Don Fink - Be IronFit: Time-Efficient Training Secrets for Ultimate Fitness

An imprint of Rowman & Littlefield

Distributed by NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK

Copyright 2004, 2010, 2016 by Don Fink and Melanie Fink

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.

Ironman and Ironman Triathlon are registered trademarks of the World Triathlon Corporation.

Active Release Technique and ART are registered trademarks.

IronFit is a trademark of Don Fink, all rights reserved.

Cover photo: Saleta Castro by James Mitchell Photography

All exercise photos featuring Yvonne Hernandez are provided courtesy of Debra Trebitz.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

ISBN 978-1-4930-1782-9

ISBN 978-1-4930-1783-6 (e-book)

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER

The programs in this book are designed for athletes with either a high level of fitness or the physiology to attain a high level of fitness. Readers should consult a physician before beginning any of the workouts suggested herein. If you experience any pain or difficulty with these exercises, stop and consult your health care provider.

To our servicemen and servicewomen who defend our freedom and allow us the liberty to pursue our dreams.

We wish to thank the following individuals:

Steve Adler, Mark Allen, Jodi Alper, Joseph Altomare, Martin Avidan, Tim Beasant, M. Scott Boyles, Kellie Brown, Gordo Byrn, Ray and Eve Campeau, Saleta Castro, Peter Dominick, David Drucker, Barry Farber, Sharon Friedman, Ken Glah, Cathy Grote, Ryan Grote, Yvonne Hernandez, John Howard, Kathleen Hughes, Peter Hyland, Troy Jacobson, Adrian Jones, Andrew Jones, Jeff Kellogg, Lynn Kellogg, Terry Laughlin, Lothar Leder, Paul Levine, Laura Litwin, Dave Mantle, James Mitchell, Francis Quinn, Katy Roberts, Dr. John M. Schneider, Eric Siskind, Spencer Smith, Karen Smyers, Kevin Stevens, Steve Tarpinian, Scott Tinley, and Debra Trebitz.

Twelve years... wow!

Its amazing to us that its been over twelve years since the first edition of Be IronFit was published. So much has changed over this time. What was then a fledgling new sport has since exploded in worldwide popularity.

Since the writing of the second edition of Be IronFit six years ago, much has happened. At that time there were far fewer races. The World Triathlon Corporation, which presents the Ironman series of races, had only about twenty races. Today it has over twice that number, plus over eighty more races at the Half Iron distance. The Challenge Family, which presented only a handful of races in Europe, now has over forty races at the Full and Half Iron distances worldwide. The HITS series was not even on our radar six years ago; today it has nine Iron-distance races in its popular series. And these are just the larger series. There are countless smaller series and independent races springing up around the world.

As we have traveled the world over this time, we have been blessed to meet so many wonderful people who share our passion. As we made it very clear in the first and second editions of Be IronFit, completing the Iron distance changed our lives. We were not the same afterward, and our lives took some amazing directions. Now, many years later, we still never tire of hearing someone tell us, Your book changed my life. We get tears in our eyes when we think about it, because this is always exactly what we had hoped to do.

We learned through our own experience that once you accomplish the Iron-distance dream, you are never the same again. You are far less likely to say that something is impossible. You are far more likely to believe in yourself and your ability to accomplish difficult life goals.

The three original training programs have now been used by tens of thousands of athletes on five continents to achieve their Iron-distance dreams. They are possibly the most followed Iron-distance training plans in existence.

We have worked with hundreds and hundreds of athletes over the last twelve years, and we have continued to improve upon our coaching methods and approaches. We have successfully found ways to make our training even more efficient and beneficial.

Because of this, the time has now come to offer a new generation of IronFit training programs with many advancements and improvements. As successful as the original programs were, the new IronFit training programs are even better. In fact, not only are they better, but they are more fun too.

Now its your turn. Because you selected this book, we know that you have been touched by the IronFit dream. Or perhaps you are totally new to the sport and are still deciding if you want to take the plunge. Or maybe you already have completed the Iron distance but are ready to improve your time and take your performance to the next level. In any case, you have come to the right place. Lets get started!

Original Introduction, by Don Fink

The Ironman triathlon began over thirty years ago in Hawaii, when a dozen or so athletes combined a 2.4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile bike race, and a 26.2-mile marathon into a single competition. This once-obscure race has not only flourished over the years, but exploded into Ironmania.

It is estimated that over one hundred thousand individuals will compete in an Iron-distance triathlon this year and that number continues to grow rapidly, drawing competitors from all walks of life. The World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), owners of the Hawaii Ironman, now sanction over twenty Ironman races around the world. And there are countless nonsanctioned races at the Iron distance as well. Some of the WTC races sell out their two thousand entry slots within hours after they go on salea full year before the actual race.

Ironmania is no less contagious in North America. USA Triathlon, the nations governing body for the sport of triathlon, has more than doubled its membership to over 110,000 in only the last five years. Completing the Iron distance, either in Hawaii or at one of the dozens of other Ironman-distance races, is the most widely held personal goal for these athletes. Doing so earns them the coveted title of Ironman.

I completed my first Ironman in 1992 and was instantly bitten by the Iron-distance bug. The experience was so rewarding that it became my passion. Not only was I fascinated with the challenge of developing my knowledge and skills, but I also became enthusiastic about helping others achieve their Iron dream. I have now competed in over thirty Iron-distance races all over the world and have coached hundreds of athletes to become Ironmen.

Ive written this book for the triathlete or endurance athlete who is ready either to take on the challenge of the Iron-distance or to achieve superior fitness. If your goal is to complete your first Iron-distance triathlon, to set a new personal best time, or just to become IronFit, you have come to the right place.

You can benefit most from this book if you already have a base level of triathlon knowledge. Perhaps you have participated in some shorter-distance triathlons, or in road racing, century rides, or swim competitions. Starting with this basic level of experience, I will take you step-by-step through everything you need to know to prepare for and successfully complete a full Iron-distance triathlon.