacle or a scheduling conflict, my first reaction is to have a tantrum. The good news is that my tantrums are getting shorter and shorter and I am learning to go with the flow and be more flexible.

Flat tire? No problem! I’m prepared and I know how to change it! Freak thunderstorm? It’s ok, I’ll just do one of Davey’s awesome triathlon strength training routines.  Sore arms when I have a swim workout planned?  I’ll just give my arms a rest and go for a run instead. When I don’t feel like working out and would rather sit on the couch and eat ice cream? Crank up my workout music and tell myself that if I workout then I can have 2 scoops of ice cream instead of one. Just kidding. Well, sometimes I do tell myself that, but I also remind myself that I never regret a workout and I’ll feel so much better when I’m done.

When things don’t go as planned in your triathlon training, it’s a perfect opportunity to practice being flexible, going with the flow and coming up with Plan B (or C or D). Things will inevitably happen on race day that you didn’t expect and if you have a strong mind and a good attitude, you’ll be able to face the challenges head on and still have a great race!

3. Get Creative

When our training plans get foiled or we don’t have time to drive to the lake for an open water swim, we like to have a few fall back options. For me, I always know that if my original workout plan falls through, then I can head over to spin class, swim laps at the pool or do a quick strength training routine with our home gym equipment.  Davey will usually hop on the bike trainer or do this workout.

Get creative and come up with some alternatives that work for you. And your workouts don’t always have to be crazy, sweaty and intense. Sometimes a nice walk after dinner, a good stretch session or a date with your foam roller is just what your body needs.

4. Take A Day Off

This may sound like a cop-out but when you’re running short on time and things just aren’t going your way, sometimes this is your only option. When we’re faced with a schedule conflict, then we like to take a look at the rest of our week and see if we can make it up another day.

If the rain won’t let up, if you get injured, if you’re allergies are driving your crazy, if you have to work late, then take a day off and don’t feel guilty about it. Sometimes rest is the best thing you can do for your body. Relax, ice, stretch, go lounge by the pool… do whatever you need to do to recover and recalibrate. You’ll be back on track tomorrow… so enjoy your unexpected rest day.

5. Lighten Up

When I was training for my first triathlon, I would get so frustrated, angry and annoyed whenever something went wrong. I saw a flat tire, a missed workout or a twisted ankle as a huge inconvenience and I basically let it ruin my whole day. I’ve learned over the years that pouting and staying angry doesn’t fix the situation or make things better. Shocker, huh?!

However, one thing that really helps is laughter. I’ve notice that if I can laugh at myself when I make a mistake, my whole perspective changes. Triathlon training should be FUN and not strict and rigid. Don’t take yourself so seriously.  Unfortunately, we can’t control the weather or predict an injury, but we can just keep moving forward, one step at a time. Laughing and having fun along the way makes every triathlon training journey much more enjoyable.

 So the next time you have a day like this when nothing seems to go as planned…

… go with the flow, get creative, lighten up or take a day off. And make sure you work on your mental toughness, because come race day, when unexpected things happen, you’ll be a pro at responding to each challenge and overcoming any obstacle that you face.

What do you do when unexpected things happen and you can’t get your triathlon training workout in?

Out of all 3 of the sports of a triathlon, biking scares me the most. I’d say I’m a decent biker, but I’m definitely lacking in the confidence department. Sometimes, I won’t even shift gears when I’m going up a hill because I don’t remember which ones to shift.

I once tried out clipless pedals and even though I didn’t fall, I was so afraid that I might fall, that I changed my pedals back to the regular ones.

I’ve come a long way since then and after practicing these 4 things, I have more cycling confidence, shifting gears is now like second nature and I think I’m finally ready to try out my clipless pedals again.

So if you can relate and you want become more confident on the bike, practice these 4 simple things in your triathlon bike training and you’ll see BIG improvements in your cycling.

1. Starting

As you can see in the video, it used to take me 30 seconds to get started. I would sit on my seat and try to touch the ground on my tip toes and then attempt to get speed by pushing off. I was not very balanced and it was especially difficult and scary for me to get going when I was stopped at a traffic light.

One day in particular, Davey and I were biking and I noticed how effortlessly he was able to start, and so I had him teach me how to gain momentum and start in one smooth, quick motion. After practicing this for a few days, I feel like a new woman. I am more confident and I feel like I have better control of my bike.

