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First ever High Performance Training Camp for Triathlon
Monday, 11 January 2010
The weekend of the 8-10 of January was the first time ever that South Africa’s elite Triathletes and some of the next generation were exposed to a High Performance Training and Testing Camp.
Called together by TSA High Performance Manager, Emma Swanwick, the group of 38 athletes were put through a series of stringent tests by the TSA team and the HPC (High Performance Centre at the University of Pretoria).
“The objective firstly was to get to the athletes together in a camp situation and get them and myself to know each other better away from the racing scenario,” said Swanwick. “We then put them through a series of tests to identify their abilities, which areas need work and how we can improve their performances.”
To this end the squad was put through a swim test, an FMA, cybex test and finally a run-bike-run test. The swim test was made up of 4x50m, 3x100m, 2x200m and 1x300m. All sessions were recorded on video tape which allows Swanwick to look at the stroke of the athletes and physiological data.
The FMA (functional movement analysis) provides the test team with information on spinal alignment, range of movement and stability. The cybex test measures the pressure exerted on the water and the run-bike-run test looks into fatigue and how that affects form.
The athletes ran 7 minutes on the treadmill, 12minutes on the bike and another 7 minutes again on the treadmill. Again this test will show up any form problems, especially the effect of fatigue on form.
This data will be provided to the individual coaches with recommendations to improve the athletes form and training. In April a further battery of tests will be done and then again in July.
These tests will tell the High Performance Team (Emma Swanwick, Lindsey Parry and Richard Woolrich) how much has been improved and what still needs to be worked on.
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