Pilates For Triathlon

Beginning to train for a triathlon can be as hard as it sounds. Well, it means changing your usual everyday routine and adding some time on the track, on your bike, at the gym, and in the water. But those are not the only things you must consider. You should also think of the possible risks that might happen before during and after your training.
You must remember this: injuries do exist but can be prevented. And the most common are caused by over-training, wrong set of gears, and improper practices. Here are 5 ways to prevent injuries from taking away your triathlon dream:
Stretching – Before you begin your training, you must do some stretching. This would release the tension of your tightened tendon and muscles. There are some studies conducted that people who do not stretch before and after stretching are more prone to injuries. Some also argue about the necessity of stretching but taking outmost precaution would certainly lead you from disregarding this argument.
Training duration – You simply cannot go from 0 to 5k in an instant. You must take it gradually. Over-training often causes injuries. Make sure you take one step at a take and not take on giant leap towards your goal. Keep your training plan realistic. In this way, give your body the time to adapt to the training.
Rest – After training for several hours on one day, your body needs to rest. Again, a good rest would give your body the time to adapt to the training. This would prevent from over stressing your muscles and tendons that can result to injuries.
Footwear – There is a particular shoe for running and cycling. And this should be taken seriously. The most punished part of your body during training and the actual triathlon itself are your feet so make sure that you have the proper footwear for your run and for your bike. Also remember that friction blister is common to those who wear old shoes, shoes with inadequate soles, and improper shoe fitting.
Gears – If you have the history of ankle injury, keeping your ankle protected with braces would be a good idea. Tendonitis, a common effect of over training could be avoided if you wear proper ankle braces. A nice swimwear would give you better movement on water. And since you also have your swimwear on during the entire race, a good and well-fitted one is a must have.

The next phase you’ll encounter after a free-for-all wild swim is the bike race. This might not actually be the hardest (after all, you only have to know the basics of biking and the principles that would maximize your performance while riding) but it can also make big differences during the race.
In preparation for the triathlon, far too many people seem to put much importance on the type of triathlon bicycle than with what they can do with it. Some even spend grand on a top-of-the-line bicycle and forget all about the thing that matters most- proper use.
On some points of the race, competitors believe that those with lighter and faster bikes have the most advantages. This cant be far from the truth but this does not tell it all. After all, the manner of use and the person’s actual capacity to optimize the bicycle will create big differences.
For some unknown reasons, that only you would somehow realize, a single bike would fit you. It wont matter how expensive it is or how old. Like your favorite running shoes, your triathlon bicycle would suit your style, your needs and your ability. It is just a matter of trying on different bikes and getting the feel for each of them.
Sure, the technologies used to develop a $10,000 triathlon bicycle would actually create some edges over those who only ride on $250 bikes. Nonetheless, never forget that the bike period is only a part of the three areas of discipline triathlon covers. And the bike itself is only a single component of the bike transition. You must still consider and be able to look eye on other principles that will lead you to the last transition stage.
Say you are riding on a high-end, oozing new triathlon bicycle yet bargained so much on the benefits it might give you. You surely have the speed, the style, and the envy of the onlookers and fellow triathletes. But without proper skills in it’s operation, or proper planning during the course and even the endurance to continue biking after loosing much strength during the swim stage, your “nice bike” would be turned into nothing.
It might be cool to pass fellow racers on the initial run yet once they passed you over with their dreaded looks, you’ll wish that you’re on a $300 beater. (That way, you would atleast have an excuse of being beaten).

