Once the word Pilates is mentioned, people tend to envisage of group of women lying about on spongy mats not looking like they’re doing much. Well think again, as a growing number of athletes across the widest range of sports now use Pilates for everything from injury prevention to developing core strength, flexibility, suppleness, co-ordination and longer, stronger muscles. More and more sports coaches now employ structural fitness exercises based on Pilates principles.

What is Pilates?
Pilates is a body conditioning technique designed to create inner strength and flexibility without building muscles. It concentrates on strengthening the core postural muscles, namely the transversus abdominus and internal obliques (corset muscles) and multifudus (muscles of the lower back). By learning to keep these muscles stabilised while executing slow, controlled, flowing movements, tight over strained muscles will learn to relax and lengthen and weak muscles will be strengthened. In short, Pilates concentrates on strengthening the core postural muscles to achieve stability in the trunk.

Pilates has been around for many years and was originally developed by a German man called Joseph Pilates. He opened his first Pilates studio in America in 1926 and since then the form of exercise has been taught throughout the world (albeit in slightly different forms) by many, but the one thing that remains consistant are the same principles of developing inner strength and flexibility without bulk. It may take a while to get the hang of Pilates and, at first, may seem like you are doing very little, however the long term gains of Pilates in general, not just in sport, are immense.

What are the benefits of Pilates?
The ability to stabilise the core, while at the same time being able to move the limbs effortlessly, not only reduces the risk of injury (especially to the spine and supporting muscles) but improves posture.

The direct benefits of Pilates for multi-sport athletes can potentially be vast. In swimming a leaner, longer and stronger core will enable you to hold your streamline body position in the water without dropping the legs for a greater length of time. A stronger core on the bike will ensure that you get maximum power transfer to the pedals and that you are able to hold your body position without tiring. On the run, a strong core will able you to maintain your run posture with ease instead of reducing form and placing greater stresses on the body

Most of all, Pilates lengthens and stretches the muscles of the body whilst strengthening them. Lengthening and stretching our muscles is something I’ve gone on about before and is sadly lacking from most of our training plans. However it still remains one the most important elements of training if you are serious about achieving your results, as it greatly reduces the risk of injury form tight or injured muscles.

Injuries do of course happen. After a sidelining injury, gentle and careful Pilates exercises remobilise the body, easing the damaged muscles, tendons and joints back into activity. The rebalancing effects of Pilates can also help to prevent the distortions caused when you try to compensate for the part of the body that has been out of use.

Correctly executed Pilates exercises not only aid in injury rehabilitation but are themselves so controlled and low impact that they are extremely safe. What’s more, the awareness of your body that they develop enables you to avoid the same injuries or problems recurring in the future.

Remember though that Pilates is non-cardiovascular and non-fat burning exercise so we still need to engage in all the other elements of multi-sport training that enable us to achieve. If you don’t believe me that Pilates can make a difference, try it, and as Joseph Pilates once said “In ten sessions you will feel the difference, in 20 you will see the difference, and in 30 you will have a whole new body.”

Happy Training!!

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Courtesy of Carey at boundless-energy.com, this total body exercise is an excellent way of promoting functional exercise with very little equipment. The exercise targets total body, taking in most of the major muscle groups in the body.

Start off with 15 reps, each rep should take about 1 second from start to finish . 15 reps equates to 1 complete ‘set’. Look to complete 3 sets and only increase the number of exercise reps once the exercise has become very easy. Please ensure that you maintain good form during the squat phase, keeping the knees parallel to the ground and feet shoulder width apart. Also try not to hyper-extend the lower back when your arms are fully extended above your head. If you feel the resistance is to great forcing you to hyper-extend, take a step forward to reduce the resistance on the training band. If you are unable to get to a gym then please make sure that your surroundings are sufficiently adequate so you can perform the exercise safely.

Make sure that you have completed a sufficient warm-up prior to starting the exercise and that you stretch the worked muscle groups upon exercise completion.

Please understand that exercise and physical activity, including the use of equipment is potentially hazardous. Participation in physical activity may result in injury and that you choose voluntarily to take part in these activities, including using any free weights, resistance or cardio equipment. Please be fully aware of the dangers involved. Be taking part in such exercises you therefore declare yourself to be physically sound and suffering from no condition, impairment, disease, infirmity, or illness that would prevent you from participating in physical activities, or exercise, and that you must therefore assume and accept any and all risk of injury and damage.

Happy Training!!

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With things coming to a close for 2009, it’s now time to think about the off-season and focusing on the most simple of triathlon disciplines, the run!

As long as you put one foot in front of the other at a faster pace than walking, then you’re on the right track. However, if you focus a little harder in a quest to improve your performance, you’ll find there’s more to it than meets the eye.

The off-season gives us a vast amount of time to improve run splits for next year. The following tips will give those of you that want to run faster in 2010 a focused approach to training over the darker, colder months which will hopefully stand you in good stead come race season.

