Training Insights
Coaching knowledge, race strategy, and performance tips from Coach Paul.
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INJURY AWARENESS: PAIN vs. TRAINING DISCOMFORT
Endurance athletes are tough — sometimes too tough for their own good. There’s a difference between normal training discomfort and injury pain, and knowing that difference can save weeks (or months) of setbacks. Pushing through the wrong kind of pain doesn’t make you stronger. It makes you sidelined. Learning to listen to your body is a performance skill — and one of the most important ones you’ll ever develop.
Advanced Swim Efficiency: Mastering Hydrodynamics & Propulsion
Why Advanced Swimmers Focus on Mechanics, Not Muscles At higher levels, speed gains come from reducing drag and maximizing propulsion efficiency, not from simply working harder. Water is 800x denser than air — every inefficiency is magnified. Advanced athletes must refine technique with precision, intention, and repeatability.
Advanced Bike Efficiency: Power Transfer, Aerodynamics & Metabolic Control
Experienced cyclists know that raw power doesn’t win triathlons — aerodynamic efficiency, metabolic control, and sustainable torque patterns do. The goal is maximizing speed per watt.
Advanced Run Efficiency: Biomechanics, Elastic Return & Pacing
Running speed is determined by running economy, not just fitness. Advanced athletes must optimize biomechanics, elastic recoil, and pacing strategy to maximize efficiency.
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INJURY AWARENESS: PAIN vs. TRAINING DISCOMFORT
Endurance athletes are tough — sometimes too tough for their own good. There’s a difference between normal training discomfort and injury pain, and knowing that difference can save weeks (or months) of setbacks. Pushing through the wrong kind of pain doesn’t make you stronger. It makes you sidelined. Learning to listen to your body is a performance skill — and one of the most important ones you’ll ever develop.
Advanced Swim Efficiency: Mastering Hydrodynamics & Propulsion
Why Advanced Swimmers Focus on Mechanics, Not Muscles At higher levels, speed gains come from reducing drag and maximizing propulsion efficiency, not from simply working harder. Water is 800x denser than air — every inefficiency is magnified. Advanced athletes must refine technique with precision, intention, and repeatability.
Advanced Bike Efficiency: Power Transfer, Aerodynamics & Metabolic Control
Experienced cyclists know that raw power doesn’t win triathlons — aerodynamic efficiency, metabolic control, and sustainable torque patterns do. The goal is maximizing speed per watt.
Advanced Run Efficiency: Biomechanics, Elastic Return & Pacing
Running speed is determined by running economy, not just fitness. Advanced athletes must optimize biomechanics, elastic recoil, and pacing strategy to maximize efficiency.
RACE DAY NUTRITION: CALORIES, ELECTROLYTES & WATER
Why Race Day Nutrition Matters - Your race performance is limited far more by fueling than by fitness. Most DNFs, bonks, cramps, and late race blow ups are preventable.
Are You Afraid to Fail in Training? How Fear Limits Performance
Fear of failure is one of the biggest barriers to progress in endurance sports. It shows up quietly — skipping hard sessions, avoiding testing, staying in the comfort zone, or backing off when things get uncomfortable. But here’s the truth: Training is supposed to challenge you. Growth requires risk. And failure is part of the process. When you stop fearing failure, you start unlocking your potential.
Run-Walk Progression for Beginners and Returning Injured Athletes
Run/walk is one of the safest and most effective ways to build (or rebuild) running fitness. It reduces impact, controls fatigue, improves form, and allows the athlete to accumulate more quality time on their feet without overloading tissues.
Perform Better in the Heat: Train Smarter During Summer
Summer training brings unique challenges for endurance athletes. Heat isn’t just uncomfortable — it’s a physiological stress that can affect performance, recovery, and adaptation if not managed correctly. Understanding how to train in the heat isn’t about toughness; it’s about strategy.
Tapering in Endurance Training: Principles, Pitfalls, and Best Practices
Learn the principles of tapering in endurance training, including timing, common pitfalls, and proven strategies to peak performance for race day success.
Train With Data, Not Guesswork: Why Accurate Testing Improves Performance
Learn how accurate testing and performance data help endurance athletes train smarter, optimize recovery, improve fitness, and eliminate guesswork from training. Many endurance athletes follow training plans built on estimates. Heart-rate zones based on age formulas. Pace targets pulled from old race results. Intensity decisions made by feel alone. While effort matters, guesswork leaves performance on the table. Endurance training works best when it’s aligned with how your body responds best.
