Planning and Monitoring Systems for Coaches

Banister and colleagues described performance as the result of fitness and fatigue responses to training.

Source: Banister et al., Aust J Sports Med 1975 · recall

Each training dose raises both a fitness and a fatigue component; performance is their difference.

Source: Banister et al., Aust J Sports Med 1975 · recall

Fatigue has a short time constant and fitness a long one, which is why a taper can raise performance.

Source: Banister et al., Aust J Sports Med 1975 · recall

Values around 42-50 days for fitness and 7-15 days for fatigue are typical, though individual fits vary.

Source: Banister et al., Aust J Sports Med 1975 · recall

CTL and ATL are exponentially weighted loads with long and short time constants.

Source: Banister et al., Aust J Sports Med 1975 · recall

Individual time constants and gains differ, so generic values give rough predictions.

Source: Hellard et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006 · recall

They found wide confidence intervals and ill-conditioned parameters, limiting practical use.

Source: Hellard et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006 · recall

Busso's variable dose-response model let the fatigue effect increase with repeated heavy training.

Source: Busso, Med Sci Sports Exerc 2003 · recall

Reducing load lets the fast-decaying fatigue fall while much of the slow-decaying fitness remains.

Source: Banister et al., Aust J Sports Med 1975 · recall

Load models ignore illness, stress and individual response; outcomes must be checked against them.

Source: Hellard et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006 · applied

Banister's TRIMP quantifies a session's internal load from duration and heart rate.

Source: Banister et al., Aust J Sports Med 1975 · recall

Duration is multiplied by a weighted fraction of heart rate reserve.

Source: Banister, Physiological Testing of the High-Performance Athlete (1991) · recall

The weighting reflects the steep rise of blood lactate with intensity.

Source: Banister, Physiological Testing of the High-Performance Athlete (1991) · recall

The constants were derived from average lactate responses of each sex.

Source: Banister, Physiological Testing of the High-Performance Athlete (1991) · recall

Minutes in each zone of maximal heart rate are multiplied by 1 to 5 and summed.

Source: Edwards, The Heart Rate Monitor Book (1993) · recall

Time below, between and above the two ventilatory thresholds is weighted 1, 2 and 3.

Source: Lucia et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 2003 · recall

Heart rate responds slowly, so brief hard efforts are under-represented.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · recall

RPE times duration gives comparable load for swimming, where heart rate is hard to record.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · recall

Each method uses different scales, so trends only make sense within one method.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · recall

Heart rate in swimming is lower for the same effort, so perceived exertion can capture swim load better.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · applied

Foster described them in 1998 when studying overtraining and illness.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · recall

Low day-to-day variation in load produces a high monotony value.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · recall

Strain combines the amount of training with how little it varies.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · recall

Many illnesses in his athletes followed periods of high strain.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · recall

Training that is the same every day, even moderate, gives little chance to recover.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · recall

Values above around 2 were associated with problems when load was also high.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · recall

Varying daily load raises the standard deviation and lowers monotony.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · applied

Frequent moderate sessions in each sport can make daily loads very similar.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · recall

Monotony flags a pattern but cannot tell a coach why an athlete is unwell.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · recall

Load is unchanged, but less variation between days raises strain and risk.

Source: Foster, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 · applied

Repeating the same tests shows whether training is working.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Standardisation reduces noise from factors other than fitness.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Lab tests control conditions; field tests reflect the real environment.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Testing at phase transitions shows progress without too much disruption.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

A long-course athlete gains more from durability-relevant tests than from sprint tests.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Frequent maximal tests eat into training and recovery.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Knowing the conditions helps separate fitness changes from noise.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Fixed-effort tests, such as pace at a set heart rate, show trends without maximal strain.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Separating maximal tests keeps each result valid.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Tests taken while fatigued underestimate fitness.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · applied

Protecting a few important sessions keeps the plan robust when life intervenes.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Having alternatives for illness, weather or travel avoids panicked changes.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Trying to make up missed work raises injury and illness risk.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · applied

Cramming missed sessions sharply raises load in a short period.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Indoor options keep key sessions on schedule in poor weather.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

