That Triathlon Show [Triathlon Science] Polarized vs. Pyramidal Training, Training Models from Canova to Kenyan to Norwegian, and More! | Arturo Casado, PhD
Apr 30, 2026
Arturo Casado, associate professor, researcher in exercise physiology and former European 1500m champion. He breaks down polarized versus pyramidal training intensity distributions and who they suit. He surveys models from Lydiard to Kenyan, Canova and Norwegian. Practical tips for recreational runners, periodization choices by event, and how to measure and monitor training.
01:28:02
Arturo's Pro Years Showed Easy Runs Were Often Too Hard
- Arturo described his pro career: weekly volumes of 120–170 km and three high-intensity sessions per week.
- He admitted many easy runs were too hard back then due to poor monitoring, causing frequent injury and overtraining.
Recreational Runners Can Use Wider Training Options
- Training variety matters more for recreational athletes; many TIDs can improve them.
- Elite athletes need refined TIDs (pyramidal or polarized) because their margin for improvement is smaller.
Event Specific Demands Drive Different Intensity Shares
- Event demands change TID percentages: marathoners spend more relative time in zone two and less percent in zone one than 1500m runners.
- Differences reflect required race paces and absolute volumes, not identical programs.
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Intro
00:00 • 1min
Arturo's athlete background and training
01:26 • 4min
Why middle-distance times plateau
05:47 • 3min
What is training intensity distribution (TID)?
08:21 • 4min
How to measure TID and methods' limits
11:52 • 4min
Polarization index and model context
15:26 • 2min
2026 view: pyramidal vs polarized
17:05 • 4min
Periodization: event-specific considerations
21:33 • 2min
Ad break
23:35 • 1min
Periodization for recreational runners
24:49 • 17sec
How easy should 'easy' be?
25:06 • 4min
Athlete level and training flexibility
28:58 • 4min
Sport-specific findings across disciplines
32:48 • 5min
Takeaway: measure your training
37:21 • 4min
Ad break
40:55 • 55sec
Training models overview: Lydiard to Kenyan
41:50 • 5min
Canova and high-load block training
47:18 • 6min
Injury drivers and load changes
52:53 • 2min
Norwegian model and physiology-targeted sessions
54:55 • 4min
Nick Bido / Melbourne Track Club model
58:50 • 4min
Ad break
01:02:44 • 2min
Practical advice for amateurs: keep it simple
01:05:09 • 6min
Why amateurs still need high-intensity work
01:10:45 • 3min
Marathon pacing and world record context
01:13:21 • 4min
Practical pacing advice for runners
01:17:50 • 5min
Final training tips for amateurs
01:22:26 • 2min
Monitoring overload and weekly benchmarks
01:24:06 • 1min
Madrid tips: training and culture
01:25:24 • 7min
Outro
01:32:30 • 4sec
For many years, the topic of whether a polarized or pyramidal training intensity distribution is more effective for endurance athletes has been hotly debated. Arturo Casado, PhD, is one of the foremost researchers in this area (and former European Champion in the 1500 metres). Today, Arturo dissects what the science really says in 2026: whether there is a winner, and if not, what are the athlete-specific, event-specific, and other variables that impact which training distribution will bring the best results. We also discuss specific training models from Canova to Norwegian from both scientific and practical perspectives, and bring it all together with practical advice relevant for amateur triathletes and runners.
HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS:
- The science and practice of training intensity distributions. Who should use polarized versus pyramidal TIDs and when?
- How do factors such as athlete level, age and sex, sport or modality, distance or event, periodization and more impact the choice of training intensity distribution?
- The science and practise of different training models in distance running, including Lydiard, Kenyan, Canova, Norwegian, Coe and more
- How do best practices differ between amateur athletes and elite runners and triathletes?
- Practical tips and takeaways
DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES:
- We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode.
- The shownotes for today's episode can be found at https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts695/
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
- Arturo’s ResearchGate, Instagram and World Athletics profiles
- Effects of polarized, pyramidal, and combined training periodisations with Luca Filipas, PhD | EP#328 - study mentioned in the interview
- Michele Zanini (part 2) | EP#394 - the Renato Canova training method
- Training Periodization, Methods, Intensity Distribution, and Volume in Highly Trained and Elite Distance Runners: A Systematic Review Casado et al. 2022
- World-Class Long-Distance Running Performances Are Best Predicted by Volume of Easy Runs and Deliberate Practice of Short-Interval and Tempo Runs - Casado et al. 2021
- Does Lactate-Guided Threshold Interval Training within a High-Volume Low-Intensity Approach Represent the “Next Step” in the Evolution of Distance Running Training?- Casado et al. 2023
- Pacing strategies in men's and women's world- record marathon performances and Olympic Games and World Championship's winning performances - Casado et al. 2024
- Training Intensity Distribution, Volume, Periodization, and Performance in Elite Rowers: A Systematic Review - Zhong et al. 2025
- Which Training Intensity Distribution Intervention will Produce the Greatest Improvements in Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Time-Trial Performance in Endurance Athletes? A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of Individual Participant Data - Rosenblat et al. 2025
WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT?
If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following related episodes:
- John Davis – Coaching, physiology, and running calculators | EP#464
- [Triathlon Science] Durability decoded – a 2025 perspective with Michele Zanini, PhD
- Gabriele Gallo, PhD – The Science of Cycling Performance | EP#441
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