To practice this, start by clipping in one foot and bring it up to the top of your pedal stroke. Give yourself a good strong push with your free foot while you use your body weight to press down on the pedal . This will give you enough momentum to help you maintain your balance as you sit back in your seat and clip in your other foot.

Even though you will most likely prefer pushing off with your dominant foot, try and practice this on both sides so that you’ll be comfortable starting no matter what foot you unclip when you stop.

2. Stopping & Dismounting

The main reason that you want to practice stopping and dismounting is because there will be a designated dismount area at your triathlon and it’s usually crowded with other triathletes. Being able to stop quickly and dismount smoothly will help you avoid colliding into other cyclists as you hop off your bike.

A few seconds before you stop, unclip one foot and get ready to set it down on the ground. When I know that I have to stop, I like to unclip as early as possible because I feel like it gives me more control and I am less likely to panic about not being able to unclip my foot.

After you’re unclipped, in one smooth motion, swing your leg over the bike and practice running with your bike, as if you were running to the transition area. I like to hold the handle bars with my outside hand and the seat with my other hand, but do whatever is easiest for you.

3. Shifting

Like I mentioned earlier, I used to forget which gears to shift when going up a hill. I would end up having to stop mid-hill and walk my bike up the rest of the way because it was too hard to pedal. If only I had down shifted, I would’ve been able to make it up the hill without stopping.

Shifting is one of those things that once you get the hang of, it becomes like second nature. I was nervous to practice shifting because the few times I actually shifted my front gears, I pressed the lever so hard that my chain fell off. But after a bit of repetition and practice, I’m much more comfortable shifting gears and I am also very good at putting my chain back on too. (see picture)

Take some time and get to know your gears. To start, I put my bike on my car rack and had Davey “pedal” as I shifted the gears and got used to which levers did what. Then, I biked in a deserted parking lot to get comfortable shifting while riding. And finally, when I became confident with that, I graduated to the road.

For me, being able to shift gears has improved my cycling and it has made my rides a lot more enjoyable! No more stopping in the middle of a big hill for me!

4. Breaking

It’s easy to break when you anticipate a stop or when you have a few feet to slow down. But breaking to avoid another biker, when you’re going fast or when a traffic light suddenly turns red is another story.

Test the responsiveness of your breaks and practice breaking in various conditions. What you want to avoid is breaking too hard too fast and flying over your handles. I practiced breaking by picking a point ahead of me and trying to stop as close to it as I could. But the tip that has helped me the most when it comes to breaking is to lean back in my seat to counter balance and avoid flying over the handles.

I used to be a very timid and nervous cyclist. But after incorporating these 4 things into my triathlon bike training, my biking has improved so much and I find that I am also a stronger and more confident cyclist.

Now I just need to practice clipping in and out. More on that later

Another great thing to practice in preparation for your triathlon is changing a flat tire! That way, if you get a flat during the race, you won’t be anxious about it because you’ve done it before and you already know how to change it like a pro!

What are some of your biking tips?

What things have helped you gain confidence on your bike?

There were literally TREES floating around in it.Every time I run or bike along the river, I say things like “I cannot believe we have to swim in that!”, or “What happens if a tree impales me?”, or “Do you think there is a dead body in there?”, or “Are you gonna wear a wetsuit? I am. I don’t want to get scratched by anything”, and “We’d better make sure our Tetanus shots are up to date.” Not to mention the fact that I’ve already decided that I’m not going to open my eyes under water.

Having grown up in New Jersey, I think you’ll be surprised to hear me say that I’d rather swim in the Hudson River than this one.

Today, when I was making my daily “this river is disgusting” observation, Davey stopped me mid sentence and said, “STOP. You’re psyching yourself out.” And he’s right. I mean, swimming is my strongest sport and I am now terrified to put my toe in that water without getting the proper vaccinations.

When you swim in a pool, the water is clear, there are designated lanes that keep you a safe distance away from other swimmers, you can stop at any point during your swim and the water is warm.

But when the water is… well, like this, it turns into a mental game. So, I’m taking Davey’s advice and I’m going to stop psyching myself out and turing the swim into something scary and impossible.

Here are 5 tips that have helped me, and I hope they’ll also help you, to mentally prepare for an open water swim.

1. Train Your Brain

When I tell people that I do triathlons, they usually say something like, “Oh, I’d never do one of those. I can’t swim.” Well… chances are, they CAN swim, but I’ll bet that for one reason or another, they’ve already made up their mind and decided that they can’t.

