Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan
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General Discussion | Triathlon Talk » Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan | Rss Feed |
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2008-02-22 1:10 PM |
Member 24 Canada, Quebec, near Montreal | Subject: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan I see training plans everywhere both on this website and anywhere else I google with triathlon. My first impression is that there is no point in having a training plan. You just train as hard as you can in the time you have. Skip a day if you get burned out and focus on your weaknesses. I must be missing something so please explain. |
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2008-02-22 1:14 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Runner | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan You don't. It's a scam perpetuated by the coaching community to just raise their profits. You go ahead and train however you feel. Report back after a year. Experiment of one, and all that crap. |
2008-02-22 1:16 PM in reply to: #1228934 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan Scout7 - 2008-02-22 1:14 PM You don't. It's a scam perpetuated by the coaching community to just raise their profits. But, gee, Scout, I see a lot of free plans out there. How does the coaching community profit from that? |
2008-02-22 1:19 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Extreme Veteran 877 Pa | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan I'm sure you'll get a lot of feedback about this. All I'm going to say is that pre-training-plan days for me had me with overuse injuries and only progressing so far. Since being on a training plan, put together by a certified coach who knows much much more of the scientific junk than I even want to know, I have been getting fitter, faster, stronger, healthier, & happier. There's a lot to know out there and I don't necessarily want or have time to learn it all. I leave that up to those that make the training plans &/or the coaches. I'm sure there is nothing wrong for someone just going out and biking some, running some and swimming some, but I think once your training load increases and you get hooked on the sport and doing the best that you possibly can in it then a training plan doesn't hurt to help organize the workouts so you get the most bang out of each workout and stay healthy. |
2008-02-22 1:20 PM in reply to: #1228937 |
Runner | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan the bear - 2008-02-22 2:16 PM Scout7 - 2008-02-22 1:14 PM You don't. It's a scam perpetuated by the coaching community to just raise their profits. But, gee, Scout, I see a lot of free plans out there. How does the coaching community profit from that? That's how they suck you in. Like crack dealers on the corner. First one's free. After that, ya gotta pay. Pretty soon, you see triathletes breaking into houses to steal from good, honest folk, just so they can feed their filthy habits. |
2008-02-22 1:26 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Extreme Veteran 475 Tampa, FL | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan I'd say if you're going all-out during every workout "train as hard as you can in the time you have" you're probably going to wind up injured, overtrained, burnt-out, or all of the above. Plus your workouts will lack focus and the progressive build that is needed in order to see improvements over time. Your workouts will lack focus and you will not come close to being able to reach your potential. |
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2008-02-22 1:31 PM in reply to: #1228966 |
Champion 6046 New York, NY | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan Tri3 - 2008-02-22 2:26 PM I'd say if you're going all-out during every workout "train as hard as you can in the time you have" you're probably going to wind up injured, overtrained, burnt-out, or all of the above. Plus your workouts will lack focus and the progressive build that is needed in order to see improvements over time. Your workouts will lack focus and you will not come close to being able to reach your potential.
