Tom Holland's 15 Week Training Plan for Juju

June 2, 2010— -- Below is Tom Holland's 15-week sprint triathlon training plan for Juju and other triathlon trainers.

Base: 4 Weeks (Weeks beginning 5/31-6/21)
Build: 4 Weeks (Weeks beginning 6/28-7/19)
Peak: 4 Weeks (Weeks beginning7/26-8/16)
Taper: 3 Weeks (Weeks beginning 8/23-9/6)

5/31 - Week 15
Base Week 1

Monday: Rest

This day is just as important as actual training days. You get stronger on your days off, when your body rebuilds itself, not during the training itself. Enjoy this day off -- you will appreciate it more and more as the race gets closer!

Tuesday: Strength and Run

Run: 10 minute easy.

It may seem short, but we want to ensure we remain injury-free. The runs will increase in length as we progress. Do short walk breaks whenever necessary. The goal is to keep moving for 10 minutes straight. Stay aerobic -- you should be able to carry on a conversation throughout the run. You can do this outside or on a treadmill.

Strength: Base strength plan (see below)

Base Strength Plan:

This is where we begin to build our base, both our strength base and our cardiovascular base. We stick to the basics here. For strength, I want a 20-40 minute full body routine. Do 1-2 sets of 12 repetitions unless otherwise specified. Maintain good form throughout and choose weights that are challenging for the last few reps.

Wednesday: Rest

You may be sore after yesterday. Allow the body to recover. You can stretch for a few minutes throughout the day if you want. Enjoy the day off. [This can also be a day to make up tuesday's workout if you miss it.]

Thursday: Weights and Swim

Weights:

The same weights program as on tuesday. Don't skip or skimp on the weight workouts. They are essential to keeping you injury-free.

Swim:

5-10 minutes.

Your first swim! The goal is to get in the pool and begin to get acclimated to the whole swim workout. You don't have to swim for 10 minutes straight. Swim, rest for 30-60 seconds, then swim again. Use swim aids if available: the kickboard, pull buoy, fins, etc. Start getting used to your goggles, swimsuit, and swimming!

Friday: Your Choice: swim 5-10 minutes, bike 20 minutes or run 10 minutes.

Friday is your chance to either choose a workout you feel like doing that day, or select one that is your weakest discipline and work on it. Swim is 5-10 minutes and run workouts are 10 minutes in length. Both are simple endurance sessions. Nothing fancy. If you choose to bike, it too should be a simple aerobic ride. You can do it indoors or out. Remember that we are just starting to build our base. Go easy and just workout for the prescribed time at a comfortable intensity.

Saturday: Bike:

30 minute bike session. Bike comfortably for 30 minutes straight. This can be done outside or inside on a stationary bike. Wear comfortable clothes. Aerobic zone. No heavy breathing yet.

Sunday: Run:

10 minute easy run. Do walk breaks whenever necessary. Outside or on a treadmill. Stay aerobic.

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Base Week 2

Same as base week #1.

As we are building our base, there will be no change from weeks #1-weeks #3. Repeat the week exactly. Resist the temptation to do more. The vast majority of injuries come from doing too much, too soon.

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Strength and Run

Strength: base strength plan

Run: 10 minutes easy

Wednesday: Rest or Make Up Tuesday's Workout

Thursday: Weights and Swim

Strength: base strength planSwim: 5-10 minutes easy

Friday: Your Choice: swim 5-10 minutes, bike 20 minutes or run 10 minutes.

Saturday: Bike:

30 minute bike

Sunday: Run:

10 minutes easy

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Base Week 3

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Strength and Run:

Strength: base strength plan

Run: 10 minutes easy

Wednesday: Rest or Make Up Tuesday's Workout

Thursday: Weights and Swim:

Strength: base strength plan

Swim: 5-10 minutes easy

Friday: Your Choice: swim 5-10 minutes, bike 20 minutes or run 10 minutes.

Saturday: Bike:

30 minute bike

Sunday: Run:

10 minutes easy

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Base Week 4

Recovery Week

This is our first "recovery week." This means we will actually do slightly less this week, allowing our body to "absorb" the first three weeks of training. For us this means no workout on Friday and a shorter bike on Saturday. We get stronger when we rest, not actually during our workouts. This "down" week not only allows our bodies to rebuild and recover from the prior week's training, it also prepares us for the increased training to come. This cycling of training volume and intensity is known as "periodization." Those who don't take recovery weeks get injured, burned out, and have decreased performances on race day.

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Strength and Run:

Strength: base strength plan

Run: 10 minutes easy

Wednesday: Rest or Make Up Tuesday's Workout

Thursday: Weights and Swim

Strength: base strength plan

Swim: 5-10 minutes easy

Friday: Rest

No workouts!

