Rating: 
Summary: A Comprehensive Training Tool
Review: This book was really the foundation for my training for a recent 1/2 ironman triathlon. I'm a casual athlete and this book gave me all the information needed to step up to the next level and do better than I ever imagined possible. It has relatively brief sections on nutrition, how to train (levels of exercise and such), weight training, specific run, bike, and swim workout, stretching, and a good section on how to modify the plans in the book, but the bulk of the book is training plans for various levels of athlete's for specific goals - everything from a first sprint triathlon to a competitive ironman, with plans for duathlons and other types of multisport athlets. I followed a 13 week plan for a 1/2 ironman and, even never having done a triathlon before, exceeded all expectations with this plan. Don't get me wrong - it wasn't by any means easy, and for almost all of the 13 weeks my body was feeling a bit beat up, but come race day I performed better than I had in any of my training workouts. I can't recommend this book enough.The book does stay at a fairly high level. It takes more of the "trust me this will work" approach. If you're interested in the theory behind the book or want to spend time developing a HIGHLY tailored plan, I would recommend Joe Friel's Triathlete's Training Bible ... , but for most people this is too much information. Both books are based on the same training methodology and the authors work closely together. The one thing that this book doesn't cover that many triathlete's need help with is how to swim correctly and easily. For this I would recommend one of Terry Laughlin's books ... . Spend a couple months doing his drill progression and swimming will be the least of your concerns in a triathlon. In short, this is a phenomenal traing tool that will help all levels of athletes reach their and exceed their goals in a large variety of multisport events.
Rating:
Summary: A Comprehensive Training Tool
Review: This book was really the foundation for my training for a recent 1/2 ironman triathlon. I'm a casual athlete and this book gave me all the information needed to step up to the next level and do better than I ever imagined possible. It has relatively brief sections on nutrition, how to train (levels of exercise and such), weight training, specific run, bike, and swim workout, stretching, and a good section on how to modify the plans in the book, but the bulk of the book is training plans for various levels of athlete's for specific goals - everything from a first sprint triathlon to a competitive ironman, with plans for duathlons and other types of multisport athlets. I followed a 13 week plan for a 1/2 ironman and, even never having done a triathlon before, exceeded all expectations with this plan. Don't get me wrong - it wasn't by any means easy, and for almost all of the 13 weeks my body was feeling a bit beat up, but come race day I performed better than I had in any of my training workouts. I can't recommend this book enough. The book does stay at a fairly high level. It takes more of the "trust me this will work" approach. If you're interested in the theory behind the book or want to spend time developing a HIGHLY tailored plan, I would recommend Joe Friel's Triathlete's Training Bible ... , but for most people this is too much information. Both books are based on the same training methodology and the authors work closely together. The one thing that this book doesn't cover that many triathlete's need help with is how to swim correctly and easily. For this I would recommend one of Terry Laughlin's books ... . Spend a couple months doing his drill progression and swimming will be the least of your concerns in a triathlon. In short, this is a phenomenal traing tool that will help all levels of athletes reach their and exceed their goals in a large variety of multisport events.
Rating:
Summary: Effective Training for Triathletes at Every Level
Review: This excellent book offers a training plan for everyone - the novice, the Ironman (or half-ironman) competitor, the sprinter, the Olymic distance specialist, and the "I like to do triathlons in the summer, but I also play volleyball, racquetball and softball" athlete. The training plans are easy to follow and can be modified to suit one's personal schedule. One unique feature is the treadmill workouts in the appendix. I've done 2 of them and have noticed an improvement in my running. These workouts are tough and great for any triathlete who has to occasionally train indoors. Best of all, they're not boring. I used to dread my treadmill workouts, but now I actually look forward to the challenge. I also liked the section for beginners. Several friends have expressed an interest in triathlon but are not up to my level of training. Now I can recommend this book to those who want to get their feet wet (literally!) in the sport. I own several training books, and this is the one I reach for most often. I agree with the reviewer who mentioned that this book rounds out a collection including Joe Friel's and Rick Niles' books. I also recommend "Total Immersion" by Terry Laughlin, "The Fit Swimmer" by Marianne Brems, and "Swim, Bike Run" by Glenn Town and Todd Kearney. There aren't too many triathlon books out there, and these are the best of those available. If you don't own any of those books, buy "Training Plans for Multisort Athletes" first! Sidenote: I saw Ms. Bernhardt's post about the revised training plans, so I e-mailed her with a request for the update. She got back to me in 2 days with new plans.