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2008-02-22 1:38 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
2008-02-22 1:39 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Master 2202 St. Louis | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan |
2008-02-22 1:40 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Runner | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan Fastfwd - 2008-02-22 2:10 PM You just train as hard as you can in the time you have. Skip a day if you get burned out and focus on your weaknesses. Isn't this, in effect, a training plan? You have a plan for how you are going to train. You are going to train as hard as you can, focusing on improving your weaknesses. Sounds like a plan to me...... |
2008-02-22 1:44 PM in reply to: #1229021 |
Member 24 Canada, Quebec, near Montreal | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan ranger5oh - 2008-02-22 2:39 PM I smell a troll....Feee fiiii foooo fuuummmm I'm sorry. Probably not a great idea as a first post. I have been cycling regularly for one year now and went from 175lbs to 155lbs. The next step for me is to actually do something with it now that I'm in better shape. I'm current lifting 2-3 times a week and cycling on the trainer for 45min 2-3 times a week too. The cycling will increase a lot when the snow finally melts. I also intend to try doing a spring triathlon or maybe just duathlon this summer depending on my swimming abilities. |
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2008-02-22 1:46 PM in reply to: #1229026 |
Member 24 Canada, Quebec, near Montreal | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan Scout7 - 2008-02-22 2:40 PM Fastfwd - 2008-02-22 2:10 PM You just train as hard as you can in the time you have. Skip a day if you get burned out and focus on your weaknesses. Isn't this, in effect, a training plan? You have a plan for how you are going to train. You are going to train as hard as you can, focusing on improving your weaknesses. Sounds like a plan to me...... Bouncing the idea around got me to focus on what it is that bothers me about training plans everywhere. My life is just too irregular to follow a structured plan. I prefer having the flexibility of being able to skip a day sometimes and just doing 2 days in a row later in the week. I guess what I need is a plan based on weekly objectives and goals instead of daily. |
2008-02-22 1:50 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan
Pretty simple. You may not choose to, but you will always get beat by someone who does .......... Not being harsh, just stating reality. |
2008-02-22 1:53 PM in reply to: #1229048 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan Fastfwd - 2008-02-22 2:46 PM Bouncing the idea around got me to focus on what it is that bothers me about training plans everywhere. My life is just too irregular to follow a structured plan. I prefer having the flexibility of being able to skip a day sometimes and just doing 2 days in a row later in the week. I guess what I need is a plan based on weekly objectives and goals instead of daily. Hence the reason people hire coaches who can then help them structure a plan that fits their lifestyle, or why people do tons of research on the topic and then develop their own plan ...... And every plan is broken down into meso and micro -cycles. They are structured around clumps of workouts. No one is all that important. It is the combination of them all in a structured manner over longer periods. |
2008-02-22 1:56 PM in reply to: #1229048 |
Runner | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan Fastfwd - 2008-02-22 2:46 PM Scout7 - 2008-02-22 2:40 PM Bouncing the idea around got me to focus on what it is that bothers me about training plans everywhere. My life is just too irregular to follow a structured plan. I prefer having the flexibility of being able to skip a day sometimes and just doing 2 days in a row later in the week. I guess what I need is a plan based on weekly objectives and goals instead of daily.Fastfwd - 2008-02-22 2:10 PM You just train as hard as you can in the time you have. Skip a day if you get burned out and focus on your weaknesses. Isn't this, in effect, a training plan? You have a plan for how you are going to train. You are going to train as hard as you can, focusing on improving your weaknesses. Sounds like a plan to me...... Now we're getting somewhere.... You don't need to follow a daily structured plan. In fact, the only reason Pfitzinger and Douglas did so in their book for marathoning was people demanded daily planning. They were against it at first. Having a basic structure to your training is important. Following a daily routine may not be. |
2008-02-22 2:01 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Regular 156 | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan I am new to the sport (four tris in'07) and don't follow a specific detailed plan. I train "instinctively". So far it is working out okay. I'm not super competetive by nature and am currently happy with finishing races MOP. I have a certain number of training sessions (in each discipline) I try to do weekly and generally achieve those goals. I am also 39 w/ a family, work, etc. For me it is important that I enjoy the training. Some plans are so regimented, structured and ridgid they seem more work than pleasure. The training should not just be a means to an end. If you truly want to compete, then that's a hole different ballgame. I'm just happy crossing the finish line at this point. |
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2008-02-22 2:16 PM in reply to: #1229116 |
Sensei Sin City | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan plumberchris - 2008-02-22 12:01 PM I am new to the sport (four tris in'07) and don't follow a specific detailed plan. I train "instinctively". So far it is working out okay. I'm not super competetive by nature and am currently happy with finishing races MOP. I have a certain number of training sessions (in each discipline) I try to do weekly and generally achieve those goals. I am also 39 w/ a family, work, etc. For me it is important that I enjoy the training. Some plans are so regimented, structured and ridgid they seem more work than pleasure. The training should not just be a means to an end. If you truly want to compete, then that's a hole different ballgame. I'm just happy crossing the finish line at this point. Then it sounds like you are doing what's right for you.... I tried that for a while, then wanted to improve, and improve efficiently. Meaning, getting the most "bang for the buck" out of my training time. Like the other posts said, I realized that having micro cycles, base workouts, tempo workouts, LT workouts, interval workouts all planned out to train the body, helped me actually train more specifically, with less wasted time. I thought it was more enjoyable as well. A good plan mixes it up enough that I wasn't just repeating the same workout all the time. Now, am I a slave to the plan? NO. I try to stick to it as best as I can, but If I am running short on time one day, I may move things around a bit. This week, I did my brick yesterday because I only had time for that. Then moved yesterday long bike to Sat. If I'm tired, I will change a workout to a recovery workout. I use plans as a very good outline to peak for a race - not the end-all-be-all gospel...
