Junior
Winter Program Guidelines by Fabrizio Andreoni, Triathlon Australia – Level 2 Triathlon Coach. |
-
For triathletes, winter training is also called off-season training.
It is very important that juniors keep active during the winter season. |
-
Any activity involving cardiovascular and muscular systems is appropriate
for this part of the annual training. Team sports are mostly played
in the winter, therefore are the most popular among triathletes. Netball,
basketball, soccer and hockey for girls and basketball, football, hockey,
rugby and soccer for boys. Obviously, disciplines closer in form to
the three triathlon disciplines are better. |
-
For the more committed junior triathletes, winter it is a very important
part of their progression to become better triathletes. Winter is the
time of the year that junior athletes are able to develop their fitness
and skills bases in order to step forward to the next season. |
-
As Triathlon Victoria Home Coach, I strongly recommends that juniors
involved in the TVDP program to keep training during the winter undertake
the High Performance training program and select Fabrizio as Home Coach. |
Training
periodisation for the Winter season
2011. |
| April - May Transition
period |
| It is important that
you allow a good rest for your body and mind if you want to
ensure a good physical improvement of your body and a psychological
toughness of your mind later on. |
| This period of regeneration
is in proportion to how much have you trained and raced during
the past month. If you are coming from a full training regime period
and from a busy calendar of racing, you have to extend your transition
period up to 3 or 5 weeks. If your season has been very light,
with only one or two events in the last few months, you can shorten
this period up to 2 or 3 weeks. |
| In
the transition period you can keep training by undertaking cross-training
activities. You can also enter some races/events but only if it is for
fun and without any training commitments or race expectations. |
| Suggested
cross-training activities: Mountain bike, gym training, foot and MTB
orienteering, pilates & yoga classes, boxing exercises, spinning
classes and any type of fun races/events. |
|
The
best winter cross-training sessions for swimming are the ones recommended
by Ian Thorpe. Resistance training or boxing exercise workouts and Pilates
or Yoga classes. The Resistance training routine published on my website
is the ideal routine for triathletes and therefore for swimmers. It
focuses on compound muscles as well as isolated muscles. The isolated
muscles are the ones more utilised in swimming. Regarding the boxing,
Pilates and Yoga, the best way to learn and train is to join classes.
Here is the link to the Resistance
Training workout. |
| June - July
- August Basic preparation
- aerobics fitness |
| After the Transition period
in May, it is time to start the Basic Preparation Training (June-July)
with the aim of establishing a solid foundation of fitness. The best
way to capitalize on this period of training is to undertake one
of the three winter High Performance training programs. This training will
give you a good base before the spring triathlon season. |
| Start this training period, by selecting
your program from the three High Performance Squad programs.
Click
Here These programs are all self conducted.
If you
would like a Tailored Training Program an to bo guided On-Line, contact
me to organise your On-Line coaching. |
| September -
October General preparation - Sport specific training
toward the State Triathlon Season including Age Group and ITU Junior
events |
| From September we will start the
General Preparation Training with the aim of establishing our sport
specific fitness. This year this general preparation period coincides
with the start of the Triathlon Victoria State events. The athletes
who have requested the services of Fabrizio as a Home Coach for these events will receive their
program at the start of September. The main characteristic of the general
preparation training is coach conducted training. For the entire period
of this program you will be guided, monitored and assessed by the coach.
The
fitter you are at the start of the general preparation period, the better will be the outcome at the end of the program.
|
| Training Recommendations: |
| - Volume of training depends on the age of the junior. Please check the Training Volume Guidelines for details. Consistency in training is the key for improving athletes. |
| Swimming Tips: |
| - Swimming is renown as the hardest discipline of all the three involved in triathlon. It is easier to swim efficiently and therefore faster, if juniors develop their swimming ability early in their careers. You find it very difficult to swim well when an adult if you didn't develop skills as a child. Running and particularly cycling are easy to develop at an older age. Swimming is the first leg of a triathlon event and therefore, the most important. |
| - Swim squad training under a qualified coach is the best way to improve training discipline and commitment for juniors. It is hard training early in the morning but the rewards at the end of the sessions and the improvements provide the edge for the new season. |
| - For beginner swimmers, Learn to Swim programs are ideal to develop swim skills and ability. For competent swimmers of any age, club/squad training 2 to 3 times per week is the only way to improve your triathlon results, therefore it is strongly recommended. |
| Running Tips: |
| - For younger athletes, school/club cross county and track runs are the base of winter training. Also playing team sport at any level helps to develop running skills and fitness. |
| - For older or more experienced juniors, it is recommended to follow a running program including a minimum of 2 weekly sessions. |
| - It is highly recommended to join weekly one or two track runs coached sessions. |
Cycling Tips: |
| - For younger juniors, it is highly recommended to join one velodrome session per week. Also mountain biking in the form of training sessions or recreational activities are ideal. |
| - For older or more experienced juniors, it is highly recommended to join weekly one velodrome and one criterium sessions. Also long slow rides on road bikes are ideal for aerobic fitness and mountain bike rides are ideal for strength fitness. |
| Recommended Maximum Bike Gear Ratios for: |
| Junior Road Training: Under 15: 39/18 ratio Under 17: 39/16 ratio Under 20: 39/14 ratio |
| Junior Road Racing: Under 15: 42/14 ratio Under 17: 42/13 ratio Under 20: 52/14 ratio |
Winter Training - Suggested Weekly Programs by Fabrizio Andreoni, Triathlon Australia – Level 2 Triathlon Coach.
