General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Power Meter book: Joe Friel or Hunter Allen? Rss Feed  
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2015-01-05 7:26 PM

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Subject: Power Meter book: Joe Friel or Hunter Allen?

I want to learn about power (buying a power meter soon). Amazon reviewers have equal good things to say about "Training and Racing with a Power Meter" by Allen as well as "The Power Meter Handbook" by Friel.

Anyone have either/both and make an informed recommendation? Maybe each book says the same thing in a slightly different way.

Thanks all!



2015-01-05 8:06 PM
in reply to: m3bella

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Power Meter book: Joe Friel or Hunter Allen?
Assuming that you want to use it to train for triathlon, I would suggest Dr. Phil Skiba's books (http://www.physfarm.com) first and after those, Allen and Coggan's book as a follow up.

Shane
2015-01-05 8:13 PM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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The Woodlands, Texas
Subject: RE: Power Meter book: Joe Friel or Hunter Allen?

Originally posted by gsmacleod Assuming that you want to use it to train for triathlon, I would suggest Dr. Phil Skiba's books (http://www.physfarm.com) first and after those, Allen and Coggan's book as a follow up. Shane

Oh yes, I remember stumbling across physfarm.com while reading about PM's. Thanks for the reminder!

 

2015-01-05 11:12 PM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Power Meter book: Joe Friel or Hunter Allen?
Originally posted by gsmacleod

Assuming that you want to use it to train for triathlon, I would suggest Dr. Phil Skiba's books (http://www.physfarm.com) first and after those, Allen and Coggan's book as a follow up.

Shane


Agree, though personally I would switch the order. Coggan explains more of the theory and practice for all cyclists, Skiba expands on a specific usage for triathletes. Better (IMO) to have a broad understanding before you specialize. You won't go wrong with either/both books though.
2015-01-06 5:26 AM
in reply to: m3bella

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Subject: RE: Power Meter book: Joe Friel or Hunter Allen?

Originally posted by m3bella

Originally posted by gsmacleod Assuming that you want to use it to train for triathlon, I would suggest Dr. Phil Skiba's books (http://www.physfarm.com) first and after those, Allen and Coggan's book as a follow up. Shane

Oh yes, I remember stumbling across physfarm.com while reading about PM's. Thanks for the reminder!

 

My job is to follow Shane around and x2 to whatever he says

Seriously, though, I would also strongly recommend Skiba first, Allen/Coggan second, and Friel not at all. Some of Friel's articles and blog posts are very well researched and written but his books are too formulaic and too general, among a bunch of other reasons I wouldn't recommend them.

2015-01-06 5:33 AM
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Edited by Miguel Runner 2015-01-06 5:38 AM


2015-01-06 5:36 AM
in reply to: m3bella

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Subject: RE: Power Meter book: Joe Friel or Hunter Allen?
"Training and Racing with Power" is a really good book that you can learn a lot from.
2015-01-06 6:39 AM
in reply to: m3bella

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Subject: RE: Power Meter book: Joe Friel or Hunter Allen?
Originally posted by m3bella

Originally posted by gsmacleod Assuming that you want to use it to train for triathlon, I would suggest Dr. Phil Skiba's books (http://www.physfarm.com) first and after those, Allen and Coggan's book as a follow up. Shane

Oh yes, I remember stumbling across physfarm.com while reading about PM's. Thanks for the reminder!

 




Skiba has 2 books and I suggest you read both. They are really easy to read and really complete each other.

Last year Shane and I ran a mentor group on training with power
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

73 pages is kind of long

I am probably going to write a document that does an overview of the thread with links to specific parts of it. I may even put the workouts in a BT training plan. After you've read the Skiba books (or other), let me know if you're interested in reading it and providing feedback.
2015-01-06 6:59 AM
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Subject: RE: Power Meter book: Joe Friel or Hunter Allen?

Originally posted by gsmacleod Assuming that you want to use it to train for triathlon, I would suggest Dr. Phil Skiba's books (http://www.physfarm.com) first and after those, Allen and Coggan's book as a follow up. Shane

 

I rarely disagree with Shane, but I honestly bought Skiba's power book on strong recommendations, and didn't find it particularly useful. It was good on the 'theory' of the principles of power training, but a lot shorter in terms of the practical day to day nuts and bolts of building your actual program. There are pretty much zero 'season sample plans" for various level of athletes in Skibas books to use as starter templates, for example, and barely even any 'week sample plans'.

 

I actually got a lot more knowledge about power by just using Trainerroad's various workouts and then reading the TrainingPeaks website (free) for the definitions of useful terms like TSS, NP, etc. That directly demonstrated to me not just what the definition of the numbers were, but how much suffering and beatdown occurs with myself with say, 80% FTP, 90% FTP, 120%FTP, or 300TSS, 400TSS, etc. Turned out that even with all that theory I read about in Skiba, it all went out the window when I found I was drastically overshooting reality (like how hard a 2 x 20 @ 100%FTP was.) I actually ended up throwing out my Skiba book - it's been one of the only Triathlon or endurance sports books I've tossed.

 

I haven't read Allen's book so can't comment, and I did read the Training Bible, and it too was pretty general, although I actually found it slightly more practical than Skiba's more theoretical book, but by far the best was just suffering through a bunch of workouts on Trainerroad, and using the free info on Trainingpeaks to get term definitions. 

 

I also work in the sciences, so I'm not at all afraid or intimidates by charts, numbers, and theoretical paradigms. It wasn't because the book was over my head - I understood all of it very easily. But it just didn't add any value for me in terms of practical program building above the basic info I could get for free online.



Edited by yazmaster 2015-01-06 7:17 AM
2015-01-06 7:39 PM
in reply to: m3bella

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Subject: RE: Power Meter book: Joe Friel or Hunter Allen?
Originally posted by m3bella

I want to learn about power (buying a power meter soon). Amazon reviewers have equal good things to say about "Training and Racing with a Power Meter" by Allen as well as "The Power Meter Handbook" by Friel.

Anyone have either/both and make an informed recommendation? Maybe each book says the same thing in a slightly different way.

Thanks all!




If you want to learn essentials get Friel's book. If you want to go into the rabbit hole, get Hunter Allen's book. If you are a bit knowledgible about physilogy and learn easily form books, jsut get Hunter's bok. Friel readily admits he wrote his boo kas an introduction to power. He's a good teacher.

Some basic knowledge of physiology is helpful...while some have expressed a dissapointment at Skiba's power book, I HIGHLY recommend his other book at a minimum for a great, easy to read overview of training principles.

2015-01-07 10:10 AM
in reply to: marcag

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Subject: RE: Power Meter book: Joe Friel or Hunter Allen?

Originally posted by marcag
Originally posted by m3bella

Originally posted by gsmacleod Assuming that you want to use it to train for triathlon, I would suggest Dr. Phil Skiba's books (http://www.physfarm.com) first and after those, Allen and Coggan's book as a follow up. Shane

Oh yes, I remember stumbling across physfarm.com while reading about PM's. Thanks for the reminder!

 

Skiba has 2 books and I suggest you read both. They are really easy to read and really complete each other. Last year Shane and I ran a mentor group on training with power http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp... 73 pages is kind of long I am probably going to write a document that does an overview of the thread with links to specific parts of it. I may even put the workouts in a BT training plan. After you've read the Skiba books (or other), let me know if you're interested in reading it and providing feedback.

I was part of this mentor group and have to give it 2 thumbs up and really appreciate these guys taking the time.  I was new to power and learned a lot of great information.  In the end I've read all the books mentioned in this thread and have learned tidbits from each.

Now we just need the Advanced Power Mentor Group....

 



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