Training Planning Part 2: Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

In part 1 of this 3-part series I listed some of the problems with a traditional calendar-style training plan. In this second part I want to describe an alternative that I call Dynamic Training Planning.

What is Dynamic Training Planning?

This approach to training planning puts more degrees of freedom in your training plan. The way I do it is to assign certain precisely designed workouts, called "Breakthrough Workouts." These are the most important sessions to do and do well. Examples are long runs for marathon, long rides for Ironman, and intensity workouts for sprint and olympic distance.

These are the essential ingredients for success. As opposed to traditional calendar plans, Dynamic Training emphasizes these breakthrough workouts and emphasizes that you do them well.

The rest of your training consists of moderate intensity volume and low intensity recovery days. Some would call this part of the plan the "Junk Miles." I disagree with that term....to a point. Overall training volume is a great predictor of results ("the more you train the better"), but only if you are still able to do your breakthrough workouts well. The Junk Miles should not interfere with the more important Breakthrough Workouts.

When I write a Dynamic Plan I assign weekly volume goals for each endurance discipline and strength/stretch. But I also make it very clear to PRIORITIZE what is most important in the plan. Whether a person should prioritize their swimming, biking, running, strength/stretch, or what have you, they will know. In a perfect week they will complete the Breakthrough Workouts and all the rest of those so-called Junk Miles. But when life interferes or energy dips, my clients know what to cut out and what to keep.

Dynamic Training vs. Traditional Calendar Plan

• Dynamic Training specifically emphasizes the most important workouts, and clearly identifies the "expendable stuff." Traditional Calendar plans are confusing as to which are the most important sessions.
  
• Dynamic Training believes that you should learn to read your body. Traditional Calendar plans believe the coach knows best and can predict how you will feel on a given day.
  
• You are far more likely to "complete" a week of a Dynamic training plan. Why would you purchase a plan that you are not expected to be able to follow?
  
• Dynamic Training believes that life can be unpredictable and you have to adapt work, family, and your own energy levels. Calendar plan is programmed well in advance.
  

Hopefully you get the idea.

Part 3: A Dynamic Training Plan is not the be-all and end-all. There are some other critical ingredients to achieving your best performance. A good coach will contribute much more than a printout of what workouts to do on what days. In part three I will describe some of these components.