The Trimarni "Ironman" Method - Progressive Overload

 

When it comes to preparing our athletes for a long distance triathlon (140.6 miles), you'll never see us prescribe a 20-mile (or 3-hour run) and it's rare for our athletes to ride more than 100 miles more than once in their peak training. Our athletes never swim 4200 continuous yards until race day.

The "Trimarni Ironman Method" is all about progressive overload - Train as much as your body (and mind) can safely handle with strategic increases in volume, frequency and intensity done progressively overtime.

As listed in this photo, there are many different ways to add more stress to the body without riding 100 miles or running for 3 hours. 

An effective training plan requires a careful balance between the frequency of workouts, the duration of each session and how intensely you perform each workout. Working out too hard, too often or too long can be detrimental to health and can prevent the body from optimally adapting to the training stimulus. In contrast, working out too easily too often or not working out enough (or long enough) can also be detrimental to fitness gains. The human body needs new and different physiological stressors to build cardiovascular, metabolic and muscular endurance. Overtime, repeating the same workouts, the same training routine and/or the same type of activity for an extended period will increase the risk of a fitness plateau, overtraining, injury or burnout. Training provides a stimulus. Fitness gains and changes in physiology happen in the recovery period between two workouts. The adaptations occur when you….refuel, eat, hydrate, rest, sleep, etc. The body responds by building a stronger body. If you can’t recover or stay consistent with your training, your training plan is not working for you. There is likely excessive overload (frequency, duration and/or intensity) and inadequate recovery (rest, sleep, nutrition, fueling).

Train smarter, not harder.