Run off-road
Running off-road has many benefits. It reduces the repetitive forces of running on hard tarmac, the uneven footing will toughen you ankle ligaments and stabilizing muscles; and the uphill sections will build overall strength. If your longer endurance runs are completed off-road you’ll probably reduce the injury risk associated with increased mileage.

Know your limits
If you know that running at different paces stresses your bodies systems, you’ll be able to develop a more structured approach and a progressive training plan. One of the coaches at your local club should be able to assist with this, or if you’re very lucky the local university sports science lab may offer free lactate threshold testing.

Race Regularly
Just because triathlon races stop during the darker, colder months, doesn’t mean you also have to. Taking part in competitive fell and x-country races will keep your cardiovascular system tuned up and your racing instincts sharp. The varying distances of off-road races will take the pressure off trying to achieve PB’s like running on road but at the same time will still be of benefit, working you near your maximum capacity.

Improve your style
How good do elite runners look when they’re whipping along? That’s because they’re well drilled when it comes to technique. Good running mechanics can be developed by running lots of short repetitions (50-100m) at a fast pace, just below you full sprinting pace. Do 3 sets of 3 x 100m reps, following a warm up, before your main run session to increase your mechanical efficiency at speed.

Buy the rights shoes
Sounds simple, right? No matter how flash the latest Newton running shoes look, if they don’t suit your foot type and style, then you’re going to be in for a frustrating season mixed with injury and disruption. Seek a running shoe shop that provides gait analysis or practical advice when it comes to the biomechanics of your running style. I’ve already rambled on about ‘How to choose the right running shoe’, which will give you a bit more background when it comes to foot types and available shoe styles.

Down some pounds
Loosing an extra few pounds during the off season will have you running at a quicker pace for the same effort come next year. An extra kilo of body fat will add an approximate 5-8 seconds per mile when you’re at race pace.

Run with a club
Running with a group or club during the darker months will make your run sessions much more enjoyable. Most running clubs will have a few different run groups that run at set paces which will enable you to maximise your potential.

Remember recovery
In general, running can do more damage to your body than cycling or swimming. As you increase the intensity and duration you’ll need to be more disciplined with your recovery time between sessions. Having one easy recovery week in four will help keep you run injury free. Be sure to be aware of the first signs of injury, as there’s noting worse that running injured. Check out an article I wrote here on how to grade running injuries.

Be progressive
In order to get the most out of your off season run training you need to gradually build up the intensity or duration if you want to see improvements. If you to build endurance, then subtly increase you running time each week as well as the length of your weekly long run. Remember the golden rule to never increase the time or distance by more than 10% each week. The key to any progression is to be patient. Don’t expect results over night as progression takes time so see benefits. Planning and monitoring over months will enable you to place more focus on long term progression.

Remain injury free
Training progressively over a period of several months is the consistency that all serious runners seek and this is the only way in order to remain injury free. There are no real shortcuts to success; look at the efforts the elite athletes lay down in order to get to the top. Don’t miss the opportunity to podium due to over-training injuries or bad off-season planning. Stick to the basics and you’ll not go too far wrong.

Most of all, get out there and enjoy the benefits of off-road running.

Happy Training!!

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Since it’s launch earlier this year, Saucony’s Fastwitch 3 has been a big hit with both triathletes and road runners alike. The success of the shoe has been due to the exceptional development of the product at Saucony.

The mesh upper has been enhanced further to improve comfort, foot moisture management and airflow.

The Saucony’s Fastwitch 3 shoe is now much lighter than it’s predecessor, but still offers the required race-day medial support of the previous Fastwitch 2.

The shoe usually retails around the £60 mark, but has been significantly reduced by 28% to £42.99. This is the cheapest price on the market at the moment.

There are various sizes available in the white/green model shown above. Unfortunately the orange shoe has been discontinued. Check for shoes availability here.

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Every road triathlete should own a mountain bike. But why? Adding mountain biking to your road training regime could make you a better cyclist by improving your pedal stroke, handling skills, braking technique, seat position and cadence while helping ward off training monotony and staleness.

Mountain biking is fun and challenging and there are always new obstacles to overcome, whether it’s technical riding or just jumping a ditch. You may also find it easier to jump on your mountain bike during the winter months that saddle up for another road ride.

Riding your mountain bike on the road can help develop a smoother spin and a more efficient pedal stroke. Mountain bikes have higher volume tyres than our regular road bikes, so in order to stop the bike from bouncing about on the tarmac you’ll need to employ a smoother pedal stroke. Aim to pedal in perfect circles, as this will keep you steady on those larger tyres. As everyone knows, mountain bikes were designed for off road riding. According to studies mountain bikers have the smoothest spin of all cyclists. When riding bumpy, technical or soft terrain on a mountain bike, you can’t rely on leg power for speed as you can do on a road bike. Instead you have to regulate pressure on the pedals when riding over uneven terrain to keep your tyres from spinning on rocks and loose dirt. On these types of surfaces try to concentrate on feeling the traction of your tyres while you aim to pedal in complete full circles.

