July 2017 - ironguides.net

Ironman Recovery Guidelines: Learn how to get back into training

July 25, 2017

As soon as you cross the finish line of an Ironman, it is normal you will already start planning the next season and races you want to do. However, taking a rest after the Ironman is import for both body and mind, after all, you spent months of extreme dedication, your weekends were practically sitting on the bike, and you endured various dietary restrictions.

But what is the best way to recover from an Ironman? How many days you must rest and what is the best type of workout to do once you are back to a training routine?

The article below explains in detail everything you need to know about resume training after an Ironman.

The negative impact of an Ironman race in the human body

To do an Ironman race is not in the nature of the human body. Over millions of years, the human body was designed to either exercise at low intensity and high duration, or short but high intensity, that is based on the needs of mankind evolution and what our ancestors had to do. To exercise at moderate intensity (gray zone) for nine to seventeen hours is not natural or even healthy to us, and a simple blood work before and after an Ironman can detect be some problems as:

Hormonal imbalance:

An Austrian study concluded that takes three weeks for antioxidant levels return to healthy patterns, as well as muscle injury and inflammation markers to settle.

The immune system plays an important role in helping your body recover from intense workouts, but the immune system is overwhelmed during prolonged exercise and stay at low levels for up to three days after this type of activity, leaving him exposed to viral infections and bacterial.

This combined response with a fall of hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone, and an increase of cortisol (stress hormone) complete the total hormonal imbalance after competing in Ironman.

Kidney overloaded:

With the high rate of muscle cells breakage, there is an increase in blood levels of myoglobin. Myoglobin is a protein and harmful to the kidneys. Some athletes report change in color of urine after an Ironman race, which is a sign of rhabdomyolysis, a medical condition that indicates overload the kidneys due to muscle damage.

The combination of dehydration and ingestion of Advil (Iboprufen), may further worsen the picture of the kidneys, in some rare cases even get in renal failure. Therefore taking advil for an Ironman is never recommended.

The good news is that while the response of your body to an effort such as an Ironman race sounds serious and dangerous, you can mitigate some of these downsides with appropriate recovery and training once you are done with the race. Here’s how:

Phase 1 (1 to 21 days after the race) – Recovery Guidelines

Day 1 to 10 after the Ironman:

Beginners or intermediate athletes should take as many days off as you want, this will do you good not only for your body but also the mind, you have worked hard and now is the time to recover. If you think some easy exercising will help you feel better and less bloated or tight, do 20-40min swimming or cycling but at very low intensity. Do not run during this period.

High performance athletes should take a few days off completely and rest during this period, but active rest with some swimming or cycling, both at low intensity, will help you recover faster. Do not run during this period.

Day 11 to 21 after the Ironman:

Beginners or intermediate athletes should start back wish some activities at low intensity and little structure. Try to keep the activities (note the word activity and not training) shorter than an hour. You can also get back to some running and exercise daily. However if you still feeling like resting fully for the whole day, do it without guilt, the time is now.

High performance athletes will benefit from daily activities and some accelerations in the pool using paddles and on the bike pushing some heavy gears, this will help you recruit your specific muscles but still keeping your heart rate low. Some days you should also do double training, keep in mind that two short workouts is less aggressive for your immune system and hormone levels than one longer session.

Phase 2 –What to train after the 21st day after your race

Once you get back to a proper training plan, it should not only consider the races you want to do from that point, but also the specific training for the Ironman you did in the previous three months.There are several fitness aspects targeted in a training plan, and you must understand that your Ironman preparation required specific sessions and you spent most of your workouts in the “gray zone”, at moderate intensity but long workouts.

This type of training is important for a good performance in Ironmans, but considering that this type of training begins mostly in the last twelve weeks before the race, it means that other important aspects of your fitness, such as strength, speed and high intensity aerobic training, were left aside on that final Ironman prep.

Once you complete your recovery protocol, your best option is to start a training block focused on short races, even if the short or medium term goal is another long or middle distance race.

Understand that just maintaining your endurance in your post Ironman training is enough to maintain good endurance as you will be coming off months of endurance focused training.

Add weight training in this phase can also be a good idea as it will help your hormonal level to balance out again and give you some general strength.

Phase 3 – Plan your race calendar wisely

Avoid any kind of races for at least 3 full weeks after the Ironman. Then starting on the fourth week, you can schedule some short events that will give you the opportunity to also test the short course training you will be doing and acquire skills and race day strategies that will be useful for long races in the future.

If you have a long race scheduled 4-6 weeks after your Ironman, you do not need to go long in your training as you would had you not competed in the Ironman, your endurance will still be at a decent level (refer to graphic above).

