Tower 26 Technical Phase Training - Propulsion

The third pillar of our TOWER 26 Technical Phase of Training is Propulsion. The Propulsion Phase is the phase in which the power is generated and applied to move you forward with optimal speed and force. We place the Propulsion Phase as our third and final phase because in order to properly apply the force the body must be taut and aligned. If the tautness and alignment are not properly executed the propulsion within your swim, bike, and run is not going to be maximized to its fullest potential. While we are focused on the propulsion in this phase of training, we are constantly checking in on our other two phases of training, tautness and alignment.

In each of the three disciplines of triathlon we focus on where the propulsion takes place and what muscles are the prime mover muscles in generating that propulsion. We break down the movements we repeat over and over and over building into our muscle memory exactly how we should be moving throughout each discipline. When we move correctly, the correct muscles engage, and you move forward with the greatest efficiency, force, and speed.

Swim

When we speak about propulsion in the swim we break it down into two phases:

The Set Up Phase and the Power Phase.

Too many athletes think the swim stroke is just one long power phase from hand entering the water to hand exiting the water. Initially, you must get the hand into the correct position before you start to apply force. We have all seen swimmers who look like bobbing apples as they swim with too much vertical oscillation. This vertical oscillation is taking away from the swimmers forward momentum and causing major inefficiency. When you see a swimmer vertical oscillating they are applying force too soon in their swim stroke. This is where we want to ingrain the set up into the swim stroke.

When the hand initially enters the water you must get it into the correct position before you start to pull water. You move the hand from the flat entry position to the position where the flat hand is facing back, elbow in above the wrist, and the wrist is firm so that there is 1 long paddle from elbow to finger tips. When you move from flat entry point to palm facing back/elbow above wrist, there is no force generated. Let me repeat that! There is NO FORCE generated. This is a force free movement meant to get the hand into the correct position before the pull. If you were to apply force as you move from entry to elbow over the wrist, you would be pressing down on the water causing the vertical oscillation.

Once you get the hand in the correct position facing backwards. Then you can move to the Force Phase of the stroke. This is where you have the opportunity to apply the power in your stroke. Elbow stays above the wrist, the wrist stays firm, and the fingertips remain pointed at the bottom of the pool. You pull the water back and press it through only breaking the wrist as you press the water behind you with a flat hand, feeling the tricep fully extended at the back of the stroke. You cannot let the wrist break before that point. By keeping the elbow high and the wrist firm, you are engaging the big prime mover latissimus muscles. If you lead with the elbow or drop the elbow the weaker shoulder rotator muscles take over and you lose force.

We practice the phase individually repeating the set up over and over, then the power phase over and over. Once we get the feel of each, we put it together in a smooth movement from set up to power in order to correctly and powerfully move us through the water.

Bike

The Propulsion Phase on the bike is very important in the sport of triathlon. Too many athletes neglect how they should be moving to drive the pedals. This mindless pedaling not only leads to loss of power but also leads to tight compensating muscles, poor run times off of the bike, and eventual injury. If the body is moving in the wrong way 80-90 rpms a minute for 2,3,4,5,6 hours this will lead to major imbalances which will show themselves on the run.

Just as in swimming, on the bike the cyclist must always be checking in on the stability on the saddle (tautness) and the alignment of the knees and the hips. If either is neglected as you move the focus to driving the pedals, compensation occurs with under developed muscles. The engagement of these underdeveloped could lead to tightness, cramping, inefficiency and injury.

Once we make sure the stability and the alignment are dialed in we can focus on the propulsion aspect of the cycling technique. The first aspect of this phase is the lower leg relaxation. Too many athletes tense the calf/foot/ankle as they pedal leading to rigidity in the pedal stroke. This rigidity/tension in the pedal stroke is inefficient. A relaxed pedal stroke allows for a smooth, circular pedal stroke in which power is being generated every centimeter of the pedaling revolution.

There are four quadrants to the pedal stroke. A relaxed foot/ankle allows a smooth transition from quadrant to quadrant. Once the relaxed ankle is felt you can move on to focusing on the specific quadrants.

Quadrant #1: Toe Through the top

Quadrant #2: Press Heel Down

Quadrant #3: Pull the Heel Under

Quadrant #4: Unweight the Foot Up

These cues focus the correct engagement at each point in the pedal stroke to help maximize power and efficiency. As the foot comes to the top the rider must think “drive the toes through the top of the pedal stroke.” As the foot presses down at the front the rider must think “heel down.” Next the foot pulls under the pedal stroke the rider must think “Pull the heel back.” Finally as the foot/knee pops up the rider thinks “Unweight the foot.”

In our Tower 26 weekly coached cycling we are constantly breaking the pedal stroke down into individual quadrants to work on the feel of that quadrant. The correct execution and focus points allow the correct muscles to stay engaged moving the rider ahead efficiently and powerfully.

Run

In triathlon a typical term you hear when onlookers watch an Ironman marathon is the “Triathlete March.” This is a term that describes a runner who is running as if they are still cycling. Knees popping up with no propulsion being generated where it should be generated. This “triathlete march” tenses the hip flexors and utilizes the compensating muscles as opposed to the prime mover muscles which are the glutes. This compensation can be avoided by putting the focus on how you are moving forward with each and every stride. As in swimming and cycling, first you must make sure you are running tall (tautness) and driving the knees/hips directly forward every stride (alignment). If both of these aspects are in order the propulsion on the run should be easily implanted.

First off, the foot needs to land on the mid foot as opposed to the heel or the forefoot. Landing on the heel acts as if you are putting on the brakes every stride and is caused by over-striding. Running on the toes does give the runner maximum power off of the push off and puts too much stress on the little bones in the front of the foot. A mid foot strike allows the foot to land right behind the ball of the foot, directly under the center of gravity. This optimizes ground contact time and push off driving the runner forward.

After the mid foot strike is felt in the stride, we progress to think about how we are driving the body forward. Runners must use the ground to help drive the body forward with maximum force every single stride. The foot drives off of the ground pressing into the ground down and back as we drive forward. Think, “press down and back” and your foot presses off of the ground. Good practice for this feel in by completing hill repeat workouts. The feel of the foot pressing off to drive you up the hill is the same feel you need as the road flattens out.

Focusing on the specific aspects of propulsion in the swim, bike, and run is not something that comes naturally to an endurance sport athlete, though with consistent focus these aspects can be built into the athlete’s muscle memory. Once they become ingrained in the movement patterns, the athlete will move forward more efficiently, balanced, and with the greatest amount of force.