A few short, targeted sessions preserve fitness during heavy work or travel weeks.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Scheduled recovery prevents unplanned breakdowns.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Keeping the most important session and trimming others limits the impact.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · applied

Regular review keeps the plan realistic.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Plans with no slack break down when life inevitably interferes.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Compliance compares planned and completed sessions or load.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Repeated missed sessions often signal a poor fit rather than laziness.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Correct thresholds, device settings and complete records keep metrics meaningful.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Loads and zone times depend on current thresholds.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

A different device can offset values, breaking comparisons.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Unrecorded sessions distort totals and trends.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Notes about illness, heat or equipment explain outliers.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

A session done far too hard or too easy does not match the plan even if completed.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Trends over weeks are more reliable than single values.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Old thresholds can make sessions too hard or too easy.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · applied

McEwen described the physiological cost of repeated adaptation to stress.

Source: McEwen, N Engl J Med 1998 · recall

Students reporting stressful life events showed smaller training gains.

Source: Bartholomew et al., J Strength Cond Res 2008 · recall

Stress from any source draws on the same recovery capacity.

Source: Main & Grove, Eur J Sport Sci 2009 · recall

They argued for assessing training, life stress and mood together.

Source: Main & Grove, Eur J Sport Sci 2009 · recall

Lowering total load protects recovery while keeping important sessions.

Source: Main & Grove, Eur J Sport Sci 2009 · applied

Without adequate sleep, the same training causes more fatigue.

Source: Main & Grove, Eur J Sport Sci 2009 · recall

Irritability, low mood and ongoing tiredness often appear before performance drops.

Source: Main & Grove, Eur J Sport Sci 2009 · recall

Easy to moderate exercise can reduce stress, while very hard training adds to it.

Source: Main & Grove, Eur J Sport Sci 2009 · recall

Travel disrupts recovery even without extra training.

Source: Main & Grove, Eur J Sport Sci 2009 · recall

Anticipating life stress lets the coach lower load ahead of time.

Source: Main & Grove, Eur J Sport Sci 2009 · applied

Athletes in a group differ in fitness, goals and experience.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Pace-based lanes let each athlete swim at a suitable intensity.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Time-based sets let faster swimmers cover more distance in the same period.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · applied

Leaders set pace, route and etiquette so riders stay safe.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Training together builds motivation and shared knowledge.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Group dynamics can push some athletes above their planned intensity.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Personal paces or zones within a shared structure keep sessions suitable.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Shared target races make group planning and travel easier.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Structured groups stop one athlete dictating everyone's intensity.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · applied

Coaches need risk assessments, emergency plans and appropriate supervision.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Camps allow concentrated training away from work and routine.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Camps often double normal volume, raising injury and illness risk.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Recovery lets the body absorb the camp block.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Fitness gains appear after recovery, so camps sit well before the taper.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Early camps often build aerobic volume and skills.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Good weather allows long outdoor rides that winter prevents at home.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Under-fuelling during a high-load camp risks illness and poor adaptation.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Recovery days prevent fatigue from overwhelming adaptation.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Early signs of overload help coaches adjust the camp plan.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Jumping straight into camp volume from a low base is a classic injury setup.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · applied

KPIs are measures that relate closely to performance, such as swim exit position.

Source: Vleck, Burgi & Bentley, Int J Sports Med 2006 · recall

Vleck and colleagues found athletes who exited the swim with the leaders had a better chance of a high finish.

Source: Vleck, Burgi & Bentley, Int J Sports Med 2006 · recall

Run performance was the strongest predictor of overall placing once packs formed.

Source: Vleck, Burgi & Bentley, Int J Sports Med 2006 · recall

Split analysis shows which parts of the race need work.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Ranking each leg against the field highlights where gains are available.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Practice can cut transition time with no extra fitness.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Late fade often reflects over-pacing the bike, poor fuelling or limited durability.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Split comparisons across races need to allow for conditions.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

Athletes can explain mechanical issues, stomach problems or tactical choices.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · recall

The weakest leg relative to peers usually offers the largest improvement.

Source: Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible (4th ed., 2016) · applied