How I Qualified for Kona Training 10 hrs/week

[@woodenXXII]

Hello Andy! Loved the video. Really informative. Some questions for you if you don't me picking your brain. 1. Being that your plan structure is quite low volume, should I still apply the 80/20 rules or could I benefit from something more resembling 70/30? (Warm up/ cool down included). 2) Lets say you have 2-3 more hours to give, would you add them to your long run/bike session or would you add 2/3 sessions of Z2 volume ? If the later, you' would add those sessions on which discipline? 3. What would you change if your ironman had a 2500m+ of bike elevation AND a 1500m+ on the run ? Would you still be doing those TT sessions on the bike or would you focus mainly on low cadence high power session only? Thank you for the help. I don't have instagram, hence why i am asking here. Again, good work with this video. thanks!

[@andybrodziak]

HI! thanks for the great questions... I'll be happy to share my thoughts here. Appreciate you taking the time to watch and feedback! 1. Yes, lower volume - depends first on your background and history. 80/20 rule works well for most athletes, however when you get closer to the event you must definitely shift to more pyramidal approach which is closer to 30/60/10. 2. Extra hours will make you fitter, and better yes! CLoser to the event I would add that to the bike yes. Z2 for sure. 3. Hilly Ironman - OK so being super specific is key in the last 8 weeks I find, so of course adding decent 1500-2000m+ rides in every week, but really nailing the indoor over gear work & for the running - 2x hilly runs but also add eccentric strength training in the gym for the damage the hills will give you forcing you to fatigue quicker over the duration of the event. 4. A good use of time and VERY effective is indoor HILL reps, but can be upright as you'll be climbing upright in the race; having said that you'll need to extend to 12-15min climbs at low cadence to get better conditioning - the power will be Z3/4 so not super high, keeping HR under threshold is key here. My pleasure, hope this helps and gives a bit more context.

[@woodenXXII]

@@andybrodziak Thank you for the complete answer. I really appreciate it :) ! Can't wait for more videos on the topic!

[@99cya]

Such a quality video. Thanks. I am a beginner to triathlon. Is it fair to say that the lower my aerobic base is the more I need to invest in low intensity volume? Your approach worked so well because your base is already very strong, right?

[@andybrodziak]

@@99cya Hey thanks for the message. Appreciate the comments, Great to hear from beginners and there is so much info out there online and it must get confusing! There is no real right and wrong, I would just go out and enjoy things first and learn as you go. Joining a club is often the best way forward and you'll naturally get better. The answer is YES - to your question. It also depends on your history as a kid, what you did sport wise and your physiology in general, for example a sprinter type body will really struggle with long slow days out riding, and visa versa. Youc an train that side of the engine, it just takes time!! Yes, I have years of endurance so this approach would work for you, however if you spend say 8 weeks doing low base work, then moved this 12 weeks out with some adjustments to reps and duration you would be good to go also. Andy

[@tomwalkerfitness]

Awesome to see it Andy! Health is wealth!

[@andybrodziak]

Hey thanks mate!!! Loving it yes… hope you’re well man.. cheers for message

[@stephenmcnamara1861]

Great vid Andy, hopefully catch up soon 👍

[@andybrodziak]

Hey man! nice to see you on here - cheers for the message! Catch up soon

[@jswchiro]

Coming off a knee meniscus repair and 2 little ones on the scene now, we finally have space for the turbo trainer again and its time to get training. Your guidelines look like a great place to start. Cheers from Sydney

[@andybrodziak]

Hey - thanks for the message! I just had that done myself 6 weeks ago and have started jogging this week, after doing strength etc. Biking is fine of course for you, it's the twisting as you know! Sydney - oh I spent 14 months there back in 2004/5 working and racing - did Busso 70.3 and a few others plus went back for IM Busso in 2014. Love it! training so easy in the sun.. plus good guys to keep you working.. awesome, just build consistency first, 8-12 weeks and keep monitoring, as you cant measure what you dont monitor. Have fun!

[@luisbarraza9709]

Awesome! There is hope for us folks with kids now. I’ve been doing sprints tri with ~5hrs per week and it’s enough to usually be in contention for the win or podium. Once I decide to do a 70.3, good to know I can do it without having to consume my life lol

[@andybrodziak]

Hi! brilliant! thanks man, one has to get crafty with the hours don't we!! Sprints - 5-6 hrs no worries as it's around 60-65min the event and probably nice for you just to go smash it and get the kids to watch, I still LOVE doing sprints and try mix it up with the 20 year olds! 70.3 - we need to get a little more otherwise you'll just not be conditioned and will hate it!.. no magic hours, I don't think, just know where you are starting at I suppose and work back from the race date and reverse engineer the training. Good luck!

