Be IronFit: Time-Efficient Training Secrets for Ultimate Fitness

I just completed Ironman Chattanooga. This book is as excellent as the 5 star reviews it has previously received. It offers realistic training plans with time efficient advice. A friend doing the same Ironman recommended it to me and I’m so glad she did. I don’t usually write reviews but wanted to share with anyone feeling overwhelmed about attempting their first Ironman that this book will guide them through the entire process. I don’t fit the typical Ironman image. I don’t have the lean look of many of the triathletes showing up to races. I was the uncoordinated kid picked last in PE growing up. With this book I found not only the right training plan but the confidence to make it to the finish line and hear “YOU ARE AN IRONMAN”.

Great book for the serious triathlete. Just be aware the training plans are only for full iron Tri's. No half plans are in the book, although you could take the 22 week plan and just do the first 11 weeks.

I got this book in the Kindel format, may look for a printed copy for easy reference. This explains very well how training for ultra races or Triathalons is not all about training in miles but training in time and heart rate. with all the cooties-19 going on I thought I would have completed a true Tri by July 2020, so I hired a trainer and well they are following this book pretty close, in some ways I could have saved a lot of money and just got this book and followed it. wither you are new or just need a little recalibration on your training, this is a good book for you.

I bought this on advice of a friend to help train for my first Ironman. They do a really excellent job of explaining the training plans and the purposes for the various types of workouts and have tons of tips for organizing your schedule and making time to train. What I think it's lacking is more advice about details like how to choose equipment and techniques for each of the sports. There are some general techniques, but mostly for swimming. I could use more tips and tricks for running and biking.

I bought this book for my husband who has been training for his very first Full Ironman, this summer. He was looking for some guidance, in regards to training and tips, to help him be successful. He said that this book was beneficial to him in many ways, and liked it. He feels that he is better prepared for his upcoming race, in part, because of the book. He says that although the book is well written and informative, it can be a bit technical and slightly dry; however, he would still purchase the book all over again, and would recommend this to anyone training for a Full Ironman.

I used Don and Melanie Fink’s intermediate plan 3 times for my half iron races and have had a lot of success, so naturally bought Iron Fit for my upcoming full distance triathlon. This time I am following the competitive plan. I appreciate that the plans are consistent day to day with varying time at each activity. I truly believe in their time efficient method, and look forward to using their expertise this summer in Ironman Mont-Tremblant.

Excellent guide for all levels of skill. I really like how it explains how to tailor the plans to your needs, and the swimming workouts are wonderful. I definitely recommend this to any triathlete. I am using the intermediate plan for my first Ironman. It looks really solid, and is a lot cheaper than buying pre-made plans from various triathlon sites.

There are great training tips and a solid sense of the mental game in this book. My only issue is that the workout schedules require reformatting to be useful. There should be a companion download or something that would allow an athlete to get an excel version of the workouts with references to the coding system created by Don. Otherwise, a great training companion and guide and I appreciate what Don and Melanie put into the book.

I trained for my first ironman using the 2nd edition and it worked very well. Programs are designed brilliantly and are perfect for anyone who either wants to finish strong or tries to improve his or her PR, specially if you have limited time to train. Even though the 3rd edition at the core is very similar to the 2nd edition , I found updates on 3rd edition very helpful.

I'm training for my first full Triathlon and this book was recommended by numerous Triathletes. It has training plans and tips which is exactly what I was looking for. I think hiring a trainer is the ideal way to train but I would recommend this book and "The Triathletes Training Bible" to anyone who's training and can't afford to hire a trainer.

I just completed Ironman Chattanooga. This book is as excellent as the 5 star reviews it has previously received. It offers realistic training plans with time efficient advice. A friend doing the same Ironman recommended it to me and I’m so glad she did. I don’t usually write reviews but wanted to share with anyone feeling overwhelmed about attempting their first Ironman that this book will guide them through the entire process. I don’t fit the typical Ironman image. I don’t have the lean look of many of the triathletes showing up to races. I was the uncoordinated kid picked last in PE growing up. With this book I found not only the right training plan but the confidence to make it to the finish line and hear “YOU ARE AN IRONMAN”.

Great book for the serious triathlete. Just be aware the training plans are only for full iron Tri's. No half plans are in the book, although you could take the 22 week plan and just do the first 11 weeks.

I got this book in the Kindel format, may look for a printed copy for easy reference. This explains very well how training for ultra races or Triathalons is not all about training in miles but training in time and heart rate. with all the cooties-19 going on I thought I would have completed a true Tri by July 2020, so I hired a trainer and well they are following this book pretty close, in some ways I could have saved a lot of money and just got this book and followed it. wither you are new or just need a little recalibration on your training, this is a good book for you.

I bought this on advice of a friend to help train for my first Ironman. They do a really excellent job of explaining the training plans and the purposes for the various types of workouts and have tons of tips for organizing your schedule and making time to train. What I think it's lacking is more advice about details like how to choose equipment and techniques for each of the sports. There are some general techniques, but mostly for swimming. I could use more tips and tricks for running and biking.

I bought this book for my husband who has been training for his very first Full Ironman, this summer. He was looking for some guidance, in regards to training and tips, to help him be successful. He said that this book was beneficial to him in many ways, and liked it. He feels that he is better prepared for his upcoming race, in part, because of the book. He says that although the book is well written and informative, it can be a bit technical and slightly dry; however, he would still purchase the book all over again, and would recommend this to anyone training for a Full Ironman.

I used Don and Melanie Fink’s intermediate plan 3 times for my half iron races and have had a lot of success, so naturally bought Iron Fit for my upcoming full distance triathlon. This time I am following the competitive plan. I appreciate that the plans are consistent day to day with varying time at each activity. I truly believe in their time efficient method, and look forward to using their expertise this summer in Ironman Mont-Tremblant.

Excellent guide for all levels of skill. I really like how it explains how to tailor the plans to your needs, and the swimming workouts are wonderful. I definitely recommend this to any triathlete. I am using the intermediate plan for my first Ironman. It looks really solid, and is a lot cheaper than buying pre-made plans from various triathlon sites.

There are great training tips and a solid sense of the mental game in this book. My only issue is that the workout schedules require reformatting to be useful. There should be a companion download or something that would allow an athlete to get an excel version of the workouts with references to the coding system created by Don. Otherwise, a great training companion and guide and I appreciate what Don and Melanie put into the book.

I trained for my first ironman using the 2nd edition and it worked very well. Programs are designed brilliantly and are perfect for anyone who either wants to finish strong or tries to improve his or her PR, specially if you have limited time to train. Even though the 3rd edition at the core is very similar to the 2nd edition , I found updates on 3rd edition very helpful.

I'm training for my first full Triathlon and this book was recommended by numerous Triathletes. It has training plans and tips which is exactly what I was looking for. I think hiring a trainer is the ideal way to train but I would recommend this book and "The Triathletes Training Bible" to anyone who's training and can't afford to hire a trainer.

I have three of the iron fit books. I used the half distance book for my second 70.3 and the difference over my first attempt at 70.3 was stunning. His programs work for me.

If you are serious about training for an Ironman and don't have the money for a private coach, then I highly recommend getting this book. It has everything you need to do the training on your own. I am so glad that I purchased this.

Exactly what you want to begin any triathlon training especially iron man. From works out, to technique breakdown, to heart rate training. They really know their stuff.

So excited to start using this book in my training for Madison! I have been briefly flipping through it and it just has such a wealth of knowledge for training for an IM.

I liked the structured approach to training and the information available to prepare you for training and completing the Ironman

Best book for ironman training. Allows you and your family to see your training time.

Very good book on Ironman training for those with time restraints.

A lot of good information including a training plan.

This is a great book that gets you well-prepared for Iron distance races

great all around book for the most beginner of triathletes to the most advanced.

Bought this book after it was recommended to me by a tri group as a great book for people who like to train without a coach. Really love it! Lots of great time management strategy. Highly recommend!

I couldn't wait for this revised copy. I use it everyday

A great reference for those who train on limited time. The time based approach allows me to manage my time efficiently.

Can't wait to read it.

Love this book. Easy to follow plans for all skill levels.

Great training guide for 1st time Ironman competitors. The book is a good step by step and week by week guide that takes the anxiety out of the unknown.

Don and Melanie Fink are Pros! I did Barcelona's Ironman® 2015 with this program and had one of the greatest competitions ever!

Excellent read.

For training plans and guidance.

This book helped me finish a few triathlons

Helping me on my 3rd Ironman after 13 years!

Great book and great advice.

Iron Fit has been a huge part of my training. You do not need a Masters in Physics to understand their training method. I swim with Peter who is featured in this book. He recommended it to me.

great book

Accurate description of contents. Easy read

A good program for all levels. Keeps me on track and is a good read

Like it all!

Nice magazine!

This is an easy read and really practical to apply

GREAT BOOK!!!

Great training plans

It's nice to have a specific direction.

I recommend this this to everyone

Amazing book with invaluable guidance on how to fulfill your IronMan dreams, even while working full-time and raising a family. Great training options depending on your available training time and goals. I read it before my first triathlon; re-read it before my first IronMan and still relying on all the important advice as I train for IronMan #3. With Don and Mel Fink's help, I went from "can I finish?" to "how [soon] can I get to top 10 in my age group?" A must-read for anyone planning to do 70.3 or 140.6.

Great book for this newbie!

I've heard lots of people both rave about this book and complain that HR based training makes it feel slow. So I was very interested to see how they sold the HR training side. I now see what they are saying and understand. It seems like a good idea to me. Will see how it goes over the coming months.

I purchased this book because TNT was not supporting CDA. It was fantastic. I trained at the intermediate level, but missed a few workouts due to work travel constraints. Happy to say I finished with plenty of time, I had a great time, and no injuries. I even recovered well after. Thank you Finks!

C

Just finished the book this morning and found it very good all around. Very good tips for IM training as well as some great training plans depending on your objective (ie Just Finish, Intermediate and Competitive). I am giving the Intermediate a try to train for a 70.3 mainly because I just don't have time to do the Competitive plan. This book does not go into a lot of detail in terms of technique for each of the 3 sports so if you're looking for that I would recommend other books (Swim Speed by Sheila Taormina or 80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald, etc...) there are lots and lots of books out there dedicated to technique. Don't count on a great nutrition plan either, there is one chapter that gives some tips which are helpful, but again if you want more info on nutrition go elsewhere. I'm vegetarian and even if I wasn't I don't think an athlete's first drink in the morning should be coffee with skim milk (but that's just me). Overall giving it 5 stars because I got what I was expecting which are time-efficient training plans, tips and theory on why it is so important to split your training into phases and to build volume and intensity slowly to prevent injury. I will definitely recommend this book to others and I'm looking forward to reading the Strength Training for Triathletes book by the same authors.

I used this training guide to train the 2019 Ironman Arizona (my first Ironman). I've been swimming, running and mountain biking for a long time (but nowhere near Ironman levels) so I used the Intermediate training program and I was able to finish in under 13 hours. The training is great for the working athlete. Because of a hectic schedule, I was only able to complete a little more that 3/4 of the workouts, but I was still ready for my big race day. Pay special attention to their race-day nutrition advice. I didn't nutrition well during one of my practice races and almost bonked. You can get into the best shape on your life with this training program, but if you don't take care of your body and nutrition/hydrate properly before and during your race, none of the training will matter.

Great training book. I VERY highly recommend it for anyone who is looking for a clear, easy to follow program to achieve your Ironman dream. The training programs presents detailed weekly workouts based on time and intensity. It's just like a recipe, you just follow it without too much over-analyzing. I used this book to finish 2 Half Ironmans, a Marathon, and finally a Full Ironman Mont Tremblant in August 2017. Highly recommend this book!

A great book that guides beginner triathletes through different aspects of the sport and help in structure of training. Great investment

Used the second edition for first my first Ironman in 2014. Will be using the third edition for my second Ironman in 2016! Fantastic book for your every day working triathlete with other major responsibilities and priorities. I'm a father of two who works full time and found the plans in this book to work extremely well for me and my busy schedule. The methods and concepts introduced are very simple and easy to follow yet yield great results! In addition to the great plans Don and Melanie offer up a host of other great information and advice that will give you the confidence to complete, and crush, a 140.6!

Awesome book. Perfect explanation of technique and training logic. One of the most useful books I’ve EVER bought, let alone one for sport or leisure. Well written, great example training plans, including swim, bike, run drills etc. Excellent accompaniment to Swim Smooth book. Strengths are the training plans. Very motivating, cautious 10% increments weekly. Good for age groupers. Certainly makes an Ironman an achievable goal!

A few of my friends have completed full ironman races using the Fink plans, and I'd always been a bit hesitant. I did a 70.3 on my own plan without too much difficulty, but wanted the reassurance of an established plan to get me through a full 140.6. So disclaimer, I'm only a couple of months into the plan, and I've not yet completed my 140.6, but I love the plans so far. The routine and planning is fantastic for getting into the swing of things and building up slowly - I can see my times improving every week; whilst maintaining a steady and sustaininable effort and improvement - something I struggled with prior. One of the odd things, the heart rate zones are bit odd. For example, most of the training occurs at zone 2 - which most traditional ranges place under 125 ish for me. But the Fink plans put this at under 158 - so zone 2 isn't a low effort zone. I wasn't sure about the sustainability of this effort, but it's brilliant. Not there yet - but I've every confidence that this routine is going to get me through the 140.6.

