How can I go faster? Anyone involved in multi sport in a competitive manner is always asking that question (or should be). The easy and most obvious answer is to train more and train more efficiently. Some like to over complicate things or look for an easy or shorter route to faster gains. A friend of a friend told them that cross fit or weight lifting or a myriad of other things will make them faster. I'm not a coach or an exercise physiologist but I can tell you confidently that none of those things will make you a better or faster triathlete.
The specificity principle simply states that to get better at a certain sport, or any skill really, one needs to train that sport or skill specifically. You want to run faster, run more. Bike faster, bike more. Improve your golf swing, play more golf. Cross training can serve many purposes - giving your mind a rest, strengthening other areas of your body, etc. - but it will not make you faster or more fit in the primary sport or skill you're trying to improve. This is a topic of many arguments amongst triathletes. One side argues adding weight lifting or cross fit or something similar, in addition to triathlon training, provides fitness benefits that will translate into multi sport. The other side, and correct side, argues that if one has extra time for anything and the primary goal is to get faster, then more swimming, biking or running should be added. Of course assuming the individual wouldn't become over trained with the additional work. Even a light spin for an hour on the bike will provide more fitness gains than spending 45 minutes in the gym lifting if your primary goal is to go faster. Of course adding more work without structure isn't the best idea either. One needs to understand the principles of periodization and tolerance to training stress. And if they don't, hire a coach (Dan Jarecke would be a good start).
The body is a marvelous and complicated system. It's also incredibly efficient. Along the same lines of specificity one needs to understand how to progressively add training stress in a way that wont cause injury but effectively add fitness. I've had numerous conversations with people who want to know why they never get faster. I ask what their training looks like and the response from a runner might be something like this: "Well, I run five days a week (good start) and I usually do 3-4 miles per run (not so good) at around an 8:00 minute pace (There's your problem!)". This person has become very good at running 8:00 minute/mile pace. If you never run faster, how can you expect to get faster? Not only that, but your body, over time, will become more efficient at running those miles at 8:00 minute pace which means that you'll be expending less energy (calories) for the same amount of work (Something for all of those looking to shed a few pounds should consider. Intervals are your friend!). The key is to build and add speed progressively while allowing time for recovery. Your hard runs should be hard and at a pace that's uncomfortable to sustain and you're easy runs should be easier than you think.
There is one exception to this specificity thing. SLEEP. If you want to be a better/faster triathlete, you need to sleep (recover) a lot. Which is what I'm about to do. Just trying to get faster...
The specificity principle simply states that to get better at a certain sport, or any skill really, one needs to train that sport or skill specifically. You want to run faster, run more. Bike faster, bike more. Improve your golf swing, play more golf. Cross training can serve many purposes - giving your mind a rest, strengthening other areas of your body, etc. - but it will not make you faster or more fit in the primary sport or skill you're trying to improve. This is a topic of many arguments amongst triathletes. One side argues adding weight lifting or cross fit or something similar, in addition to triathlon training, provides fitness benefits that will translate into multi sport. The other side, and correct side, argues that if one has extra time for anything and the primary goal is to get faster, then more swimming, biking or running should be added. Of course assuming the individual wouldn't become over trained with the additional work. Even a light spin for an hour on the bike will provide more fitness gains than spending 45 minutes in the gym lifting if your primary goal is to go faster. Of course adding more work without structure isn't the best idea either. One needs to understand the principles of periodization and tolerance to training stress. And if they don't, hire a coach (Dan Jarecke would be a good start).
The body is a marvelous and complicated system. It's also incredibly efficient. Along the same lines of specificity one needs to understand how to progressively add training stress in a way that wont cause injury but effectively add fitness. I've had numerous conversations with people who want to know why they never get faster. I ask what their training looks like and the response from a runner might be something like this: "Well, I run five days a week (good start) and I usually do 3-4 miles per run (not so good) at around an 8:00 minute pace (There's your problem!)". This person has become very good at running 8:00 minute/mile pace. If you never run faster, how can you expect to get faster? Not only that, but your body, over time, will become more efficient at running those miles at 8:00 minute pace which means that you'll be expending less energy (calories) for the same amount of work (Something for all of those looking to shed a few pounds should consider. Intervals are your friend!). The key is to build and add speed progressively while allowing time for recovery. Your hard runs should be hard and at a pace that's uncomfortable to sustain and you're easy runs should be easier than you think.
There is one exception to this specificity thing. SLEEP. If you want to be a better/faster triathlete, you need to sleep (recover) a lot. Which is what I'm about to do. Just trying to get faster...