A Common error is to run a marathon under 4 weeks after the Ironman as the risk of an injury is huge, not only during the competition itself, but also due to reason the athletes will focus more on running after the Ironman and that should be the discipline you will train the least!

Nutrition after the race? Tips for athletes of all ages, sports and historical levels

Post race nutrition – How your ability, age and background have an impact on it.

It is normal and will do you good to let the diet go a little after the race. Even “pigging out” some and putting on some weight is fine and will help you to recovery.

But there is profile of athlete that must hold back a little and think ahead before putting on five or more kilos in the weeks after the Ironman. They are the masters athletes (forty-five years or more) at a high performance level. The reason is that as you age, weight loss becomes increasingly difficult, and you fought so hard to get to this excellent physical shape and run the risk of lose it all and start all over again.

That would be fine if your goals ended up there (such as placing at a major Ironman event or qualifying for Kona for example), otherwise, you will deal with the challenge of being a little heavier right at the beginning of the first block of training after the Ironman, and combined with the intensity of the short course training that follows your Ironman recovery, this can be a recipe for an injury. High performance master athletes should find a good balance of letting the diet go a little to get that mental break, but don’t overdo it. For all other types of athletes, either at a beginner level or the younger that can lose weight easily, enjoy the off-season, eat well and do not rush to resume training.

Enjoy your training.

Vinnie Santana

>>> Check ironguides 4 weeks Ironman recovery training plan for only 39USD, all the above information structured in an easy to understand routine.

ironguides is the leading Lifestyle Facilitation company for athletes of all abilities. We provide coaching and training services, plans and programs, as well training education, health and fitness products to help you learn and live a healthy lifestyle. Come get fit with one of our monthly training subscriptions, event-specific training plans, coaching services, or a triathlon training camp in an exotic location! ironguides also provides Corporate Health services including Corporate Triathlons, Healthy Living retreats and speaking engagements. At ironguides, your best is our business!

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Free Speed Indeed: Drafting for a Quick Swim Split

July 19, 2017

ironguide2

Home, Swimming, Training

You work hard in the pool 2 – 3 times a week. You buy all the latest swim toys, take stroke correction classes and analyse YouTube swim technique videos all for the sake of faster swim split. But many age groupers have not wised up to fact that drafting is the easiest way to an impressive swim split. The fear of getting hit and pulled under/ swum over in the in the opening seconds of each race drives you to ‘take it easy’ at the start. This is exactly the reason why they get caught up in the mess with everyone else in the 1^st place!

The trick is to start the swim hard and latch onto a slightly faster swimmer that will 1) shield them from the barrage in front and 2) pull them clear of the as much of the pack as possible. Yes, it is a little bit of a roller coaster ride getting there but once you have experienced ‘leaving the pack’ behind a few times in a race situation, you‘ll never want to be bogged down in the tangle of arms and legs again.

For many swimmers, lack of confidence is the main factor holding them back from fighting for a draft. They seldom practice ‘starting hard’ in their training and do not know how to change gears in the water to manage their effort levels. If this sounds like you, read on!

Finding the right draft

If you are swimming at a steady effort and holding a good rhythm to stay on the feet in front of you, chances are you have found the right draft. Just pop your head up every 10 – 15 strokes to ensure that you’re getting towed in the right direction. This is your ticket to a swim split PB – don’t let anyone come in between you and those feet in front of you. If you need to swim ‘tough’ to defend your territory – so be it.Don’t budge! Take a few knocks and don’t hesitate to bump back, let them know that you’re there to stay. A high stroke rate with a straight arm recovery and wide hand entry and is a clear signal for other swimmers to stay out clear of your territory.

If you lose this draft, you’ll be regretting it for a long time.

Your draft is too slow if you’re bumping into toes in front of you and you are struggling to get into a good rhythm because of the continual acceleration/deceleration cycles. Test this out by coming out of their wake and accessing how much effort it is going to take to go on your own. Yes – it will be harder, but can you handle it for a period while you settle into your own rhythm and search for a slightly faster set of feet?

Keep your eyes peeled for a swimmer or a train of swimmers moving steadily pass you. Wait for them to pass, put in a mini surge of a few powerful strokes to get on their toes, tuck right in behind them and settle in.

Or if there’s no such luck, look further up the field for a stronger swimmer to bridge up to. What is it going to take to bridge up to them? Can you make it across in 30 seconds/ 60 seconds/ 90 seconds with a dedicated effort to bridge up? Leap- frogging from one set of feet to the next faster ones has resulted in many fast swims times – and if well executed, can have you swimming significantly beyond your ability.

