TRAINING PROGRAMS
Coach Robb’s 70.3 Performance & Nutritional Program – Week 3 of 6
Enhanced Strength & Aerobic Foundation
Enhanced Strength & Aerobic Foundation
Here you can find your testing, training & nutritional protocols for your first week of training, please follow the weekly schedule exactly as outlined. By following the schedule exactly as outlined, we will be able to compare future testing results with the least amount of deviation. Additionally, please refrain from surpassing the duration or intensity levels as outline for each day. This will minimize your risk of injury and/or becoming ill.
Because the testing and assessment protocols are unique, recognize that this will create a lot of “mental noise” so begin each workout mentally focused, well fed and hydrated to accurately assess your current level of speed, endurance and lactate tolerance.
Also, each day, take 5 extra minutes a day and focus on diaphragmic breathing. This skill has two distinct advantages. First, it is beneficial when you become stressed. Diaphragmic breathing increases the amount of oxygen you deliver to your muscles and brain which helps with your mental focus by thinking about your strategy for success verses fear of failure. The second advantage of practicing diaphragmic breathing is that you can literally triple your oxygen uptake – voluntarily. This is a tremendous skill to tap into during the heat of competition. If you are struggling with developing this skill, breathe through a straw with your nose plugged. You will “feel” the deep pull in your diaphragm.
Learning to belly breathe will yield huge dividends on race day, so dedicating five minutes a day is a great use of your time. Diaphramic Breathing, another tool for Working Smart, Not Hard!
If you have any questions or need anything clarified, please don’t hesitate to drop me an email.
Yours in sport & health,
Coach Robb, Coaches & Staff
Orca Wetsuits is the official wetsuit of Complete Triathlon Solutions
AT A GLANCE
MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Run Even Tempo 4 Miles | Swim Even Tempo 45 Minutes | Run Even Tempo 4 Miles | Swim Assessment – 500 Yards | Rest | Bike 10 Mile TT | Bike Even Tempo 90 Minutes |
MONDAY
Workout Notes: the most important element for today is to eat within 20 minutes of completing this workout; this will help replenish your stored sugar levels within both your muscles and liver (along with speed up the absorption of amino acids).
Pre-Hydration & Nutrition: 10-15 minutes prior to this workout, consume 8-10 ounces of Energy Fuel to top off both your calories and provide electrolytes for proper muscle contraction.
Warm up for ½ mile: ease into the warm up with small and intentional strides; keep your foot placement right under the center of your body to keep your time in touch with the ground to a minimum.
Main Set – 3 Miles (Very Easy Effort)
Within your aerobic zone, focus on your belly breathing strategy to help maximize your oxygen uptake. Stay relaxed; leaning forward and don’t allow yourself to surpass your aerobic zone for any reason. Hit your hydration every mile if possible (carry it with you if necessary).
Cool Down by running for ½ mile: like your warm up, gently back down your leg tempo (without getting sloppy) with small and intentional strides; keep your foot placement right under the center of your body to keep your time in touch with the ground to a minimum.
Post Workout Protocols
Flexibility: after your shower, upper body and lower body trigger point, foam rolling and stretching exercises
Nutrition: consuming a high quality smoothie 30 minutes before bed will feed your brain throughout the night improving your sleep quality making you leaner.
TUESDAY
Workout Notes: Your focus needs to be relaxing and “putting in yards”; with this in mind, do not keep a clock on your swim intervals, simply just swim for 10 minutes at a time (beginning to end).
Pre-Hydration & Nutrition: 10-15 minutes prior to this workout, consume 8-10 ounces of Energy Fuel to top off both your calories and provide electrolytes for proper muscle contraction.
Warm Up: 10 Minutes even; mentally focus on allowing the blood to distribute into your extremities.
Main Set: 3 x 10 minutes with pull buoy only; breathe every 3rd stroke from the beginning; focus on keeping your stomach muscles tight which will keep your lower back straight (hence more streamlined).
Rest 1-2 minutes after each 10 minute block (stretch and hydrate as needed).
Cool Down: 5 Minutes even; by keeping the intensity low, you are allowing the blood to come back to the heart region (this facilitates your recovery process before you even get out of the water).
Post Workout Protocols
WEDNESDAY
Workout Notes: to obtain an accurate assessment of your running abilities, please don’t cut your warm up short. If you cut the warm up short, you will use a portion of your time trial to get the body up to full speed (this will have an adverse effect on your time trial results). If you feel anything tightening up, simply stop and stretch. It is better to re-test later than to spend four weeks healing up a pulled muscle.
Pre-Hydration & Nutrition: 10-15 minutes prior to this workout, consume 8-10 ounces of Energy Fuel to top off both your calories and provide electrolytes for proper muscle contraction.
Warm up for 1 mile plus Dynamic Movements; stay light on your feet and with a leg turnover rate that doesn’t leave you gasping for air. Stop and stretch feeling for any muscle(s) tightening up during this warm up; complete your Dynamic Movements to increase your range of motion prior to moving into your main set.
Main Set – 4 Mile Time Trial (use a 1 mile loop ideally)
Settle into a comfortable fast pace early: stay relaxed; lean forward and keep your foot impact to a minimum; focus on your belly breathing to help maximize your oxygen uptake.
