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How to own the body of a triathlete

By Shauna Labelle on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 2 comments

Triathlon. An endurance event comprised of swimming, cycling and running in quick succession and varying distances. A physically and mentally demanding sport designed to test an athlete’s commitment, patience, pain threshold and passion.

For me, it’s something that offers immense joy. It’s hard work, highly competitive and can be exhausting, while at the same time energizing, exhilarating, gratifying and thrilling. It is an independent yet socially supportive sport that requires self discipline, knowledgeable physical training and immense desire. The triathlon allows for ultimate calorie burning potential while building cyclist’s quads, swimmer’s abs and giving you a runner’s high. With all of that you can also expect missing toenails, chaffed thighs, a helmet head hair do and possibly meeting the occasional lake snake.

In my mind the triathlon is really a metaphor for life. It can be long, it can be short, there will be joyful times and there will be agonizing times. Along the way you’ll see beauty and you’ll see pain. There will be uphill climbs and downhill coasts. Sometimes you’ll do better than you’d hoped for and sometimes you won’t. You can count on falling down or getting a flat every now and then, but you can also rest assured that someone will feel compassion and stop to help you. When it comes right down to it, the only one responsible for getting you across that finish line is you, but there are always friends and family lining the sidewalks, cheering you on.

In the triathlon, the goal is all about time. Ideally you’ll need to swim, cycle and run your best times while also getting through the transitions as organized and quickly as possible. Aside from the exercise routine there really is a lot of organization involved in getting prepared for a race. While the swim, bike and run training is the meat of the program, triathletes also need to practice shedding the wetsuit as fast as possible, mounting their bike and changing shoes all while performing these things in the proper order so as not to get disqualified. This may explain why so many triathletes are Type A personalities.

Triathlons come in many various distances. The most popular are the Sprint, Olympic, Half Iron and Ironman. The Sprint Triathlon (also known as the puke fest due to the short duration yet extreme intensity) consists of a 750 M swim followed by a 20 KM bike and then a 5Km run. Since the distances are short, the intensity is high and ideally all three events are performed at the highest level of exertion.

The Olympic distance is the most popular and begins with a 1.5 KM swim, followed by a 40 KM bike and a 10 KM run.

The half Iron is half the length of an Ironman with a 1.9 KM swim, 90 KM bike and 21 KM (half marathon length) run.

The Ironman which is probably the most famous is also the longest starting with a 3.8 KM swim, 180 KM bike and 42 KM run which is a full marathon in itself.

When it comes to choosing a length it’s basically just ‘different strokes for different folks’. Personally I am a fan of the Sprint triathlons because I like to go really really fast!! This distance allows me to put in a full, all-out effort for a short amount of time. The Olympic is also suitable for me because although you can’t go as hard as the Sprint, it’s faster paced than the Iron or Half Iron. The Iron and the Half Iron are extremely long and require an immense capability of endurance. Just imagine a 3.8 KM crowded open water swim immediately followed by a hot, long bike ride that equals the distance from Los Angeles to San Diego, all while sitting on a very small, hard seat. Once you’re done that, hurry up and change your shoes because you have a marathon to finish! Wow! That takes some serious passion and dedication. Yet if you talk to any Ironman or triathlete competing in any distance for that matter, they will likely tell you that they live for it! The training and discipline becomes a way of life, almost an addiction.

Have you ever thought about it? It’s such a great sport and a true test of physical, mental and emotional strength. If triathlon is something you have ever considered doing, I highly recommend it! You’ll learn a lot about yourself and feel the intense confidence that comes with crossing that finish line! Most communities offer a Mini tri or a ‘Try a tri’ for beginners interested in getting their feet wet (pun intended). The Mini tri is usually half the length of the Sprint so it is short enough to see how the sport fits before committing too much to it. Keep it fun and try not to take things too seriously which is often easier said than done. Just focus on the completion and not the time on the clock. Check with your local running store, sporting goods store or athletic club for information on how you can get started in the world of triathlon!

Triathlon. An endurance event comprised of swimming, cycling and running in quick succession and varying distances. A physically and mentally demanding sport designed to test an athlete’s commitment, patience, pain threshold and passion.
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Warning!!!

By LanceKinnaird on Monday, November 30, 2009 3 comments

Don’t try this exercise unless you want to train your Back, Abs, Hamstrings, Calves, Quads and Glutes, all at the same time…
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What do urinating and crunch sit ups have in common?

By LanceKinnaird on Friday, November 13, 2009 2 comments

I’m sure everyone thinks about this question from time to time, right?

Maybe not…

But there is a commonality between the two. You might just be surprised how your pelvic floor or “wee wee muscle” can benefit you in the search for the ultimate crunch sit up…
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Want to lose weight? Then take a HIIT!

By LanceKinnaird on Thursday, November 5, 2009 6 comments

High-intensity interval training or HIIT as its abbreviated, is a strategy used to improve performance with short training sessions. Sessions are short and sharp usually lasting 15-30 mins. A first it might be hard to believe, but HIIT is one of the best methods for fat burning, and it can be applied to any form of exercise…
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Who likes to workout more, men or women?

By LanceKinnaird on Friday, October 30, 2009 4 comments

Who likes to workout more, men or women? Here at WorkoutBOX we are curious to hear what you have to say about important social issues like these…
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Amino acids are essential for rock hard muscle building

By Shauna Labelle on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 8 comments

The Oxford dictionary defines protein as any group of organic compounds composed of one or more chains of amino acids, forming an essential part of all living organisms. It is responsible for nearly all the molecular processes of our bodies. It’s required for the structure, function and regulation of our cells, tissues and organs, supporting growth, immune function and hormone regulation.

A deficiency in this particular macronutrient can result in muscle loss, water retention, anemia, slow growth in children a plethora of other issues. It is a crucial component of a healthy diet plan.

What is an amino acid? An amino acid is one of the 20 standard building
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3 Tips to Save Money and Stay Fit

By LanceKinnaird on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 1 comment

Just look at the current news. If we are not dealing with a Global Financial “Crisis”, we’re trying to win the war on obesity. Its obvious these are the two questions that are on everyones mind…

“How can I save money and stay healthy?”

I’m a firm believer that you can do both…
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Sexy Cardio?

By Shauna Labelle on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 1 comment

This one’s for you gentlemen, so pay close attention.

You know that regular exercise helps to keep those love handles at bay, your pecs popping and biceps bulging but do you realize that consistent cardiovascular workouts can also benefit your….ahem…Johnson?
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The Daniel Craig 007 Workout

By LanceKinnaird on Monday, October 26, 2009 3 comments

After the huge amount of emails I got from the Brad Pitt Workout, it was obvious that people wanted to know more of the celebrity workout secrets to get that Hollywood look. So in keeping with the theme, here is an insight into the workout used by Daniel Craig to get into to shape for his roles as 007…
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Would you give up exercise forever, for 1 million dollars?

By LanceKinnaird on Thursday, October 22, 2009 No comments

Hey, I got a question for you…

Would YOU give up exercise forever for 1 million dollars?
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