Saturday: Bike:

20 minute bike

Sunday: Run:

10 minutes easy

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Dumbbell rows

Dumbbell overhead shoulder presses

Bodybar bicep curls

Tricep bench dips

Walking lunges

Squats

Wall sit – 60 seconds

Seal back extensions

Oblique crunches: 2 sets of 20 reps

Wednesday: Rest or Make Up Tuesday's Workout

Thursday: Strength and Swim

Strength: build strength plan

Swim: 10 minutes easy

Friday: You Choose: Swim 10 minutes or Bike 25 minutes.

Saturday: "Brick":

Bike 30 minutes then run 10 minutes.

Our first brick! "brick stands for "bike to run." This means you will ride the bike and then run immediately afterwards. This will get your body prepared for the transition from biking to running on race day. Enjoy the weird feeling!

Sunday: Run:

15 minute easy run

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

15 minute easy run

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Build Week 3

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Strength and Run

Strength: build strength plan

Run: 15 minutes easy.

Wednesday: Rest or Make Up Tuesday's Workout

Thursday: Strength and Swim

Strength: build strength plan

Swim: 10 minutes easy

Friday: You Choose: Swim 10 minutes or Bike 25 minutes.

Saturday: "Brick":

Bike 30 minutes then run 10 minutes.

Sunday: Run:

15 minute easy run

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Build Week 4

Recovery Week

Our second "recovery week." Again, slightly less this training this week, allowing our bodies to recover and get ready for the final peak weeks of training!

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Strength and Run

Strength: build strength plan

Run: 15 minutes easy

Wednesday: Rest or Make Up Tuesday's Workout

Thursday: Strength and Swim

Strength: build strength plan

Swim: 10 minutes easy

Friday: Rest

Saturday: bike:

Bike 30 minutes easy

Sunday: run:

10 minute easy run

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Peak Week 2

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Strength and Run:

Strength: peak strength plan

Run: 20 minutes easy

Wednesday: Rest or Make Up Tuesday's Workout

Thursday: Strength and Swim

Strength: peak strength plan

Swim: 10-15 minutes easy

Friday: do either one or both: swim 10-15 minutes or bike 30 minutes.

Saturday: "Brick":

Bike 35 minutes then run 10 minutes.

Sunday: Run:

25 minute easy run

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Peak Week 3

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Strength and Run

Strength: peak strength plan

Run: 25 minutes easy

Wednesday: Rest or Make Up Tuesday's Workout

Thursday: Strength and Swim

Strength: peak strength plan

Swim: 10-15 minutes easy

Friday: do either one or both: swim 10-15 minutes or bike 30 minutes.

Saturday: "Brick":

Bike 40 minutes then run 10 minutes.

Sunday: Run:

30 minute easy run

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Peak Week 4

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Strength and Run

Strength: peak strength plan

Run: 25 minutes easy

Wednesday: Rest or Make Up Tuesday's Workout

Thursday: Strength and Swim

Strength: peak strength plan

Swim: 10-15 minutes easy

Friday: do either one or both: swim 10-15 minutes or bike 30 minutes.

Saturday: "Brick":

Bike 45 minutes then run 10 minutes.

Sunday: Run:

30 minute easy run

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Taper Week 3

You have made it! The hard work is over. Congrats! Now we will do a little less each week. Yes, once again, this is now to "absorb" all of the training we have done up to this point. It is also so you will go into the race nice and rested. Fight the urge to do more. You cannot "cram" in training!

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Strength and Run:

Strength: taper strength plan (see below)

Run: 20 minutes easy

Taper strength workout:

1-2 sets of 12 repetitions unless otherwise noted

Wednesday: Rest or Make Up Tuesday's Workout

Thursday: Strength and Swim

Strength: taper strength plan

Swim: 10 minutes easy

Friday: you choose: swim 10 minutes or bike 30 minutes.

Saturday: "Brick":

Bike 30 minutes then run 10 minutes.

Sunday: Run:

25 minute easy run

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Taper Week 2

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Strength and Run

Strength: taper strength plan

Run: 15 minutes easy.

Wednesday: Rest or Make Up Tuesday's Workout

Thursday: Strength and Swim

Strength: taper strength plan

Swim: 10 minutes easy

Friday: you choose: swim 10 minutes or bike 30 minutes.

Saturday: "Brick":

Bike 25 minutes then run 10 minutes.

Sunday: Run:

20 minute easy run

Stretching Plan: CLICK HERE for the stretching plan.

Taper Week 1

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Run

No weights! Just run 15 minutes easy.

Wednesday: Swim:

10 minutes easy

Thursday: Rest!!

Friday: short "Brick":

Bike 10 minutes then run 5 minutes.

Saturday: Race!

Sunday: Celebrate!

"The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Undertaking a training program may involve risk of injury or physical harm, and it is your responsibility to determine which training activities are appropriate for you. Please check with your doctor."