Training 4.0

Podcast Version
(With NotebookLM)

A Deep Dive into the Latest in Endurance Training ​

Successful training philosophies in endurance coaching reflect a blend of time-tested principles and innovative approaches. They are tailored to meet the individual needs of athletes while incorporating advances in technology and understanding of human physiology and psychology. These philosophies emphasize a holistic approach to athlete development, focusing not just on physical training but also on mental strength, nutrition, recovery, and the integration of cutting-edge technology. There are new AI-powered KPI’s that are worth understanding to upskill your coaching – and training - capabilities.

20%Below are a few of the key philosophies dominating the field today:

1. Training Periodization

Periodization remains a cornerstone of endurance training, involving the systematic planning of athletic or physical training. The aim is to reach the best possible performance in the most important competition of the year. It involves progressively cycling through different phases of training intensity, volume, and type of exercise. This method helps prevent overtraining and promotes peak performance at the right time. Advances in this area include more sophisticated models like block periodization and undulating periodization, which allow for greater flexibility and adaptation to the athlete's responses.

The latest insights from big data focus on speed and strength first, during the development phase, and then building endurance in the competition phase. The logic is: it’s easier to build endurance while maintaining speed, than vice versa. You want to avoid long endurance sessions for as long as possible because they stress the body more and are more prone to injury. Also, logically, the faster you become in the development phase, the less endurance you will need on race day. Based on your speed, you can calculate backwards from race day how much endurance you will need. Finally, the AI powered platforms provide different endurance building periods for each sport individually, instead of a more old-school approach of all-or-nothing.

2. Polarized Training

Polarized training has gained significant traction among endurance coaches and athletes. This approach divides training intensity into distinct zones: a large volume of low-intensity training (around 70-80% of total training time in zone 2) and a smaller proportion of high-intensity workouts (around 20-30% in zone 4), with very little training at moderate intensity  (zone 3). This model is based on research suggesting that such a distribution can optimize performance improvements while minimizing overtraining and injury risk.

The issue with the middle-of-the road, zone 3, training is that it has all the downsides of zone 4 stressors (lactate buildup), without the strength benefits, and it is not providing more aerobic benefits than zone 2. Hence, training needs to focus either on building strength and speed (zone 4) or aerobic capacity (zone 2), which will translate into an increase in engine effectiveness (zone 3) on race day. Why this is important and how it is linked to your lactate curve is explained in this video.

3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Although not new, HIIT has been revalidated as a highly efficient training method for improving cardiovascular fitness, endurance, and performance in a shorter timeframe. HIIT involves short bursts of intense activity, followed by periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. This method is particularly appealing to executive athletes, who often have limited time for training. It maximizes health and performance benefits within a condensed training session, challenging the notion that high volume training is the only path to endurance success.

Besides the anaerobic and strength benefits, building HITT into your swimming, cycling and running routine intervals finetunes the neuromuscular alignment of muscles firing together as one (motor) unit, which increases efficiency at peak performance.

4. Mindfulness and Mental Training

The psychological aspect of endurance sports is receiving more attention than ever. Techniques such as visualization, mindfulness, and mental resilience training are becoming integral parts of coaching. These practices help athletes manage stress, improve focus, and maintain motivation over the long haul of preparation and competition. Recognizing the mental challenges of endurance sports, contemporary coaching addresses the athlete's mind as a muscle that requires training and recovery.

Visualization has shown amazing results in optimizing technical prowess and unconsciousness execution. Levering the power of mirror neurons, where people trigger similar emotional and physical responses from others, you can actually trigger the same response while either looking in the mirror or imagining the perfect execution. Like a computer simulation, you can repeat those memories many more times and much faster than executing them in real-life, but it turns out they are almost as effective.

5. Data-Driven and Technology-Enhanced Training

With the advent of wearable technology and advanced analytics, training is more data-driven than ever. Coaches and athletes can monitor a vast array of metrics in real-time, from heart rate variability to power output and sleep quality, real-time sweat monitoring and ingestible core temperature sensors. This information allows for highly personalized training plans that can adapt dynamically to the athlete's current state, optimizing both performance and recovery.

Although measuring for optimal performance is important, it turns out that measuring to avoid injury is nearly as critical; as the key to success is consistency. If you manage your Normalized Training Stress, then you can work out at your peak over several months, versus a stop-and-go approach where you continue to get injured. AI powered platforms seem to be much more accurate than humans in evaluating a lot more data to predict possible injuries and the best ways to avoid it. ​

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6. Recovery-Oriented Training

Modern endurance coaching places a significant emphasis on recovery. Understanding that growth and adaptation occur during rest, current philosophies advocate for smart recovery strategies, including nutrition optimization, sleep management, and active recovery techniques. Tools like foam rollers, massage guns, and compression garments, alongside practices such as yoga and pilates, are recommended to enhance recovery and flexibility.

These training philosophies underscore the evolving nature of endurance coaching, where a balanced, evidence-based approach to training, recovery, and mental health is considered essential for achieving peak performance. By embracing these philosophies, coaches and athletes can navigate the demands of endurance sports more effectively, leading to greater success and longevity in their athletic pursuits.

Don’t forget. It is the small daily steps that turn into positive habits, patterns, and beliefs ingrained in body and mind. Enjoy the journey!

BONUS TIP COACH GLENN: A key to reduce the stress on your triathlon’s race day Is to walk through transitions T1 and T2 slowly, in advance of the race, and absorb the environment. Go through the entire cycle consciously and remember the small details about where to run, where to find your bike, imagine putting on your shoes, etc. By doing so, you can easily visualize these actions several times before the race, which will reduce the stress and improve the speed of execution on race day.
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