OK, let's get one thing straight first -- this isn't a review of the Spencer Smith book with a similar name! This really is a DVD about doing transitions, as the subtitle "Mastering the 4th discipline" confirms, and it comes from Endurance Films over in the US. Priced at $29.95 and lasting just 45 minutes you could be forgiven for wondering if you would get value for money, but it really does contain solid, useful information that could help shave time off your transitions.

The advantage of using a video format, as opposed to an article like this, is that you can see what the commentator is going on about and watch it over and over again. Indeed, the DVD also contains a section on practice drills and some material to printout (their versions of our transition tips and equipment checklists). And, it must be said, the video production is very good with clearly shot demonstration footage and a lot of live action from real races interspersed with top tips from Pros like Hoanna Zeiger, Leanda Cave, Matt Reed, Karen Smyers and more besides.

What is odd about the footage to a UK viewer is that virtually all of it is American -- well, you would expect that, but you keep having to remind yourself it's American because of all the guys riding their bikes with no tops on! That's perfectly legal in USAT races but definitely not allowed over here. The one exception to the American footage is a clip, which may well have come from the London Triathlon, with the very familiar sound of Mr Steve Trew's commentary in the background going on about how transition is the fourth discipline. Whether that was the inspiration for the subtitle we'll never know, but at least they didn't use Steve's other famous utterance: "Transition, the defining moment" just doesn't quite sound right... ...although it's been that on more than a few occasions!

The DVD is divided into four sections: Pre-race Preparation, Swim to Bike (T1), Bike to Run (T2) and then the Practice Sessions. Because it's an American production you also need to remember that over here you must always have your number displayed for both the bike and the run -- in the US you only have to have the number (and a shirt) for the run -- but that's probably the only technical issue which someone in the UK would find fault with in any of the three main sections. Oh, that and the really annoying mistake in the final credits where they list Leanda Cave as Amanda Cave...

If you absolutely, positively have to understand how you could shave every possible second off your transiton times and, therefore, break that invisible elastic between yourself and the guy who exited the swim next to you then there's information here that'll help you do it. The same is equally true for T2, although there's usually less of a gap here unless you're still going for tying laces... But, is that information worth the $30 plus postage it'll be costing you? If you're the sort of person who is looking for that tiny little edge then the answer is probably yes -- in the overall scheme of things that's the cost of a tub of energy drink powder or a box of bars or a new tyre and you never think about buying those when you need them. Will you watch it more than once a year? Probably not -- it's the video equivalent of that old copy of Trisomething magazine you read every once in a while because it's got that really cool feature about how to get a wetsuit off quickly that you can never seem to get quite right. It gets a Tri247 rating of "Worth having but not essential".

Triathlon Transitions - Mastering the 4th discipline is produced by Endurance Films and can be ordered, along with their other DVDs, direct from their website: www.endurancefilms.com If you fancy buying a copy for yourself, click on the image of the DVD at the top of this review and use the code TRANSITIONS when you check out -- you should get a 10% discount.