The whole of triathlon is simply a matter of personal choice. The governing bodies allow the competitors to choose the gears they would use, the equipments, the bikes, the clothing and all other things. Only, triathletes have to do what is stipulated in the rules and agreements.
Many athletes find satisfaction on investing on top-of-the-line gears or high-end wet suits. If it were for anything else, it must be the assurance of the research and technologies used to design and manufacture expensive items. After all, you get what you pay for.
The choice of triathlon clothing is solely yours. There is a wide spectrum of choices both from local triathlon gear stores and online vendors that you might find yourself overwhelmed with options. Prices vary greatly and so are the designs, quality and a number of other things.
There may be lots of choices for you but only a few can actually create the difference. A good fit says it all. It would be better to toss several more dollars on a good pair of triathlon clothing and get what you expect than to get irritated along the race and stray from what you actually must do.
Choosing your triathlon race clothing might sound easier than it actually is. It must take some sound decision-making and a thrust of luck to be able to find one that will not only give you style, satisfaction and guarantee of performance. There are no mandated rules to follow in shopping your triathlon clothing, you can only use your best judgment.
Offers abound, you only have to seek for them. Comparison shopping never fails so it would be better to take the risks. What is offered by a single store may not be offered on another. Nonetheless, each offering may provide you whole new perspectives of choices. Don’t be to hasty when making your decisions.
Great deals are offered every now and then. You may not be needing a new bike now but it pays off to watch for sales that will not only save you money but may possibly help you buy the triathlon clothing you have always wanted.
If you’re watching for quality then you have to get a good price too. It is pointless to invest so much for a single item and tightening your budget on other gears.
In the end, the only three main ideas you have to consider is price, value and quality. These might not always be found in a single item but surely, there exist some that will offer you the best of all worlds. Only you have to be patient in searching for them.

Review

For anyone who s competed in a long course – specifically iron distance – triathlon, you know that it can be a daunting experience. The time management that goes into training, pace management, nutrition management, the mental and emotional control needed to get to the finish line as well as your body and training should allow you to get through the race; long course triathlon throws a lot more at us than 140.6 miles. Especially for first-time iron athletes, you need more (more…)

Review

“Eric Harr has an astounding ability to motivate practically anyone and crafts a compelling case for the fact that fitness challenges are not just feasible but fun. Eric makes the daunting feat of training for a physically demanding event completely doable because he is there every step of the way–cheering you on, spurring you to greater heights, making you want to do this. His book is a brilliant tool that should truly inspire members of our sedentary society to put them (more…)

Triathletes and adventure racers must pack everything but the kitchen sink to each event. Keeping that gear organized and readily accessible during the critical transitions can make a huge difference in finishing time. Jon Reichlin, Nathan’s president, has used his triathlon experience to co-design the ideal triathlon gear bag. With amazing attention to the needs of top-level triathletes, the Quick Change provides a distinct competitive advantage.

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A clear, practical guide to swimming freestyle better than you ever thought possible. Not only to swim well enough to breeze through a triathlon swim leg with ease and confidence; but to reach a Nirvana where the swim is your favorite part. If you’re not aiming to do a triathlon, but would simply like to swim with ease, efficiency and confidence, TSME will turn you into a beautiful freestyler with the freedom to swim in any body of water.

