Coaching Thoughts: 11 Overrated Factors for Triathlon Performance | EP#439
Jul 25, 2024
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The discussion dives into eleven overrated factors influencing triathlon performance. Highlights include a critical take on swim training and power metrics. The hosts challenge the value placed on bike frames and specific workout metrics. They stress the importance of major training decisions over minor technical details. Additionally, the pitfalls of excessive reliance on wearables are addressed. Tune in to reassess what really drives success in the sport!
The podcast emphasizes that swim training may be overrated, suggesting triathletes might gain more from reallocating training time to cycling or running.
It highlights that the watts per kilogram metric is often overstated in triathlon, neglecting critical factors like aerodynamics and rolling resistance.
The discussion reveals that recovery modalities may not deliver the expected benefits compared to fundamental practices like adequate sleep and nutrition.
Deep dives
The Overrated Nature of Swimming in Triathlons
Swimming is often perceived as crucial for triathlon success, yet it may not warrant the extensive time commitment that many athletes invest. The correlation between swim performance and overall triathlon outcomes is weak, particularly in age group races where, in some cases, improvements can be achieved by reallocating training time to cycling or running. While proper swimming technique is important, experienced athletes may find diminishing returns from increasing swim frequency beyond a certain point, especially if they already possess a solid foundation. Therefore, reconsidering the prioritization of swim training could lead to better race results by focusing on other disciplines that offer greater overall performance gains.
The Misleading Metric of Watts per Kilogram
The watts per kilogram metric is often lauded as a key performance indicator for cyclists, but its relevance in triathlon is significantly overstated. In most triathlon contexts, the metric fails to account for factors like aerodynamics and rolling resistance that substantially impact race performance. For example, two athletes may have identical watts per kilogram but achieve vastly different speeds due to differences in bike handling, position, and overall aerodynamic efficiency. Instead of fixating on watts per kilogram, focusing on watts per CDA (Coefficient of Drag Area) is a more accurate representation of performance, particularly on varied terrain.
Understanding Power Meters and Their Limitations
Power meters provide crucial data for cyclists in terms of training loads, yet their accuracy can be misleading when comparing data across different devices. While power meters are reliable indicators of consistent performance over time, discrepancies between devices can lead to incorrect assumptions about an athlete's capabilities. Athletes should be cautious not to draw conclusions based solely on power readings obtained from varying sources, as these devices may not correlate directly with one another. Thus, it is vital to understand that while power meters are useful tools, their comparison must be approached with skepticism.
The Cost-Effectiveness of Bike Frames
Investing in a new bike frame is one of the most overrated strategies for enhancing cycling performance in triathlon events. Rather than prioritizing a frame upgrade, triathletes should focus on optimizing existing equipment components like wheels, handlebars, and pedals, which can yield considerable performance improvements. In many cases, the time and effort required to adjust positions and refine setups on current equipment can produce larger gains than simply purchasing a new frame. As upgraded components can result in better aerodynamics and power output, concentrating efforts on improving what you already have becomes a more effective approach.
Rethinking Recovery Modalities and Their Value
Recovery modalities, often seen as essential tools for athletic recovery, may not provide the significant benefits that athletes expect when compared to baseline practices like sleep and nutrition. While some recovery techniques, such as massage, can offer psychological benefits, they should not replace fundamental recovery strategies. Instead, most of the time spent on recovery modalities would be better utilized by ensuring proper sleep hygiene and nutrition. Particularly for amateur athletes, the emphasis should be on quality sleep and solid nutrition rather than relying on trendy recovery gadgets or techniques.
A discussion of eleven factors, including training methods, gear and equipment, metrics, and even thought processes that are generally overrated by the triathlon community as a whole or in certain triathlete subgroups. Do you agree with this list? Stay tuned for the next episode, where we will discuss underrated factors for triathlon performance.
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