Your coach can see your data, but they cannot see the whole picture. A poor session may have a perfectly good explanation: poor sleep, inadequate fuelling, stress, a late night or simply a difficult day. In this article, Caroline Livesey explains why athletes need to look beyond the numbers, understand their own responses and give their coach the context needed to make better training decisions.
Your resting heart rate is dropping, your HRV is improving and your wearable says you’re recovering well. So why is your performance getting worse? Sometimes the data that looks like a sign of improving fitness can actually be an early warning of overreaching. Paul Russhard of Resolute Run Coaching takes us through why wearable data can be misleading when viewed in isolation, and what you should be paying attention to instead.
We live in a world driven by data. Wearables give us more metrics than ever before, and they are undeniably powerful.
However, analysing numbers in isolation is not coaching.
Data tells us what happened but without context, it is incomplete. Coaching requires interpretation grounded in the reality of a human life, and that demands honest, consistent feedback.
In this article, Caroline Livesey explains why the feedback loop is the true engine of effective coaching.
The run-up to the Christmas period is busy. Routines change, social commitments increase, and training is often the first thing to slip. Many athletes describe feeling tired, but in reality most of this fatigue isn’t physical. It is social and mental fatigue. Here Caroline Livesey gives you a helping hand to manage the Christmas period without letting your training routine go completely.
Winter can be a challenging time for triathletes who live in seasonal climates like the UK and North America. With colder temperatures and fewer outdoor training options, it’s essential to stay motivated and adapt your training routine to maintain fitness and prepare for the upcoming season. Tom Ward from Passion Fit Coaching gives some tips to help you make the most of this winter’s training block.
As we roll into October and temperatures drop in the Northern Hemisphere, the indoor training season is officially here. For many cyclists, this is the time to shift focus from long sunny miles to efficient, focused sessions that build serious fitness — all from the comfort of your pain cave.
The good news? Indoor cycling has never been more effective or motivating, especially now that Zwift and TrainXhale are fully integrated. Read on for some key sessions to improve your fitness.
If you are new to running and confused by all the conflicting opinions on social media about how to get started, then this article is for you. With 40 years of experience as a runner and run coach, Christian Orr has distilled all the noise into 5 of the most effective tips.
Are you wedded to your pull buoy? Do you find progressing in swimming impossible? Maybe it’s time to change your tune.
Unless you come from a swimming background the chances are that swimming is the most frustrating part of triathlon progression for you.
There are some triathlete swimming myths that could be holding you back, and in this article Mark Livesey, co-founder of Xhale, explains why and what you can do about it.
Are you guilty of basing too much of your performance analysis on your data? In this article coach Aidan Callaghan emphasises how, especially in this early part of the year, your focus should be on other things. Find out how data can support your training but not derail your motivation.
You’re out for a long run. The pace feels good, the weather is perfect, and you’ve found that clarity of mind that comes with focusing solely on your exertion and moving dynamically through space. Life is GOOD! You love this shit! The endorphins are popping and you feel positively brimming with good will and happiness. You pause to cross a road and glance to check your total run time – but you didn’t start your watch!
In this article Heather Wurtele explores the quirks of memory versus reality and how you can use the mind to improve your training experiences.
In this article Sam Wordley highlights some of the reasons he and his coach use Xhale, and some of the benefits he feels the platform gives him. Xhale has always focused on the communication between an athlete and their coach, developing specific functions to encourage engagement for the athlete. There are numerous ways this can benefit your development as an athlete, and your coaching process if you are a coach.
As most triathletes either take a break this time of year, or are getting started on their winter training, it is a great time to put in place a macro structure for your coming training year. In this article Passion Fit coach and professional athlete Lydia Dant explains how she reframes the different parts of the training cycle, and what an athlete should be focussed on in each training phase. This is a great place to start for your own periodisation.