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2008-02-22 2:25 PM in reply to: #1229116 |
Veteran 285 Broomfield, Colorado | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan plumberchris - 2008-02-22 1:01 PM If it looks like a plan, smells like a plan... |
2008-02-22 2:29 PM in reply to: #1229088 |
Champion 5781 Northridge, California | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan Scout7 - 2008-02-22 11:56 AM Having a basic structure to your training is important. Following a daily routine may not be. Yup. That structure can be guided by intuition and some basic research or by a coach. As Rick (daremo) suggests, the intuitive approach won't necessarily win you any races, BUT if flexibility is a paramount goal for you, then go that route. Not everyone's goals are the same. One has to be clear about how much time (and money) one wants to commit and how much competitive goals factor in (as opposed to, say, general fitness or social aspects). And a structured plan (esp. a "one size fits all" plan) won't necessarily prevent injury...ideally, it'd reduce the risk, but ultimately you have to monitor how your body's reacting. Even a coach can't read your mind to discern that you're busy convincing yourself you aren't really hurting...a "plan"--like the "box" in the income tax prep ads--certainly can't do that. Personally, I don't train to a specific plan--apart from employing general principles that are pretty flexible--and have gotten respectable results and no injuries (until I tackled one mountain too many in November, anyhow). I also know that I'm trading MOFOP for BOFOP/FOMOP by giving myself permission to train as I feel I need to at any given time and I'm okay with that My wife, on the other hand, is doing a pretty elaborate (and fairly expensive) periodization training program through her physical therapists (Robert Forster/Phase IV). She really needs the face-to-face guidance and the structure...when she trains on her own, she skips workouts and is prone to injury. Everyone's different. |
2008-02-22 2:32 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Extreme Veteran 450 Upstate, SC | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan Fastfwd - 2008-02-22 2:10 PM I see training plans everywhere both on this website and anywhere else I google with triathlon. My first impression is that there is no point in having a training plan. You just train as hard as you can in the time you have. Skip a day if you get burned out and focus on your weaknesses. I must be missing something so please explain. Strangely enough, the main benefit of following a plan for me has been the learned discipline of taking it easy some days and even "GASP" taking a day off! |
2008-02-22 2:32 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Expert 1049 Burnaby, BC | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan I like having a daily plan because it gives me a less flexible schedule. It helps keep me from blowing off my training and wasting time in front of the boob tube. |
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2008-02-22 2:35 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Extreme Veteran 409 Tampa, FL | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan ditto on the injured and overtrained comment. That's EXACTLY what happened to me. Last year after I had my last baby, I came back quickly and trained hard. I didn't follow a plan, didn't stretch, didn't do any strength training (core work specficially). I just went out and swim/bike/run as much and as hard as I could whenever I could. Now I'm paying for it with a bunch of over-use injuries that didn't surface until the end of the summer. Six months later I'm still doing PT and have lost almost all my fitness (I can only swim, barely). I had high hopes of doing my first Olympic Tri this summer and now I'll be very lucky if I can eek out a sprint. If I would have followed a basic (and even free!) training plan I have NO doubt I would not be in the miserable position I'm in today. I made SO many mistakes last year. When I heal and start training again, I'll totally do thing differently. I'll stretch and do core religiously and I'll follow a training plan that is periodized. Learn from my mistakes. Its not worth it. Not at all. Edited by kylerboys 2008-02-22 2:39 PM |
2008-02-22 2:36 PM in reply to: #1229048 |
