Training like a triathlete

It's probably safe to say that most of us don't want to compete in a triathlon, but that doesn't mean you should dismiss the idea of working out like a triathlete.

As the word suggests, triathletes compete in three disciplines, most commonly swimming, biking and running, in one event. So they train accordingly. As physical fitness goes, they are onto something — on multiple levels. At its most basic, triathlon training is about cross-training, mixing up a variety of activities and intensity levels every week and month throughout the year.

Like many innovations that start with elite or performance-based athletes, the ideas and methods of triathlon training are starting to ripple out to the masses via publications, institutions and trainers.

Triathlon training is the basis of the book "Run Less, Run Faster," co-authored by Bill Pierce and Scott Murr of the Furman (University) Institute of Running & Scientific Training. An aspect of triathlon training also has been adapted by the American College of Sports Medicine in its recommendation for exercising five to six times a week for 20 to 60 minutes, with shorter workouts being more intense.

And the training method is a cornerstone of TEMPO Indoor Cycling in Mount Pleasant.

Co-owner Kyle Radaker, who has a master's degree in exercise and sports science and has been a trainer for nearly 20 years, says that cardiovascular/respiratory training is one of three "building blocks of physical fitness," the others being proper nutrition and resistance/weight training.

As for cardio training, Radaker says that no single activity is the be-all, end-all for anyone. If you walk or run only, especially at the same pace, your body will adjust to the activity, aka "reaching a fitness plateau," and gain less of a fitness benefit. By mixing in biking or swimming, or other sustained cardio activities, such as kayaking, it challenges another set of muscles.

Even more important than avoiding the fitness plateau, a grinding routine of only one activity will bore your mind, the single most important key to physical fitness.

Another benefit of training like a triathlete is avoiding overuse injuries.

Radaker says if you only run, or bike, or swim, five or six days in a row, you are stressing most of the same groups of muscles and joints. Mixing in days of the other sports or other similar activities gives you a break from one activity while also satisfying the need for a workout. And if you do get injured from one activity, you may have another two or more you can use to stay fit while the injury heals.

Varying the activities isn't the only thing that triathletes pursue. The other is varying intensity levels of workouts in order to train the various systems of the body, namely speed, strength and endurance.

Speed is achieved by workouts featuring a warm-up, sets of short, fast and intense intervals (example: running six to 10 400-meter laps at a track at a 5K race pace, with a 200-meter jog/walk recovery in between each lap) and a cool-down. The workout may last 20 to 40 minutes but could be the toughest all week.

Strength is built by "tempo" workouts, which aren't quite as fast as speed sessions, but which are longer (example: running single or multiple sets of anything two miles or longer). Tempo workouts tend to last 40 minutes to an hour.

Endurance is established with longer, slower workouts (example: running at a slow pace for an hour or more).

The final variation of triathlon training involves "periodization." The method, which has its roots in the 1950s, is used in other sports and activities, but has only been mainstreamed in recent years.

Periodization refers to a systematic approach to varying a training program in blocks of time — weeks, months, quarters and even years — before a certain goal event, such as a triathlon, marathon or century ride, or even a bodybuilding contest. Programs may emphasize building endurance, speed or power, as well as pre-event rest and post-event recovery.

"The real simple methodology is this. You stress your body. You rest. It recovers. You become more fit," says Radaker.

For noncompetitive types, periodization has value as well. It could factor in busier times of life or inclement weather, preparing for an active vacation or trip, or an important life event, such as a wedding or reunion, as well avoiding the fitness plateau, injuries and boredom.

You may find that after a few months of participating in multiple sports in varying intensities and time frames that you want to compete in a triathlon or other event.

Radaker, for one, likes to see clients try it out, but there's something more important:

"Whether clients actually do a triathlon or not isn't the point. Getting in the best shape possible is."

Tips and hints

You don't have to have a $5,000 bike, a wetsuit hanging in your closet or Speedos in your gym bag to train like a triathlete.