How to Choose the Right Triathlon Coach: Why PXP Endurance Stands Out
Choosing the right triathlon coach goes beyond athletic achievements. Discover why PXP Endurance and Coach Paul Plummer offer the expertise and personalized approach you need for success.
Swim Faster with Better Stroke Rate, Drag Control, and Technique
Swimming performance is governed by a tightly coupled system of physics, biomechanics, and neuromuscular coordination. Unlike land-based locomotion, propulsion in water must constantly overcome a medium that resists movement in proportion to velocity squared. This means that small inefficiencies in body position, timing, or stroke mechanics scale rapidly into large performance losses.
Running Breakdown Information: A Video-Based Biomechanical Guide to Efficient Running
Improving running performance is rarely about a single fix. It is the cumulative result of refining many small biomechanical variables that occur too quickly for the naked eye to reliably detect. Even experienced coaches often miss subtle inefficiencies in real time. This is where video analysis becomes essential.
The Best Triathlon Training Metrics Every Athlete Should Track Explained by Coach Paul
Successful triathlon training depends on more than just logging hours in the pool, on the bike, or on the run. The most effective athletes rely on performance metrics to guide pacing, monitor fatigue, and measure progress.
Endurance Performance Beyond Mileage: Why Sleep, Meal Timing, and Heavy Strength Training Matter
For decades, endurance culture glorified volume above all else: more miles, more hours, more suffering. But the modern evidence base around health and performance paints a more nuanced picture. Endurance athletes who prioritize high-quality sleep, front-load nutrition earlier in the day, and incorporate heavy resistance training are consistently associated with better metabolic health, hormonal regulation, recovery capacity, injury resilience, and long-term performance.
Learning Guide: Running Efficiency, Mechanics & Economy
Running form can be different for everyone but there are some principles that you should be incorporating and perfecting in your runs for better efficiency and run economy.
Endurance Nutrition Guide: What to Eat During Long Workouts and Races
Endurance Exercise requires specific Hydration, Carb intake and Sodium replacement for optimal performance. This article will tell you some normative numbers and examples as well as help you dial in your specific needs.
How Gait Analysis at PXP Endurance Improves Running Performance
A gait analysis should be so much more than watching you on a treadmill and a description of how your form isn't perfect. What is causing the inefficient running patterns? We will show you how to correct them.
HRV and Recovery: Why You Recover Well—or Don’t; Use HRV to Improve Recovery and Performance
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a valuable tool for endurance athletes, but its true power lies in understanding trends, not daily scores.
Why you are not getting faster: Stroke Volume Development for Triathletes
Unlock your endurance potential by focusing on stroke volume, the heart's capacity to deliver oxygen. Learn how structured training can enhance this critical component.
Breaking Through the Plateau: How PXP Endurance Elevates Your Performance
Understanding why athletes plateau and how PXP Endurance offers a unique approach to overcome it.
Training Metrics and Running Physiology: The Complete Reference Guide
What do all the training metrics mean? Learn them here
How to Optimize Your TrainingPeaks Experience with Seamless Integrations
Learn how to effectively connect your devices and make the most out of your TrainingPeaks account.
Choosing the Right Triathlon Coach: Why PXP Endurance Stands Out
Discover how to select a triathlon coach and why PXP Endurance in Indianapolis is your best choice for personalized, effective training.
How Endurance Athletes Can Improve Running Efficiency: The Key to Faster Endurance Results
Unlock your running potential by focusing on technique, cadence, and strength. Learn how to run smarter with insights from PXP Endurance's expertise in compact, balanced movement and optimized cadence.
Mastering Your Ironman Nutrition Strategy: Fueling for Success
Discover the key to sustaining energy and optimizing performance during a full Ironman with a strategic nutrition plan.
Enhancing Foot and Ankle Mobility for Triathletes and Runners: Improve Performance and Efficiency
Unlock your full potential by improving foot and ankle mobility with these targeted exercises, crucial for triathletes aiming for top performance.
Boost Triathlon and Running Performance with Better Hip Flexor Mobility
Discover effective stretches and exercises to improve hip flexor flexibility, essential for triathletes seeking enhanced mobility and performance.
Enhancing Lower Back Mobility for Triathletes and Runners: A Recovery Guide
Discover essential stretches to improve lower back mobility, enhance recovery, and boost performance for triathletes.
