TRAINING FOR PARATRIATHLETES


By Sergio Borges, USA Triathlon Level III Certified Coach and Joan Murray, USA Triathlon Paratriathlon Committee


More frequent, lower volume sessions may be the solution. • Develop intuitive understanding;


developing the ability to literally feel how they are doing on any given day is a critical skill for all athletes. As paratriathletes are at greater risk for over-use injury, they need to know when to take a day off.. • Accurately gauge fatigue; by comparing


performance across familiar sessions, your athlete can quickly determine if he or she is truly tired or perhaps fighting illness. Some athletes will be dealing with chronic conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis and will need a finely tuned gauge


SOME CONSIDERATIONS WHEN COACHING A PARATRIATHLETE:


Janos Schmidt


Any training plan you create should be adjusted moderately from one four-week period to the next. This helps the athlete build familiarity with your training structure, while you develop an understanding of your athlete’s unique needs. Keep in mind that ITU races for paratriathletes are sprints, and adjust programming accordingly.


A General guidelines for working with


paratriathletes mirror those of working with your other clients, with some notable differences. Goals include: • Improve motor skills; all athletes


program sport-specific motion into their muscle memory. find out if your athlete has an accessible place to train. If there are stairs leading down to the local pool, this could be a barrier to the athlete’s training. • Train concentration skills; repetition


encourages athletes to develop greater levels of focus. Be thoughtful when programming periods of high volume training. TRI-1 athletes, for example, uses their arms in all three sports, and to get around the kitchen.


page 10 | PERFORMANCECOACHING training plan for paratriathletes


will not be much different than that of an able-bodied athlete.


1. TRI 1 includes athletes with paralysis as well as double amputee athletes. If your athlete has paralysis, it is important to understand at what level the paralysis occurs. That is to say, what sections of the trunk are mobile and which are not. It is important to maximize the trunk usage the athlete does have in order to attain good body position in all three sports.


2. for athletes with lower limb amputations (TRI 2 and TRI 5), the prostheses may dictate training volume. Sweat can cause a lack of the appropriate suction of the prosthetic socket. Issues at the stump-socket interface include friction, blisters and sores. Be aware of issues like this that may prolong the athlete’s training. Above knee (AK) amputees rely on their glute strength because they are missing the power produced by the quads and hamstrings. Their bike setup should be more like a standard road bike (or ITU with short aerobars).


3. Internationally, the most competitive TRI 3 athletes are those with multiple sclerosis. These athletes will need a training plan that is very personalized in order to monitor their recovery level. A somewhat longer than average periodization may be in order for these athletes in order to allow for proper rest and recovery.


4. TRI 4, or athletes with arm impairments, benefit from balance training across all three sports. You and your athlete can consult on unilateral versus bilateral breathing on the swim. Body position on the bike will also be of concern to avoid back injury. Efficient arm-swing during the run will also be a focus for this group.


5. Athletes who are visually impaired and compete in the TRI 6 category should ideally complete a large portion of their training with their competition guide. If that is not possible, the coach may want to match a TRI 6 athlete with a sighted athlete and have the pair train together. TRI 6 athletes have unique power output needs. They need to have the strength to drive a tandem bike, and they tend to run with their body weight slightly behind their leading leg. Training should focus on body position and power.


The fourth sport in paratriathlon is


transition. Most of your athletes will need to have a handler at swim exit, in T-1 and T-2. Transition training should be a mandatory part of your programming. It may also be of service for the coach to engage some of his or her other athletes to do group brick sessions in order to offer support to your paratriathletes.


Practicing proper form and building


endurance will be important for swim, bike and run over the course of the training plan.


Sergio Borges is a USA Triathlon Level III Certified Coach, ITU Level II Triathlon Coach and a USA Cycling Level II coach. He has worked with USA Triathlon as a coach for international competition and has also contributed to collegiate camps, recruitment camps and lectures at coaching clinics.


Joan Eileen Murray is currently on the USA Triathlon Paratriathlon Committee, which strives to recruit, educate and develop paratriathletes.


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