[@emmanuelnocete135]

I wish I saw this earlier! Getting back into triathlon after a hiatus entering uni, will use these tips for the future, thanks Andy!

[@andybrodziak]

Hi, no problems - glad you enjoyed it! Triathlon such a great sport and I've been involved in it for 20+ years now, we are always learning and evolving, it's great. More video's to follow around these topics

[@waynekeet7464]

Great feedback Andy, especially with us whom are time restricted with kids and kids sport schedules.

[@andybrodziak]

Hey - thanks for the comment! Suddenly the time factor is integral isn't it! swimming just goes to pot, getting to the pool and all the faff - I found gym fell off and then sessions started getting compromised. You can do it, just change your mindset about the outcomes and what I learnt and found, which was hard to admit, was that PERFECT training won't happen plus ACTUALLY isn't that vital. There is NO PERFECT training apparently! as a coach this is crucial to understand, so going through it is also a bonus. Little and often is key! the body loves frequency...you'll be amazed at how well you do on so little, just DO NOT ignore INTENSITY ( like I did sometimes) cos you are tired and feel an easy session is better...

[@SergioSoares91]

Very nice, thanks Andy. I have 2 little kids and a tight schedule as well. So its super helpful to see how other time crunched people are training.

[@andybrodziak]

Hey thanks for the comments, 2 young kids is tough yeah. It’s all about making sessions count and making the MOST important thing the MOST IMPORTANT THING! Cutting through the fluff, double run days and high intensity wins the day.

[@KL-gl3qs]

Really good! Thanks.

[@goonied]

Very helpful info, thank you. Subscribed

[@andybrodziak]

Hey thanks, appreciate that! I'll be adding more valuable video's each week.

[@GregJC]

Thank you for this video! I’m only targeting a 70.3 but even still, finding time is really difficult with two very young kids.

[@andybrodziak]

Totally understand your situation, will make other video around the topic, but if you have specific questions feel free to DM me on insta or send me an email!

[@eddyalexiou9951]

Exceptional work showing 👍

[@andybrodziak]

Hey thanks! Appreciate it. More videos to follow along these topics , Tues & Fridays release in the evening in UK. Enjoy!!

[@paynetalent]

Great video! Glad I discovered you on my feed this morning! I am currently training at 10hrs per week, and your schedule is very similar to mine (which my coach put together for me). It all makes total sense, and good to hear you dive into the reasoning with each session. Subscribed, and looking forward to following your future content! :)

[@andybrodziak]

Hi! Great work man, thanks so much for the comments and taking the time. Keep an eye on the channel for more content like this coming in the days ahead. Good luck with the training ! Andy

[@PatrickDelorenzi]

Banger video

[@andybrodziak]

Hey thanks, appreciate that! I'll be adding more valuable video's each week.

[@Newtorin]

Very cool!🏃💪

[@andybrodziak]

Hey thanks for the message, I appreciate it! More video's to follow, every Tues & Friday I release one, at 1830 this evening the next one you may find interesting coming out..! Enjoy Feel free to reach out either here or on email if you have questions - [e-mail]

[@Sora62Echo]

super helpful, thanks!

[@andybrodziak]

Hey thanks, appreciate that! I'll be adding more valuable video's each week.

[@absmit5394]

Great video 👍 thanks

[@Twinaviation1]

Hi Andy. Great video.Your training plan has great potential. Could you give me little a bit info for TT strength session 2 in bike break down? What that session represents in detail?

[@andybrodziak]

Hi, thanks for the kind message, always good to chat and share what I know to people in similar boats. Those TT strength sessions are gold and have a HIGH carry over to TT and Tri. What you are looking for is high torque, low cadence or over gear work. Ranging from 50-65rpm ( vary this) starting at 4min durations/2min easy high spin recovery building to 6x 8mins so you get 48min of work in Low Z3 power range ( you won't hit high power, don't worry) . Or, you can go outside and find a hill that isn't crazy steep, somewhere where you can stay in the bars and push a duration out 4/6/8min of work and then roll back down. Hope this helps, appreciate you watching. Other times of the year I did more of a polarized approach before I started this block, just to reference.

