Client Openings

About this time last year when my daughter Mila joined us, I changed my coaching model from coaching 15 to 20 clients and running camps and clinics to working closer with fewer clients.

While I miss the interaction with athletes in group settings, the change has been very rewarding as I am more involved with the clients I have and my schedule more conducive to family life.

I have also found that the clients I am working with now are more interested in the overall experience of the endurance lifestyle, than a place at the top of the podium. Not that they do not strive to win, and often do, it is more a desire to enjoy the sport and have it support their life, not the other way around.

The clients I work with trust me to know where they are in their fitness and to prescribe workouts that will move them towards their goals. Often times this requires modification due to business travel or a child's ball game. They know how considerate I am of the time they have to work out and that I will prescribe the best workout for them in the time they have available.

I am telling you this because due to economic and injury issues I currently have openings for 2 new clients. So, if you or anyone you know is in need of a coach who understands the demands of time from work, family and training; provides personalized science based coaching.

Please contact me at bryan@coachbryan.com and we can set up a time to discuss your particular needs and how I can help you reach them.

 

FYI, my clients are located in Sarasota and all across the country, many participate in group workouts with their local clubs or groups and use me help them get the most from their options.

I also provide consultations and customized training plans for clients who do not want full time coaching.

How is your season going?

This time of year most triathletes fall into one of two categories.

They are extremely fit and on track to reach their goals, or they are have run into some obstacles and are not happy with their fitness right now.

If you are in the first of these two groups congratulations and keep doing what you have been doing.

I was recently asked by a client that has had many life issues this season how he was going to reach his goals. My answer was, what are your goals?

I know what they were at the beginning of the season, I had them sitting right in front of me when I was talking to him. My question was, what are they now that you have not been able to get much of your prescribed workouts in?

After a lengthy discussion we came to the agreement that his primary focus in life is overall fitness so he can enjoy life with his family, not a specific time in an IM race. This was a good starting point and I suggest if you have had some issues this season you invest some time to consider where you are and where you want to go.

We went on to decide he would still do his race, yet not focus on time. In his case he is going to look to 2011 for his key race and this year mix in more base miles with all around fitness training so he can be better prepared for next season.

So many triathletes focus so much on swimming, bicycling and running that they skip exercises that will make them more resilient to injury. Like off axis workouts and lateral movements.

So if you find yourself having to re-evaluate your goals you may want to consider taking some body works classes or the TRX classes that are the rage now.

Whatever you do, have fun with it and keep your overall goal in mind.

A beginner’s perspective on group rides.

Recently I was asked to be a front man on a tandem bike for a friend that can no longer ride on his own. At first I was very excited about being able to share cycling with him again, something we both have a passion for. Not to mention the idea of 2 guys on one bike being able to go fast with less effort than just one!

I quickly learned there was a very steep learning curve involved and if I did not “really” want to ride with my friend I would easily have passed on the opportunity after one short ride. It never occurred to me that I would have to learn how to ride a bike all over. Every corner, every bump and most of all every stop/start require communication and skills that I never even think about any more on a bike by myself.

In addition to riding again my friend has reached out to the community and has recruited larger groups to ride with him. Many of these riders are new to the sport or rusty as they have not ridden in years. I notice how they are tentative in riding with a group and now have a greater appreciation for what they are going through. Each time they want to wipe sweat out of their eye, talk to someone beside them or take a drink of water it is a major event. It takes practice to do this and you have to “want” to do it if you are going to ride with groups.

Group riding has a lot of pros and cons and I was talking about this with one of my clients earlier and thought others might benefit from my new found perspective and started this blog.

The first point I would like to make is there are many types of group rides and you do not need to like them all to like any of them. For instance there are fast race training rides that only very experienced riders like and should be on. There are social rides that are very slow and can be boring. Then there are rides with long pulls and other with rapid short pulls or rotations. The point is, check out multiple groups before you rule them out. Then if you decide they are not for you at least you know that you checked them out.

The biggest benefit for group riding is that you are pushed harder than when you would ride alone and can increase your fitness and cycling abilities rapidly. The key is to get comfortable in a group. Plus new people typically stay a bike or two lengths back because they are not comfortable being so close to other bikes. I understand it takes time to get used to this, what you need to understand is this reduces the amount of draft you get from the group. If you are the 3 rd person sitting a bike length back you basically have no draft. So here you are in a group of experienced riders and working 3-4 times as hard as they are, this is not a recipe for success.

What I suggest for you is to get to the front 3^rd of a group to start and stay there as long as possible, each time you will get more comfortable and learn how to maneuver in a group. Then as the speeds pick up, gradually move to the back where you will be more comfortable. Over time you will be more comfortable up front and soon be riding like everyone else.

When you are in the group watch what the experienced riders do, you can learn a lot by watching them. If you feel comfortable, ask them question and let them know that you are new to a group, most of them will be happy to give you pointers. Here is a very important point, if someone yells either at you or someone you are with during a group ride don’t take it personally, sometimes people do unexpected things and riders get scared and they are just making their point.

Most people find that after the first few “awkward” rides that group rides are a great way to get fit and spend time with like minded individuals. I encourage you to stay with it and enjoy the new found fitness that will come with it!

Feel free to contact me with any questions on group riding,

Coach Bryan

More on training in hot humid conditions

Thank you to everyone that replied to my heads up on the heat on Saturday!

I was cut short on the rest of my thoughts by little Miss Mila and never got the chance to elaborate.

As many of us communicated via emails and social media over the weekend, we have gone from comfortable temperatures for training to full out hot and humid. I got in my jeep yesterday afternoon and it registered 100 degrees as the outside temperature! It did cool to 98 after a few minutes of driving.

Many of us have become spoiled by the cool winter, especially those in the Northern states, and have yet to start carrying the supplies necessary to exercise in the heat.

There are many ways to do this, I recommend a few below, yet do not intend for this to be an all inclusive list. Most importantly you should mix up all the options you have until you find the right one that works for you.

Since you will be effected more by the heat and humidity during bouts or higher intensity, I encourage you to schedule easier efforts until you get adjusted to the conditions.

You can start thinking about your training sessions the day before making sure you are well hydrated and consuming more summer foods which are high in water. I.e. a nice salad with fruits, nuts, plenty of veggies and lean meat rather than a large pasta bowl with sauce and cheese.

I like to start my long training sessions in the summer with a smoothie rather than dry food. It is cold, full of nutrients and I do not get bloated. When I can, I finish with another smoothie or some watermelon to recharge and hydrate myself, as well as cool off! Again this works for me, it may not for others.

During training, there are lots of supplements out there to use, during the winter you may get away with just water, now you will want to consider some options, like salt tablets, additives to your sports drinks and specialized custom made drinks. All of these in the right combination work differently for each of us, so I suggest if you are going for a long hot ride you take more than you will need to make sure you make it home and adjust down ward from there.

Another area that I personally focus on is supplements, I know there is a lot of talk out there about what works and what is wasted. Not to mention what you can get from your diet if you eat right. Personally I hold that the foods we can get our hands on do not hold the nutrients that they did previously, so I use supplements that I have determined with my supplier will support me in the summer months. Let me know if you would like their name.

Ok, all for now, and I hope this helps you plan a great summer training season, no matter what your goals are!

Need to Plan for the Heat!

It is a warm Saturday morning, make sure you plan for the heat when you start your training today.

I have been hearing many stories about those who have forgotten what the heat does to them.

Late Winter/ early spring traditions.

I hope this message finds you lean and on track to reach your fitness goals for this year!

This week as I watch the news and listen to people make their commitments to for lent and other various traditions I can not help but wonder where they all come from.

It just hits me that all the carnivals and national traditions come at the same time of year, most on the same day. For example Fat Tuesday and Punski day and the start of lent. The concept is eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we diet, or at least for my point here it is. Why do all these cultures do this at this time of year?

My guess is that about now, late winter/early spring is when people over the ages realized they did not keep their new year resolutions and that they had better get moving if they are going to have beach bodies for the summer. Or to those I am writing to, be able to compete in there triathlons this year.

I guess my point is, if all these cultures have events in place to jumpstart the spring, there must be a reason. Seems to me it is difficult to stay focused on fitness when it is so cold outside, so they have rituals in place to get things going right now. Again, I am only focusing on the fitness side of the rituals I know some of them go much further than that.

What does all this mean to you? If you have not been training and are not in the shape you want to be in, take heart you are not the only one!

So what do you do now? Start planning immediately and commit to a plan that will help you reach your goals. You know you want to do this, so just set down and do it.

You can make it elaborate and complete with all your workout details in it, simply commit to working out each and every day, or call Bryan and commit to working with him to reach your goals. Seriously, all of the above options are good and if you want some third party support that is what I am here for. I can help you know what to do during your allocated training time so you make the most of it and don't waste valuable training time figuring out what to do. If you want I can even be there to walk you through it.

The most important thing is that you get moving now, today! Decide how you are going to proceed and commit!

I know everyone is fighting to keep you from doing it, I see grocery stores running ads with all the high fat foods on sale and fast food restaurants pushing their fare. I encourage you to do what you know you want to do, commit to being fit!

Ok I will get off my motivational stump for now, just know that I am here if you want any motivation or guidance in to reach your goals.

Oh, I suggest you watch the Olympics, if that does not motivate you to do what you want to do, then perhaps you need to question your true goals:)

I hope you have an outstanding weekend and I hope to see you out enjoying your fitness!

Off season goals and training

It is great to hear all the stories from recent races, and talk to people about their preparations for the season ending races.
With the fall races coming soon there will follow very shortly afterwards, what used to be the “off season”. Traditionally from October to April there were no triathlons in the Northern Hemisphere, it was a time to rejuvenate the body, refresh the mind with less focus on training and enjoying other attributes of life and reconnecting with our families.
Now days there are races year round, which is nice in that it gives those of us who cannot train in the summer an opportunity to race in the Winter. The downside is that some people look at it as an opportunity to get stronger for next year, by training with the same intensity they did all season in the same three sports. Or more frequently we hear, “I will train for a marathon, what great cross training”! And, yes it is good cross training if done right, and a sure recipe for disaster if not.
Here is what I mean; if you finish your big race or series of races for the season and then take a week off to “recover” then, start a structured running plan for your marathon. Where is the recovery time? Your body can not possibly recover from all the stresses you put on it during the season in that short of time, and you have not had time to clear your head from all the structured training. Does this sound familiar?
Too many times I have seen people start the winter with the best intentions to have a great season next year, to never see them training again. Or more common to see them in the spring so out of shape and demoralized that they wonder if they will ever race again. Many never do!
So am I saying you are doomed? Or that you should spend the next 2 months on the couch? No of course not, and I also have been around long enough to know that I do not have all the answers.
At the same time, I have also seen things that work and want to share them with you. While a structured training plan or a “too” structured training plan can be detrimental, the same can be true for an unstructured “off Season”. What I have seen work best is to have a goal in mind for the off season, a clear concise goal, and a plan for achieving it. With fun, nontraditional exercise mixed in with lots of rest and play time.
It is a great time for sports that you take less serious and still love, like tennis, football, basket ball ect. Note; it is not by mistake that these all require off axis movements that are rarely used in triathlon. Other great activities include Yoga, strength training, mountain biking, Pilates, cycle cross and many more. All of these can help to make you stronger and more resilient to injury next season, while refreshing your competitive spirit and improving your technique. It is a matter for future posts to discuss the benefits of each individual activity, feel free to ask me about them though.
One area that so many triathletes stay away from is determining their Limtors and strength training. You really owe it to yourself to determine what your limitors are and work on them. Mine are feet and hip flexor’s I will go through my process and a future post, soon. Then set a plan to work on them.
You probably already know what they are, is your swim the weakest link, or is it the run? Let’s say it is the run, what part of running is it that bothers you? Is it endurance or a specific ache? Is it cardiovascular endurance or muscle endurance? Keep asking yourself questions or get with a professional to help you determine what your limits are, and how to improve them.
I have found Boot camps to be a great way to cross train and address a great variety of limtors. I will have one so you can see what I am talking about. So October 24th, 8 am Siesta Key beach. This will be a fun and innovative workout for you to learn some things about your body and have a great time in the process.
The key is to keep the off season fun and playful, while improving your sport technique. Let me know what you think about this and some of the things you do in the off season to stay fit!