On the other hand, you’ll know if you are drafting ‘out of your league’ because even though you’re pushing hard, his/ her feet keep disappearing into the water ahead. There’s a good chance that you’re not the only one hanging on for a free ride and there will be other swimmers behind you. Pull over to the side, let them pass and duck into the slip stream of the bigger group once they have passed – exactly like you would on a pace line on the bike.

Applications to training:

As you can see, the swim leg of a triathlon is a very dynamic effort requiring short hard surges to catch up to faster feet, extended periods of steady and solid swimming, while on your own looking for the next draft, and the ability to recover “on the go” when you have made it across the gap.

While the long steady swims are useful for building endurance, and a flat set of 100’s is good for tolerance, the best way to master the ability to change pace on the go is to train specifically with variable speed sets. These sessions will have your heart rate up and down and everywhere in between to mimic the conditions of a real race situation. With practice, you will learn how to mix up aerobic and anaerobic efforts in the water. This, in turn, will give you the confidence to take the risk on race day to hunt down the best feet to follow. There are 2 of my favourite variable speed sets to get you started. You can change the number of reps according to your ability.

Set 1: Total Distance – 2.7km

Warm up

300m done continuous as 75easy free/ 25m butterfly

4 x 50m as 25m All Out /25m easy – 30sec rest

Main Set is 4 x through this block

4 x 50m hard – 20sec rest
200m moderate – 30sec rest
100m easy – 1min ‘reset’

Option to add paddles and pullbuoy in the second half

200m easy cool down

Set 2: Total Distance – 2.6km

Warm up

500m done continuous as 75easy free/ 25m butterfly

Main Set

6 x 100m swum as (25m All Out/ 50m easy / 25m ALL OUT)

60 sec rest
No gear

6 x 200m swum as (50m Hard / 100m easy / 50m Hard)

90 sec rest
Paddles and pullbuoy

Cool Down – 3x 100m easy with paddles and pullbuoy

If you don’t do this type of swim session at least once a week, try it out. Get used to going into the red and then ‘recovering on the go’. Paying attention to holding your form especially on the easy sections as you will be fatigued from the preceding hard efforts. And don’t forget to put this into practice the next time you toe the line!

Good luck and enjoy your training!

Shem Leong is our ironguides coach in Singapore. He has been hooked on triathlon ever since winning his age group in his first Olympic-distance race. Many top performances later, Shem still enjoys the challenges of training and racing at a high level, while balancing this with work and family. He is a firm believer in the benefits of an active lifestyle and loves being able to positively affect his athletes’ lives in this way. In the four years that Shem has worked as an ironguides coach so far, he has helped more than 60 athletes achieve their goals. They range from newbies hoping to complete their first sprint race, to 70.3 podium contenders, to seasoned Sub 10-hour Ironman athletes. Shem’s care for his athletes and his attention to detail set him apart. He completely understands the varied pull factors of life’s demands as well as the fiery motivations that drive everyday age groupers and is able to craft sustainable, effective training plans for their time-crunched schedules. An Honour’s Degree in Health Science has given Shem the knowledge to explain and expertly administer The Method. This, in turn, helps his athletes understand how each session contributes towards their ultimate goal; as a result, countless personal bests have been improved upon as his athletes continually get fitter and faster.

Train with ironguides!

Personalized Online Coaching: Starting at USD190/month

Monthly Training plans (for all levels, or focused on one discipline): Only USD39/months

Event based training plans:

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Half Ironman (R$95 for 16-week plan)

Ironman (USD145 for 20-week plan)

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Running Plans (10k, 21k and 42k – starting at USD40)

By Shem Leong

Swimfit

July 5, 2017

ironguide2

Home, Swimming, Training

Swimming is often overlooked in Ironman as it’s seen as a short warm up before the main event. This thinking has led to swim training being overlooked or the bare minimum of work being done so athletes can complete the swim distance come race day.

I have heard many athletes gleaning to be pure endurance athletes as it takes them so long to warm up onto the bike in Ironman events. But looking over their training the truth is, more often than not it takes them so long to recover from the swim before they can start to even access their bike fitness.

Same goes for great runners wondering why despite being in amazing run shape they can never access this fitness in an Ironman, they will often blame nutrition when the real culprit is the energy cost of the swim and the debt accumulated recovering from this at the start of the bike.

So many athletes fall into the easy trap of blaming nutrition for things going wrong and not performing to expectations but I have seen time and time again the athletes who come to the races well trained and balanced fitness through consistent training really don’t seem to have these nutritional issues!!

In Ironman we want to swim well but more importantly we want to get out of the water as fresh as possible so we are not taking a debt into the remainder of the race. One big element in this is of course pacing the race correctly to your current fitness but this point is for another article. In this article I want to look at swim fitness specific for Ironman.

First and foremost, the Ironman swim is a long way, you need to be able to not only complete the distance but complete it comfortably – of all the 3 sports the swim is the only one I would recommend regularly going over distance on in training.

When looking at the swim in Ironman I would class it as a strength endurance test, it’s quite simple to demonstrate this if you happen to have both a 25m and 50m pool available for training, simply spend a few weeks training in a 25m pool which is great for fitness and technique development and then take that fitness to a 50m pool a do a time trial swim of race distance, you will end up very frustrated as despite feeling very fit you will just feel drained and slow very early on, breathing will be well under control as you simply will not be able to go hard enough to put a stress on your cardio system as the strength system will have been maxed out.

The reason for this is the short rest you get in a 25m pool on every turn is doubled in a 50m pool and this has a huge effect on the build up of fatigue. We can tell the fatigue is muscular as you will find breathing is very controlled and just no way to push harder in order to stress the cardio system. Now if this effect is seen from a jump to 50m you can imagine it will be multiplied many times in a 3.8k swim with no breaks.

Taking this into account, the most important part of any swim program has to be a long strength based endurance swim. To make a swim strength based we can do several things depending on what your circumstances are.

Using a pull buoy is the first step in incorporating strength into any swim session; the pull buoy takes the legs out of the stroke and forces all momentum to come from the arms so isolating muscles. A further addition to the pull buoy to make your arms work even harder is a band tied around your ankles – this prevents you from kicking and will really emphasize any lack of symmetry in your stroke and make forward progress really hard work!!

When using a band ignore the clock as it will really slow you down and can leave you very frustrated – when using a band perceived effort is your guide and just use the clock for calculating recovery between intervals!

Finding a comfortable band is hard and my tip is to find an old wetsuit and cut off a section of the leg about 2-3 inches thick and use this for your band. This proves perfect tightness and comfort so you will have no excuses for not doing your band work.

Paddles are a great tool for building strength and also promote good technique as a bonus. Adding paddles to the second half of a hard swim session will really work on strength and you are forcing already fatigued muscles to work even harder.

So an example strength endurance swim using the above may look something like

20×100 pull bouy moderate + 15s rest

5×200 pull buoy / band @ 1 easy / 1 hard + 30s rest

2×400 pull / band / paddles @ 1 moderate / 1 hard + 30s rest

Having a swim like this as part of your weekly training will have you strong enough to cope with the demands of the Ironman swim come race day and allow you to get onto the bike fresher and ready to go from the first meters.

Now that you are strong enough to get through the swim, we need to look at what is likely to occur in the swim and the demands it will place on the body. Open water swims will involve swimming around markers and these present another fitness challenge. When swimming in a group, the dynamic of the group will always change from steady swimming into the turn to accelerating around the turn, just as in bike racing those athletes at the back of the group will have to slow right down as they approach the turn due to congestion and then accelerate hard out of the turn in order to catch back up to the group. The demands of these accelerations are high and if you don’t train them you will quickly become tired and no longer be able to stay with the group you were swimming with.

After a warm up perform the following set twice, second time through add paddles for more of a strength challenge.

100m all out + 1min rest

4×50 hard + 10s rest

3×100 moderate + 10s rest

50 all out + 10s rest

2×100 moderate + 10s rest

150m easy + 1min rest

When swimming this set expect breathing to really be out of control the first time, focus has to be on maintaining consistent pace for each effort level through the whole set.

These 2 sessions will form the backbone of a good Ironman swim program and ensure you are ready to go on race day. Some pools and regulations can prevent the use of paddles and bands so we need to find a way to simulate the same challenge without the tools, some tips on doing this

Paddles not allowed

Use drag shorts to increase resistance or even better board shorts
Turn 2-3m before the wall and then you have to accelerate back to speed without a push off

Bands not allowed

Cross your legs to prevent any kick – just remember to alternate legs each length

Moving forward work hard on your swim with the above focus in order to not only improve your Ironman swim but to unlock your true potential on the bike and run!!

Enjoy your training

Train with ironguides!

Personalized Online Coaching: Starting at USD190/month

Monthly Training plans (for all levels, or focused on one discipline): Only USD39/months

Event based training plans:

Sprint Distance (USD45 for 8-week plan)

Olympic Distance (USD65 for 12 week plan)

Half Ironman (R$95 for 16-week plan)

Ironman (USD145 for 20-week plan)

X-Terra (USD65 for 12-week plan)

Running Plans (10k, 21k and 42k – starting at USD40)

By Alun “Woody” Woodward