Description
A breakthrough program for triathletes — beginner, intermediate, and advanced — showing how to balance training intensity to maximize performance — from a fitness expert and elite coach.
Cutting-edge research has proven that triathletes and other endurance athletes experience their greatest performance when they do 80 percent of their training at low intensity and the remaining 20 percent at moderate to high intensity. But the vast majority of recreational triathletes are caught in the so-called “moderate-intensity rut,” spending almost half of their time training too hard–harder than the pros. Training harder isn’t smarter; it actually results in low-grade chronic fatigue that prevents recreational athletes from getting the best results.
In 80/20 Triathlon, Matt Fitzgerald and David Warden lay out the real-world and scientific evidence, offering concrete tips and strategies, along with complete training plans for every distance–Sprint, Olympic, Half-Ironman, and Ironman–to help athletes implement the 80/20 rule of intensity balance. Benefits include reduced fatigue and injury risk, improved fitness, increased motivation, and better race results.
Jordan Bailey (verified owner) –
This book breaks it down, folks. The authors take the complexity of human physiology and make it digestible into your own training plan. I had a question regarding using a Max HR for zone establishment or my results from LTHR and Matt got back at me within hours. I am implementing all facets of this book into my own training plans and will return in 3-6months and post results.
Jordan B
BS in Exercise Science
1-year experience in University Physiology Laboratory
Mr Robert J Lamont (verified owner) –
Great food for thought, backed up with some science. Liked the detailed strength and conditioning plans. Will take some time to digest and apply the training planning detail.
G. Oliveira (verified owner) –
Fitzgerald has produced another master piece of training and this books is also a must have. It explains everything you need to know to take your triathlon to the edge. I have applied these techniques to myself on based on his 80/20 running and it made me consistently climb the podium on my age group on small races. Plus, I never get injured. The best part is the all is backed up by scientific studies. There is plenty evidence that it works for all levels of athletes of all ages.
Evan23 (verified owner) –
Easy to understand, fairly easy to implement. The library of plans is really handy. Almost a month into training the 80/20 way and I already see a difference.
Daniel Moncayo (verified owner) –
This book is very well written and has valuable scientific information, explained in simple terms for everyone to understand. Additionally to clearly telling why the 80/20 system works, it walks trough the process to create a tailor made training plan, a valuable tool for every self coached triathlete like my. Last, but no least, in the 80/20 webpage you’ll find a lot of resources to implement the system without any hassle.
Mitch M. (verified owner) –
Love the concept of 80/20 and have used it for my marathon training from Matt. In the book, although, it’s a bit of work to look for your actual traing plan in the back of the book. Maybe I’ll get used to it!
S. Horan (verified owner) –
This book is very well written and is invaluable for all self coached triatheletes. This is a great addition to the 80/20 Running book. I would highly recommend for any triathlete that wants more focus to training.
David Sànchez (verified owner) –
I love triathlon and I love to be a self coached triathlete and for this reason is always interesting read different authors in order to improve my coaching and obtain better results. This is a book focused on how to train to improve your performance and for this the authors provide not only the proper advise to implement their knowledge but also the proper workouts and a plan for your race (taking in consideration that you shall train the three disciplines, plus functional strength, flexibility, etc.). Great book that shall be also complemented with other great books from the authors to take in consideration your nutrition (and rest) that is also aspect that you shall consider to be healthy and avoid injuries.
Benjamin (verified owner) –
Fantastic read! As an age group triathlete I am always getting stuck in that moderate zone for training. This book explains in great detail the how, and most importantly, WHY training for long distance triathlon must be done at lower intensities. From the small amount of training that I have done so far based on this book, I have already seen times improve. In a day when all the talk in fitness is HIIT and similar workouts, this book will help you understand that too much high intensity training will hurt your triathlon training and in the end, lower intensity workouts will help you more. HIIT style workouts definitely have their place in triathlon training, but in this case especially, less is more.
Trisha Port (verified owner) –
This is book is well written and easy to understand. It is not overly bogged down with scientific data, just enough to get the point across. It also offers easy to follow programming guidelines as well as pre-written programs for all race distances.
NHauptm (verified owner) –
I like the format of the book and how it addressed all my questions about the science behind following the 80/20 plan. I also like the fact the there are different plans included. Because I have purchased other plans from Matt and David, I can use those codes in the book to easily load a custom plan in TrainingPeaks.
Brian B. (verified owner) –
I’ve been doing triathlons for 5 years and have loved Matt’s other books, and just finished his last book Endurance Diet. This book is the perfect follow up to 80/20 running, and dials in the same concepts for triathletes. Matt breaks down the science behind 80/20 training to a level that anyone can understand.
If you’re getting into triathlons, or are a long time triathlete, this is a must read. I see too many of people get a case of strava-itis, and push every workout to the extreme trying for that new PR. This book will teach you when to dial it back and when it’s time to push hard. It will change the way you train.