Your brain is a POWERFUL, amazing, imaginative and wonderfully created tool. Your brain has the power to take a simple idea and turn it into something wonderful or into something horrible. For example, I hate scary movies. Not because the movie itself is scary, but because once the scary idea is in my mind, my imagination takes over and goes into overdrive and creates scary scenarios and makes me feel like I’m living in that scary movie every time it gets dark outside.

When you notice your mind going down that road… and you know exactly what road I mean, STOP IT! I have noticed that if I simply stop my thought process before I start to wonder what creatures live in the Cumberland River or when I begin to picture how gross it’s going to be, I don’t psych myself out.

I mean, those 2 simple words, STOP IT, really work wonders. Check out this video for evidence:

I have been repeating positive words and thinking happy thoughts and I’m surprised at how nice the Cumberland River looks now.

If you can’t think of anything positive or uplifting to think about, then distraction works great too! When I’m doing an open water swim and I start to think about how gross the water is, distraction keeps my mind busy and away from negative thoughts.

2. Train Your Body

Don’t underestimate the power of practice! If you train diligently and push yourself to become a more confident swimmer; if you do your swim specific strength training routine and work hard to build your swimming strength and endurance, you’ll be ready for race day… even if there are gross things in the water or if you get bumped by the other swimmers.

A strong mind and a strong body are the the foundation to helping yourself mentally prepare for an open water swim. When you know that you are strong and capable of swimming the distance of your triathlon, then you’ll be confident and less likely to worry or let your fears get the best of you. But if they do, give yourself a pep talk and decide to trust the fact that you’ve trained well and that you ARE prepared.

3. It’s Legal To Hang On To A Canoe

Maybe the thought of swimming your entire triathlon distance without stopping is what is scaring you. It is definitely a challenge to go from swimming back and forth in a pool and being able to stop whenever you want to swimming in the middle of a lake or river where you can’t see the bottom.

But don’t worry. It is legal in most races (check your race rules) to hang on to a canoe or a boat and catch your breath or take a few seconds to rest.

Sometimes having something to fall back on, or just knowing that you can stop if you need to, can make a ton of difference.

And just so you know, there is NO SHAME in hanging onto the boat. Read Davey’s story here.

4. Test The Water

Get in the water before the race. Even if you just splash some water on your face and arms, this will help your body get acclimated to the temperature so it won’t be so much of a shock when you run into freezing cold water.

For me, getting in the water before the race also helps me mentally deal with and overcome the yuck factor before I start swimming. It helps me overcome the fear of the unknown because the more I familiarize myself with something, the less scary it becomes. So by the time the race starts, I can concentrate on swimming because I’m not so freaked out about the water since I’ve already been in it.

It’s also a great idea to do a few open water swims before your race. Davey and I practice in an nearby lake and although it doesn’t have a current, it’s murky and cold… just like the Cumberland River. By “testing out the water” during your training, you’ll ease your anxiety and start to overcome your fear of the open water.

Practicing in open water is also a great way to improve your swim endurance and to prove to yourself that you can swim farther than you think without stopping. If you’re nervous about your first open water swim, try swimming in shallower water. That way, if you get tired or start to panic, you can stand up and rest, regain your composure and then keep on swimming.

5. Have A Plan, But Be Flexible

Maybe you’re nervous about the whole swimming in a crowd thing. Aside from swimming in a group during your training, or having someone swim next to you and bump into you on purpose, the best way to prepare for the crowd is to come to terms with the fact that you WILL get bumped.

There are, however, places to swim where there is less traffic. Check out my post on 4 Tips To Help You Swim With Confidence for the prime spots to swim and then decide on what your game plan or strategy will be. Will you start a few seconds after everyone else has started or will you be the first one to sprint into the water? Will you stay towards the sides or brave the high traffic areas? What will you do if someone bumps you? How will you react when you start to get out of breath?

Having a strategy and answering these questions beforehand will help you feel prepared and ready for whatever happens during your triathlon. By deciding how you’ll react and what you’ll do if you get bumped or if you feel yourself start to panic will help decrease your anxiety of the unknown and will give you the assurance and confidence that you are well prepared.

For example, “If I get bumped or kicked, I’m going to stop and tread water for a second, take a deep breath and then keep swimming.” or “If I feel myself start to panic, I’m going to remind myself that I’ve trained well for this race and then I’m going to concentrate on my breathing pattern.”

While it’s great to have a plan, it’s also a good idea to remain flexible if something doesn’t go according to your plan or if something happens that you didn’t anticipate. Relax, go with the flow and do the best you can to overcome the challenge and keep moving forward.