Enhancing Mobility and Recovery for Triathletes and Runners: IT Band and Lateral Hip Focus
Unlock your full athletic potential with targeted stretches and exercises designed to improve IT band and lateral hip mobility, crucial for triathlete performance and recovery.
Spinal Mobility for Triathletes and Runners: Improve Performance and Movement Efficiency
Boost your triathlon performance by improving spine extension and rotation with targeted exercises.
Essential Skills for New Swimmers to Master Freestyle Swimming
Mastering freestyle swimming involves perfecting techniques like breathing, body positioning, and arm strokes to achieve efficiency and speed in the water.
The Power of Creatine: Benefits and Considerations for Endurance Athletes
Discover how creatine can enhance endurance performance while understanding its benefits and considerations.
Step-by-step guide to changing a flat tire on a bike
Learn the steps to changing a flat tire on a bike
How to Make Your Triathlon Transitions Faster
A fast transition is one of the easiest ways to shave precious seconds or even minutes off your overall triathlon time.
Recovery: The Key to Endurance Success
Unlock your potential by understanding the science of recovery, the foundation of effective endurance training. Learn how to optimize your training load, sleep, nutrition, and stress management to achieve peak performance.
Unlocking Peak Performance: The Vital Role of Sleep in Endurance Training
Discover how sleep can transform your endurance training and boost your performance.
Listen to Brad Dumbauld's story of climbing Kilamanjaro
Brad has a great success story of climbing mountains
The Realities of Turning Up the Speed: Avoiding Injuries and Building Endurance
Understanding the balance between speed, form, and your body's capabilities is crucial to avoid injuries and enhance performance.
Race Preparation Without Guesswork: How to Show Up Ready on Race Day
Training for an endurance event is more than just accumulating miles or hours on the bike. Fitness is only half the battle — execution determines whether months of work translate into your best performance.
Everything You Need for a Smooth Transition from Swim to Bike and Bike to Run
Prepare for seamless transitions with our comprehensive checklist for your triathlon journey.
Elevate Your Triathlon Training at PXP Endurance Triathlon Camp
Join Coach Paul Plummer in the scenic mountains of Virginia for an immersive triathlon training experience designed to enhance your performance and technique.
Mastering Running Technique: The Essentials for Optimal Performance
Unlock your running potential by mastering fundamental techniques, from breathing and body position to foot strike and arm swing.
Race Day Essentials: Mastering Your Triathlon Experience
Prepare to conquer your triathlon with confidence by following this comprehensive race day guide. From early morning routines to crossing the finish line, every step you take will bring you closer to your goal.
Ultimate Triathlon Race Day Checklist: Everything You Need to Perform Your Best
Equip yourself for success with this comprehensive triathlon race day checklist, ensuring you have all the essential gear for swimming, biking, and running.
Mastering the Art of Swimming and Pressure Techniques
Transform your swim efficiency by embracing side swimming techniques and understanding the concept of pressure with innovative drills for improved speed and endurance.
The Benefits of Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training
Explore the transformative power of B3 Sciences and Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training, a cutting-edge approach to enhancing endurance and performance.
Understanding RPE: The Key to Effective Endurance Training
RPE, or Rate of Perceived Exertion, is a powerful tool for endurance athletes to gauge the intensity of their workouts, transcending the limitations of objective metrics like pace and heart rate.
Injury Management for Endurance Athletes
Injury management is crucial for triathletes to maintain peak performance and prevent setbacks. Coach Paul Plummer shares insights on identifying and addressing common injuries.
Mastering Swim Physics and Techniques for Peak Performance
Explore the intricate relationship between stroke rate, distance per stroke, and velocity, and learn how to optimize swimming performance through physics and technique refinement.
Mastering the Waves: Swimming Philosophy for Open Water Success
Dive into the fundamentals of swimming and discover how balance, rotation, and propulsion form the core of an effective swim strategy for open water events.
Strength Training for Triathlon Success
Unlock the full potential of your triathlon performance by integrating strength training into your routine.
Harnessing the Power of Video Analysis for Optimal Running Biomechanics
Unlock the potential of your athletes’ performance by mastering the key areas of running biomechanics through video analysis.
Mastering the Balance: Load, Recovery, and Adaptation in Endurance Training
Explore the key principles of training load, recovery, and adaptation to elevate your performance in endurance sports.
Periodization Basics: Harnessing the Power of Lactate Curve Analysis
Dive into the foundational physiological principles of endurance training with a focus on periodization using lactate curve analysis. Discover the roles of the three major energy systems and how understanding lactate thresholds can enhance training effectiveness.