[@Mourik131]

Loved the video. I’m really overweight 117 kilo’s and my length is 176 cm and need to lose allot of weight. The goal is 72 kilo’s. Lost about 7 kilo’s this first month. So that is a good start. I want to do a 70.3 Ironman in mid June next year. I will layoff the running in the beginning because of my high weight. My vo2max is 20 so that is really low. I do now 5 cardio sessions and 4 weight lifting sessions. Cardio I do 80% in zone 2 and 20% in zone 4 or 5. In 3 weeks time I will take some swimming lessons haven’t swim sinds I was a kid. The 90 km cycling would not be a problem the swim and a specially the run to be a big problem. I have 8 months to do the training for the iron man in South Korea goseong. I live in the Netherlands. Need allot of tips. I will use my normal road bike with TT handle bars. When I was 18 I was a good cyclist.

[@andybrodziak]

Hi, thanks for the message and sharing man! From the Netherlands!!! As you can hear I’m South African so had to learn the Dutch at young age!! All good. I admire your journey ahead. So many different ways you could go, but the main thing is enjoyment , health first. All the rest just comes as a consequence of turning up everyday. It’s simple in one aspect, but then when you’re chasing some performance it’s harder and harder to fine tune. You’ve taken the first step , and you have history so that’s cool. Be patient. Reach out if you think you need more guidance with your struggles. Andy

[@DavidPinsonneaultTri]

This was great. I am, however, curious about your background. I got the impression at the start of the video that you have years of higher volume (+ some solid long distance results) under your belt. I get the appeal of saying this is how I qualified on 10 hours/week because most of us are human with limited time to train but I feel like this kind of training might not actually apply to a lot of people watching. Low volume/high intensity will keep someone who previously worked up to a high level in the sport in really good shape. It will be tough for newer athletes to expect similar results on low volume. Plus, without a proper base, this kind of intensity could lead to injury/burnout. Yes, you did 10 hours/week for this block but it's not quite a 1:1 that the 10 hours/week is what led to the result. Your lifetime mileage allowed you to structure a block like this. That's how I see it at least. The headline is great but the reality is that you probably have had several builds well over 10 hours/week.

[@andybrodziak]

Hey thanks for the message! Let me give you some more background yes, I have been racing for a long time yes, you are correct. SOme patches of consistency, some where life has thrown off but I'm very fortunate to have built a coaching life around training and of course this has it's benefits! In essence this year (2022) where I got back to the island, my average was around 10 hours, some weeks like 12hrs and then others lower as you know how it goes and yes I did a few bigger weeks, when time allowed. In fact - I always have such intention to hit higher volume due to the huge benefits around this sort of approach of course - but in reality 12 hours was pretty much where things settled for most Ironmans, if I look back at TP and the years of builds etc. In relation to the injury aspect - it's a tricky one and also needs context. That block only applied as I said for the last build, going into that having done some structured preparation like Long VO2 work, plus CONSISTENCY - if your training zones are monitored correctly and you are not spending too much tiem above threshold, PLUS you do the bare minimum strength work ( core & injury prevention like I mentioned), I truly think athletes should not get injured as certainly the ones I coach and myself do not. That being said - you are absolutely correct on most of those points and thank you for starting a conversation, it's super complex and I definitely don't know everything and I love learning more all the time. Happy training!

[@zikaperic2133]

Wow great breakdown, no bs. Can you also say how do you up the load week after week, intensity or volume or both? Thanks

[@andybrodziak]

Hi! Thanks, appreciate the comments! Great question - first get used to the volume for a few weeks, with frequency of sessions. Intensity is added once the body is used to it and ready, so of course some general conditioning leading up to this point would be beneficial. Don't try do all those things at the same time, is my coach advice.

[@andybrodziak]

More video's to follow around these topics

[@zikaperic2133]

@@andybrodziak please do.. i will recommend this to my tri mates

[@MigiPeralta]

Im also a time crunched AG averaging 10h of trainer per week. I have the exact workout split you have. 🙂

[@andybrodziak]

Hey! Thanks for the message, it’s a great quality mix isn’t it. Of course not for all year round I don’t feel definitely not but for a specific build it works. Enjoy the training…

[@elansatchit3596]

great video! What is the volume for each of the swims? increases as closer to the event?