So whether you are worried about what is floating around in the open water, you’re wondering if you have enough endurance to swim the whole distance without stopping, or you’re anxious about swimming in a crowd, make sure you train your brain and mentally prepare for your open water swim.

Click here for 12 awesome triathlon exercises

The Best Way To Do Triathlon Strength Training: Use exercises for triathlon strength training that require balance, stability, agility, and coordination. These will maximize your efforts and directly correlate to functional triathlon performance, because they include more muscles into the exercise: stabilizing muscles, core muscles, and neuromuscular/motor patterns the will improve all your triathlon techniques.

Triathlon Training Takes Focus

Triathlon Training Problem:

The other day, Jess and I went to the gym. It was one of those days where we just weren’t feeling it. After about 30 minutes of “jogging” on the treadmill, I looked over and saw that Jess was reading a magazine while “pedaling” on a stationary bike. It looked like she was going in slow motion. It must have been a good magazine because it seemed like she was more interested in what she was reading than in her workout.

We’ve all been there and had one of those days where it’s hard to push yourself and where you just don’t feel like working out. But triathlon training takes focus.

And it goes without saying that an athlete with more focus always trains and performs better. So what happens to you when you start losing focus on your triathlon goals? Well, for me I usually find myself doing workouts half-heartedly, skipping my strength training workout sessions, allowing

other things that are not priorities to take place, and slowly fall off the wagon…

Triathlon Training Solution: 

Start with a solid plan. Use it. Get your mental game on and get it done.

A great thing about triathlon training is the fact that you can choose between 3 different sports to train for on any given day. Or, you can choose strength training, or any combination of each! However, having (and using) a well thought out training plan not only holds you accountable, but also gives you the ability to track progress, providing feedback into any adjustments necessary.

Get creative and find ways to get your head in the game with each and every training session – especially your strength training workouts. When your goal is on the for front of your mind and you put a plan to reach that goal, triathlon training falls into place…perfectly.

The best way to do cardio for triathlon training 

Triathlon cardio & strength training problem:

I’m adding one more point here that is not exactly triathlon strength training, but it’s fresh on my mind. Yesterday, I did my “long, slow” session of the week. It was a run of a little more than 7 miles. (I’m training for an olympic triathlon as I write this.)

While this type of training run is so important for triathlete training, you don’t want it to be the only type of cardio training that you do.  And that’s exactly the rut I’ve found myself in.

All of my cardio training sessions have been steady and slow long distance runs and bikes…

Your cardio/endurance training session should have some variety just like your strength training workout plan. Most runners know the importance of using interval training, tempo training, hills, etc. to challenge their current pace and get faster. Going faster, especially with running, will also help improve form, technique, and efficiency.

Use those same techniques for your swim workouts and bike rides as well: change it up by throwing in some sprints and drills to the mix!

Triathlon Cardio & Strength Training Solution:

Interval training not only burns more fat, but it will crank up your performance in many different ways for triathlon training and performance. It doesn’t have to be very formal (i.e. Swim: 4 x 50 at 95%…), but make sure you have a method in place to turn up the speed for short bursts of time. Try starting with some sprints for 30 seconds, and as your endurance builds, increase to 1-2 minutes of sustained, high-intensity speed.

Question: “Is something better than nothing for triathlon strength training?”

Here’s my honest opinion: While strength training for triathletes is extremely beneficial, it can be also be disastrous if not carefully planned and executed in a scientific manner.

Bodybuilding type strength training is often imbalanced and tends to promote joint injuries. Training with heavy weight, few reps and long rest periods will only slow down triathletes. Furthermore, isolated muscular movements will not be very useful with enhancing techniques for a triathlete’s discipline.

Keep in mind triathletes have different goals with their training than the average “gym-goer” and should therefore exercise with triathlon performance and injury prevention in mind.

No one wants to waste time doing strength training for triathlons if it’s not going to help you in your triathlon, right? So just make sure that if you are a triathlete who’s committed to a strength training plan, you continue to study, learn, and implement it properly.

Put a solid, well-rounded plan in place, and never go about it haphazardly. Hire a triathlon coach, find a mentor, or work out with an experienced triathlete. Then you’ll gain all the benefits of strength training for triathletes, get faster, go longer, blast your PR’s – all without any wasted efforts or injuries.

by Trainer Davey Anderson

Beginner Triathlon Swimming Tips

Aside from wondering how to get rid of those ugly goggle marks that never seem to go away, one of the most common things that beginner triathletes are concerned about when swimming is how to breathe. And naturally, this should be a concern because unless you’re a mermaid (or merman), you probably can’t breathe under water.