Jim Von Hipple (verified owner) –
I swear this book was written for me! Every ride I do ends up being a puke fest! It’s fun but I get injured a lot and feel like I am not recovering. I am now following this plan and hopefully a big reward waiting for me at the end! I highly recommend this book!
April Walker (verified owner) –
I recently ordered both 80/20 running and 80/20 triathlon together. I completed my first full distance triathlon using the Be Iron Fit book/plan and it went very well. Always tweaking, I wanted to see what this book had to offer in planning for my 2019 season. I really love the concept of training easy the majority of the time (hence 80%) and then including very specific intensity for a specific purpose. The book includes the science behind the idea, which I appreciate, but also the practicalities of how you figure out your training zones in each discipline (swim/bike/run). There is also good strength training advice in here. I am definitely planning to use one of these plans for my upcoming half race in May and I am excited to see the results!
Jeff M. (verified owner) –
I have been running and biking for years, but I have only recently started triathlons. I have plateaued in my training and I think this book may hold the key to unlocking additional gains. Previously I have pushed each workout to be faster than my last. After reading this book, I have tried a few of the workouts and can say that I enjoy them and look forward to them rather than dreading them. I am hoping to start a full triathlon training plan in December and am optimistic about my chances.
Julian (verified owner) –
Having read (and really liked) Fitzgerald’s book about “Endurance Diet”, my expectations for the book were rather high. But Matt delivers again with a very solid book which does not leave you with any loose ends. I enjoy that the book is very fact-based and does not state some theories without any evidence. The book is well composed and starts with a rather general introduction with a derivation why the 80/20 makes sense and provides real world examples of elite endurance athletes as well as scientific evidence. The middle part examines how micro and macro cycles shall be structured and a large array of sample work outs for each discipline and focus are presented in the appendix. There is even a section on how to integrate core, strength and flexibility training into your training plan – again with described exercises. In conclusion, a very well written book where you have to work through and not something you read before going to bed. Highly recommendable!
Soren (verified owner) –
BAM! Everything he brought to marathon running with 80/20 he just brought to the triathlon world.
Laura Larisch (verified owner) –
Great book
Chris Pohlod (verified owner) –
Very well laid out… am able to self coach now.
MT (verified owner) –
I have been racing Triathlon for a couple years. This has become my new training bible. I also suggest the Endurance Diet by Matt
Jamie Grantham (verified owner) –
Great book!!
Michael Lemen (verified owner) –
I learned a lot
Shane Paxton (verified owner) –
I’ve read 4 other triathlon training books including the Training Bible and I found this book the most helpful because this book maps out programs with lots of variety of workouts for all 3 disciplines. It seems a lot of books don’t want to go in depth to make out training plans with the workouts detailed into the plan. I like that he covers all 4 distances in his plans and he has 3 different levels of training for each distance. I’ll be using this book a lot as a resource for the training for 2 half triathlons this year and hopefully a full next year.
Deanna L. Fisher (verified owner) –
I purchased this book in the lead-up to my training for Ironman Mont Treblant in August – this is my 3rd Ironman, but the first that I will be using an online plan (not a real-life coach). I started using the Lvl 1 plan but quickly realized (due more to real life restrictions) that the Lvl 0 plan was better for me to engage in. I’m currently partway through week 4 of the training plan and feeling solid
will update as training progresses
Craig P (verified owner) –
Very informative and makes sense , I could see my mistakes in training after they pointed out the effects of over training, and wasn’t just injury . I came from the old days which the philosophy was more miles !
andrea (verified owner) –
loved this book! Used it to train for a 70.3 triathlon and totally crushed my goal! I loved reading the science behind it :). only downside was having to check the back of the book for every workout. took a while as I transferred all the workouts to a calendar but other than that it is awesome!
Daron Whisman (verified owner) –
Systematic approach to training for any level of triathlete. Really like the baseline approach for measurement and how to slot yourself as you approach this event. Additional value of ability to print out training plans and download work outs to most watches
Reviewer (verified owner) –
Ultimate Fitness and Performance! Please…..
James Thomas (verified owner) –
This book makes common sense arguments and recommendations for a style of training that is foreign to a lot of endurance athletes. Specifically, going slower to get faster. I can not yet say for sure if it works because I’ve only been incorporating the thinking for a short time and the results will take months/years to realize, but the book does provide a different line of thinking that can be applied to enhance the training of your everyday athlete.
TrickyKid (verified owner) –
Simple and fun to read, digest and put into action. 3 age group podiums in 2019 thanks to this book. Well worth the money.
doug nink (verified owner) –
Excellent training book
Joao P. O. Stringheta (verified owner) –
Durante um tempo treinei com um coach, mas, depois de achar que os treinos estavam ficando repetitivos, busquei um livro que pudesse me ajudar a formatar meu próprio treinamento.
