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“You can quit if you want, and no one will care. But you will know the rest of your life.” – John Collins The inherent variety of the triathlon typically keeps you more motivated to train than a single sport does. However, mixing it up doesn’t always do the trick in helping you stay motivated. All triathletes, from beginners to those at the top of their game, simply do not feel a burning desire to train all the time. What sets winners apart from those who throw in the towel is that they are committed to training whether they feel motivated or not. If you’re lacking in drive from time to time, you can either use it as an excuse to give up on your goals, or you can accept it as part of who you..

Maintaining a diet that is balanced to your unique needs as a high-performance athlete is essential. While your body prefers glycogen from carbs as its main fuel source, fat also provides fuel for the body. Many people think fat is a bad word, but the endurance athlete knows that he or she cannot perform for an extended duration without this vital nutrient. Why Is Fat So Important? The body cannot function without dietary fat, which provides essential fatty acids, such as omega-3, and helps process the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. The presence of healthy fats in the diet helps the body maintain vital metabolic and regulatory processes and has a protective effect on the cells of the b..

At RPM2, we’re continually improving our products and adding new features to help you boost your performance. You may have noticed a new feature on your RPM2 dashboard after calibrating your inserts or using the 100-yard dash feature. It is called sequential force strike, and you can locate it by clicking on the yellow arrow at the bottom of the screen. This feature, which is represented by two feet with indicators showing force placement, can provide you with valuable information about your body’s biomechanics that you can use to achieve bi-lateral equivalence. Foot Strike Explained Foot strike is the way in which your foot hits the ground when running. There are three types of foot strike:..

As an endurance athlete, you know that you expend more energy than the average person and need to make up for it through your diet. With all of that intense physical activity, your body requires extra nutrients to fuel and repair itself, and a lot of runners and triathletes focus more on carbs than other nutrients. However, while you do benefit the most from carbohydrates, protein also plays an important role in your training and recovery. The Endurance Athlete’s Protein Needs While your protein needs as an endurance athlete may be higher than those of a sedentary person, they’re not as high as you might think. Your body burns carbohydrates and fats before turning to protein as fuel. This al..

A relatively new training technique, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is often rejected by running traditionalists, but it is steadily gaining the approval of researchers, trainers and elite athletes as a viable method of increasing running speed and overall fitness. Here are the basics on this highly debated training method and how it may make you a faster runner. What Is HIIT? This training approach involves alternating exercises of high intensity levels with those of moderate intensity levels. Definitions of HIIT may vary, but the intense bursts of exercise generally last 10 to 60 seconds and are followed by a rest period that can last up to four times that of the intense phase. Fo..

You already know that staying hydrated is crucial for you to perform your best, but as temperatures rise, it’s even more important to make sure you’re getting enough fluids. Studies show that being just 2 percent dehydrated can increase fatigue and reduce your performance. If you’re dehydrated before you even being your triathlon or other endurance event, you’re at a disadvantage from the start and have very little chance of meeting your performance goals. Spotting the Signs of Dehydration The easiest way to check your hydration levels is to take a look at your urine, which should be straw colored or pale yellow. Anything darker and more concentrated, especially if you’re not producing much ..

Considering that your feet absorb a force of about three times your body weight with each stride, it is not surprising that 15 percent of all running injuries affect the feet. The most common foot injury in runners is plantar fasciitis, a condition that causes pain in the heel and along the arch. With the help of RPM2 technology, you and your trainer can identify and correct bilateral deficiencies that often lead to this painful condition. Plantar Fasciitis Explained The plantar fascia is a thick, flat ligament that connects the heel bone to the toes. When this band of tissue experiences strain due to small tears or inflammation, the heel or bottom of the foot will hurt, particularly when yo..

By now, you know that bilateral deficits can lead to a wide range of chronic and acute injuries. Achilles tendinitis is one such condition, and it accounts for 11 percent of all running injuries. The Achilles tendon is the fibrous connective tissue that joins the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of the calf to the heel bone. When this large tendon experiences too much stress, it becomes inflamed, causing swelling and pain. What Causes Achilles Tendinitis? Achilles tendinitis is an overuse injury that occurs when the tendon is forced to work too hard. When the calf muscles are tight or fatigued, or when runners overpronate, the Achilles tendon takes on too much of the burden during a run. Inf..

We’ve recently talked about dynamic stretch assessment, a technique used to identify physical restrictions that prevent you from achieving optimal athletic performance. During the discussion about dynamic stretch assessment and overhead squat assessment in part three of our webinar, Mansfield, Texas chiropractor Dr. Prak Bhakta suggested Active Release Technique (ART) as an effective method of releasing these restrictions, which are caused by a buildup of scar tissue. Here’s the lowdown on this innovative bodywork method that has helped countless runners and triathletes quickly eliminate back pain, knee pain, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and numerous other overuse injuries. What Is ART a..

The third and latest installment of RPM2 and USAT’s free webinar, Bilateral Equivalence for Triathletes: Mechanical Assessments to Help with Performance, highlights dynamic stretch assessment. This test is a self-analysis of physical restrictions that may cause an athlete to experience an impaired performance. Recommended for both pre- and post-workout, the dynamic stretch assessment can help pinpoint areas of muscle tightness or weakness, joint pain or restrictions, and decreased mobility that lead to bilateral deficiencies. How the Dynamic Stretch Assessment Works This test involves performing specific stretches on both the left and right side of five muscle groups: Gastrocnemius (calf) S..