Mach3Multisport.com

The first thing to do as a newbie is talk to your doctor.  If you are over 40 or have chronic health conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, orthopedic problems, or are pregnant you are at risk of certain complications and definitely need to see your doctor prior to starting a training regimen.   

To avoid injury, stretching is an important part of your routine.  Stretching helps to loosen and elongate your muscles so that you can more effectively move from rest to exercise and back to rest.  See the article on stretching for more in this very important part of exercise. 

Once you are warmed up and ready to begin, it is important to train at the proper level.  The following chart will show the levels to work at, based on heart rate and effort level.  If you have a heart rate monitor, great.  If not, use effort level or the internal heart rate function in some gym exercise equipment.  This chart is based on a person’s theoretical maximum heart rate of 220 minus your age (220 – age = max HR).   

 These levels indicate at which levels to exercise to train in order to meet you goals:Level 1 is used for light activity and will allow you to lose weight (in combination with a proper diet, of course) but will not allow for optimum training for triathlon.Level 2 is used for a moderate level of activity and is the best level for just getting started in the sport.  This level will allow for aerobic increases while keeping chances of injury low.Level 3 is the next level.  Once you are comfortable with aerobic activity, move into level 3 two to three times a week to allow for cardiovascular adaptations toward Anaerobic activity.  Level 4 is nearing race effort and although is required for seasoned athletes, increases injury levels for novices.  Be sure that you have spent time in level 3 prior to moving into level 4.Level 5 is for advanced athletes only, as injury is a good possibility for beginning athletes. 

Some general rules:The majority of your training time should be in level 2.  Try for exercise sessions 3-4 times per week, for up to 20-30 minutes each to start.  Once there, slowly increase the durations to 30m then 45 minutes each.  Then, increase to 4-5 times per week.  Eventually (again, slowly) increase to where you are doing 2 workouts in a day once or twice a week.

As your race gets closer and you become comfortable with 40 minute workouts, increase the effort levels to level 3, but only 20 minutes per session.  These workouts should be shorter in duration and only 2-3 workouts per week.  As you gain fitness and comfort, move into level 4, but only once or twice each week, and in place of level 3 workouts.  Still, the majority of your weekly time and half of the workouts should still be level 2.  

I hope this helps you to get started and to determine where you should be in your heart rate and effort levels.  Good luck and happy training! 

Brian

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