Here are some helpful hints on training like a triathlete without necessarily being one.

Swimming

Swimming can be one of the most challenging of the three typical activities because of the technique and the availability of pools.

The go-to for technique is Total Immersion books and videos. Total Immersion coaches also have held several weekend clinics in the area in the past year, but they tend to be pricey, $495-plus. The next one in Charleston is July 19-20. See www.totalimmersion.net for more.

Several masters (adult) swim programs, which aren't oriented to beginners, are available in Charleston and Mount Pleasant, but also tend to start at around 6 a.m. Check www.usms.org and click on "places to swim."

Among the most popular pools for training are the Martin Luther King Jr. Pool (724-7346) and Medical University of South Carolina Harper Student Pool (792-6611) in downtown Charleston, St. Andrew's Family Fitness Plus (763-3850), W.L. Stephens Aquatic Center (769-8260) and the Jewish Community Center (571-6565) in West Ashley, the Richard L. Jones Center (884-2528) and Park West (856-2536) pools in Mount Pleasant, the Danny Jones Swimming Pool (745-1034) in North Charleston, the Summerville Family YMCA pool (843-871-9622) and Berkeley Co. Family YMCA pool (843-761-9622) in Moncks Corner. Some of the pools are membership-based. Call or check Web sites for lap swimming schedules.

Biking

Just because the Spandex set likes to ride hunched over in the "aero" position in bikes that cost more a used Honda Civic doesn't mean you have to. If you prefer riding a mountain bike and be more upright, go for it.

Ideally, go to a local bicycle shop, test ride some models and request to get fitted for a bicycle. Fitting is essential to riding comfortably and injury-free.

While it's nice to have the mac-daddy bicycle, a used bike that has been repaired and tuned up is a less expensive alternative.

Web-savvy shoppers can do their thing, but one alternative is checking the bike selections at local pawn shops and the newspaper classifieds. New bikes tend to be like cars when it comes to depreciation. As soon as they leave the shop, you've just lost a few hundred dollars.

As for repairs, most bike shops will do them. Also, the Charleston Bike Co-op has been holding monthly bike workshops designed to help people repair bikes.

Google the group's name to find out when the latest workshop will be. Perhaps the most important repair you can learn to make is fixing a flat. Check out YouTube for demonstrations.

The safety police will hound us if we don't say WEAR YOUR HELMET. Another, perhaps less obvious, important piece of equipment is a pair of comfortable, padded cycling shorts.

You can avoid the need for the helmet, fixing tires and, most importantly, getting hit by a car by participating in a group indoor-cycling class.

Locally, some are available at: TEMPO Indoor Cycling www.tempoindoorcycling.com; East Shore Athletic Club www.eastshoreac.com; ECO Fitness www.ecofitnessgym.com; Gold's Gym www.goldsgym.com; Pivotal Fitness www.pivotalfitness.com; PrimeTime Fitness www.primetimefit.net; MUSC Harper Student Center: www.musc.edu/hsc; Summerville YMCA: www.summervilleymca.org; Bluefish Fitness Club www.justv.net.

If you want the group dynamic outside, check out the rides at www.coastalcyclists.org.

Running

You don't need a pool or bike to do the activity that caused humans to stand upright in the first place, but you will need a good pair of running shoes, fitted for your specific footstrike and running gait.

Web sites and most local running specialty stores can offer insight on technical points of shoe fitting, as well as point you to running groups and coaches.

Those stores include Charleston Bicycle Co. and Running Shop (571-1211) in West Ashley, The Extra Mile (853-9987) in downtown Charleston, TrySports (849-9292), On The Run (856-4206) and The Foot Store (849-1108) in Mount Pleasant.

More

Want to read more about triathlete training? The quintessential book is "The Triathlete's Training Bible," by Joe Friel, which covers all of the specialized training needs of triathletes, including completely updated nutrition, recovery and weight-training information. Appendices include annual training plan worksheets and suggested swim, bike, run and combined workouts.