Synopses & Reviews
"Matt Dixon remains at the forefront of the sport, a beacon to the rapidly expanding triathlon world." -
Meredith Kessler, pro triathlete and Ironman championTraining - Recovery - Nutrition - Strength
Coach Matt Dixon is in the business of developing world champion triathletes. With 150 championships and podium finishes in Ironman® and Ironman 70.3® events over the past five years, purplepatch fitness pros are proving over and over again that he knows how to draw out performance. But Dixon will be the first to tell you that his pros don't train according to the conventional methods.
In The Well-Built Triathlete, Dixon upends the myths with which triathletes have been indoctrinated and spells out a better way to train for swim-bike-run. His progressive training program is grounded in the belief that performance is supported by four equally crucial pillars -- training, recovery, nutrition, and strength -- that must all be developed together. When any one of these pillars is underdeveloped, athletes fall short of their potential.
The Well-Built Triathlete begins with a thorough self-assessment that will identify imbalances that threaten performance. Then Dixon's groundbreaking book on triathlon training supplies the tools you need to tap your full potential:
- Guidelines and protocols to improve training consistency and recovery
- No-nonsense advice on triathlon nutrition, fueling, and hydration
- Functional strength tests and exercises to launch a strength training program that builds resiliency
- Sample training blocks for every phase of training as well as Olympic-, half-Ironman-, and Ironman-distance race prep
- Workout sessions to evolve swimming, cycling, and running fitness over multiple seasons
The Well-Built Triathlete is your guide to implementing Matt Dixon's winning purplepatch fitness program and uncovering superior performance year after year.
Matt Dixon, MSc, is an exercise physiologist and an elite triathlon coach. He is founder and president of purplepatch fitness, a fitness and coaching company that caters to triathletes and endurance enthusiasts of all levels, from world champions to beginners.
Review
"Elite coach Matt Dixon shares his approach for what it takes to create a well-rounded athlete who continues to improve year after year." -- Triathlete magazine
Review
"
The Well-Built Triathlete is an in-depth manual full of the tools and tips that helped me go from a perennial age grouper to a professional triathlete." -
Meredith Kessler, professional triathlete"Elite coach Matt Dixon shares his approach for what it takes to create a well-rounded athlete who continues to improve year after year." - Triathlete magazine
"Well built" refers to Dixon's long-term and comprehensive approach toward athleticism, going well beyond the standard training programs, and outlining a great deal on nutrition, recovery, and strength and conditioning. The book gives the reader a framework for performance." - USA Triathlon magazine
"Triathletes frustrated by poor performance despite long hours of endurance training will want to get their hands on The Well-Built Triathlete." - Triathlon Magazine Canada
"Dixon gifts the reader with a wealth of knowledge he accumulated over years of training and study as a pro triathlete, coach and exercise physiologist...Dixon delivers new insight into training zones and the importance of nutrition and recovery; often overlooked or undervalued by the masses of age groupers. If you are in the market for any kind of athletic improvement, we highly recommend you give them your full attention." - TriEdge.net
"One of the things that has struck me most about Matt Dixon and his coaching philosophy is his emphasis on quality over quantity. Many coaches load on volume and training hours, whereas Matt is able to create superior performances from his athletes on few hours of training. This translates into better overall quality of sessions, more time to recover, and more time for healthier life balance. His philosophy is one that I admire greatly." - Sarah Piampiano, professional triathlete
"Matt Dixon taught me to not view my training in isolation but rather implement a holistic focus where my program was planned in the context of maintaining a healthy body, happy family, and fulfilling life. Not only have my performances drastically improved, but also my entire triathlon experience has become far more enjoyable." - Tim Reed, professional triathlete
Synopsis
In The Well-Built Triathlete, elite triathlon coach Matt Dixon reveals the approach he has used to turn age-group triathletes into elite professionals and champions.
Dixon's method breaks new ground in triathlon training, introducing a new, comprehensive approach that builds the whole athlete for stronger performance. Dixon details the four pillars of performance that form the foundation of his highly successful purplepatch fitness program, showing triathletes of all abilities how they can become well-built triathletes and perform better year after year.
