The Triathlete Blueprint Newsletter #125-Stop Obsessing Over Details, Fix the Fundamentals First

Yan Busset
Sep 20, 2025
3 min read

Read time: 3min.

By Coach Yan Busset

Build Your Fitness From the Ground Up

Every triathlete loves to analyse training data, compare FTP, or squeeze an extra one percent out of a session. But here’s the truth: no training plan can fix a lifestyle that’s out of balance. If you spend most of your day sitting, eat poorly, and cut corners on sleep, the extra hour or two of daily training won’t undo the damage.

This article is not about adding more intervals or another gadget. It’s about going back to the foundations and making sure you are first a healthy, functional human being before dreaming of Ironman finishes.

The Big Problem

We live in a generation of athletes who spend endless hours in front of screens. Some young adults have grown up with smartphones and tablets, reaching adulthood with poor motor skills and low body awareness. Others come into triathlon with little sporting background, or long breaks since their last athletic experience.

The result? They arrive in training sessions already at a disadvantage. Not because of their lack of intervals, but because their bodies are not yet prepared to absorb the load of triathlon training.

Foundations Before Performance

Triathlon is demanding, but the starting point should not be FTP, VO2max, or race-day pacing. It should be fitness in its most basic sense: the physical capacity to handle daily tasks without fatigue or injury.

That foundation is built on:

Strength and conditioning
Mobility and movement skills
Nutritious eating habits
Proper recovery and sleep routines

Only when these basics are in place does it make sense to increase training volume or chase performance goals.

From the Ground Up

As a coach, I see too many athletes chasing marginal gains without having ticked the fundamental boxes. Forget about increasing FTP by 1–2% before you have consistent sleep, a balanced diet, and a body that moves well.

Before you aim to be a finisher or a performance athlete, you need to be a healthy human. That’s non-negotiable.

What to Do if This Sounds Like You

If you recognise yourself in this description, don’t worry. The good news is that you can start fixing it today. Here are the first steps:

Pay attention to your nutrition. No junk and simply eat real food.
Make no compromise with sleep. Quality and duration matter.
Learn basic strength movements and start lifting in the gym.
If your aerobic capacity doesn’t yet allow you to run in zone 2, then walk. Walking is underrated. Start where you are, without ego. In a few weeks it will be walk-run, and eventually continuous running at an easy pace.

The key takeaways: be patient, stay consistent, and give it time. There are no shortcuts.

By choosing triathlon, you’ve picked one of the best hobbies in the world. It’s the most complete sport, an endless game where you can keep improving and challenging yourself for a lifetime. But don’t let ego or shortcuts block your progress.

See triathlon not only as a race goal but also as an excuse to build strong foundations for lifelong fitness. With patience and consistency, you won’t just finish an Ironman. You’ll become capable of facing the coolest challenges that life throws at you.