teams for the London Triathlon since 2001. Ralph is a freelance coach, designing individual triathlon training programmes, providing one-to-one coaching and offering nutrition advice. His new DVD is Flexibility for Triathletes and Runners. Visit ralph-hydes.com.
the area for 10-15 minutes at least twice a day (and preferably several times) for the first three days. Never apply heat to a new injury. Firmly compress the area using a bandage or compression material. If you're using a bandage, make sure it isn't so
It's a familiar story: you return to training after injury aiming to be faster and stronger than before. Then reality kicks in as your decreased fitness becomes apparent. You begin to wonder if you'll ever be able to repeat your pre-injury
of the foot of the injured leg, keeping most of your weight on your heel.4 Bend your knee slightly (10-20 degrees), making sure to keep the other foot off the ground.5 Move the hip on the problem side forward about 10-15cm, keeping the heel in contact
burns about 100 per cent more calories than usual when it's trying to repair an injury. "It's important that you feed your body what it needs to mend," says Dr Liz Applegate, author of Nutrition Basics for Better Performance. She recommends boosting
of training, but working on it can help to not only improve your performance, but also prevent injuries and speed up the recovery process. What is flexibility?In short, flexibility refers to the range of motion (ROM) available in a joint or group of joints
for 10-15 minutes at least twice a day (and preferably several times) for the first three days. Never apply heat to a new injury. Firmly compress the area using a bandage or compression material. If you're using a bandage, make sure it isn't so tight
Triathlon is holistic. No other sport works so many muscle groups in so many ingeniously torturous ways. So it makes sense to think about the body from top to toe, inside and out. Bones, muscles, tendons and nerves work together and any problem can
all the way back, switch to shoes with a stiffer sole or try wider-platform pedals. "Change your foot beds regularly, says Pruitt. "Change them once a year if you ride 5,000 miles or less; more often if you put in higher mileage."BackWHAT AND WHY
strength-training programme will not only make you stronger and faster but will also help you to remain injury-free.Here are the top five training benefits that can be yours in exchange for just two or three short strength-training sessions each week:1
