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The Next Level Newsletter - October 2015
Volume XII, Issue VII
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Dear Marty,
It's the triathlon off season! This month's article is about
getting back into your strength routine. We also have final Triangle
Swim Series standings and recent athlete results.
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Strength training in the off-season 
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As a seasoned endurance athlete, it is unlikely you
take an extended break from training. You know that regular
consistent exercise is important for health and maintaining a basic
level of fitness. You probably also miss the training if you have to
take more than a few days off for any particular reason. You enjoy
being fit!
Knowing that, it is appropriate to break each training
season into phases or periods, aka periodization. You can read a
short article about the different
phases here and watch a short video here. A full-blown
periodized program doesn't work for everyone, but just about everyone
should have a period of downtime built into their overall training
program.
The off-season (transition and/or prep phases) would
be the 2-3 months after your big race, or the period just before you
get back into 'serious' training for the next round of races. The
off-season is a good time to take it a little easier and give
yourself a mental break. It's nice to catch up on your real life
duties and remind your kids and spouse you're still a member of the
family!
It's also a great time to refocus on areas that fall
into neglect during your harder periods of training. For most
endurance athletes, strength & conditioning is the first thing to
go during the busier phases of training. When you're young, you can
get away with skipping out on your strength sessions with minimal
consequences. As you age, your strength and flexibility both fade, so
maintaining these become more essential. This is not just from a
maximal strength aspect but from a preventing injury point of view.
Those of you who've already been to the physical therapist know that,
for the most part, the imbalances/issues your therapist noticed will
return if you ever stop the exercises he or she prescribed. That means
you need to do these forever.
If you've never been injured, count your blessings.
While not all injuries are related to a lack of strength or
flexibility, many are exacerbated by such.
Strength, core, conditioning. These are all words
meant to describe the act of improving muscle function. Some forms of
strength training, like maximum weight isolated bicep curls, for
example, are not very helpful for most endurance athletes. Endurance
athletes should focus on exercises that are specific to their sport
and on training the 'core' or trunk muscles to improve power transfer
to the limbs. There are a ton of ways do accomplish this. A few
general rules follow.
Free weights
are better than machines as they force you to balance while
exercising. Fixed machines remove this aspect of training. Machines
may be good for certain rehab exercises or injured athletes.
Don't start out with maximal
efforts. Spend a few weeks at two to three
sessions per week doing moderate intensity general exercises with a
few sport specific exercises. Just like running, you don't run a
marathon on your first day out. You have to build up your soft tissue
resilience and muscle adaptation.
Closed chain exercises are better
than open chain exercises for 'functional'
strength improvement. A closed chain exercise (hand or foot is fixed
in place) involves multiple muscle groups and joints, whereas an open
chain exercise isolates fewer muscles and less joints. Re: pull up vs
a barbell single arm curl; squat vs leg extension.
Trunk stability is super-duper
important. Three exercises that are easy to
accomplish anywhere target this - the plank, the bridge, and bird
dog. You can do these at the office if need be and there are
variations that can make the exercises more intense. A sample
progression would be one minute as: a plank on the floor; a plank on
the floor alternating leg raises; a plank on the floor alternating
leg raises and slow pushups; a plank with hands on an exercise ball;
a plank with feet on the exercise ball...and so on. You can get
pretty creative.
Plyometric training should
definitely be included. This involves a quick
movement from muscle extension to contraction. Plyometric exercises
help develop muscle power via the quick extension-contraction. These
can also be really tough so should be gradually introduced or
reintroduced to your strength training plan. A basic and relatively
easy plyo exercise is ankle jumps (quick vertical hops like you're
jumping rope). Harder exercises are squat-jumps or burpies
(squat-jump-pushup).
Now (late October) is the time to get back to it for
most of the USA triathlon population. We see your training updates,
and we know you've been slacking!
Marty Gaal, a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning
Specialist, is a USA Triathlon coach. He has been working with
endurance athletes since 2002.
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Angela Respecki competes in the Subic Bay 70.3
Triathlon
Dennis Respecki competes in the Subic Bay Olympic Triathlon
Tracy Moon 3rd AG at the 1/3 Great Floridian
Kim Barker 1st Ironman at Beach 2 Battleship and 2nd
Athena
Tanner Lovelace 1st Ironman at Beach 2 Battleship
Kristy Borawski 19th AG at Beach 2 Battleship Half
Angie Amisano PR at Beach 2 Battleship Half
Paul Amisano PR at Beach 2 Battleship Half
Sam Froelich 2nd OA at St. Edwards Eagles 5k
Marian Bergdolt 2nd AG at Newport Half Marathon
Anne Macdonald PR and 1st AG at Live Fearless 5k at SAS Championship
Kory Gray 2nd OA at Live Fearless 5k
Coach Marty 5th AG at Live Fearless 5k
Morgan Farrell 1st AG at Triangle OW 1.2 Champs
Erik Johnson 1st Master at Triangle OW 1.2 Champs, 3rd in series
Angie Amisano 1st AG at Triangle OW 1.2 Champs
Paul Amisano 4th AG at Triangle OW 1.2 Champs
Tanner Lovelace 3rd AG at Triangle OW 1.2 Champs
Kory Gray 3rd OA at Triangle OW 2.4 Champs
Coach Bri 2nd OA at Triangle OW 1.2 Champs, 3rd in series
Laurie
O'Connor 5th AG and PR at Ironman 70.3 Augusta
Tracy Moon 77th AG at Ironman 70.3 Augusta
Julie Paddison 12th AG and PR at Ironman Chattanooga
Bryan Peachey 37th AG and PR at Ironman Chattanooga
Jenni Barker 8th female at Swim the Loop 3.5 miler
Morgan Farrell 14th male at Swim the Loop 3.5 miler
Coach Marty 3rd male at Swim the Loop 3.5 miler
Sam Froelich 20th collegiate at Giant Acorn Intl Tri
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The final series standings points are in! Congrats to our
winners. If you were not able to pick up your age group award,
we dropped off several at Inside Out Sports in Cary,
NC.
