Iron Fit: Time-Efficient Workout Secrets for Ultimate Strength & Fitness - Home Gym & Cross Training Essentials

This fantastic book helped me achieve my goal of finishing an Ironman race. Congrats to you for taking on the challenge of an Ironman! I wish you the very best on this journey you are about to start.Here is what I like about the book in no particular order:It's heart rate based. So all the workouts are based on your heart-rate and time. So, as Don Fink says you get quality workouts and eliminate junk miles. I loved that approach especially because it helped me manage my daily schedule. I knew a 60 minute Zone 2 run would last exactly 60 minutes. Unlike other plans that say "go run for 5 miles." well, how long will that take and can I fit that in during a 60 minute slot?There are three training plans to choose from, Competitive, Just Finish, and Intermediate. I chose the intermediate plan for my training as it struck the perfect balance with my work/life.The training plan got me to the finish line feeling good and smiling. I felt well prepared for all three disciplines. At no point during the race did I feel like I wasn't ready and needed more training. The training volume and intensity that Don prescribed in the Intermediate plan was spot on.I loved the brick workouts. Bike to run. They helped so much, that by the time I finished the 112 mile bike, I wasn't dreading the run. It was just a natural transition into the run. And the bricks helped for my shorter races throughout the year leading up to Ironman.The training plans are 30 weeks long, perfectly doable for busy people.The book has a nice chapter on mental training.The writing is good too. It's not overly blah blah technical. Don Fink tells you what you need to know and just a little more. He doesn't bombard you with boring minutia.I would HIGHLY recommend the paper back version. That way you can highlight and pencil in notes as needed. My book looks like a well used college textbook!Here are some basics of my situation. That way you can assess how you can relate to this book:I used this book exclusively and stuck to the Intermediate plan as close as I could. I am not going to go back and count days to give an exact percentage, but i'll take a nice guesstimate that I completed close to 90% of the workouts. I am human so some stuff was missed due to illness.my only goal throughout the whole Ironman experience was to finish, and if possible finish strongly. I didn't have a specific time I was going for other than to beat the 17 hour limit.Books can only do so much. Don Fink recognizes that some times you need an actual coach to look over your form and technique. Especially with swimming, so he encourages you to seek proper guidance when needed. So, in keeping with that spirit I did the following.I swam with a masters swim group as recommended by Don Fink, and followed the swim workouts in the book on days I was on my own. I always maintained the swim volume prescribed by Don. So if my swim group only swam 2000 and Don said 3500, I made up the difference by swimming an extra 1500 to get the total up to 3500. End result: Masters swimming corrected my swim stroke tremendously and with that came confidence in the water. Zero shoulder injury thanks to the swim instruction.Many of the rides I did were with my local bike club since the rides fit the prescribed workout. For example Wednesday rides fit perfectly with the scheduled 60minute ride at zone 2. End result: I kept in touch with my club and received tremendous support.As for running, I took a few clinics for technique guidance and followed the running workouts in the book. End result: Zero injuries from running.A close friend gave me the following advice, "listen to your body." So regardless of what the training plan says, listen to your body. Those words have probably helped me the most in staying injury free.In the end, Believe in yourself. You'll soon discover exactly what you are capable of. After 30 weeks of hard work (this is ironman not easyman) it is sweet to hear Mike Riley call out your name with those famous words... You Are An.......