Robbie Deckard is a professional middle-distance triathlete and triathlon coach, and the founder of Freaky Fast Aero Accessories. In this episode, Robbie and Mikael dig into the real differences between American and European training methods, using lactate and VLaMax to optimise training and performance, and how age-group triathletes can apply lab-grade thinking to swim, bike and run training without actually going into a lab.
HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS:
The real difference between FTP-centric American coaching and the German/Benelux style built around VLaMax, VO2max and physiological profiling.
The evolution of VLaMax based training: from Alois Mader's 1970s model through Jan Olbrecht to current day coaches like Dan Lorang.
Robbie's case for still doing dedicated VO2max work, including a case study that took an amateur cyclist's VO2max from 74 to 87 mL/kg/min over 58 weeks of block periodisation.
Why building maximal aerobic power early is more valuable long-term than chasing threshold gains, and how that shapes the "durability" that separates junior and U23 cyclists from senior professional cyclists.
How Robbie profiles athletes using LT1, LT2 and 5-minute power (or 500 yd swim time, or mile run time), and what typical percentage utilisation looks like for age-groupers versus elites.
How he prescribes endurance, threshold and VO2max sessions in practice, including cues (power, pace, RPE), lactate targets, and why exact wattage precision on threshold work matters less than people think.
Practical advice for age-groupers: open-water swim skills and ankle-band drills, running road races for pacing and durability, and hill running for strength and economy.
Improving aerodynamics on a budget: reduce frontal area first, then refine airflow, and how to measure progress without a wind tunnel using Golden Cheetah or a simple speed sensor.
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