[@andybrodziak]

Hey thanks for the message, ideally try get one of the swims a little closer to 3.5km or 4km but again this takes some time in the water so depending on how close to race yes, I’d make sure there was something close to race distance. Thanks for taking the time, hope you enjoy more to follow!!

[@ZenEndurance]

Literally doing all of the quality intervals and required rest between intervals and nothing else.

[@andybrodziak]

Hey thanks for the comment, if you read some of the questions below it will also answer some other areas you might be questioning.. there’s some context around this and I had fitness going into this block of course. In essence it averaged around 10hrs, some bigger weeks of course naturally, but low weeks also cos of life!!

[@stevecopelin5264]

Thanks Andy, really well presented. One quick question, the 12-16 week block, do you factor in an easier weeks say once a month to let the body absorb the 3 weeks of prior work?

[@andybrodziak]

Hey! Thanks for the kind message - appreciate it. So, I find from experience coaching that naturally without factoring in a down week it happens anyway. Life! Family… work, or you miss 2 days due to delays and issues with things out of your control. Now- that comes with some key points… if you’re increasing every week and after 6 weeks or 8, you’re feeling wrecked and not motivated and can’t hit some numbers, there’s your sign and cue to drop back a few hours not loads- as remember it comes back to consistency!! Always a fine art I found but all in all, your body generally tells you. Using HRV is a very useful tool to check if your body is absorbing the training… hope you enjoy the rest of the videos to come!!.. reach out if you need help Andy

[@stevecopelin5264]

@@andybrodziak Thanks Andy for the reply, I can definitely tell when I need a day here and there to go easy or nothing.

[@andybrodziak]

@@stevecopelin5264 Perfect man! you nailed it - the body tells us... it's out panic that we are missing training that triathletes have to pay attention to.

[@willoneile5564]

Thanks for the video mate! just wanted to ask about the CSS calculation using the 400m and 200m time trial? how do these work and what do they tell you in training?

[@andybrodziak]

Hi! Thanks for getting in touch, always so much to cover and it’s always tricky how much you include so not to confuse loads. It’s a short and simple but effective way we make use of to measure swim fitness. It’s a calculation taking a 400m time trial then a 5 -8 min recovery and a 200m time trial. I’ll have this resource calculator available soon as a toll also. We then set your training zones based off the 400/200 and work out if you’re more of a diesel swimmer or a speed monster. For example if my 400m time was 6min and my 200m time was 3min I’d have a CSS ( critical swim speed) of 1:30/100m which in theory means I should be able to sustain that for 1500m in a race. One has to do quite a bit of conditioning I find around that pace to get used to it first and then extend the reps of course. If you need help working it out feel free to send me the times and I can set your training zones no problems.

[@keithf21]

Appreciate it is quite low volume. No rest days at all?

[@andybrodziak]

quality over quantity on a short time budget... for the way I crafted it, you recover pretty well because you switch intensities and muscle groups

[@aldotcom79]

Great video, Andy! I really enjoy my Saturday bike smash fest with my riding group on my road bike, and would rather not bin it because of that. What impact do you think that would have on the other sessions, and also race performance in general?

[@andybrodziak]

Hey! Thanks for the message - Oh the Saturday morning smash fest...it must happen all round the world... I see it every weekend, some good solid road riders, then hitting the cafe after for a coffee! little ego fest by most!! NOW...you speak to a few physiologists about this and I suppose will get different views, what I would do is check the last 4-5 rides and see how much time you spent in each zone - easily done via TP. You will probably find most of it in the grey area Z3/4. But not quite hard enough for long, in Zone 5 as this is HARD!! unless hilly of course. I think having learnt over the years that this social element is key, plus FUN!! Just make sure then you fuel during, as most cyclists will under fuel and hydrate as they only have that for the day. Triathletes have loads of other sessions going on. You have to make sure to nurture a true Z2 ride earlier in the week as this aerobic strict zone is so key, you just have to listen to Podjacar interviews and Dr Stephen Sieler on his years of physiology contribution in this field - the key to endurance performance. You can't control intensity as you probably know on group rides, but you can turn it into a decent session if you really polarize the effort - very hard at front 3-8min turns or just easy Z2 in bunch. Performance - you might find if you did a lab test you will see areas under developed or your LT1 very low which is vital for performance for longer distance, not so important for short racing - so context is key again! what distance do you train for? It definitely affects other sessions, takes 2- 3 days to recover so careful structure is vital, maybe only Tues/Wed before some quality again, but depends on age also. Cool!