May 8 - Jordan Lake Open Water Challenge
July 16 - Little Uno and the Big Deuce
October 8 - Triangle Open Water Championship
Male series scoring top ten:
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Name
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JL 1.2
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JL 2.4
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BD 1
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BD 2
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CS 1.2
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CS 2.4
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TOTAL
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Samuel Tucker
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16
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20
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20
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56
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Whit Hughston
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19
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20
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17
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56
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Erik Johnson
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15
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17
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16
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48
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Thomas Beck
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14
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15
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18
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47
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Kory Gray
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12
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16
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18
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46
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Duncan
Rougier-Chapman
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20
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20
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40
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Scott Kollins
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12
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17
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29
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James Clark
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4
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10
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13
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27
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Neil Demarse
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10
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14
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24
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Zane Honnold
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9
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13
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22
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Female series scoring top ten:
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Name
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JL 1.2
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JL 2.4
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BD 1
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BD 2
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CS 1.2
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CS 2.4
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TOTAL
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Heidi Williams
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17
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19
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20
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56
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Jennifer Kenney
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20
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16
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19
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55
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Bri Gaal
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13
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18
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19
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50
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Kathleen Pelczynski
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16
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11
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18
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45
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Lisa Hoff
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14
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6
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18
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38
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Jennifer Stromberg
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4
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12
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17
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33
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Maddie Johnson
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17
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14
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31
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Kimberly Killeen
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14
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13
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27
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Kamie Evans
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11
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12
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23
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Carrie Hughston
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5
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16
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21
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OSB coaching programs
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One Step Beyond offers
customized individual endurance training programs to triathletes,
runners, and swimmers throughout the year. Our most popular
ongoing program is called Basic Steps coaching.
If you want a
great schedule but don't feel the need for extensive interaction
during the training cycle, this is the plan for you. Our coaches will
create a professional training plan designed around your specific
goals and constraints, with adjustments along the way as needed. Your
coach will be available to you via email or text, which we check and
respond to Monday thru Friday.
The initial
interview is conducted by phone, and all ongoing coaching is
accomplished through Training Peaks software and email support. You
will receive:
- Annual Training Plan
- A weekly
schedule with specific daily workouts
-
Group training sessions
- Ongoing email support for all questions (client initiated)
- Race day pacing and nutrition advice
- Necessary adjustments of your schedule
- Regular feedback from your coach
- 20% discount on additional personal training and consulting
sessions
- A Trainingpeaks training account
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Powerstroke: Speed through force and form DVD
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Powerstroke® is Coach Marty Gaal's method for
teaching competitive freestyle swimming technique to adult
triathletes and open water racers. The Powerstroke® DVD was
specifically developed for adult swimmers looking to improve their
swim speed in triathlon, open water racing, and distance pool events.
- A
concept designed to teach the integral relationship between good
form and the application of force when swimming
- A
specific drill you can include in your daily workouts
- A
stroke form that will help you torpedo your way to a PR finish
- A
way of swimming
The Powerstroke®: Speed through force and
form DVD includes:
- 40
minute lecture: What is Powerstroke?
- 25
minute general freestyle swim technique analysis: The three types
of freestyle stroke mechanics and how to progress to the
strongest: High elbow catch / early vertical forearm
- 25
minute Powerstroke freestyle swimming technique in-depth
explanation
- 1
hour of seven key drills and detailed descriptions
- 4
minute stretching and dryland exercise video
Purchase your copy here!
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Swim workout of the month
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This month's swim workout focuses on speed
development. Long-distance / Ironman focused triathletes should
include swim sessions like this every couple of weeks, while sprint
triathletes and pool swimmers should include them every week.
The winter aka triathlon off-season is a great time for weaker
swimmers to work on their swim ability.
8 x 50 odds kick / evens drills on :15. Mix up
the kick on back / sides / front / back. Good form drills
include 1-arm, fist with paddles, dog paddle, catch-up, finger drag,
and others.
6 x 100 descend 1-3, 4-6 so #3 and #6 are
hard/threshold. :15-20 rest
8-12 x 50s as 25 all-out (max effort) then 25 easy.
Rest :30 or more to let your heart rate come back down under
100bpm.
3 to 5 x 200s on :20-30, steady aerobic swimming,
focus on good form. Optional paddles.
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Our Sponsors
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 Thanks
to the following organizations, that provide service and support to
One Step Beyond athletes.
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Marty, Bri, and Daniel
One Step
Beyond
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Copyright
© 2015. All Rights Reserved.
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