Customer Reviews

The Triathlete's Training Bible (2nd Edition)

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Training bible? Maybe for the top 5% of triathletes worldwide. But seriously though, I enjoyed reading the historical references and the way the author used evidence based data to solidify his arguments. However, at many points in the book, I found the authors writing style kind of dry and uninteresting. The section on periodization nearly put me to sleep (and I'm usually into that stuff). I didn't like the chapter where he used peoples personal training stories and regimens, I couldn't relate to that schedule. If you are like most recreational triathletes and don't have forever and a day to train, this may not be the first book to consider.

I have been doing triathlons for three years and I feel this book is not for the Beginner Triathlete. This book reads like a College Text Book and is appropriate for the seasoned triathlete as it has invaluable technical data. I do not recommend this book for the beginner triathlete because I feel that it does Not address the mental and psychological aspects of doing a triathlon. Both of which I feel are extremely important hurdles for people to overcome when entering mutisports races. I recommend "Triathlon 101" by John Mora for beginning triathletes.

This is the only pure triathlon book I own, so I can't compare, but it answered 95% of the questions I had about how I go about improving from being a bunch finisher. The other 5%, well I suppose the author has to draw the line on detail somewhere. For example, the section on swimming skills is a 3-4 page summary of the total immersion swimming book.

It presents lots of ideas which are fairly easy to understand on their own. It then requires that you put the effort to read (and reread many times in my case!) to really 'get' a lot of concepts. Only then can you put your own training plan together. For this reason it might be a bit too complex for a complete beginner who wants a simple set of guidelines. In summary, an Excellent book for anyone who has done some triathlons, likes understanding concepts and making plans and wants to improve their placings.

A well structured and thoroughly written training guide for triathlets. The fundaments of J.Friel's approach are explained very well and capture the reader's interest. It is not the "usual" training plans collection with success promises you get normally. The book helps the understanding of how to build up serious training for the his/her priority races and how to plan and schedule the training sessions and work outs. My only difficulty was to find the right level for myself (a beginner triathlete for the sprint distance), since my impression was that the book was aimed at more "serious" athletes than me. But I succeeded in extracting the information I believe was right for me. As an MD I appreciate the correct insides in training physiology, so I felt advised by a real expert. The supplied bibliographic references for further studies are an added value. I would recommend the book to anyone who would like to take his triathlon training in his hands but also to those who would like to gain a deeper understanding of how "serious training" should look like.

Stefanos Demertzis, MD, PhD

For the recreational triathlete this book will be a bit overkill. However, if you are seriously wanting to bring your times down to a competetive level or if you are wanting to embark in an Ironman (or even 1/2) distance race, the tools offered here will greatly aid you. From how to plan your season, structure your training to peak at just the right time, measure your progress and workouts to target your specific goals; this book will give you the knowledge you need to step it up.

I was also a fan of the Cyclist Training Bible (by the same author) long before this book this came out. You'll find the information in both scientifically sound, tested, trusted, enlightening and will no doubt help improve your performance no matter where you're at now.

I am a novice triathlete and was looking for a good place to start. Since I don't know anyone in my area that runs in triathlons I turned to the next best thing, a book. The Triathlete's Bible has helped me set goals, training objectives, and given me all the tools and resources I need to accomplish them. It has also taught me how to plan out my work out schedule for a year down to a week so that I stay focused, especially once winter comes where I'll have to do a lot of indoor training. All and all I would say a great book for people of all different ability levels.

The Triathlete's Training Bible is THE authority on triathlon training. Joe Friel's training method is scientifically based (though he makes it a point to say that training is not a science alone - far from it, in fact), and he references numerous sources throughout the book. He presents the material, however, in such a way so as not to inimidate or overwhelm his readers.

This book is for those of us who want a personalized training program but can't afford the high prices of a personal coach. It is for those of us who enjoy learning and applying those methods to practice.

It is NOT for those of us who want a CANNED program that tells us when and how long to swim, when and how long to bike, and when and how long to run. If that is what you're looking for, seriously, look elsewhere. You'll likely be dissapointed.

But if you want to learn how to create and manage your own program succesfully, this is THE book to read. No doubt about it.

Note: Unless you exhibit perfect form, you will likely have to supplement this book with others on technique for the swim, bike, and run. It has some, but it is not heavy on technique, it is heavy on method.

AS a regular guy this book was much to advanced for me. It was very detailed and if I was looking to compete at the front of the pack it would be much more useful.

I've practiced a lot of sports since I was very young but I've never tried to 'tri'. I thought I knew a lot about endurance training but I was wrong. Friel's training book has been very useful and covered almost everything: training basic principles, periodization, skill assessment, nutrition ...
Most of all, Friel's book gave me the 'ability' to prepare my own training annual plan and to schedule my workouts (with correct volume & intensity levels according to periodization) on a weekly basis. Definitely a "must have" for beginners and intermediate triathletes.

I bought this book because it was highly rated and expected it to be a "bible" of triathlon. Instead it mainly focuses on how to cycle your training years and how to manage your time according to your goals. The chapter on technique and equipment is only very brief and superficial, Friel merely points out that you should get some swimming lessons to learn to swim faster, and maybe buy fancier equipment to cycle faster. The psychological side is also quite thin, and there just isn`t anykind of personal touch in the book. I really don`t feel like opening it again. In endurance sports you must have that "inner-burning" to keep you going, and quite frankly, Friel gives the feeling of an arm-chair theoretician of himself in this book.