Maybe you feel out of breath after just one lap in the pool. Maybe you get lightheaded or feel nauseated while swimming. Or maybe you get a big gulp of pool water instead of air whenever you turn your head for a breath. Whatever your breathing challenge may be, here are a few tricks and tips to help you breath better and easier easier during your swim.

1. Don’t Hold Your Breath

Let’s do a little experiment. Even though I just told you not to, I want you to take a minute and try holding your breath. After a few seconds, you may notice that your heart starts to beat faster, your face turns red and you feel lightheaded and anxious. Even though you are on dry land with plenty of oxygen, when you hold your breath, your body automatically goes into panic mode. Now add water to the equation and you’ve got yourself a full blown panic attack.

Many beginner triathletes hold their breath when their face is under water and then try to exhale and inhale at the same time when they turn their head out of the water. There is simply not enough time to exhale AND inhale during that split second you turn your head to breathe. Also, holding your breath under water causes more carbon dioxide to build up in your body which makes you to feel like you can’t catch your breath and that usually sends most swimmers into a panic.

The first step in establishing a breathing pattern that works for you is to exhale through your nose when your head is under water and then inhale when you turn your head out of the water. 

*Trainer Tip – Davey finds it helpful to complete his exhale as he’s turning his head out of the water. Then, he waits until his head is far enough away from the water to take in a gulp of air. This helps prevent getting a mouth full of water. 

2. Hum

When I was training for my first triathlon, I would hum when I exhaled under the water. I’ve done it ever since and I’ve found that it makes a huge difference. This simple little trick helps you control your breathing because it encourages you to exhale slowly and continuously.

Not only will you be able to create a more steady and rhythmic breathing pattern, but for some reason, humming also has a calming effect.

Have you ever taken a yoga class where the instructor had your continuously hum the word “Om”? Well, it’s the same idea. For me, humming when I exhale helps take my mind off of how anxious or panicked I feel and it helps me concentrate on swimming strong and on maintaining a steady breathing pattern.

3. Relax & Look Back

During your open water swim, it’s inevitable that you will get water in your mouth. If this happens, DON’T PANIC! The best thing you can do is to relax. If you get water in your mouth, just spit it out and keep on swimming. One tip here is to not open your mouth so wide when breathing. You really don’t get a better breath by opening your mouth wider, so if you open it just enough to get in a good gulp of air, chances are, you probably won’t be getting as many gulps of water.

Another tip is to look back. Instead of simply turning your head to the side when you come up for a breath, try turning your head at an angle. When I do this, I try to look over my shoulder and then my head naturally comes up for a breath at an angle. By turning your head this way, you decrease your chances of getting water in your mouth because your head comes up in the wake of your swim stroke and the water is usually less choppy there.

4. Pick A Pattern

Whether you prefer bilateral breathing (take a breath on the right, swim 3 strokes, take a breath on the left, and repeat) or your have to breathe every stroke like I do, find a breathing pattern that works for YOU. Don’t worry about what the experts recommend or what other swimmers do. Find YOUR pattern and then get in the groove and practice it!

Be aware that you may need to breathe more often on race day because the adrenaline rush of the swim start will probably speed up your breathing. The best thing you can do is to be flexible and just go with the flow and do whatever you need to do to breathe easy on race day. Practice different patterns and if you breathe every stroke, make sure you practice breathing on BOTH sides.

When I was training for my first triathlon, I found that  breathing every stroke worked best for me. So when I swam laps, I took a breath on the right side every time. Well, on the day of my triathlon, I realized that buoys would be on my left and I wouldn’t be able to see them if I swam how I practiced. I started the swim by breathing on my right, just like I had practiced, but about half way through, I looked up and saw that I had veered off course because I couldn’t see the buoys. So right in the middle of my swim, I had to “learn” to breath on the left. My advice to you: PRACTICE breathing on both sides!

Breathing is something that we all have to do. It’s pretty easy to breathe when you bike and run, but it can be a bit more challenging when you swim. By using these tips, practicing your swimming a few times a week and doing a few open water swims before your triathlon, you’ll be more confident and relaxed on race day. Breathe easy and rest assured that you have trained well and you’re ready to have an AWESOME swim! So take a deep breath and dive in!

Leave a comment and tell us some of your favorite triathlon swimming tips!