Fantastic book, well written, easy to read, and the advice provided is exceptional! I used the training plan for a full Ironman and it more than got me through the event, and I even got the time I wanted of just over 12 hours. Can recommend this book enough for anyone wanting to take part in a middle of full distance Ironamn (or similar) event. It is for Novices to professionals, and I will be using the training plan for years to come in all Triathlons I take part it. Do not hesitate in buying this book!

Motivational, good advice for the time poor iron distance athlete, and clear plans to follow including "just finish", intermediate and competitive levels.

Absolutely love this book! I'm new to triathlon but planning to do an Ironman next year. I have found it easy to read, all plans easy to understand and training loads/days well rationalised. I was sceptical about the light training load but having joined the Be Iron Fit group on Facebook, there is plenty of evidence to show it gets results. I cannot wait to start training, I feel I will be in good hands with this book.

This is my second copy (Kindle format) of the Be IronFit book. I used it to train from basically nowhere to completing an Ironman within 9 months of getting it and starting the prep and ramp-up. Instructions are clear and easy to interpret how to fit and work schedules relative to busy work and family commitments. I'm using it again on the build for IM number 2. Definitely recommend it.

Very much enjoyed reading this whilst pregnant. It makes a lot of sense also has 33 week trainng plan very helpful.

This was for my husband who is training for an iron man. He hasnt left the book out of his sight since getting it.. has training plans and diets and help with nutrition and hydration as the weeks in training go.. he says he recommends it

A time efficient way to train. It is nice to see plans designed for the everyday man or woman rather than the professional athlete.

Brilliant book!! Recommend it to anyone planning to do an ironman!!

Brilliant book, full of useful advice and easy to understand plans. Will be putting this to good use next season.

Very clear book, following training plan well. Very sensible progression through training, ensuring that you don't peak too soon or ramp training load too suddenly. The three tiers of training ability is good and the individual swim sessions are a good touch.

Good

Amazing book from start to finish (an Ironman bible )

Had a disastrous first long distance triathlon so decided to take on some tried and tested training plans. Just finished the first month of the plan and loving it so far. Feeling far, more informed and confident after reading this book.

Excellent read

The training programmes are well laid out and because its day by day, it takes out all the plannning. This will be my first triathlon / Ironman so all help was needed. Learned a lot about heart rate zones an dhow to train to them.

This was for my son. He says it's full of helpful information when training for an Ironman.

Great book, I’m nearly half way through the competitive program and it’s good stuff. Would definitely recommend it

Great book realistic trading plan s for competitive, just get round or some where in between. I have successfully used this plan in 2016 with the previous edition of this book Easy to read and understand

If you want to complete, improve your time, or compete then look no further. This book got me round three Ironman events, the best book without being overly complex.

Great book. The expectations from the book is enough for me as a non athlete . Purchased the same bok for a friend also. Would highly recommend.

Really simple format to follow. Loads of useful training tips. Confirmed by commitment to completing an Ironman.

Great book and great service

Great read giving realistic training programmes/ideas/advice for all levels of triathlete

Great book

I’m really pleased with this product. On my first initial read, it looks likes it’s going to really help with my Iron Man training.

Can see why everyone raves about it

A useful reference book for Ironman training, advice goes way beyond the training plan. Lots of useful tips on getting across the finish line and what’s needed to achieve that.

Great book with an excellent training plan and great advice.

This book is perfect to help with trainibg fir an ironman

Really informative book, covers all areas and good examples. I can't wait to start the training plan and start my iron journey!

Fabulous book. More like a bible than a read to the end book

Great book if you are really interested in doing an Ironman

brilliant book with load of good tips

Still looking forward to reading this

Very useful for my first Ironman

Good book

Good book

Very good book , full of information.

Excellent book

My husband loved it as it is getting him prepared to run his first half iron man!!

Was kept up to date with despatch and delivery, product arrived on time, book is very detailed and has lot of great advice and training plans for beginners and experienced triathletes.

It arrived quickly despite it being just before christmas and was exactly as expected. No complaints!

Great book if your new to going long I suppose !!