The practice of any high-performance sport requires a lot of preparation and training, all with the aim of achieving good results in competitions. The decathlon, a sport that requires high levels of resistance, does not escape this reality. It is a sport that brings together two equally demanding disciplines, such as cycling and athletics.
Some specialists consider that the decathlon can be classified as a modality that belongs to triathlons. Although it only comprises two of the variants included in the triathlon, it can still be defined as such. This sport is mainly practiced during spring and summer, when temperatures allow participants to go on long journeys, either on the road or in the mountains.
Within the decathlon there are different modalities depending on the distances to be covered. There are usually three modalities: Spring Distance, Olympic or Short Distance and Long Distance. If you are a beginner in this sport, after preparing yourself properly, your first competition should be of the first modality.
It is clear that these types of competitions are for true sports lovers and those who like to exceed their limits on a daily basis. In addition, the decathlon requires a previous period of training, focused on the characteristics of this sport. Therefore, a common training routine in the gym is usually insufficient to face this type of competition.
If you are facing your first decathlon, in this article we will give you some basic tips and advice that could make your training easier. In addition, we propose several specific routines that will be able to tone your body to face this experience.
Routines to prepare for training
First-phase
If you usually do little exercise, you will need a previous period of training in the gym, emphasizing those routines that will improve your resistance levels, such as cardiovascular exercises.
Along with this routine, you should prepare yourself in terms of speed, although it is not about being extremely fast, it is an important characteristic for the decathlon. In this sense, you can write down the marks you achieve to have a record of your progress or setbacks. All this would enter into a first phase of training.
Second stage
By adequately passing this first period, you would be ready to tailor specific training focused on competition to your liking. Some specialized portals recommend planning two-week training cycles. On these days, athletes should alternate with disciplines, cycling and walking.
We recommend that you perform both routines in a setting similar to where the competition will take place, depending on whether it is on the road or on unpaved terrain, on the plain or in the mountains. In this way your routine will adapt more accurately to the test in question.
It is important to emphasize one or another discipline per week. For example, in the first week you can do about fifty or seventy kilometers by bike, with walks of half an hour or forty minutes. Then next week you cut the bike distance down to thirty or forty kilometers and run or walk for an hour or so.
Third-phase
With these two weeks of training you would already have a basic preparation to face a decathlon. However, you need even more severe training that allows you to withstand the competition in its entirety.
To do this, you can also make a two-week training plan where you combine cycling and walking with greater intensity. This time you can try the transition between the two disciplines more often. For example, run or walk about a thousand meters, after pedaling about ten minutes and so on. Accompany this third phase with training in the gym to add strength to your muscles.
Finally, practice speed, for which it is necessary to reduce the distance you travel in order to increase the quality of training. Also include a day to practice transitions and put more emphasis on it as the test approaches.
The preparation in its entirety should not exceed a month and a half, also taking into account the days of rest that your body needs. Exploiting your physique too much could lead to serious consequences or ultimately not have as effective a preparation as you expect. Try to plan this training period to end a couple of days before the test.
Tips to prepare for a decathlon
We propose some tips and basic details that you should not lose sight of in order to compete in the decathlon successfully. Some of the tricks that we propose will also help you in your performance during the decathlon.
- Despite being an individual competition, you can train in a group, since in this way the preparation period becomes more fun.
- Train in competition clothes and shoes days before the competition.
- Test the bike and modify all the necessary elements to make it comfortable for you.
- Do not start too fast, try to go with the group and later you separate.
- Build up the pace, without burning too much energy from the start, as otherwise you could tire yourself out before you even start pedaling.
- Always try to turn or go through curves on the left side of the track.
- In the last meters of the bike segment, try to arrive before the peloton, so you don’t waste time trying to place your bike and your accessories (which you shouldn’t leave scattered either, since they hinder other cyclists)
- If you are a beginner, preferably participate in decathlons on flat terrain or with slight climbs.
- You can wear gloves, which will be especially useful when using the bike; ultimately you can drop them in one of the sections.
- For your sneakers, use elastic laces, so that it is very easy to adjust and unfasten them.
- Especially in the final stretch, push yourself as hard as you can, thinking that there are only a few minutes left.
We hope these tips make your decathlon training and training easier. With a lot of effort and sacrifice you will surely achieve better marks every time you try.