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TRIATHL ONS  T RIATHLON G EAR  MOBIL IT Y AND CROSS TRAINING  ME DITATIO N  FART LEK  YOUT UBE VIDEOS SHOP

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October 24, 2018 by Tres

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What are fartlek advanta es and es? Where does that word come from and what
does it mean? Will it help me et er and faster? Fartlek….Even after 20 years of usin
that word, it still makes me chuckle a little bit. I think it’s that little boy inside of me that
doesn’t want to row up.

I hly recommend usin a Garmin Forerunner 935 when fartleks. I use it on fartlek runs,
fartlek bike sessions, and a fartlek swim sessions.

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If you are interested in how meditation helps with your weekly , take a look at this
article about meditation speci cally ned for triathletes.

Fartlek Advantaes and es

Advanta es

Hi hly adaptable
E‰ective for endurance trainin E
‰ective for speed trainin
Improves fast twitch muscle responses
Improves slow twitch muscle responses
Great for roup trainin
Easy for individual trainin

Disadvantaes

If improperly performed, an injury can occur

Di cult to keep detailed metrics
Can be more painful to perform
Requires a little creativity

What is a “Fartlek”?
Fartlek is a Swedish term that means “speed play”. It is a blend of distance and interval
trainin . It allows for more ½exibility in workouts. Most workouts that we do have a re
imented structure to them. If I do 100 meter repeats on a track with 30 seconds of a walk
or jo between e‰orts, then I will be doin a re imented and structured workout.

What are Fartlek Trainin Advanta es and Disadvanta es

Fartlek workouts allow us to use whatever we have around you as a way of or anizin our

workouts. If you want to do hill repeats from point A to point B, you could decide to o from
a stick that is on the round to a patch of tall rass up the hill. Then you can adjust
where you stop runnin up the hill on the next repeat. And you can adjust the distance and
intensity on how you are feelin at that moment.

Why do I like Fartlek ?

The reason that I like this type of variability when , , or runnin , is because it can be
nuanced every time. I don’t have to o to a speci c hill or track every time I want to do interval
trainin . I can use the road next to my house. I can use a park that is bi er or smaller.

Fartlek trainin is hi hly individualized, yet also adaptable for a roup settin . As a roup, you
can be a kid a ain and switch distances and e‰orts as the roup works out. The roup can adjust
the intensity and distances of a particular fartlek trainin session based on how each member
feels on the iven day. And when it’s over, the stories are more interestin than a typical trainin
session. One person runs farther than everyone else on a iven e‰ort. Your
friend stops too soon. Another person turns at the point. Fartlek trainin is are a reat way of
lau hin with our friends.

Performance Bene ts of Fartlek Trainin

From a ical vanta e point, fartlek trainin advanta es and es allow for fast
and slow
twitch muscle trainin . A solo lon distance works on both slow and fast twitch muscles, but the
confusion created by fartlek trainin allows your muscles to be adaptable to in race

conditions. If there is a pack that you have to wait behind momentarily durin a triathlon or a

road race, you have to slow down and then speed up pass that roup when iven a chance. Our
muscles will be used to to these variations durin race time when we incorporate fartlek trainin
.

Fartlek Trainin Examples

Mailbox – Fartlek Trainin

Fast tempo from one mailbox to the next mailbox that you wish to stop at. Slow to moderate
tempo until you et to the mailbox. Repeat this as many times as you like.

You can run at a fast tempo towards a in the park (preferably one that one et freaked out).

Do park – Fartlek Trainin

After you pass the , slow down and to the next that you want to run towards. Just repeat
this until you want to stop. I have not tried this one yet, but I really want to.

Music – Fartlek Trainin

This one is easy if you already run, swim or bike with music. I have a set of Sony waterproof
headsets that I like to use. You can o at a quick tempo until the son es. When the
chan es to an easy tempo. When that son ends and the next be ins pick up your speed the
quick tempo you had in the be innin . Continue until you want to stop.

Hear a Bird – Fartlek Trainin

White Car – Fartlek Trainin

This can be a e if you workout at ni ht or when its extremely cold. This workout helps you

to do micro sprints. If you hear a bird sin , sprint as fast as you can until you hear another bird,
then or walk slowly. Repeat until you can’t do anymore.

See a white car (or any color you choose) – This one is reat if you are workin out on the road. I
recommend try to nd a busier road. That way you don’t have to wait too lon to slow your tempo
down. If you see a white car, speed up. When you see the next white car, slow down.
Repeat.

Wave at Me – Fartlek

This one will et you out of your comfort zone. Wave a stran er and when they wave back at
you, you can push to your speedy tempo. When the next stran er waves back at you, you can
slow down. This one will de nitely make someone smile or think you are a bit e.

Fartlek Advanta es and es – In Conclusion

There are so many variations to fartlek that you can think up on your own. Just remember the

oal is to make it less structured in the sense of interval distance and interval time. You want
variable time and variable distance. You can apply this type of fartlek
to runnin , cyclin , and .

Fartlek trainin es and es can be lumped into a majority of advanta es. Find a
friend or roup of friends to do fartlek with you. It will make trainin even more fun that it
is now. It will help you become more adaptable to in race conditions.
Fartlek trainin is hi hly eous for anyone who wants to compete at a hi her level.

 Fartlek
 Fartlek T rainin Advanta es and Disadvan ta es
 3 Advanta es of the Lake Tan lewood Triathlon
 5 Great Fartlek Run Ideas

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