2x Balanced Plan Questions

First, welcome to BT!!

Now, the reality check ....... 2x a week is barely enough to maintain your fitness level in each discipline.  I certainly would not recommend increasing intesity, volume or duration with that approach.  Will you see some gains?  Of course, any repeated effort will make you better over time.  But not at the level you can really increase all that much in training times, especially for someone starting out.

I'm not trying to discourage you, but just being honest about any expected gains you might think would happen.

Welcome!

I was going to say something similar to Rick.  But I'll add some other thoughts.

It sort of depends where you are coming from.  If you are coming off an injury, or a long time of inactivity, the 2x plan will help you more than if you are already active.  I would say it's the minimum you would need to do to complete a triathlon safely, and without injury.

I think to make more appreciable gains, the 3x plan is probably better, (so increasing volume) NOT by increasing intensity of a 2x plan (if that makes sense).

More volume at a lower intensity, especially at the beginning, is far more important than less volume at a higher intensity.  In my experience, injuries occure during times I increase intensity rather than an increase in volume.  I have seen better speed gains as well using this approach.  MORE VOLUME+LESS INTENSE = FASTER for me.

just my two cents.

I would only use a plan like this (2x per sport per week) up to the Oly level...anything over that and it's not enough frequency to make actual gains.

Though if you are starting at a beginner level or off of an injury hiatus, it will get you back in the mix without too many sessions which would otherwise be too much.  Like others have said, it 'is' the bare minimum to make gains as a complete newbie or to maintain your fitness as a more experienced athlete. 

The 2x plan is not the plan to try for speed or intensity, it wasn't designed for that...a 3x balanced type of plan would be better.

I would use this plan to get back in to it since you have a history of overtraining injuries, see how it goes, then you can move up to a 'focused' (2,2,3) plan then to a '3x balanced' plan (3,3,3) so that you are adding training volume in manageable increments.

Once you have established your fitness at least 6 months to a year, then you can look into safely incorporating speed and intensity.

Good luck!

I have a question for some more serious triathletes.  I currently train on a 2x per week (each sport) plan.  I am only just now doing my first Sprint this weekend, so I think it's ok for me, for now.  It seems to work out nicely, because 2x3 = 6...so I can work out 6 days, and rest 1.

My question  is...for those of you doing a 3x plan, obviously 3x3 is 9, so that means you have to get 9 workouts into 7 days.  I would presume you would still want a rest day too, or maybe not.  So, how do you fit in all of those workouts in a day?  Do you do back to back workouts?  Do you do one morning, one evening?  Is it best to split your workouts into morning/evening if possible, or is there anything wrong with doing one workout, resting for a little bit, then doing the other?

Thanks.

I used this approach for most of my training in swimming and running for my Ironman. Until about 2 months out of the actual distance. Seriously.

Will go back to it in November, as I never did nothing after the Ironman.

It works for some....but you have to try it to decide if it works.

Also, so you know, I did ramp up the levels of the times and stuff. My work kind of dictates my work out schedule so it was get at least 2 times a week in. I did not use the actual plan, but am planning on doing the same approach for next season with adding 3x running only.

Morning/Night and Back to back for me... it was tough getting used to. Back to back was hard because of the time required, but it did allow me to sleep longer at night. The Morning/Night split gave me more time with the family at night, but required me to cut my sleep time back to around 5:30-6hrs/night.

In my opinion, this an great example of why blanket statements are usually not true.   In this case the statement was something like "2x a week is not enough to make gains" 

You started at a very low level and made great gains.  (congrats btw!) However, those gains will become smaller and smaller as you become more trained and eventually, 2x a week will simply not be enough to continue to make an appreciable gains.  At what point that will be is mostly individual. 

What I have seen a lot is:

• Mon s/r
• Tues b
• Weds s/r
• Thurs b
• fri - off
• Sat s/long run
• Sun long bike

That looks like 9 in 6 days.

Check my logs, or any others that are doing multiple workouts per day.  I currently do about 11-12 workouts a week.  That's two per day for six days, and typically Friday is a rest day.

I don't like to double them up unless I absolutely have to.  So I fit one in during lunch if it's an hour or less, and then one in after work.  Once in a while, I have to get up really early to get one in before work if the workout is too long for lunch.

It's not easy.  You really have to dedicate time and effort to do it.  But I have a lofty goal to shoot for this fall.  I'm actually looking forward to this winter, when I can go back to one workout per day!

both. Morning/afternoon on weekdays, bricks on weekends.  I'm 6 to 7x a week.

At 6x a week, thats 3 BIDs, at 7 days a week, its only 2

Also why I caveated the statement with "where you are starting from".  If you are new to triathlon, or new to a regular level of activity.  The 2x plan will give you gains for sure. 

Getting exhausted after after 25 yards of swimming or having to walk after 3 minutes of jogging would indicate a level of inexperience por conditioning, that a 2x plan could do wonders.  There is nothing wrong with that, we all started from scratch at one time or another.

I get 10 or 11 workouts in a week you can see my planned calender here: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/index-monthly.asp?type=week&year=2008&month=10&memberid=6143

Basically I do

Monday AM run lunch time swim

Tuesday mid day bike and strength I take a long lunch and stay late

Wednesday AM run PM swim

Thursday off

Friday swim

Saturday early AM run late AM strength

Sunday AM Bike 

Thanks for asking this question...I too am new to tris and was looking at picking a plan and getting started.

 For me, my question is this:  I have been running for a year now and can complete a half marathon in sub 2:00:00. I have a bit of runners knee but other than that love to run.  If I pick the balanced 2 plan, I will cut my run training back to what my light training days are now even on the plans "long run days".

 If this is the plan for me, do I just increase the running days milage to match what I am doing now or what?  

 My goal is to do a few local sprints and the graduate to a couple of longer dist as well this next year.  I would like to do a half IM the following year and then an IM the year after that.  

 What are your guys thoughts?

Boski51, keep in mind that this is a "get you across the finish line" plan and it's geared towards folks starting from scratch. Being able to run a sub-2 hour half marathon puts you in a different category so amending the plan to fit you is recommended.

I wouldn't decrease your running days volume/distance to what's in this plan, and I'd strongly consider maintaining your running frequency at a minimum of 3 times per week. Could you maybe get a run in on the short swim day?  

Thanks for the insight.  I really would hate to give up the miles I have fought so hard to earn. Would you suggest decreasing the milage a bit to incorporate the other sports and the stress that will put on the bod?

At first, yes, you could decrease your volume a bit.

Then as you acclimate towards not just the physical stress, but also the mental stress of training in 3 different sports, managing the gear, etc. try to build it back up. Remember not to make any sudden big jumps in volume, although it sounds like you're already pretty conscientious in that regard.