US pro triathlon star Sam Long on the HARSH reality for Age Groupers

Sam Long’s a huge advocate of a high-volume training approach – but does that mean he thinks there’s a ceiling for working – or otherwise busy – Age Groupers who can’t dedicate that many hours a week?

The ‘Big Unit’ spoke in detail in his latest video, embedded below, about how he feels increased volume – and with it load and intensity – is currently the best way for him to see improvement.

But he was mindful of the fact that may not be what many age groupers want to hear.

Sam Long has a message for Age Groupers

He said: “If you do this for your job then I think you can be out all day and mixing in that intensity.

“I feel bad in a way saying that because I know Age Groupers and people who work are watching this and will be thinking ‘how can you be good if you don’t have all day, if this isn’t your life?’

“[But] you can still be pretty good and intensity is a way to try and shortcut volume… if you only have 10 hours a week you kind of have to go after it with more intensity.

“For Age Groupers I do think there’s a way you can get rid of some of that volume by substituting intensity. And that’s because you’ve got other things going on, you’re busy.”

Pro vs amateur

But when push comes to shove, what does Long believe the extra training time of a pro can lead to – and what does he think are the limits on those who don’t have that sort of time?

“I still think you can be really good on less than 15 hours per week. Do I think you can be world-class, no, I don’t.

“But could you still go sub-eight hours as a male [in an Ironman] on less than 15 hours a week? I do believe so, depending on your talents.

“I believe that extra 15 hours a week on top of that is to chase a very small margin.

“Now is it worth it to chase that small margin? Yes, if you want to be world champion or be the best then you have to put in that double the work for the extra 5% or so – and I think that’s what most of the professionals are doing.”