So the question posed here is this; (specifically for Ironman training not Olympic distances): Which coaches (with a good reputation and experience, prominent recognized names) recommend an approach more towards quality over quantity and which coaches (might be the same individual) advocate frequency over duration. This might be back to the debate of Less is More or More is More.
I’ll start the vote as follows:
Quality: Mike McCormack
Quantity/Duration: Gordo Byrn
Frequency: Jeff Cuddeback
Quality: Brett Sutton
Quantity/Duration: Brett Sutton
Frequency: Brett Sutton
.
It does not have to be either/or.
If I read Joe Friel right he advocates quantity during base and quality during build and peak.
Ok, but what about the “reverse pyramid?”
.
What two consenting adults does behind closed doors is their own business.
now that was a classic response! 
I had to edit my reply for spelling.
I thougth Paulo’s was funnier.
Who is Brett Sutton? Does he work for CTS or MarkAllenOnline?
None of them advocate just one approach 52 weeks per year.
clm
Perfect!
I know, and my question was improperly posed. I’m speaking in general philosophical terms here. Broad brush stroke thinking. Coaches DO have biases. You could argue that a Gordo Byrn (directly form his writing), generally advises against too much threshold work and classic speedwork for IM athletes, while McCormack suggests too much emphasis is placed on leg deadening volume at the expense of more quality, threshold training. I agree no one is all or nothing, but most tend to tilt to one side or the other generally. That’s what I’m focused on here, crude as I stated it.
How about looking at an athlete’s weaknesses and addressing them?
Who is Brett Sutton? Does he work for CTS or MarkAllenOnline?
Apparently not a very nice guy. http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/opinion/sutton.html
Got to do both at some time in your life or another. I think if these prominent coaches prefer one method over the other that has more to do with the type of athlete’s they are coaching (40hr work weeks, training seasons they have done, short course history vs long course history, genetics that match the coaching style).
I cetainly don’t think one approach is particularly better than another for everyone.
Scott
Got to do both at some time in your life or another.
You’ve got to do both at the SAME time if you hope to ever be as good as you can possibly be.
Got to do both at some time in your life or another.
You’ve got to do both at the SAME time if you hope to ever be as good as you can possibly be.
Oh sure, throw THAT in our faces. I’m looking for a coach who will design a plan to help me languish in mediocrity…but noooo, they all have a focus in some other direction. shrug
"You’ve got to do both at the SAME time if you hope to ever be as good as you can possibly be. "
Agreed, I generally beleive you eventually have to do both at the same time. I am not sure you should follow the same mix over many years though.
I’m looking for a coach who will design a plan to help me languish in mediocrity.
There are a ton of triathlon coaches right here in the phoenix area that I can refer you to if you are only looking to stay the same. They have been some of my best referral sources.