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It all begins here. You may be used to seeing Kris Gethin suffer, but not like this! He's embracing an entirely new type of challenge by training for an Iron Man, and even a body as well-honed as his is going to feel the shock at first. During this week, the master of pain finds himself getting owned by short swims, getting lost on his bike before running a 5K, and trying some training techniques that you've never seen him try before.
If you want, you can train along with him—and with his trusty female counterpart, Sunshine—by using the downloadable workout breakdown. You could alternately perform just the weight routines, and substitute the cardio of your choice for the triathlon-specific training to become a more well-rounded athlete. Of course, you can also just sit back and watch the drama unfold!
Training and Nutrition Tips from Week 1:
- Expect many "wake-up calls," as Kris calls them. Hybrid training is demanding, and you'll have to suffer for your art.
- Don't think about this as being a six-month project. Think of it as being a day. Just get through this day. Then get through the next one when you have to face it. If you can go to bed tonight and say, "I did absolutely fucking everything today that I could to be successful for tomorrow," then you're going to get through this six months and reach your goals.
- Locking out shoulder presses? Gasp! And yet, Kris is doing just that during this program, because it has carryover to swimming. Expect to have your expectations challenged over the months to come.
- If you're used to intense gym-based training, then you'll need to learn the skill of what Kris' coach Alex Viada calls "sustained low power output." You may have a big engine under the hood, but that means you'll need to learn how to control it.
- As coach Alex Viada says, the first week or so is frustrating because it's new, not because you're physically incapable. Give yourself time!
- Eat for health, not just how you look. Kris is eating with more fat in his diet than in his BodyFit programs like the 8-Week Hardcore Trainer or 4 Weeks 2 Shred. That does not mean eat like crap, though. Everything calorie needs to have a purpose.
- The failure is part of the fun. As Kris says, what's the point of doing it if it's easy?
- Submerge yourself in the culture of the challenge you've accepted. Doing an Iron Man? Read magazines, books, and accounts of those who have gone before you. Are you an endurance athlete getting serious about strength training for the first time? Do the same.
Ambitious athletic goals require strategic nutrition. Fuel up right to get big and go long.