[@aldotcom79]

@@andybrodziak really appreciate you taking the time to reply! Because of family stuff I've been focusing on the sprint distance, but with newfound endurance and slowing down with age I'm keen to go longer again, maybe 70.3/100km... I tend to work quite hard on those sat rides and it takes 2/3 days to recover as you said... Would you still do a long run on Sunday, or better to recover?

[@andybrodziak]

Hey - my pleasure. AS long as Sunday is super EASY, around the first turn opint ( LT1) or MAF HR - there abouts you should be totally fine yes in my view!

[@MarcMedina-u8n]

Hi Andy, thanks for the super informative video. Question. How would you shift this approach given you had the same amount of time each week (10 hours per week) but you were further out from the Ironman say 8/10 months, and had less aerobic base, say about 1 year prior of training?

[@andybrodziak]

Hey! Thanks for the great question… loving this. So… no short answer here, but I’ll try give some context. The biggest thing here I see is lack of history of exactly what you said, so the aerobic area will need developing. I would adopt simply a Polarized model of training across all three disciplines for 3 months and monitor adaptations during with some testing at home to see if the base lines are responding. This type of approach means that 80% of your training is more endurance /steady volume and 20% is above threshold or severe domain stimulus. You can slice up 10 hours any way really, but the fundamental stays the same, consistency will get you there better. Each week, repetition and even if it’s a small stimulus try not have breaks. If you feel you really need to work on one discipline say your bike, which is of course the biggest investment all Round - then a lab test will highlight your strengths and weaknesses and then you spend the time developing the correct areas of your physiology! Lots to consider …

[@MarcMedina-u8n]

@@andybrodziak Awesome thank you for the in depth response! Quick follow up. How far out from the IM would you say the training approach you’ve designed in the video is best for?

[@andybrodziak]

Hey, my pleasure. Ideally you go into this block pretty fit already having done shorter reps, harder VO2 work and not in a smashed tired state! This is ideal 10-12 weeks out where you are getting more specific hence more threshold type work and tempo. I wouldn't train like this all year round, gives you time to practice through things like fuel and nutrition which I am releasing tonight actually. Enjoy!

[@teddy8038]

How did you effectively improve aerobic capacity while incorporating anaerobic work throughout the week? I’ve heard from others that to build an aerobic base, you need to reduce anaerobic training for a certain period. Is that true?

[@andybrodziak]

Hi, thanks for the message and appreciate it. In essence, you are always working part aerobic and anaerobic, BUT we try work below the first turnpoint ( LT1/VT1) to give better aerobic adaptation, and then above LT2/VT2 or severe intensity domain to improve our VO2. Both types of training will drag values up, threshold and VO2 actually. So, anaerobic pr sprint type training with long rests will increase our VLA Max which only sprinters in the Tour or road racers will need, not us doing long triathlons. Yes you are correct, decrease that type of training to improve your aerobic component. It is of course quite complex! The sessions I explained in the video were quite specific in a build to an Ironman, so was more about getting the body ready/prepared for the demands of the event. Hope that helps! Andy

[@bluesparrow-hx5qf]

There is absolutely no amateur in the world training 4-5 times swim per week for an Ironman. No one. Maybe except for those how start swimming from scratch and swim 2:25min/100m in Zone5

[@andybrodziak]

Hi, thanks for the comment. There are certainly coaches I personally know at a high level prescribing amateurs 5x swims a week, top age groupers. I have only a few I give 4x swims a week, mostly 3x. It is actually more common than you think, Pros doing 6-7x week of course. It really helps the back end of the marathon having amazing swim fitness, not necessarily faster, just takes less out of you. I believe it's all about context, the individual and what they can handle.

[@DublinDapper]

Too much intensity involved in this but fair play

[@markholladay4265]

Congrats. But genetics is huge part of this process.

[@andybrodziak]

Hey! Thanks for the message - I’m not sure I agree entirely… I wasn’t any good when I started over in SA as a 20 year old and I have plugged away year in year out making big mistakes and learning, growing and coaching others. With that came consistency and that’s all that has mattered - yes I’ve done a load of events so that helps - I’m a small build and not high muscle yes - but I just enjoy training and that’s all that really counts in the long term as anyone can get better the more they do it!!.. both my parents didn’t do anything competitive in their adult life - just fitness. How long have you been training/ competing? Thanks for reaching out..