Want a head start on spring training? Set up a form-focused race simulation at your local gym with a workout from Coach Jared Gell of Competitive Instinct Multisport (and Director of Sales of the newly-opened Pacific Swim Bike Run) in Stamford, Connecticut. His Multisport Brick Class combines all three sports indoors--perfect for those Northeast winters. "Form is of the utmost importance and keep in mind that this is NOT a race," Gell says. "Instead it is training your body to race well in the spring and summer."
Total workout: Swim 2600 yards, bike 50 minutes, run 10 minutes.
Swim: 2600 yards
Warmup
300 swim/200 pull/100 kick
Main Set
3 x 200 race simulations: 50 hard/100 moderate/50 hard/30 seconds rest
Gell says: These are ideal for replicating the swim of a race. When the gun is fired, you have an adrenaline jolt that typically leads to a hard start. Once you get past the fray, you settle in and complete the distance. Coming near shore, you pick up the pace to hold position or pass others going into T1.
400 drill as 50 drill/50 swim
Drill order:
- Single arm: be sure to do a full stroke motion and don't slap at the water
- Fingertip drag on top of the water keeping your elbow high
- Closed fists
- Touch your thumb to your thigh at the end of the stroke
Gell says: These four drills hit every part of the swim stroke--slow down to make sure you are using proper form.
6 x 100 on set interval with four hard strokes off each wall; 15 seconds rest
Gell says: Do these on a set interval at an overall moderately hard pace. When you touch a wall, push off hard and go into four very hard strokes to get your speed up. Use that speed to keep the pace up into the next wall.
Cool Down
150 kick/100 pull/50 swim
Immediately following the swim, do a quick transition to an indoor cycle or bike trainer.
Bike: 50 minutes
5 minute warm up
Drill
4 x 5 minutes single leg drill
as: 1 minute right leg, 1 minutes left leg, 1 minute both legs at as high a cadence as possible, 2 minutes recovery.
Gell says: When conducting single leg drills your trainer should "sound" exactly the same during the entire stroke. Do NOT let gravity increase the pedal speed on the down stroke. During the high cadence phase, pedal faster until you bounce on the saddle, then back off a bit until you are going as fast as possible and being rock solid on the bike. This drill will teach you to use all the leg muscles when biking and create an amazing amount of efficiency.
Main Set
20 minutes at aerobic threshold
Gell says: If you have a power meter, this is the wattage you can hold for an hour. Or, if using perceived exertion, find your pace that you could hold for 60 minutes. During the winter, base mileage is very important and riding at a pace that will build this endurance base will pay dividends when the race season comes around.
Cool Down
5 minutes easy effort
Run: 10 minutes
Do a 10-minute transition run to teach the body to make the transfer from biking to running. Pace is not the issue, instead focus 100 percent on form. Finish with some drills such as high knees, strides and butt kicks.
Gell says: If possible, do this on an indoor track or around a gym. Always finish a run with some drills, just like when you swim or bike. Good form = more efficiency = free speed.