The Triathlete's Training Bible Quotes

“Novices need to focus only on the frequency of training by getting into the pool and onto the road often. If they do this with no concern for how long the workout is—short is fine—or how hard it should be—easy is best—they will make great improvement in their first year in the sport. The intermediate triathlete in the second and third years in the sport should focus on increasing the durations of swims, bike rides, and runs. Year 4 is the time when a triathlete should begin to give greater emphasis to workout intensity.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“There are only three things to measure in your training: frequency, duration, and intensity.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“No amount of fitness is worth an injury.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“the three most important mental skills for success in endurance sports: commitment, confidence, and patience. Taken together, they form what we typically call mental toughness. Mentally tough athletes are hard to beat.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“But there always have been, and probably always will be, five ingredients for success in sport: Purpose: Know exactly what your goal is. Passion: Have a burning desire to achieve it. Planning: Determine how you’ll go about achieving it. Perspiration: Work hard, following your plan to achieve it. Perseverance: Don’t let anything get in the way of achieving it.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible

“It is not a matter of how much you train, but of how you train. —RICK NILES, TRIATHLON COACH”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible

“For your fitness to improve steadily over time, your training load must gradually increase.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“If you’re coming along as planned, then continue to the next workout. Otherwise, if you’re seeing a trend where things aren’t going as planned, you may need to reconsider your goal and adjust your training strategy appropriately.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“The key question you should always be seeking the answer to is, Did I accomplish the purpose of the workout?”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“The bottom line is that what you do in any given workout must be specific to the intended purpose of that workout if you are to reap the planned benefits.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“Before starting any training session, always ask yourself the key question: What is the purpose of this workout?”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“Moderation in training means that you seldom explore your physical limits. Athletes often attempt the hardest workouts they can do. Long workouts are much too long, and intensity is often way too high. Most seem to believe that peak fitness comes from pushing their limits several times each week, and rest is viewed as something for sissies. That way of thinking is a sure way to derail your training frequently. Moderation in workout duration and intensity is what you should seek.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“As you learn to be your own coach, be aware of your impatience. Keep it in check. Remind yourself before a hard workout or race that you must contain your emotions early on in order to finish strongly.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“the Olympic podium-placers did these things: ​Paid meticulous attention to their goals ​Had a strong inner drive to stay ahead of the competition ​Concentrated on excellence ​Were not distracted by other people or athletes ​Shrugged off their own failures ​Rebounded from defeat easily ​Never self-flagellated ​Celebrated their wins ​Analyzed the reasons for their success ​Were very confident of their abilities”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“Act as if you are confident even if you don’t feel that way.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“Fake it ’til you make it. The second thing you can do to boost confidence is to “act as if.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“Relive today’s successful moment repeatedly until you fall asleep.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“check of how training went that day. Review your workouts. Find one thing you did well. It does not need to be a big deal.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“The more challenging the mission, the more your life must be focused on it. That means not only your training, but also your eating and sleeping, the support of your family and friends, and much more.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“The more challenging the goal, the more you must focus your life on it.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“Take your dream to the next level by setting a goal.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“High-performance training means becoming the best triathlete possible. But that isn’t revealed only in race results. High performance is more than simply where you finish in your races. It’s also an attitude grounded in the belief that you can always get better.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“Dr. Jones discovered that unlike the nonmedalists, the Olympic podium-placers did these things: ​Paid meticulous attention to their goals ​Had a strong inner drive to stay ahead of the competition ​Concentrated on excellence ​Were not distracted by other people or athletes ​Shrugged off their own failures ​Rebounded from defeat easily ​Never self-flagellated ​Celebrated their wins ​Analyzed the reasons for their success ​Were very confident of their abilities”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“When it comes to achieving high goals, the greatest limiter you face is not the many miles you train, but rather the few inches between your ears.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“Commitment is simply doing what you said you’d do well after the mood you were in when you said it has passed.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide

“Wishes are important; they’re the start of great feats. Wishes grow into dreams when you are able to mentally “see” yourself accomplish the wish. Dreams turn into goals when a plan for attaining them is defined. Goals become a mission when unwavering self-belief and purposeful zeal are realized. Big challenges require mission status. The difference between a goal and a mission is attitude. Passionate commitment is self-evident in successful missions. With the proper attitude, almost anything is possible. What you believe, you will achieve.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible

“Dreams can become realities, but the definition of a dream is that it is so big it will take longer than one season to accomplish. If you reasonably can achieve it this season, no matter how big it may seem, it’s no longer a dream—it’s a goal.”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible

“HIP EXTENSION: SQUAT QUADRICEPS, GLUTEUS, HAMSTRINGS Improves force delivery to the pedals in cycling. For the novice, the squat is one of the most dangerous exercises in this routine. Great care is necessary to protect the back and knees. If you are concerned about injury, use a machine to perform an assisted squat. Wear a weight belt during the MT and MS phases. Stand with the feet pedal-width apart, about 10 inches (25 cm), center to center, with toes pointed straight ahead. Keep the head up and the back straight. Squat until the upper thighs are just short of parallel to floor—about the same knee bend as at the top of the pedal stroke. The knees point straight ahead, staying over your feet at all times. Return to the starting position. Stretches: Stork Stand and Triangle. FIGURE 13.1a Squat FIGURE 13.1b Squat with Machine”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible

“plyometrics movements. This is when you are getting the hang of doing the movements that are involved in both types of training and refining them. Following AA, as you move into the MT and MS periods, gradually increase both the weight loads and the plyometric intensities. For example, move from rope skipping to low-box jumping to high-box jumping. The MS period is when you will”
― Joe Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible