Trigirl Training Favourite HITT: High-Intensity Triathlon Training
Last year, Trigirl introduced a series of high-intensity workouts we called HITT (High Intensity Triathlon Training). Based on HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), these sessions incorporate high to very high levels of effort, mixed with short rest or easy recovery intervals.
We still love these sessions as a way to get your training done in less time- and with more results!
As written in an article in Shape magazine, ‘When it comes to HIIT, less might actually be more. Squat jumps for joy.’
If time is of the essence (as it is for most people) and injury is a concern (as it is for most triathletes), could HITT (High Intensity Triathlon Training!) be for you?
YES. Studies (and anecdotal evidence) are proving that shorter workouts, performed at greater intensity, could equal faster race times and less injury. Save time and achieve your goals with HITT!
Trigirl’s High-Intensity Triathlon Training. Today is High-Intensity Swim Day!
This HITT – high-intensity swim session will help build strength and increase your aerobic and anaerobic thresholds in very little time. If it feels tough – good! The results are worth it and you can do it!!
Getting Started
If you’re new to Trigirl’s weekly HITT training, see our introduction for more information on HITT. Here we explain how it works and how to approach the sessions. Though high-intensity training has been proven safe, if you are starting a new exercise plan (whether traditional triathlon training or HITT), it’s always a good idea to speak with your doctor.
Your HITT Session for the Week:
This high-intensity swim session has longer intervals than our last HITT swim session, but try to keep up the intensity. For the sprint intervals, the goal is efforts around 90% of MHR (maximum heart rate). It should feel HARD. If you’re training without a heart rate monitor, think ‘all out’.
You may need to gradually build speed and endurance over a few weeks, but don’t give up!
Warm-up (10mins): 5 minutes, easy swim 3 minutes front crawl, increasing speed gradually throughout 2 minutes, changing between front crawl and kicking every length
Interval Set: Sprint 50 metres (2 lengths), swim slowly (active recovery) one length, repeat four times Sprint 1 length kicking hard (no arms), active recovery one length, repeat four times Sprint 25 metres, active recovery 25 metres, sprint 25 metres, active recovery 25 metres. Rest at the wall for 20 seconds, repeat four times.
Cool Down (5 minutes): 2 lengths easy kicking Swim easy for the remaining time, mixing breaststroke, backstroke and front crawl
Trigirl’s HITT Training – High Intensity Run Session
This HITT run session will help build strength and increase your aerobic and anaerobic thresholds in very little time. If it feels tough – good! The results are worth it and you can do it!!
Getting Started
If you’re new to Trigirl’s weekly HITT training, see our previous post for more information on HITT, how it works and how to approach the sessions. Though high-intensity training has been proven safe, if you are starting a new exercise plan (whether traditional triathlon training or HITT), it’s always a good idea to speak with your doctor.
Your HITT Session for the Week
For this high intensity run session, you will need a hill that will take you just less than 60 seconds to run up to complete this session. It should be a real hill, but not so steep that you can’t run it with good form.
Warm-up for 10 minutes: – 8 minutes of gentle jogging – 2 minutes or more of dynamic stretching to loosen joints and prepare them for the session
HITT the Hills! (See what we did there?)
Run up the hill at a 9 out of 10 effort for 60 seconds. Ideally, you will just crest the hill and have about 10 seconds on the flat at the top to practice running hard out of an uphill. Jog or walk to recover down the hill, then immediately run back up. Start with 3-4 hill repeats, ultimately building to 8-10.
Cool down with an easy run on the flat and with static stretches to ward off muscle soreness.
Welcome to week one of HITT, Trigirl’s High-Intensity Triathlon Training!
Getting Started
If you’re just starting out, there’s nothing wrong with incorporating high-intensity. However, since running involves impact, it’s suggested that you build up to the sessions to get your body prepared.
Spend a few weeks getting your body used to running (and swimming and cycling) with some easier efforts. Then, progress by adding minimal intervals, building up the number of intervals each week.
Start with one high-intensity session weekly, with the aim of ultimately doing at least one per week per discipline.
Though high-intensity training has been proven safe, if you are starting a new exercise plan (whether traditional triathlon training or HITT), it’s always a good idea to speak with your doctor.
How does HITT differ from other triathlon training plans?
Traditionally, triathlon training plans are written based on the concept of periodisation. This breaks a season into base, build, peak and race phases.
Could High Intensity Triathlon Training be for you?
If you take classes at the gym or have paid attention to the fitness world over the past several years, you’ve probably heard of HIIT. But what is HIIT and how does it apply to you as a triathlete-in-training?
HIIT, short for high-intensity interval (or intermittent) training, is a training programme that incorporates high to very high levels of effort, mixed with short rest or easy recovery intervals. Though it’s been around since the 1970s, HIIT has recently gained greater popularity in the fitness community because it often equates to better fitness and higher levels of weight loss, in less time. As written in an article in Shape magazine, ‘When it comes to HIIT, less might actually be more. Squat jumps for joy.’
Of course, as with all training styles, HIIT is not for everyone. To get real results from a HIIT workout, you have to work hard (80-90% of maximum heart rate, which can feel like 100% effort). Working that hard, especially if training on your own, requires a lot of stamina- psychological stamina that is.
But if time is of the essence (as it is for most people) and injury is a concern (as it is for most triathletes), could HITT (High Intensity Triathlon Training!) be for you? And does it work in a sport commonly know to emphasise quantity sessions, sometimes at the sake of quality?
The answer is yes. Studies (and anecdotal evidence) are proving that shorter workouts, performed at greater intensity, could equal faster race times and less injury. This is useful throughout the season, not just during the speed phase of triathlon periodisation. And you can have a life outside of triathlon- a win-win! Save time and achieve your goals with HITT!
Obviously, the time-saving benefits are greater for an iron-distance triathlete (some training less than 10 hours* a week, as opposed to the legendary 20+ at peak) than for a sprint-distance triathlete. However, even when training for a sprint triathlon, doing speed work makes sense and the speed gains from HITT could lead to fast race times with less training!
So how do you incorporate high intensity triathlon training into your training regime?
We’ve got seven suggestions for workouts that you can incorporate into your overall training plan, as well as HIIT tips to keep you training happy and injury-free:
HIIT Session One, Run: HIIT Started– an intro to HIIT plus a track session to fire up your speed
These sessions will help you get to the finish line in less time – both in your training, and on the race course!
Happy Training!
* An article in Triathlete magazine, posted by British Triathlon, talks about the virtues of low-volume, high-intensity training for triathletes. Triathlete Eric Wheeler, who achieved a sub-10 hour Ironman after training less than 10 hours a week said: “I didn’t think I could ever go long due to time constraints and family obligations. That approach was a game changer for me.”
