Dr. Michele Ferrari’s Method for Triathlon

Following on from my last three articles on what would a triathlon season look like from Dan Bigam’s Method, The Money Ball Method and The Norwegian Method. I thought it would be a hoot if we end it with looking at what Dr. Michele Ferrari’s method would look like if he was coaching an age group triathlete (without doping).

Like all the other articles on this subject, I will use myself as an example so it is easier to see the difference and you will quickly notice how radically different Dr. Ferrari’s method is to all the others. Ferrari is brutally mathematical, obsessed with watts per kilo, performance curve’s and ruthless time efficiency.

DR. MICHELE FERRARI’S PHILOSOPHY (Doping Excluded)
• Performance = VO₂max × Efficiency × Motivation
• Focus on power-to-weight, economy, and repeatability
• Minimalist: No wasted time, no junk miles
• Advocates over-unders, sub-threshold conditioning, and durability via specificity
• Believes “muscle is muscle” – if you’re fit on the bike, you’ll run well

My Baseline

Metric	Current
Weight	80 kg (goal 76 kg)
VO₂max (bike)	58 ml/kg/min (Garmin)
FTP / LT2	305 W
LT1	250 W @ 140 bpm
Target	Ironman 9:30–9:45 @ Cairns
History	Strong bike, good CTL, heat issues on run
Training time	20-30 hrs/week available in key phases

FERRARI-STYLE STRATEGY (9-Month Lead-up)

Oct–Dec 2025: The “Conditioning Block”
“Build power. Then build duration.”

Bike:
• 3x/week intervals:
o 2×20’ @ 88–92% FTP (sub-threshold)
o 3×10’ over-unders (1 min @ 110%, 1 min @ 85%)
o Big Gear SE: 4×8’ @ 60 rpm, 85% FTP
• 1x 4-5hr ride every 2 weeks @ 75% FTP

(“condition the muscle, not the mind”)

Run:
• 3 key sessions:
o 12–16 km tempo @ 145 bpm
o 3–5 × 1 km @ 10k pace (leg speed)
o 90–120 min long run (2x per month)

Swim:
• 3x/week:
o 1x pull buoy threshold
o 1x paddle strength work
o 1x steady aerobic

Strength:
• Minimal. Maintenance core and activation work only.

Nutrition:
• Carbs high during key sessions (90g/hr+)
• Low CHO before Z2 long sessions
• Weight drops via calorie restriction in low load weeks

Jan–Feb 2026: The “Engine Refinement Block”
“Make the power repeatable. Train like a diesel.”

Bike:
• 2x/week high aerobic:
o 3×30’ @ 88% FTP
o 2×45’ @ 85% FTP
• 1x/week VO₂ booster: 5×4’ @ 110–115% FTP
• Weekly 4hr ride at Ironman power + final 45’ @ FTP

Run:
• 2x/week long progression:
o 60′ easy → 30′ at 145 bpm
• 1x/week “brick off fatigue”:
o 90–120min run off 4hr bike
• 1x/month long 28–30 km run @ HR 140–148

Swim:
• Replace one swim with indoor bike when pressed for time
Ferrari Touches:
• Use “power-duration profiling” weekly (5min, 20min, FTP trending)
• Monitor glycogen restoration with scale and RPE

Mar–April 2026: The “Performance Curve Block”
“The Ferrari Curve” = Shape the FTP curve flat and high

• Maintain VO₂ (1x/week)
• Increase threshold: 3×30’ @ 92%
• Weekly power-duration mapping: 20min → 60min → 3hr
• Introduce race bricks:
o 5hr bike @ race watts → 10–15k run at race HR (145–148 bpm)

Race Sim Weekends (x3):
• Day 1: 4hr ride + 45’ run (fuel to max)
• Day 2: 3hr ride w/ 60min FTP block

May–June: The “Execution Block”
“Nothing new. Nothing slow. Nothing stupid.”

• 3-week race rehearsal:
o All race kit
o Final aero tweaks
o Core temp strategies

• 4 × 90–120g/hr fueling + sodium check

Race taper = Ferrari Minimalist Taper
• No full taper
• Maintain race pace feel to the final 4 days
• Sharpen with 3×10’ @ race watts two days out

Power – Body – Weight Matrix

“Every watt matters, but every kilo hurts.“

Target	Required
FTP goal	330–340 W
IM bike power	220–230 W
W/kg at FTP	4.4–4.5 W/kg
Body weight	76–77 kg
Carbs/hr	90–110 g/hr (tested)
Run pace	~4:50/km @ 145 bpm

Marginal Gains (Ferrari style)

• Bike: Use disc wheel and fastest tires (Crr wins races)
• Run: AlphaFlys only, no exceptions
• Swim: Focus on paddles, cords, and technical efficiency only
• Nutrition: 3-week gut training every 6 weeks (CHO overload block)
• Monitoring: No HRV. Go by power + sleep + motivation
• Recovery: Keep it simple: carbs, sleep, easy rides