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Triathlon is the fastest growing sport in cycling. In fact, the triathlon sport grew 15% last year when the bike business as a whole did not. I think there are some good reasons for this. I started out cycling for transportation, wound up racing, and now ride fast for fun. I get to see from a different perspective how steep the learning curve is for bike racing as opposed to triathlon. What is funny, I think the learning curve for mastering three sports exceeds that of cycling, but there is one word that trumps learning curve when it comes to gaining new entrants to the sport and that word is, inclusiveness.Competitive cycling is a brutally tough sport. By design, you figure out a way to make your competitor do all the work and then you sprint around and beat him. Every part of a bike race one is on the lookout for an attack, or one is preparing to mount one. It takes a lot of rejection by peers, people who are better at the sport and of course, the feeling of hopelessness that occurs at the moment one is “dropped” to get over the hump and start to “hang”. This is an exclusive environment and no wonder people describe bike racers as elitist. The mental games that go on in a peloton are tough when you know what is going on and even tougher when you are learning.Triathletes, on the other hand, are quite gregarious and want to get everyone on the “swim, bike, run” bandwagon. They somehow manage their schedules and train untold hours but still seem to keep inviting and encouraging others to join them. Where a Category 5 bike race has a mix of people who don’t know how to race or even ride well, mixed with fine athletes who are coming into the sport, a triathlon is much better at supporting all levels of athletes at the same time. One only races themselves and the clock. Everybody wins. All the “character building” elements of a grueling sport exist but they are made palatable and people anticipate the challenge.When I raced bicycles, the sport of Triathlon was in its infancy. I didn’t know much about it and over the years have gained a tremendous respect for the folks that are up at 4:00 AM to swim, then have a successful day at work, then do a run or a ride. Incredible!From a business perspective, I discovered that the things I learned about fitting cyclists for time trials, road, mountain and track applied directly, with one exception. I found that triathletes riding the wrong setup on their bicycles suffered twice! First the ride leg is painful, with people having to sit up because the aerobars are too uncomfortable. Second, the transition to the run is painful because muscles are used disproportionately. Triathlon bikes are very sexy looking. I find, however, that the least aerodynamic part of a tri bike is the rider and that power trumps aerodynamics within reason. Consider your bike setup and ask these questions. Are you comfortable the whole event? Are you stiff and awkward when transitioning to the run? Do you put as much emphasis on the bike as you do the run or swim? What would happen to your times if you did a bike focus and maybe even a bike change?One other topic is worth adding to this article and that is the age old question, “Should I have a road bike and a tri bike?” My perspective is, you run with the fast runners, swim with the fast swimmers and should be riding a road bike with the fast cyclists. Even though you may not draft in a triathlon, the fact that you are comfortable going over 30 miles an hour in a pack will translate to much more comfort when at your time trial pace. You will have a bigger range of speed and can take better advantage of the terrain and the curves of the road. Additionally, you will ride smoother and in a straight line which we all know is the shortest distance between two points. So, a good road bike is important. A good tri bike that fits perfectly is a tool that can make a huge difference in the performance and enjoyment of a triathlon, so no wonder so many triathletes take pride in owning a nice time trial machine.

Everyone has his unique anatomy. And that, my friend must be the foremost consideration in choosing you triathlon shorts.
You can of course choose to base your choice of shorts on the quality of the material, the price or the over-all construction. But it is good to remember that there is no rule of thumb that will help determine the type that you will wear on the race day. After all, gears and equipments are your personal preferences.
Triathlon shorts are quite hard to recommend due to our unique anatomical structures. This means that measurements of the crotch, butts and lengths vary largely depending on the persons using them. In shopping for your own, it would be best to try on as much types and models as you can to secure that your last choice will fit you comfortably. It will always be miss or hit and you have to pray for your luck.
We cannot provide you the exact answers but allow us to help by presenting several factors that will help lead you towards better choices.
Price
You get what you pay for, this rule generally applies to almost all items that we see in the market. Better toss a few more dollars on a triathlon shorts that will help add to your performance than sacrifice to ill-fated shorts. Cheaper triathlon shorts are more likely to be substandard items. Cheap shorts cant provide you durability either because for most conditions, manufacturers cut through quality to give way to quantity of production.
Panels
The more panels the shorts have the higher the quality the manufacturer incorporated in the product. Additional panels won’t damage the product, as many people believe. Actually they create more strength.
Liner
Any self-respecting triathlon shorts manufacturers know that apart from the shorts itself, the liner plays the major role. Don’t go for those that are made from plastic compartments, thick paddings or gel inserts.
Leg length
Fashion dictates the length of triathlon shorts. And as we have seen, the length has been yo-yoing around that no one can actually tell what’s best and what’s not. It is after all, a personal choice between short shorts or not-so-short shorts.
Waist length
While we have been discussing how unstandardized triathlon shorts can be, the waist length marks as an exception. To be able to provide enough comfort during cycling, the waist length must be cut high back. And the front side must be cut low so bending is easier.
In most cases, snuggers prove to be of greatest value since they keep in place no matter how rigid the legwork or the waters may be.

Every man an Iron Man—and every woman, too! No longer exclusive events reserved for only the most committed athletes, triathlons, duathlons (bike and run), and aquathons (swim and run) now attract hundreds of thousands of Americans. Filled with the inside tips, practical advice, and photos, this is the book for any man or woman who wants to compete in multi-sport events, regardless of experience level. –Authors are experienced triathlon competitors and personal tra (more…)