HOW TO INCREASE TRAINING VOLUME
This month, professor Greg Whyte champions the need for a gradual increase in training volume, which, he says, is crucial to allow the body time to adapt before race season
The appearance of spring indicates a move to pre-season training, which generally marks an increase in race-specific work, including a greater number of highintensity race-pace and supramaximal training sessions.
While pre-season is characterised by a shift in gear, care is warranted with rapid increases in intensity. Of all the training volume determinants (frequency, duration, and intensity) intensity provides the most potent stimulus and a concomitant increase in muscle damage and fatigue.
GRADUAL INCREASE
We’ve all experienced the delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS, see p82 for more on this) following the first high-intensity sessions of the season. The appearance of DOMS is closely linked to a sudden increase in intensity, particularly for load-bearing disciplines (i.e. running, lifting).
This increase should therefore be progressive to avoid the negative impact of significant and sustained DOMS, which can reduce training quality and, potentially, lead to injury. The process of gradually increasing training volume (inc. intensity) is termed ‘progressive overload’ and is crucial to allow the body time to adapt optimally.
A common mistake is to plan a single point in time to move from one training phase to the next. Instead, it’s important to merge training phases by gradually introducing training sessions from the next training phase into the end of the current training phase (i.e. add a small number of high-intensity sessions at the end of the winter phase leading into the pre-season phase).
By introducing higher-intensity sessions gradually, you’re less likely to suffer debilitating DOMS, leading to an enhanced training stimulus.
In addition to the gradual introduction of higher-intensity sessions, plan sessions that focus on skill, technical and tactical aspects of racing during pre-season. This will support the gradual introduction of intensity as well as make a significant contribution to race performance, i.e. transition training (brick sessions). Starting to introduce in-season (race specific) sessions into your pre-season phase will allow you to iron out any skill/technical/tactical issues you might have. Pre-season is the time to make the major changes in technical (race equipment) and tactical (race strategy) aspects of performance, allowing you time during the in-season phase to fine tune changes leading to enhanced race performance.
THINK AHEAD
In the transition from one training phase to the next, ensure a blended approach across each phase, allowing the gradual introduction of changes in training v olume and technical/tactical aspects of performance. Think ahead.
Progressive overload will ensure optimal training adaptation and performance without the pitfalls of rapid increases in training volume, and the last minute (in-season) introduction of technical and tactical changes.
“A common mistake is to plan a single point in time to move from one training phase to the next”
RIVER-SWIM SAFETY
Q When is it safe to swim in a river and what you should look out for? Mark Winn
A It depends on your swim goals, your swimming ability and experience of open-water swimming. Is the choice to swim in a river based on access, preference for open water or to prepare specifically for a river-swim event?
River swimming can be idyllic, however, especially in the winter months, it presents significant risks to the inexperienced swimmer. As an open-water swim specialist, I’d still recommend the pool as the best environment for working on specific stroke technique drills and winter conditioning.
If you’re looking to develop open-water skills then a managed lake would be safer than rivers. However, if you’re looking for more challenging swims or to prepare for a river-swim event then river swimming offers unique specificity.
If you are venturing into rivers to swim, then here are a few key guidelines to keep you safe:
1. Know the body of water. Water source, risk of pollution/contaminants, flow rates and under currents, safe entry/exits points, potential under-water hazards. Local knowledge is invaluable here.
2. Dynamically risk assess the conditions, i.e. the water temp, flow and depth, air temp/wind chill, potential weather changes, potential debris or pollution in the water. Definitely avoid river swimming for 3-5 days after a storm and when a river is in spate (a largely rain-fed, fast-flowing river).
3. Never swim alone in rivers, and always have on-shore support – they are your call for help.
4. Always swim upstream from safe entry/exit points or be very clear on where the next safe exit points are if swimming downstream.
5. Understand your tolerance of cold water, swim within your capabilities and be prepared for your post-swim recovery if swimming in the winter.
If you have a long walk back after your swim be prepared for ‘after drop’ and the risk of post-swim hypothermia. Have an ICE plan.
6. If the conditions aren’t safe then you should walk away and accept that ‘today is a non-swimming’ day.
For more information on safe cold-water swimming you can find some useful videos here: vobster.com/2020-coldwater. php#player Richard Smith
VO2 MAX
Q What is VO2 max and why is it important in triathlon training? Paula Wiggins
A Aerobic capacity (aka VO2 max) is the metric used to describe the total amount of oxygen your body can utilise at a sustained maximum level of work. The greater the amount of oxygen you can take in and utilise, the more energy can potentially be created aerobically, and the faster you will potentially go. The speed/ rate of work you can sustain at this maximum level indicates aerobic performance potential.
Simply, it’s the maximum volume of oxygen that the body can process aerobically per kg of body weight per minute: VO2 max, mL/kg/min. A typical test for this would be a ramp test (an increased power/speed every few minutes) while wearing a mask that collects the exhaled air. This determines the maximal or near-maximal oxygen uptake.
VO2 max is partly genetic and differs by sport. Therefore, it’s important to strive for a higher VO2 max based on your own personal ‘high’ within tri. The speed or work rate sustained at VO2 max accounts for performance differences, but VO2 max does offer an insight into performance potential. It tells us how big the ‘engine’ is.
VO2 max is limited by the heart, and therefore training to develop VO2 max should focus on heart rate (HR) instead of power or pace. Power or paces can be used as guidelines of effort to get close to VO2 max HRs, but the HR needs to be the focus of the session.
Several studies indicate that time spent at VO2 max leads to the most significant improvement in this aspect of performance. Remember that this is HR-based training, so time spent at this HR zone is key. Often athletes mistakenly assume that time doing a VO2 max power or pace is the same measure – it isn’t. So to f truly