Tri Training When more of the same is not better

When more of the same is not better

Training everyday, morning & night, might mean that you get the kilometres covered but at what cost?  Without proper recovery, your body won’t perform at its best. Your muscles & mind need a rest too so that they can fire at their optimal levels. Pushing through fatigue will lead to injury, poor performance & can waste a training.

Recovery sessions are not all the same either. There’s a place & a time to incorporate “active” recovery sessions & “relaxing” recovery sessions. Getting it wrong can lead to disaster for your body. A physio can help you with this as well as avoiding injury in the first place.

Active recovery could be something like a walk or light jog around the block; an easy spin or social bike ride; or leisurely swim (still with correct technique). Types of relaxing recovery might be a gentle massage, hot bath or even a sleep in one morning.

All recovery sessions are about recuperating the muscles, body & mind. They allow you to recharge with rest (active or otherwise) & are just as important as laps in the pool, sessions on the bike & km’s in the legs.  Without them your times will suffer & you’ll also have more injuries.

Get the most out of your training by speaking with a physio early on. This will also help prevent injury & maximize performance when you need.

No pain no gain = No true!

If you’re injured, get to a physiotherapist as soon as possible. Suffering through it is only likely to end in more tears. The longer you leave it (or even ignore it) could mean the longer you’re out.

Training through a niggle, injury or pain rather than getting it looked at by a qualified expert is more likely to mean you’ll end up with a DNF or worse still, a DNS against your name instead of a great time.

Because triathlons are multisport events, this means that an injury won’t always sideline you from all training. A physio will be able to work with you to ensure that you’re less likely to become deconditioned & may even be able to still train albeit with modified sessions. For example an injury from running might keep you off the track for a week or two (if treated early), but your swimming & cycling could be adapted to suit.

The best advice is when you get a niggle (aka don’t wait for pain to come), seek qualified & expert advice from a physio who can help you achieve your goal in the long run.

At Paddo Physio, we know muscles & athletes’ bodies as well as the needs & mindset for triathlon. Do yourself a favour rather than suffering through unnecessary pain!