Saturday, September 8, 2012

Training For Your First (SUP) Race

If you're looking to become a better runner you must build up your running volume over time. If you're looking to become a better triathlete than you obviously need to improve your aerobic capacity and put the time in on the bike, on the road and in the water. The bottom line is it comes down to one important term known as the principle of specificity.

"One of the key tenants of exercise physiology is the principle of training specificity, which holds that training responses/adaptations are tightly coupled to the mode, frequency and duration of exercise performed" (Hawley, 2002).

Having understood this concept for a long time, I will be putting it to the test, albeit with a very short training phase. Over the past month I have been trying to build up my volume of training on my SUP - stand-up paddle board (Naish board), to prepare for my first SUP race down in Cape Cod around Cotuit Bay on September 22nd. The race will include a 5-mile loop around Cotuit Bay and the North/West Bays that will in turn benefit an organization called Three Bays Preservation.

My goal has been to increase the frequency of the time spent on the water while slowly building up my duration of activity from 30, 45, 60+ minutes. In addition to this I have kept up with my strength training on the Koko Smartrainer, two to three times a week. One area, however, where I can and should improve is with yoga. Adding 1-2 yoga sessions each week would definitely help.

You can obviously substitute your own activity in here instead of SUP - it could be biking, running, any type of racing, rowing etc - but it still comes down to specificity of training that is the most important factor to improving your overall performance. It is important for you to put in the time and develop a training plan that addresses the frequency and duration issues of the sport/race not to mention the different movement patterns involved and apply that to your dry-land training and you will be in good shape.

Source: Specificity of training adaptation: time for a rethink? Hawley, 2002

No comments: