Be Iron-Fit: Time-Efficient Training Secrets for Ultimate Fitness [Paperback]

Don Fink (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2004

Ever dream of being an elite endurance athlete and competing in races like Hawaii's Ironman?
Professional athletes are not the only people who have the ability to attain superior athletic accomplishments. Every season tens of thousands of amateur triathletes compete head-to-head, pushing their physical and mental strength to the absolute limits. The standard Ironman competition is a true test: a 2.4-mile open-water swim, followed by a 112-mile bike leg, and a 26.2-mile marathon run.
Sought-after multisport coach, Don Fink assures readers that the challenge is not too difficult, the dream is not impossible. His time-efficient training methods have been honed over the years and have been proved to aid anyone in achieving their athletic dreams. Be Iron-Fit provides practical training information in a step-by-step, enjoyable way so that even everyday athletes can attain ultimate conditioning.
Included in this revolutionary guide is information on:
- The essential workouts
- The training cycle
- 12-week training programs
- Effective time management
- The principle of gradual adaptation
- Effective heart-rate training
- Preparing with training races
- Proper technique
- Equipment tips
- Race and pre-race strategies
- Mental training
- Effective goal setting and race selection
- And much more

With the proper preparation and training techniques explained here, virtually anyone can attain supreme fitness.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Ever dream of being an elite endurance athlete and competing in races like Hawaii's Ironman?
Professional athletes are not the only people who have the ability to attain superior athletic accomplishments. Every season tens of thousands of amateur triathletes compete head-to-head, pushing their physical and mental strength to the absolute limits. The standard Ironman competition is a true test: a 2.4-mile open-water swim, followed by a 112-mile bike leg, and a 26.2-mile marathon run.
Sought-after multisport coach Don Fink's revolutionary training programs allow athletes to attain superb fitness, motivation, and confidence:

Essential workouts
Mental training
The proper training cycle
Race strategies
The principle of gradual adaptation
Equipment tips
Effective heart-rate training
Effective goal setting
Effective time management
Proper technique

About the Author

Don Fink left his managing director position on Wall Street after twenty years to pursue his passion for Ironman. He is now one of the most successful Ironman triathletes and coaches.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Lyons Press; 1st edition (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592282393
• ISBN-13: 978-1592282395
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #493,755 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Don Fink is an internationally known triathlon and running coach, and author. Through their business IronFit ® (www.IronFit.com), Don and his wife, Melanie, have trained hundreds of athletes on four continents to personal best times and breakthrough performances, utilizing their innovative training approaches.
In addition to being a coach, Don Fink is also an elite athlete. He has raced over 30 Iron-distance triathlons (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run) and has recorded many age group victories and course records. Don's time of 9:08 at the 2004 Ironman Florida is still one of the fastest times recorded by an athlete in the 45-49 age group. Don also placed in the top three overall in the 2002 Ultra Man World Championships (6.2 mile swim, 262 mile bike, and 52.4 mile run) on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Closest thing to a shortcut, December 25, 2004

By 

JM II (Athens, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Be Iron-Fit: Time-Efficient Training Secrets for Ultimate Fitness (Paperback)

It took me years of injuries, online training plans, and ill-spent money to learn what Mr. Fink has consolidated into 280 pages. If you are an Ironman or aspiring Ironman, this book belongs in your training library.

Most Ironman triathletes spend as much time fretting about their training as they do actual training. If you are serious about Ironman, you will certainly buy many more training books, however, this one is the best I have found that touches on all of the essential elements of a successful Ironman campaign.

The Table of Contents reads like the 17 Commandments of Ironman training:

The Dream, Time Mngmt, Essential Workouts, Training Cycle, Gradual Adaptation, Heart Rate Training, 30-week Training Plans, Flexibility and Strength, Training Races, Technique, Transitions, Equipment, Strategies, Mental Training, Goal Setting, Maintenance, Recovery.

Amen.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars by far the best triathlon training book..., September 9, 2004

By 

trilungdoc "trilungdoc" (trilungdoc) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Be Iron-Fit: Time-Efficient Training Secrets for Ultimate Fitness (Paperback)

This book is tailored to those triathletes who have busy schedules and perhaps a perceived lack of training hours during the week. Currently I am nowhere near doing an ironman but Don Fink's explanations and approach towards triathlon/ironman training makes it seem somewhat possible. His writing style is direct and concise, although doesn't skimp on essential details (like trainsition periods, for example). Just from reading the section on heart rate monitoring made me realize how inefficient I was training. He also mentions tips on how to efficiently squeeze extra training hours out of your week, which is definitely possible. He provides algorithms to follow for training, which for me and like a lot of other people I know, is a tremendous help, as opposed to training "how we feel". This isn't just for those who want to do ironman distances...this is for anyone who is serious about making the most out of their training schedule, which is what we could all use.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and Informative, October 7, 2005

By 

S. Scott Zimmerman (Orem, UT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Be Iron-Fit: Time-Efficient Training Secrets for Ultimate Fitness (Paperback)

I've read a dozen or so books on triathlon. Some are more informative (like Complete Triathon Book by Matt Fitzgerald and The Triathlete's Training Bible by Joe Friel) and some are more inspiring (like Becoming an Ironman by Kara Douglas Thom), but this book strikes a nice balance between being informative and inspiring. I especially like the many tips on time management--how to work your full training program around demands of work and family. So why not 5 stars? I think the book should have been 50 pages longer and included more depth in some of the important subjects that all triathletes need to know about.