Articles By:
Jim Palmer
Many amateur athletes don't place a lot of value on stretching. But professional athletes sure do! And there is no sport where stretching is more important than the sport of triathlon. Triathletes with higher flexibility and elasticity in their muscles, perform more effectively and efficiently than athletes with low-elasticity muscles. Here's how add a basic stretching plan to your training routine.
What muscles are used in a triathlon? How well your muscles perform when swimming, biking and running comes down to how conditioned your muscles are to generate force within a wide range of motion. Weak, inflexible muscles can't generate much power and velocity, and are more prone to injury. This is why strength training is a vital part of triathlon training.
Though muscle cramps can come during the swim or bike portion, they are more common during the run since a person is more susceptible to fatigue or dehydration nearing the latter states of a triathlon. Here's why you get muscle cramps, plus what you can do to prevent them, and ultimately treat them.
Triathletes invest a lot of time determining the brand of bike to purchase, the correct bike fit, the bike's components, and the right tires for your triathlon bike. Plus, a new bike obviously comes with a seat, yet typically people don't really question or investigate whether their bike seat is the best bike seat for them. Mistake! Here's what to look for in a bike seat or bike saddle for triathlons.
In a nutshell, a triathlon bike has incorporated changes to a typical road bike that make it lighter and more aerodynamic. You can make some of these changes to your road bike by adding aero bars and aero wheels. This may be step one as you get started in the sport of triathlon. After you move past the exploration phase and decide to continue doing triathlons, I would encourage you to purchase a triathlon-specific bike.
This morning when I woke up, being a triathlete felt like a burden. The triathlete blues often hit around August when you're a little worn out, and your most important goals are still ahead of you. Your body has acquired its aches and pains, the summer heat begins to wear on you, and all kinds of frustrations get into your head. Here are some tips for dealing with triathlon blues.