Mechanical Elements:
Mile 1 Elapsed Time: Heart Rate:
Mile 2 Elapsed Time: Heart Rate:
Mile 3 Elapsed Time: Heart Rate:
Mile 4 Elapsed Time: Heart Rate:
Cool Down by running for 1 mile
Keep the intensity on the low side, mechanics optimized and your lower leg turnover relatively high (avoid letting your heels drag).
Upload your time per mile along with your heart rate data into your Coach Robb Report Card for later evaluation
Post Workout Protocols
THURSDAY
[Please reference the spreadsheet and associated videos listed at the bottom of this document]
Workout Notes: This assessment block is going to test your muscular endurance and power output for 500 yards. Fight the tendency to push the pace too hard initially – if you do fall into this “trap” don’t be afraid to slow the tempo down slightly, but continue to focus on your “reach” to the end of the pool to keep your momentum optimized. Stretch and hydrate as indicated to maintain your range of motion and to reduce the risk of pulling a muscle.
Post Workout Protocols
FRIDAY
Misc. Notes: a complete rest day is exactly what it says – complete rest. This means that you stay off of your feet as much as possible, stay out of the heat and humidity as much as logistically possible (given your personal schedule). Though you are not “training” today, continue to eat every two hours throughout the day beginning with a high quality-good sized breakfast. Like you have heard me say before, there are four performance elements that don’t include sweating: hydration, nutrition, flexibility and sports psychology. In addition to your eating and drinking, spend 20-30 minutes sometime during the day when you can get away and review your goals – especially your 3 month goals What can you do today that moves you one step closer to making your 3 month goals a reality. The small accomplishments add up to big long term results…remember, 1% per day.
Post Evening Shower Protocols – please reference Monday’s notes and links.
SATURDAY
[If logistically possible, complete in a location that you can easily duplicate in the future for comparison purposes]
Workout Notes: don’t cut the warm up short nor push the intensity during the warm up so that you are properly warmed up and have the lactic acid shuffle activated BEFORE you begin the time trial.
Pre-Hydration & Nutrition: 10-15 minutes prior to this workout, consume 8-10 ounces of Energy Fuel to top off both your calories and provide electrolytes for proper muscle contraction.
Body Weight Pre-Assessment: Body Weight Post-Assessment:
Warm up (Very Easy):
Duration: 10 minutes Gearing: small chain ring up front, middle rear gearing
Cadence: 80-85 (no higher/lower) Misc.: stretch and hydrate before moving into your main set
Transition Set #1: 15 minutes as follows:
2 minutes: 90 plus cadence (move around on the seat and toggle between aero and non-aero)
1 minute: 80 or less cadence; active recovery with relevant stretching
Repeat 5x for a total of 15 minutes
Stretch & rehydrate prior to moving into your 10 mile time trial
Test Block #1 – 10 Mile Field Test (5 Miles Out/Back Ideally) – Race Effort
Once you begin your time trial, be aggressive – work on maintaining perfect form to get the max power out of your legs (use all of your muscle groups – not just your quads). Keep your cadence in the 80-85 range and your effort level under control so that you are strong for the entire 10 miles!
Elapsed Time: Avg. HR:
Ending HR: Max HR:
Cool Down (Very Easy):
Duration: 15 minutes (no shorter) Gearing: small chain ring up front, middle rear gearing
Cadence: 70-80 (no higher/lower)
Upload your time at the 5 and 10 mile mark along with your heart rate data into your Coach Robb Report Card for later evaluation
Post Workout Protocols
Misc. Notes: you understand the power and benefits of a nap; strive to get a minimum of 2 hours after your meal.
SUNDAY
Workout Notes: warm up slowly and settle into your aerobic zone (HR Zone 2). Set your watch to remind yourself to drink and stretch as needed to maintain your blood sugar levels and maintain your range of motion within all working muscle groups.
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO FOR QUADS, HAMSTRINGS AND HIPS
Warm up (Very Easy):
Duration: 10 minutes Gearing: small chain ring up front, middle rear gearing
Cadence: 80-85 (no higher/lower) Misc.: stretch and hydrate before moving into your main set
Main Performance Block: 1 Hour 15 minutes (Slightly harder than you warm up pace)
Set Notes: keep your cadence between 85-95 focusing on optimized pedal mechanics; stand up and stretch your hamstrings, quads, calves and lower back every 15 minutes (at the least). Hydrate to maintain your blood sugar levels every 15 minutes.
Warm down (Very Easy):
Duration: 5 minutes (no shorter) Gearing: small chain ring up front, middle rear gearing
Cadence: 70-80 (no higher/lower)
Post Workout Protocols
Miss. Notes: because of the intensity levels from yesterday, add more protein than usual to your meals for the amino acids needed to rebuild your torn down muscle tissues and prepare you for tonight’s strength workout.
Blue highlights indicate HR Zone 2 or less (Builds your aerobic engine – burns fat as a primary fuel source)
Red highlights indicate HR Zone 3 or above (Builds your strength & speed – burns fat as a primary fuel source)