Real Coaching with international triathlon coach Joel Filliol is a conversation about high performance coaching through the eyes of coaches and athletes on the front lines. From training basics, periodisation, planning, and performance to communication and athlete management, we discuss how to improve every athlete.
Host Joel Filliol interviews industry experts on how coachability, self-control, ownership, and commitment drive success beyond raw talent.
10 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT
The Top 20 Rules for Faster Triathlon Swimming
Joel Filliol revisits the purpose of the Real Coaching Podcast and the Substack long-form series with accompanying episodes focused on simplifying endurance training into "world class basics." In this episode he expands on his 2012 article "Top 20 Swim Rules for Faster Triathlon Swimming," arguing that conditioning and frequency drive improvement more than traditional drills, and that athletes should build swim-specific fitness to hold technique, complete longer main sets, and handle higher stroke rates for open-water conditions. He discusses when to include quality, why not to overfocus on stroke counts or kick sets, and how to use bands, paddles, and other tools effectively without relying on them as a crutch, plus the role of dryland work, repetition, and a mindset of patience and enjoyment.
SHOW NOTES
00:00 Why Real Coaching
02:19 Top 20 Swim Rules
04:32 Conditioning Beats Drills
06:44 Drills and Motor Learning
09:21 Swim Frequency Wins
10:53 Long Main Sets
12:30 Mindset and Flow
14:54 Swim Fitness for Bike Run
16:36 Race Pace Skills
17:38 Make Every Swim Count
19:39 Stop Counting Strokes
22:41 Kick and Body Position
23:59 Band and Paddles Tools
29:42 Head Position Fixes
30:45 Short Reps and Stroke Rate
33:49 Keep Sessions Simple
34:54 Masters Groups and Tools
39:17 Dryland Strength Boost
40:16 Love Swimming Repetition
43:07 Wrap Up and Support
Follow Joel on youtube, X (https://twitter.com/joelfilliol), Instagram, facebook, LinkedIn, and substack (https://joelfilliol.substack.com/) where there is written version of this podcast.
Substack article: The Top 20 Rules for Faster Triathlon Swimming
Substack article: Risk and Reward
Substack article: Zone 1 is where the magic happens
Substack article: Progression: A powerful training heuristic
Substack article: Don't be a January Champion
3 Mar 2026
Risk and Reward
The Mental Edge in Triathlon: Risk, Confidence, and Leaving One Rep in the Bank
Joel Filliol introduces the Real Coaching Podcast, his background coaching elite triathletes, and the origin of "Real Coaching". Inspired by Jan Frodeno's Going Mental interview with Alistair Brownlee, Filliol reflects on the mental side of performance, distinguishing competition confidence and assertiveness from training decision-making. He recalls Brownlee's dominant 2010 Madrid win after a stress fracture and his London collapse and heat stroke, highlighting both strengths and risks of pushing limits. Using Frodeno and Brownlee's "99.9% vs 101%" discussion and Non Stanford's reflections on injury, overtraining, and Rio 2016, he argues most athletes should prioritize consistency, buffers, and arriving healthy, guided by the heuristic of finishing with "one rep left in the bank."
This podcast serves as an extended version of an article on the Real Coaching Substack, offering valuable advice for athletes and coaches alike.
00:00 Welcome and Background
01:01 Why Real Coaching
02:07 Subscribe and Services
03:18 Inspiration Going Mental
05:47 Mental Edge Framework
07:10 Alistair Racing Mindset
10:22 Madrid Comeback Win
13:06 London Heatstroke Lesson
16:35 Training 99 Percent Trap
22:45 Red Line Warning Signs
25:51 Injury Cycles and Recovery
29:26 Non Stanford Perspective
35:27 Consistency Over Perfection
37:43 One Rep in the Bank
40:19 Wrap Up and Next Time
Follow Joel on youtube, X, Instagram, facebook, LinkedIn, and substack where there is written version of this podcast.
Substack article: Risk and Reward
Substack article: Zone 1 is where the magic happens
Substack article: Progression: A powerful training heuristic
Substack article: Don't be a January Champion
Inside a recent episode
It Wasn't Talent: Lessons from 4 World Champions
Published 13 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] As a coach, we sort of assume all athletes are coachable. But the point, I think, that there is versions and variability in how coachable people are. The range is significant. And of course, a big part of the job of coaching is taking on the role of decision making. And this is saving the athlete energy of having to lead themselves, make all those small calls every day, and instead trusting a coach to support that process and take the load off their shoulders. So all four of these athletes were versions of, you know, tell me what to do and I'll do it type athletes, meaning that they trust, they developed a high level of trust. […]
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