O livro 80/20 é bem bacana, o autor se preocupa em trazer evidências científicas robustas sobre as ideias que defende. Em alguns momentos acredito até que as evidências sejam repetitivas, o que torna a leitura um pouco enfadonha.
Foi o único livro sobre triathlon que li até hoje, e, no geral, achei bem bacana, me ajudou bastante na formatação de um treino específico para minhas necessidades. Recomendo.
Scott (verified owner) –
Read this book and purchased the Ironman 70.3 training plan on Training Peaks.
konajim (verified owner) –
This book and the training philosophy is amazing and extremely effective. I have trained and raced triathlon for over 10 years and feel this is the best training program I have ever used. You won’t be disappointed with Matt and David’s book.
William Race (verified owner) –
Doesn’t promise to make you a world champion but does encourage you to adopt the mindset and training values of one.
Norm (verified owner) –
The 80/20 method really changed the way that I train. I feel better and I’m faster and stronger than before. The most difficult part of this training philosophy is learning to go slow for the zone 1 and 2 workouts, but once you do learn to go slow you will find the speed is there for your zone 3 and zone 4 workouts. I highly recommend this philosophy for age group athletes.
joshua (verified owner) –
This is a great book to understand training zones and what types of workouts you should be doing. I would recommend also using their training peaks plans to help guide you.
J L (verified owner) –
This is essential reading for any triathlete. Free yourself from unproductive training programs and realize your potential
massimo (verified owner) –
Uno dei manuali più completi. C’è davvero tutto ed è molto chiaro. Un must
Alberto Ivo (verified owner) –
É um livro para quem cansou de treinar sempre na cacetada. Antigamente eu tinha apenas dois estados: treinando ou cansado. Hoje minha recuperação tá muito melhor e mais rápida.
Si_&_Ally (verified owner) –
Content is great, but the actual printing and binding of the book feels incredibly cheap, which is a pity.
Casey (verified owner) –
A must read for ambitious triathletes.
Ray Z (verified owner) –
This was such a different style of working out I had my doubts. Turns out this was harder than expected and was exactly what I needed. Performed 1 season so far with this book and it helped greatly. I really loved all the workout options here for a wealth of variety that didn’t keep me bored. I entered each workout I did into my Garmin devices and it felt like I had a coach there telling me exactly what to do. This book is geared for all levels of athletes.
Denise (verified owner) –
Great help for preparing for a triathlon!
J Moya (verified owner) –
The crucial principles of an 80/20 trading regimen is well spelled out in detail. Unfortunately, the shortfall is how the book seems dated with regard to how technology has made much of the recording of effort levels to be more easily determined than the book implies. Another miscalculation of the book is the omission of strength training as a integral part of training during race season and not just during the off season. This “training schedule” miscalculation is why the book gets 4 stars instead of 5. And, worse yet…likely to increase the chance of injury for triathletes. In spite of that, the book is an excellent source for DIY coaching. …just don’t make it the only source. Best to find sources that also emphasize recovery and strength in the training process/schedule.
Lillie Fontenot (verified owner) –
Using for Ironman Training.
Paula cano (verified owner) –
Great book! So far Im half way through and had helps me a lot in my Tri training!
Becky (verified owner) –
If you want a plan to follow for your first half distance triathlon 70.3 this book will get you to the finish line feeling great!
I wrote out the weekly work outs on big index cards so I could plan my week.
There’s lots of great info for general strength for a triathlete.
The Explanations of zones for each discipline and effort help understand the why of the plans.
I used level 3 half iron plan and it had about 8 hours a week all the way up to 13-14 hours in the peak weeks.
There are other levels for more time crunched people.
Highly recommend this book.
Martin Biermann (verified owner) –
No other book that I read on triathlon training has taught me as much on how to design your own training plan.
Rogerio Carvalho da Silva (verified owner) –
Para quem não é treinador ou não tem experiência com triathlon o conteúdo se mostra bem esclarecedor. Mas para treinadores ou atletas experientes que buscam se aprofundar mais no treinamento “polarizado” para essa modalidade, o livro é bem abrangente. Explica, mas sem se aprofundar muitos nos porquês e nas teorias de treinamento. É um livro “prático”.
Jessie Richardson (verified owner) –
Don’t be afraid of this book. It’s a lot of information and can be confusing but it’s more than ok to jump around and not read chronologically. My recommended approach is read the intro that explains the concept of 80/20. Then read the section on swimming. Flip forward to the ideal plan you want to use based on your race. Then look at some of the swim workouts recommended (they are in a section AFTER the training plans and not available in the index which is confusing). Rinse and repeat for cycling and running sections. While you do this, questions will naturally come up in your head that you can find the answers to by browsing other sections of this book. The value of this book is that if you devote some time to understanding it, you will never have to purchase another 80/20 training plan, no matter what race you’re doing.
Jeff (verified owner) –
Great planning and insight on how top level triathletes train and how it applies to regular people like me.