Unlock Your Potential: The Importance of VO2 Max, LT1, LT2, FTP, and CSS Testing
Discover how VO2 max, LT1, LT2, FTP, and CSS testing can elevate your training at PXP Endurance, helping you achieve peak performance and reach your endurance goals.
Mastering Endurance: Harnessing the MAF Technique for Optimal Performance
Discover how the MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function) technique can revolutionize your endurance training by enhancing aerobic capacity, optimizing fat utilization, and minimizing injury risk.
Why Slower Training Makes You Faster: Building the Aerobic Engine That Lasts
Many endurance athletes struggle with plateaus and injuries due to overtraining. Slower, aerobic pacing is essential to build a strong foundation for long-term performance and efficiency.
Optimizing Run Form and Efficiency with PXP Endurance
Discover the secrets to enhancing your running form and efficiency with PXP Endurance, the premier coaching choice in Indianapolis.
Fueling Your Potential: The Critical Role of Nutrition in Endurance Training
Discover how optimal nutrition can enhance performance, support recovery, and prevent energy deficiencies in endurance athletes.
Mastering the Heat: Elevate Your Endurance with Heat Training
Heat Training can transform your endurance performance by adapting your body to operate efficiently at higher temperatures. Learn how to implement active and passive heat training effectively and safely.
Harnessing the Power of Optimism in Endurance Sports
Explore how optimism and reframing can transform athletic setbacks into opportunities for growth and success.
Recognizing Early Warning Signs of Mental Fatigue in Athletes
Mental fatigue can significantly impact an athlete's performance and well-being. Recognizing the subtle signs early can make a difference.
Harnessing the Power of a Deeper Why in Endurance Training
Explore how a deeper, intrinsic motivation can sustain athletes through challenges, ensuring resilience and long-term growth in triathlon.
Harnessing the Power of Presence for Peak Performance
Learn how staying present in the moment can enhance your endurance performance and mental resilience.
Confidence: The Foundation of Endurance Success
Confidence is the cornerstone of athletic performance, providing the mental fortitude to stay on course even when challenges arise. For endurance athletes, confidence is not just about believing in their ability to succeed, but also trusting the rigorous training and preparation that have brought them to the starting line.
Strength Is Endurance Insurance: Why Stronger Athletes Perform Better
Discover how strength training can enhance endurance performance, prevent injuries, and increase longevity for athletes.
Enhancing Endurance: Understanding and Improving Durability Through HR/Pace Decoupling
Learn how durability and HR/pace decoupling play vital roles in endurance training and how to enhance these aspects for improved performance.
Train More by Getting Hurt Less: The Hidden Causes of Endurance Injuries
Discover the often-overlooked factors contributing to endurance injuries and learn how proactive measures can lead to consistent, uninterrupted training.
Achieving Optimal Performance: Mastering the Four Cs
Explore how concentration, confidence, composure, and commitment can elevate your performance in endurance sports.
Mastering the Basics: Essential Cycling Skills for New Triathletes
Before advancing to a triathlon-specific bike, junior athletes and newcomers should master basic cycling skills on a standard road geometry frame. These foundational skills ensure safety, proficiency, and confidence on the road.
Recovery Science: How the Body Rebuilds, Adapts, and Performs Better
Recovery is not passive rest; it is the active process that allows training to produce adaptation.
Changing a Flat Tire: Essential Skills for Endurance Athletes
Learn the step-by-step process of changing a flat tire to ensure you're prepared for any situation during training rides or races.
Train With Data, Not Guesswork: Why Accurate Testing Changes Everything
Endurance training aligned with accurate testing enhances performance by eliminating guesswork and aligning workouts with true physiological responses.
Essential Tips for First-Time Triathletes
Embarking on your first triathlon journey is both thrilling and challenging. These tips will guide you as you train, keeping you motivated and prepared for race day.
Building Speed in the Off-Season: The Transformative Power of HIIT for Triathletes
Unlock your triathlon potential during the off-season with high-intensity interval training. Discover the benefits of short repeats and how HIIT can enhance your speed, strength, and overall performance.
Why Slower Training Makes You Faster: Building a Stronger Aerobic Engine
Most endurance athletes believe they are training smart. They follow plans, track data, and work hard. Yet many still plateau, feel constantly fatigued, or struggle with recurring injuries. The problem usually isn’t motivation or effort. It’s intensity.