HRV and Understanding Illness

Using ithlete to measure HRV and predict or understand illness and guide a return to training by Janet Birkmyre I suppose that most of us will have thought a little more about the effects of viral infection on our health and training over the past couple of years,...

Better is Better

Like so many coaches out there, I’ve coached a fair share of athletes who subscribe to the “more is better” mindset.  Over my years in the endurance world, I’ve definitely learned to subscribe to the “more is not better; better is better” philosophy.  Why?  Because...

HRV guides trained cyclists to new performance highs

Who, what & why In a previous post we covered studies that show using HRV to be significantly better than a standard training program in improving the performance of club and recreational runners. Now, a new study by researchers from the Universities of Alicante...

Notes from a high-volume cycling training camp

Simon Wegerif shares his experience and tips following this years week long cycling training camp in Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The excellent paved roads extending from sea level to the main crater of Mt Teide at 2100m give continuous climbs of 18 – 48 km i.e. some of the longest in Europe.

HRV: It knows me better than I know myself

By Coach Laura Henry I started taking daily Heart Rate Variability (HRV) readings last February when my coaching company, Team MPI, partnered with ithlete.  I hadn’t ever heard of HRV before, and I was curious to see what it was about.  I was interested in learning...

How to use HRV for marathon training

The build-up to a marathon is a big commitment. Most people train for 12-15 weeks (3 months). Generally, training plans suggest you should be running 5 times each week with 2 rest days spaced between. But how do you schedule these runs and rest days for optimum benefit?

Ironman Training utilizing HIT as a primary training tool

A member of my training group just finished his first Ironman™ in 12:31 (1:18 swim, 5:51 bike and 4:59 on run) and his training was unique for an event this long. His program schedule may be of interest mainly because it was based on a much higher percentage of short session, high-intensity cardiovascular intervals combined with heavy strength training.

Athletes: Fit but unhealthy?

Prof Paul Laursen & Dr Phil Maffetone have consistently preached the message that elite level performance needn’t be at the cost of your long term health. Their recent opinion piece highlighting why is summarised here.

A Daily Training Cycle

Andrew Tamplin has created and shared a great infographic giving us an insight in to his daily training cycle and decision making process.
‘The morning recovery test effects all other aspects of the daily cycle, the simple fact is that if you are not recovered sufficiently from your previous workout, work or other life stress then you are not going to be training effectively.’

Training Blog: Andy Dolphin – July

End of June is a scheduled recovery week, so not much during the week other than a 75 minute tempo ride on the 30th. Then on the weekend 2nd July was a group ride 2 hrs 30 mins, 56% in heart rate zone 2 and 38% in zone 3. On the 3rd it was Hill repeats at...

Training for the Mallorca 312. The final month.

I have now begun my taper, with just a week to go before the 312km event in Mallorca next Saturday. I’m already in the centre zone of the Pro Training Guide, and expect to move rightwards during the week as my recovery continues to improve.

MAF training with Dr Phil Maffetone

In this second interview between Simon Wegerif and Dr Phil Maffetone they cover the MAF method. Including how this training method can improve performance, fat burning efficiency and your heart rate variability (HRV).

Preparing for the longest ride…

By Simon Wegerif Every year I have to do something that tests the limits of my endurance. Two years ago it was the Haute Route challenge of cycling from Geneva to Nice in 6 timed stages across the Alps, and last year it was the Etape TdF stage with 4500m of climbing...

Training Blog: Andy Dolphin – January

The start of the year sees a return to a training plan. 4th Jan was the first session, which was endurance based with 2 x 10min tempo included, 60 mins, repeated on the 6th (although this suggested HIIT, I stayed with the schedule). 8th Jan strayed from the plan when...

5 Benefits of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

With the festive period now over, it’s definitely time to dust off your training kit and get back to it! To help you out, we’ve put together some of the top benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for those of you looking to mix up your training regime for...

Training Blog: Andy Dolphin – November

The week below was a scheduled recovery week in the periodised routine. However the first part of the week suggested I could do more than the 1-hour recovery session on 27th and a lower endurance session with 2 x 10min tempo on the 29th, but I stuck with it. My...

Training Camp by Amir Williamson

Good morning Guys, Just sitting here at Gatwick airport waiting to board a plane to Portugal, what’s that you say… holiday? I wish!!! My training partner Sam Milner and I, along with our coach Malcolm Fenton, are off on a two week training camp to the IAAF...

Tuesday Tip: Maintaining a flexible training plan

Some customers tell us they struggle with the idea of adapting training each morning, preferring instead to have a set plan in mind and sticking to it. Others often relay that time is the biggest restraint on their training and they can’t simply drop things to train...

Luke Campbell ithlete utilisation

As the strength and conditioning coach of one of the highest profile athletes from 2012 the pressure was on me to get everything in place for the start of Luke Campbell’s professional career in 2013. In a review of his first professional fight camp we decided that to...

80:20 training & heart rate variability by Andy Dolphin

Learning about heart rate variability I started cycling in April 2012, and quickly found out about the ithlete heart rate variability (HRV) app in July. Up until that point I didn’t really train as such, but simply went out for a ride. I did a sportive in July and...

Cyclingphysio.com ithlete review

We wanted to share this great independent take on ithlete with you! A while back the ithlete team spoke to a guy named Dave who had a few questions about ithlete and mentioned he was reviewing it for his site – great we thought. But things are as busy as ever here at...