There’s nothing better for practising your braking technique than on a mountain bike, as the fatter wheels below you allow more feel and control of the motion. Since a bike receives 70% of its braking force from the front wheel, when braking lift your backside off the seat and extend your arms out with bent elbows and this will transfer more weight to the rear of the bike. This next statement may sound simple, but squeezing the brake levers smoothly will allow you to remain on the bike instead of flying over the bars. This is where the weight shift to the rear also helps. Think of going down hill and slowing yourself down by applying pressure on the front brake levers. You wouldn’t want to have the majority of your body weight over the front of the bike, would you?

When you ride up an incline/hill on your mountain bike and encounter obstacles such as tree roots, don’t necessarily think you have to change your path, just change your cadence. Again shifting your body weight across the bike and lifting the bike wheels will assist in clearing any low level obstacles.

Chances are as we hit the end of British summer time you’ll not be so keen to venture out on your shiny road bike and also may be a little sick of riding the same road routes. With a mountain bike you can prevent any winter training staleness by exploring new terrain while still covering a good amount of ground at the same time. Break up your ride on your mountain bike by taking in different terrain. Warm up on the road then take in some technical element and of course some hills.

When riding off-road be sure to take with you adequate supplies, such as tolls and spare tubes. If you’re venturing off further a field into unknown territory, remember to take a map (and know how to use it) some warmer clothes and some all important food with you.

By adding a weekly or bi-weekly mountain bike ride into your routine you could be a stronger more proficient road rider come 2010. Most of all, it’s great fun. So what’s stopping you?

Happy training!!

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Wellington covered the 2.4-miles of swimming, 112-miles of biking, and a 26.2-mile marathon run over in a course record time 08h:54m.02s.

Despite not leading from the start, Wellington’s 54 minute swim was enough to rank her eighth going into T1. On the bike leg, Wellington turned on the style and it was only a matter of time before Paula Newby-Fraser’s course record was broken.

Wellington, who was two-time defending Champion, proceeded to ride away from the rest of the field, finishing the bike leg with a lead of over 11 minutes on her closest competitor. Incredibly she was more than 30 minutes up on some of the favourites to challenge her third consecutive win, including fellow GB athlete Leanda Cave.

During the marathon run, Wellington had to endure some tough miles, however having redefined Ironman since she first won in 2007, the Norfolk athlete cemented herself in the record books with a memorable performance.

Talking after the race, Wellington commented: “This truly was the toughest day in sport. I am so honoured and proud to now hold the course record. I was determined to race with all the fire and passion inside me and I am delighted to be able to take home the title once again.”

Director of Performance at British Triathlon, Heather Williams added: “Chrissie continues to get faster and faster, and to break new ironman ground. I congratulate her on another truly outstanding performance.”

In the men’s event, Craig Alexander from Australia retained his title. The highest placed GB athlete was Philip Graves from York. Graves, the youngest ever winner of an Ironman impressed on the bike leg where he took an early lead eventually finishing in 54th position, with a time of 09h:16m.02s.

Women’s Results (unofficial)

1 08:54:02 Chrissie Wellington, GBR 54:31 swim; 4:52:07 bike; 3:03:06 run
2 09:13:59 Mirinda Carfrae, AUS 58:45 swim; 5:14:18 bike; 2:56:51 run
3 09:15:28 Virginia Berasategui, ESP 58:52 swim; 5:01:42 bike; 3:10:43 run

Men’s Results
1 08:20:21 1 Craig Alexander AUS 50:57 swim; 4:37:33 bike; 2:48:05 run
2 08:22:56 24 Chris Lieto, USA 51:07 swim; 4:25:11 bike; 3:02:35 run
3 08:24:32 54 Andreas Raelert, GER 51:00 swim; 4:38:01 bike; 2:51:05 run

For full results of all the athletes visit www.ironman.com

(Courtesy of British Triathlon)

If you were asked how hard and fast do you swim in training, what would you respond with? It is probably most productive to think about swimming in terms of easy, fast and various percentages of the ‘rate of perceived exertion’ (RPE).

In terms of effort levels and training zones in swimming, the vast majority of swimmers find that using a ‘rate of perceived exertion’ of an all out 100% effort seems to work best.

Using a device to monitor heart rate and power is not too difficult, but if you could do it, getting the information while swimming would be a massive challenge. For example, a heart rate monitor chest strap is a little difficult to keep in place; however the bigger obstacle is the fact that you can only read the values of it when you stop. This does not allow you to adjust your effort as you swim.

So considering this, it makes sense to work with your own feeling of what level of effort you are putting into the swim. Using this method will help you learn to get in touch with your body’s signals and not rely on other methods of feedback whist swimming.

The categories of your RPE could look like;
Easy (E): Anything under 65% RPE, used for warming up and recovering.
Easy aerobic (EA): 65-75% RPE
Fast Aerobic (FA): 75-85% RPE
Threshold (THR): 85-90% RPE
Anaerobic (AA): 90-100 RPE
Creatine Phosphagen, superspeed (CP): 100% + RPE

In theory there is no such thing as 100% plus RPE. The last level listed above is for very short durations, so sort that you’ll go beyond anaerobic level and activate the creatine phosphagen system and you’ll stimulate this by going flat out for very short duration of less than 10 seconds. This pace would be much faster than you could maintain for two lengths hence it could be termed as ‘100% plus’.

Most coaches will suggest that the bulk of your training should be in the aerobic zone (EA and FA) in order to achieve the most effective results.

Happy training!!

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Don’t forget that this weekend is the ‘big one’, the race that defined our sport as it came of age, and continues to be the defining race in our sport for any avid triathlete. It is of course, tomorrows Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

You can keep up to date with the results and further information here.

Good luck to all those mortals taking part!!

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MEET the experts behind the brands
TRY out 2010 commuter and mountain bikes on the test tracks
PARTICIPATE in the new indoor time trial
EXPERIENCE the TfL Cycling Revolution
BUY clothing, helmets, shoes, sunglasses and new for this year cycle lighting, in the Cycle Store
WATCH spectacular aerial displays on the BMX street course and catch up with top cycling celebrities including Victoria Pendleton, Eddy Merckx, Jamie Staff, Nicole Cooke, the Atherton Family plus many more.

This cartoon sketch was on the show’s flyer I received and my favourite by far.

BOOK IN ADVANCE AND SAVE £’s
There are two easy ways to buy your tickets…
1. Book online at www.cycleshow.co.uk
2. Call the ticket hotline on 0844 848 0132
Why wait for your tickets to be posted out to you? Simply book online at
www.cycleshow.co.uk and print out your uniquely bar coded tickets at home.
Prices shown include VAT and show guide that can be collected on the day. If you’d like to order more than 45 of any type of ticket, please call the hotline.
* A £1 booking fee will apply per transaction in advance.

Group Bookings (over 10): ** Group ticket discounts are calculated on adult tickets only. Discounts do not apply to child tickets or any other discounted ticket type. Group ticket discounts are only available when booked in advance.

OPENING HOURS
Friday 9th October 10.00am - 6.00pm
Saturday 10th October 10.00am - 6.00pm
Sunday 11th October 10.00am - 5.00pm
Adult Ticket £11.50 £14.50 Adult advance ticket
OAP (Over 65’s) £9.50 £12.50 OAP’’s over 65′’s
Child Ticket £5.75 £7.25 Children under the age of 14
Under 5’s FREE FREE Children under the age of 5
Student Ticket £9.50 £12.50 Students with NUS ID number
Family Ticket £32.00 £37.00 Two adults and two children
Group 10+ £10.35 N/A 10% discount**
Group 20+ £10.35 N/A 10% discount** & 1 free organiser ticket
Group 45+ £9.50 N/A 15% discount** & 2 free organiser tickets

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Triathlon Plus magazine tested one of these Special Edition Ribble Aero TT bikes back in their July edition. Compared against a Trek, a Giant and a Scott the Ribble received the best of test Gold Award.

“The Ribble offers wheels and componentry that smashes others tested”
The Verdict: “The surprise, though, is the Ribble. You just can’t ignore its incredible value. The frame stands up to comparison with the others here and it boasts wheels and componentry that drops the others off the pace.
But make sure you can live with the aggressive ride position. If you can, you’ll get yourself a sparkling, super-quick bike that keeps on giving.

You may still be scratching your head, looking for the catch. But there isn’t one.”

12K Carbon monocoque frame and forks with high quality components from Ultegra, Dura Ace and Dedacciai. The Ultimate in design, aerodynamics, stiffness and performance.

- Carbon 12K monocoque frame and forks
- Shimano Ultegra 10 speed Double groupset
- Cane Creek carbon time trial/triathlon brake levers
- Dura Ace 7900 bar end shifting levers
- Mavic Cosmic Carbone SLR Wheelset
- Ribble headset 1 1/8″ Hidden (ITS) 45×45
- Aero TT carbon seatpillar
- Selle Italia SLR T1 saddle in white
- Deda Crononero handlebars and Deda Parabolica Uno extensions
- Deda Quattro Stem
- Continental GP4000 Tyres

All this for a unbelivable £2,199.99. Which in comparison to the Trek TTX at £4000+, is not that bad a deal!

Another great contender for my bike of the year 2009!