Last week we noted the power of imagination and distraction to help ease your way through tough turbo sessions. This week we tried something from swimming and it was also effective for cycling, plus you could do it with your eyes open so it would be equally suitable for use on the road.

The trick is simple: focus on technique. In swimming, it’s easy to let technique slip as you become tired. The result is predictable. You slow down, you put in more effort to keep up the speed, you become more tired, your technique deteriorates further, you slow down some more.

One way to fight this vicious circle (apart from improving your swimming fitness) is to pick a key part of your stroke – such as high elbows or executing a perfect catch – and focusing on that. Not only does it distract you from feeling tired, it helps keep the stroke together and your speed up.

In cycling, technique is not so obvious. Your feet are locked to the pedals and there’s no where else to go. But pedalling technique does make a difference. As we become tired we tend to let the pedal cycles become more uneven, forget to unweight the foot on the upstroke, start throwing our weight around to put more energy through the pedals or shift into a less aerodynamic position.

So, next time you start to feel tired on the bike, instead of thinking, “sh*t, my legs hurt,” concentrate on keeping your pedalling action smooth. You can try shifting the focus every minute to a different part of the stroke (scraping the mud off your shoes, lifting or kicking over the top) or you can focus on one leg at a time.

It won’t stop you feeling tired, but it might keep you efficient for a little longer.

Related posts:

1. Triathlon training: only try this on a turbo trainer As surely as spring brings daffodils out of the ground,...
2. Triathlon Gear: Kettler ErgoRace training bicycle A home exercise bike used to be something your parents...
3. Triathlon Training – TheTriathlonCoach.com Training Weekend 6/7th November 2010 We did this enjoyable and informative course last year. The...
4. Triathlon training: use your phone to make the most of limited time How would you train for triathlon if you just had...
5. Triathlon training weekend, Leeds, 12th-13th November From The Triathlon Coach (www.triathloncoach.com): To enable athletes to improve...