| Under 14yo Junior Squad | Junior & Sub-Juniors Program | 5 to 6 weekly sessions |
| 14/15yo Junior Squad | Junior Development Program | 6 to 8 weekly sessions |
| 16/19yo Junior Squad | High Performance Junior Program | 7 to 9 weekly sessions |
| Junior Training - 5 to 6 weekly sessions |
| NOTE: |
| Two Learn to Swim or Swim training classes per week. |
| It is highly recommended to join weekly 2 to 3 swim club/squad training. |
| It is highly recommended to join one track run session. Contact Junior Coach: Les O'Brien 0427217425 |
| Play any team sport activity twice per week. |
| Participate in as many school sport activities as you can, especially cross country runs and athletics. |
| It is highly recommended to join one velodrome or criterium sessions per week. Contact Brendan Washington 0438 675 770 |
| Ride on mountain bike or BMX bike as much as possible during the week. |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
| AM or PM |
Swim
Squad
|
Track Run (Speed Session) |
Swim Squad |
Track Run (Speed Session) |
Swim Squad | Bike
Ride or MTB |
| Junior Development Training - 6 to 8 weekly sessions |
| NOTE: |
| For the content of the sessions contact the club junior coach. |
| LSD sessions can be changed with run events. |
| Gym training for juniors under 16: perform only abdominal and stretching routines. (No resistance training program) |
| Gym training for juniors 16 plus and adults perform abdominal and stretching routine within your resistance training program. |
| It is highly recommended to join weekly 2 to 3 swim club/squad training. |
| It is highly recommended to join weekly one track run session. Contact Junior Coach: Les O'Brien 0427217425 |
| It is highly recommended to join one velodrome or criterium session per week. Contact Brendan Washington 0438 675 770 |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
| AM | Swim
Squad |
|
Swim
Squad |
Swim
Squad |
Run (Long Slow Distance session) or Team Game |
Bike Ride (Long Slow Distance session) |
|
| PM |
Bike
Velodrome
or Criterium or
Wintdtrainer session |
Run (Strength Endurance Session) or Team training |
|
Track Run (Speed Session) |
Gym
Workout |
| High Performance Junior Training - 7 to 9 weekly sessions |
| NOTE: |
| For the content of the sessions contact the club junior coach. |
| LSD sessions can be changed with run events. |
| Gym training for juniors under 16: perform only abdominal and stretching routines. (No resistance training program) |
| Gym training for juniors 16 plus and adults perform abdominal and stretching routine within your resistance training program. |
| It is highly recommended to join weekly 2 to 3 swim club/squad training. |
| It is highly recommended to join weekly two track run sessions. Contact Junior Coach: Les O'Brien 0427217425 |
| It is highly recommended to join weekly the velodrome or criterium sessions. Contact Brendan Washington 0438 675 770 |
| High Performance Training Programs and Session Descriptions: Check Here |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
| AM | Swim
Squad |
Gym Workout |
Swim
Squad |
Swim
Squad |
Run (Long Slow Distance session) or Team Game |
Bike Ride (Long Slow Distance session) |
|
| PM |
Bike Velodrome or Criterium or Wintdtrainer session |
Run (Strength Endurance Session) or Team Game |
Bike ride (Strength session) or Wintdtrainer session |
Track Run (Speed Session) |
Gym
Workout |
Network of junior training contacts in the Albury-Wodonga area: Click Here
Winter Training - High Performance Squad Programs and session description: Click Here