The Well-Built Triathlete does not focus narrowly on workouts and training, but instead gives equal weight to training and workouts, recovery and rest, workout and daily nutrition, and functional strength and mobility. Dixon considers the demands of career and family to prepare athletes to achieve their goals through a realistic, practical ecosystem of stress and recovery.
The Well-Built Triathlete is Dixon's guide to every aspect of triathlon performance. Chapters on swimming, cycling, and running explain the most effective ways to train for each. His pragmatic approach to stretching, recovery, and effective strength training shows athletes where they can recover valuable time. A purplepatch section shows how triathletes can achieve long streaks of high performance.
Dixon's whole-athlete approach to triathlon will help triathletes become greater than the sum of their workouts. By becoming better all-around athletes, well-built triathletes will train and race faster than ever.
Synopsis
In
The Well-Built Triathlete, elite triathlon coach Matt Dixon rewrites conventional methods of triathlon training.
Dixon believes triathlon has focused too narrowly on training and workouts, neglecting the equally critical areas of recovery, nutrition, and functional strength. When athletes fail to balance these four pillars of performance, they cannot reach their full potential.
The Well-Built Triathlete lays out a more comprehensive approach that considers the whole athlete. Dixon gives equal weight to training and workouts, recovery and rest, daily nutrition, and functional strength. He factors in the stresses and demands of career and family. He considers how different personality types are most likely to find success. The Well-Built Triathlete makes training more personal to each athlete -- and recognizes that athletes are far more than workout machines.
Dixon gets specific, too, helping athletes plan out their season and training plan. Chapters on swimming, cycling, and running explain the best ways triathletes should train for each. A Purple Patch section reveals how triathletes can peak their preparation for long streaks of top performance.
With Dixon's approach, triathletes will find their own perfect recipe of triathlon preparation and reach new levels of performance.
Synopsis
In
The Well-Built Triathlete, elite triathlon coach Matt Dixon reveals the approach he has used to turn age-group triathletes into elite professionals.
Instead of focusing narrowly on training and workouts, Dixon reveals a more comprehensive approach that considers the whole athlete. Dixon details the four pillars of performance that form the foundation of his highly successful purplepatch fitness program, showing triathletes of all abilities how they can become well-built triathletes and perform better year after year. The Well-Built Triathlete gives equal weight to training and workouts, recovery and rest, daily nutrition, and functional strength. Dixon considers the demands of career and family and the ways different personality types prefer to approach training.
The Well-Built Triathlete helps triathletes apply Dixon's approach to their season and training plan. Chapters on swimming, cycling, and running explain the most effective ways to train for each. A purplepatch section shows how triathletes can peak their fitness for long streaks of high performance.
Dixon's holistic, whole-body approach to triathlon will help triathletes become greater than the sum of their workouts. By becoming better all-around athletes, well-built triathletes will train and race faster than ever.
About the Author
Matt Dixon is an exercise physiologist and an elite triathlon coach. He is founder and president of purplepatch fitness, a fitness and coaching company that caters to triathletes and endurance enthusiasts of all levels, from world champions to beginners.
In just five years, Dixon’s purplepatch athletes have earned over 150 professional Ironman® and Ironman 70.3® championships and podium finishes, 50 of which are wins. Dixon has helped over 100 athletes to qualify for the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.
Dixon is a former professional triathlete and two-time Olympic trials finalist in swimming. He has a master’s degree in clinical and exercise physiology and contributes regularly to Triathlete, LAVA, Outside, and USA Triathlon magazines. He has also written for the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Outside, Men’s Fitness, and Men’s Health.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Preface
Introduction
I: Pillars of Performance
Ch. 1 Building a Foundation for Athletic Performance
Ch. 2 Stress and Endurance Training
Ch. 3 Recovery
Ch. 4 Nutrition
Ch. 5 Functional Strength
II: Your Performance Plan
Ch. 6 Mapping Your Path to Performance
Ch. 7 Planning Your Season
III: Endurance Training
Ch. 8 Swimming
Ch. 9 Cycling
Ch. 10 Running
IV: Purple Patch
Ch. 11 Racing
Ch. 12 The Evolution of Training
Epilogue: The Winning Mindset
Appendix: Interval and Tempo Workouts