Rating:
Summary: Effective Training for Triathletes at Every Level
Review: This excellent book offers a training plan for everyone - the novice, the Ironman (or half-ironman) competitor, the sprinter, the Olymic distance specialist, and the "I like to do triathlons in the summer, but I also play volleyball, racquetball and softball" athlete. The training plans are easy to follow and can be modified to suit one's personal schedule. One unique feature is the treadmill workouts in the appendix. I've done 2 of them and have noticed an improvement in my running. These workouts are tough and great for any triathlete who has to occasionally train indoors. Best of all, they're not boring. I used to dread my treadmill workouts, but now I actually look forward to the challenge. I also liked the section for beginners. Several friends have expressed an interest in triathlon but are not up to my level of training. Now I can recommend this book to those who want to get their feet wet (literally!) in the sport. I own several training books, and this is the one I reach for most often. I agree with the reviewer who mentioned that this book rounds out a collection including Joe Friel's and Rick Niles' books. I also recommend "Total Immersion" by Terry Laughlin, "The Fit Swimmer" by Marianne Brems, and "Swim, Bike Run" by Glenn Town and Todd Kearney. There aren't too many triathlon books out there, and these are the best of those available. If you don't own any of those books, buy "Training Plans for Multisort Athletes" first! Sidenote: I saw Ms. Bernhardt's post about the revised training plans, so I e-mailed her with a request for the update. She got back to me in 2 days with new plans.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Training Book
Review: This is a good training book with some helpful hints. Another new book that is very helpful is the Waterproof Triathlete: Waterproof Workouts for Triathletes. It contains lots of different workouts as well. Keep on tri-ing!
Rating:
Summary: Almost Perfect
Review: This is a great book for anyone who is interested in triathlon. I have one gripe however. Why can't the author, editor, and/or publisher take the time to proofread the book? Typographical errors and missing information in the training plans bug the hell out of me. In some training plans, critical workout data is missing and you must figure it out for yourself. It's not too hard to estimate the info that should be there, but you shouldn't have to do so in the first place. Other than that, it's really a good book with useful information for a tri-head of any ability.
Rating:
Summary: If you need a clear training plan, look no further
Review: Training Plans for Multisport Athletes is an excellent resource for anyone interested in planning a multisport fitness or training program. Bernhardt clearly outlines several different plans for different events (sprint, olympic, half and full Ironman, as well as duathlon and general fitness) and provides explanations for each workout. Similar books include Niles's "Time Saving Training for Multisport Athletes" and Friel's "The Triathlete's Training Bible," both of which I would recommend alongside Bernhard's work. However, there are important differences among these books. Niles is a great concise overview of the why of training in a time saving manner and gives some good examples of how to do it. His chapters are easy to read, and brief. Niles provides some workouts, but only a few week's worth. Friel's book, aptly named, is a must have since it clearly explains, in appropriate depth, the components of triathlon, and how and why to train for them in certain ways. His book is thorough, yet not overwhelming. The book helps you plan your training year and get started on a program, but does not provide daily plans-you need to make those yourself. Bernhardt's book differs (and adds value, in my opinion) from the others because she provides workout plans that are already made: the plans are detailed to the specific day, and targeted to specific audience members, providing a ready made formula for success for a wide range of athletes, from the beginning sprint triathlete to the seasoned duathlete and Ironman competitor. She also has plans for improving sprint and olympic distance triathlon as well as duathlon performance. This book bridges the gap between Niles and Friel--Niles gives you some example workouts, but only a few week's worth. Friel, on the other hand, gives you the components, but you need to assemble the plan--a chore I didn't really want to do. Bernhardt gives me what I want--a clear plan that follows the concepts Friel explains. It's like having a coach, but only paying for the book! This book is a definite asset in my training library. I think it is, alongside Friel's Training Bible, required reading for anyone interested in triathlon. Friel gives you the concepts, and Berhardt gives you the plans based on those concepts. For the price, Bernhardt practically provides personal coaching distilled into a convenient travel sized package! It is easy to read, covers all the basics of training and preparation, and is fun to read. If you want plans, this book is a teriffic resource. Thanks Gale! Great book!
Rating:
Summary: Too much of a good thing
Review: Training Plans is a very thorough book and will be relied upon heavily in training for my first Ironman. But because I purchased the book for one specific event, 70% of the book is extranious information. That's my fault for being so one dimensional however. A bigger gripe is the actual plans. I've downloaded several training plans for marathons and am used to glancing at my calandar, seeing it's Tuesday, and thereby knowing that I need to run 5 miles at a stated pace. The training plans in this book require digging through the appendexis to decipher the abbreviations and to determine what the author had in mind for that day. A small price to pay no doubt but just looking at the plans in the present format gives me a headache.
Rating:
Summary: Everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to TRI
Review: WOW -- I am new to tri and looked and looked for just the right book and found in it everything that I was looking for. This is a great instructional book that includes step-by-step training plans to prepare you for triathlons that range from your first sprint tri to improving your times to preparing you for an Ironman. No guessing involved, just follow the plan. Plans range from 6 weeks all the way up to a challenging 52 weeks; therefore, triathletes of all levels can benefit from this book. Includes specifics on nutrition, weight training, individual swim, run and cycle workouts based in periodization. (Periodization, in my opinion is the training secret to improving performance in all sports.)
Rating:
Summary: Everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to TRI
Review: WOW -- I am new to tri and looked and looked for just the right book and found in it everything that I was looking for. This is a great instructional book that includes you step-by-step training plans to prepare you for triathlons that range from your first sprint to improving times to preparing for an Ironman. Therefore, triathletes of all levels can benefit from this book. No guessing involved, just follow the plan. Plans range from 6-weeks all the way up to 52-weeks and would be challenging, I believe, for even a seasoned triathlete. Includes specifics on nutrition, weight training, individual swim, run and cycle workouts based in periodization. (Periodization, in my opinion is the training secret to improving performance in all sports.)
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