Crank set rotation? Vo2max? , lactate threshold?…

It is really necessary to know all that? That knowledge is going to make me faster?

The business of multi-sports coaching has increased tremendously in the past five years, and how does one choose who to train with? There are many good professional coaches in the industry, but people should do a little bit of home work before making the final choice. Certain coaches follow a body/mind method of training; others are guided by the book and those that have a combination of science and body/mind method. There are coaches specialized in swimming, others with strong cycling abilities, and the running specialists.

However, to have a great start, you should define within yourself what your personal goals are and what you are looking for in triathlon.

Allow me to share some personal pointers and experiences that has being successful for my athletes and my self to help you maintain an injury free journey:

Be Functional and Relaxed.

The truth is that it all comes down on how to be fast and relaxed at the same time. That means to channel and apply your power on the proper muscles and relax everything else besides your core muscles.

Accept muscle discomfort.

Is significantly rewarding, in terms of long term fitness and unlimited speed results, when you apply most of your efforts on efficiency, instead of being just a little bit faster and sloppy for a short time in your life.

While running, keep a good posture and use the force of the earth (gravity) on your favor to propel you forward

Don't fight against the water. Always implement easy sets and focus on resetting your good form. Also some times is good to wear a pair of fins so you can teach your self on how to deal with faster speed as the water create more resistance on your body.

While riding, pay attention if your paddle stroke is always in contact with the chain, keep a good circle (no square paddling).

Heart , the trainable muscle.

Didn't you know? Maybe you didn't think about it too much, but your heart can be trained like any other muscle. The efficiency can be attained by knowing your own Energy Zones (how fast your heart has to pump, in order to burn calories efficiently)

The mind set.

“Thinking Body, Dancing Mind” (any physical activity is a stress. The idea is to train our body to be efficient and functional, so we don't have to add mental stress.) Thoughts are in most cases the cause of desistance or decrease of speed, they interfere on our ability to be fast and relaxed.

The more knowledge your body acquire while efficiently training, the easier it gets for your mind to let go and allow the process of getting fit. It is not necessary to learn every scientific term, but the basics and the principals. Your body is this amazing machine able to achieve unlimited power, you just have got to listen to it.

Don't eat everything you read, try to have balance training and hire a coach that is flexible and have a broad knowledge about the sport, preferably that actually do the sport.

Remember that:

All of these experiences that I'm sharing with you are of great value, rather you are a Pro-athlete or just starting the sport. You can't get faster without working on your weaknesses.

Every individual is different, so don't think that there is just one method of training,

Communication is key, share your difficulties with your coach or your friends, so your program can be adapted.

Listen, listen, listen, coaches have valuable information to share , but make sure he is listening to you too, that will minimize your chances of getting injured.

Triathlon is a fun sport and an excellent way to be and get fit, so go out there and enjoy this great life style. This will be a good start on your relaxation process of being fast.

Train smart!

Ricardo Rodrigues is a Multisport Coach for the Beginner's Mind which is a multisports company with a unique vision of Triathlon training, and core exercise routines. He offers innovative services ranging from preventative health and injury rehabilitation to personal fitness and sports performance enhancement. If you are interested in finding more information about Beginner's Mind visit www.beginnersmindmethod.com or e-mail Ricardo Rodrigues at Ricardo@beginnersmindmethod.com.

By: Ricardo Rodrigues
Multisports Coach
Beginner's Mind - San Diego County