Expert 973 Berkeley, Calif. | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan Fastfwd - 2008-02-22 11:46 AM Scout7 - 2008-02-22 2:40 PM Bouncing the idea around got me to focus on what it is that bothers me about training plans everywhere. My life is just too irregular to follow a structured plan. I prefer having the flexibility of being able to skip a day sometimes and just doing 2 days in a row later in the week. I guess what I need is a plan based on weekly objectives and goals instead of daily. Ha, there's NO WAY I could follow a daily plan. I'm by no means competitive -- I'm just doing this for fun -- but I need some sort of structure to my training because, honestly, I don't know what I'm doing. The training plans here (and I imagine plans elsewhere) give me a great guide. I basically look at what I need to do each week and fit those workouts into my own schedule, making sure I don't plan two hard runs/swims/bikes back to back. For example, the plan I'm on now calls for two rest days a week, but I wanted to take only one and have less days with multiple workouts, so I spread them out. I also can really only bike outside on weekends, so I set up my long bike ride for Saturday and a shorter recovery ride for Sunday. And if I decide on Tuesday that I really need to go for drinks with coworkers that night, no problem, I'll just shift those workouts to another day. Anyway, my point is that training plans are great for getting you started -- much better than just going out and making it up as you go along. I was very pleased with how I did at my first tri last year, and I am positive I wouldn't have gotten the same results without a plan. |
2008-02-22 2:41 PM in reply to: #1229205 |
Coach 10487 Boston, MA | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan tcovert - 2008-02-22 2:29 PM I would say a good coach can and should... that's why you monitor the athlete's training, that's why you talk to them, that's why you review their training files and that's why you set up a plan in a specific way that you can push them near the breaking point to learn their limits... you can't compare a generic plan and a good coach.Scout7 - 2008-02-22 11:56 AM Having a basic structure to your training is important. Following a daily routine may not be. Yup. That structure can be guided by intuition and some basic research or by a coach. As Rick (daremo) suggests, the intuitive approach won't necessarily win you any races, BUT if flexibility is a paramount goal for you, then go that route. Not everyone's goals are the same. One has to be clear about how much time (and money) one wants to commit and how much competitive goals factor in (as opposed to, say, general fitness or social aspects). And a structured plan (esp. a "one size fits all" plan) won't necessarily prevent injury...ideally, it'd reduce the risk, but ultimately you have to monitor how your body's reacting. Even a coach can't read your mind to discern that you're busy convincing yourself you aren't really hurting...a "plan"--like the "box" in the income tax prep ads--certainly can't do that. Personally, I don't train to a specific plan--apart from employing general principles that are pretty flexible--and have gotten respectable results and no injuries (until I tackled one mountain too many in November, anyhow). I also know that I'm trading MOFOP for BOFOP/FOMOP by giving myself permission to train as I feel I need to at any given time and I'm okay with that My wife, on the other hand, is doing a pretty elaborate (and fairly expensive) periodization training program through her physical therapists (Robert Forster/Phase IV). She really needs the face-to-face guidance and the structure...when she trains on her own, she skips workouts and is prone to injury. Everyone's different. |
2008-02-22 2:44 PM in reply to: #1228924 |
Coach 10487 Boston, MA | Subject: RE: Explain to me why it's important to have a training plan Fastfwd - 2008-02-22 1:10 PM I see training plans everywhere both on this website and anywhere else I google with triathlon. My first impression is that there is no point in having a training plan. You just train as hard as you can in the time you have. Skip a day if you get burned out and focus on your weaknesses. I must be missing something so please explain. if performance is not a concern for you, then you can certainly train in anyway you prefer and you should so you can enjoy it. But if you want to achieve the best you can within your personal constraints having a plan specific for you will most likley allow you to achieve that in a shorter period of time. |
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