Even If You ’ re Not One
M e m b e r Pe r s p e c t i v e
Train Like a Triathlete
Even If You ’ re Not One
Good Tri-Guy : Bob Mckweon
ob Mckeown ( pictured above ) is a
Blongtime member of Fitness Incentive and the founder and owner of South Shore Tri Coach ( SSTC ). SSTC is a company that assists with the training of endurance athletes . As part of his approach to coaching , Bob utilizes the many training options at F . I ., the Cycle program in particular . We asked Bob to discuss his history as an endurance athlete and coach as well as the relationship between his athletes and Fitness Incentive .
FI : When did you first develop an interest in triathlons and endurance sports ? BM : Probably about 12 years ago . Actually , it began here , at Fitness Incentive . Once my kids got a little bit older , I started to get back into shape . I started running and eventually competing in road races . One day an F . I . staffer said , “ Take a Spin class ! You ' ll love Spin !” I thought , “ No way am I taking a Spin class .” But eventually , I did . I was immediately hooked . That ' s how I got started running and cycling . As a surfer , I swim all the time . So , when the foot races became boring , I started thinking about how I could turn my exercise routine into something a little more exciting and challenging . That ' s what led me ultimately to the triathlon . Had it not been for that first Spin class . FI : Has the gym always been a part of your training regimen ? BM : Absolutely . Over the years , I ' ve been able to incorporate the spin classes , one
Interview by Paul Smith
on one personal training sessions with Eileen ( Jacinth ) and TJ ( Lynch ), and various group classes . In addition , the contests have always provided some extra motivation and competition amongst fellow gym friends . FI : And thanks to your fondness for the training and the competitions , you formed a business : South Shore Tri Coach . Were you interested in coaching before you developed the business ? BM : I coached quite a few youth sports teams . Having played collegiate lacrosse myself , I also coached collegiate lacrosse . Eventually , I got involved coaching triathletes mainly because they kept asking me to help them out . I then formed the business in 2008 . In its second year , we developed a triathlon program here at Fitness Incentive . FI : But what was the ' prompt ,' so to speak ? How did you go from being a competitor to thinking “ This could be a viable business ?” 3 BM : What prompted it was so many people asking for my assistance and already working with them on their goals . It made sense to form a legitimate business to enable them to succeed . We also have another coach , FI member Andrea Kay , who writes various articles for Fit To Print . As your readers Dolores may and know Steven , the take whole on the of Queenax endurance sports has just exploded . It has grown exponentially , and the nice thing about it is that you don ' t have to be an elite athlete . Do you know what they call the last person across the Finish Line at an Ironman event ? “ An Ironman .” So you don ' t have to have this absolutely crazy athletic ability . All a person needs it the determination , commitment , and motivation to train . FI : You mentioned that Fitness Incentive has played a role from the beginning . BM : I love it when my athletes incorporate Fitness Incentive into their training regimens . Firstly , you have the strength training here , which is phenomenal . In our sport — endurance sports — we like to identify any physical imbalances or weaknesses . They use the facilities here to identify these imbalances and strengthen to counterbalance them . We work both independently , with trainers , and with instructors — currently I ' m training with Eileen , and I have also worked with TJ . They obviously work with me on my goals and structure routines for me personally . If I have a weak core or under-conditioned legs , they identify it . Then , of course , there is the floor work with all of those amazing classes ! When the Cycle program here at F . I . transitioned over to the new Matrix bikes with the computers and the data recording , what we call “ Power ,” it was the perfect way to maximize our training . All of the athletes I coach utilize Power in their training , both indoors in the Cycle Studio and outdoors on actual bikes . The old Spin bikes were tools that we used , but now that they ' ve converted over and use the Power on the bikes , we enjoy quantitative results that can be seen , measured , and analyzed . This information is used to direct workouts through identifying strengths and weaknesses . I can send athletes to specific classes to address specific issues based on what I know of that particular class as well as that particular instructor . For example , I can send someone to Jourdan ' s class knowing she ' ll be implementing a highintensity class with intervals to build muscular endurance . All of the above enables quantitative tracking of fitness levels over time ( when combined with other physiological data – heart rate etc .) that provides conclusive evidence of training adaptations , including overtraining . This data allows me to schedule and incorporate certain classes into my athlete ' s daily goals for the week . Furthermore , the athletes love it ! Don ' t forget , an indoor ride is a safe ride , especially during the stormy winter months . FI : So your use of the Cycle program is highly data-driven . BM : Yes , this is extremely important because the data informs each athlete ' s workout schedule : when to go hard , when to slow down , intense training days , and recovery days . It ' s a powerful tool that can be used to prevent over-training , which is a real and significant consideration . Athletes ' power zones are set from day one , and they are retested every 4-6 weeks . FI : The data that ' s generated by a specific ride is going to give you information you ' ll use to formulate the next ride . BM : Exactly . Athlete ' s goals are set in their Periodization , which is defined as the “ long-term cyclic structuring of training and practice to maximize performance to coincide with important competitions .” The data I collect from my athletes is constantly monitored and combined amongst their other workouts , whether it ' s running , swimming , or strength training . This data is collectively evaluated and tracked to create performance charts to drive their training goals and objectives in each phase . While I utilize Fitness Incentive ' s Cycle program with my triathletes , the principles apply to everyone , regardless of their level of conditioning or experience .
Holidays 2016 FIT to Print
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