From Rowing to Ironman: Martino Goretti’s Journey and Elite Training Insights

So Martino, as a world champion lightweight rower, how did you manage weight and nutrition and how do you guide athletes in balancing performance and health now?

path was full of mistakes.

Yeah.

Of course, I was in a period

access to the internet was building up.

so X-Row were suggesting how to do and of course a lot of those things were mistakes.

I...

start to work with nutritionists.

Hello and welcome to the Athletes Compass podcast where we navigate training, fitness and health for everyday athletes. Today we're diving into the world of rowing, endurance sports and cutting edge training technology with none other than Martino Goretti, an Olympic rower world champion, elite coach and investor in Athletica, our groundbreaking training platform that's

this podcast where we navigate training, fitness, health for everyday athletes. Today we're diving into the world of rolling, during sports, and cutting edge training technology with none other than Martino Loretta, an Olympic rower, world champion, elite coach, and investor in athletics.

revolutionizing how rowers, cyclists, runners, and triathletes prepare for their seasons. So here's the big question. What happens when an Olympic level athlete takes everything he's learned on the water, on rowing, combines it with cutting edge data analytics and applies it to not just rowing, but to endurance sports like Ironman? And how can what Martino has learned transform how everyday athletes like you and us train and compete?

growing but to endurance sports like Ironman and how can what Martino has learned transform how everyday athletes like you and us train and compete.

we are here to find out. Martino, welcome to the Athletes Compass podcast.

Martino, welcome to the Athletes Compass podcast. Thank you, hi everybody and good morning. So you are back in Switzerland? Yes, I am staying unfortunately.

Thank you, hi everybody and good evening from Zurich.

So you are back in Switzerland.

Yes, have to say it. Unfortunately, I'm

back in Switzerland because I was enjoying my time in Australia. Now I can work back to the routine. It's nice to be here, but I think holidays are holidays.

where it was

Absolutely. So Martino, what initially drew you into rowing and what kept you motivated as a young athlete?

It's funny to say, but I think because I was immediately good at it. Yeah, okay, there is a background story about it. So my father has been a master rower for a lot of years. So since I was kids, I have been like flashed by rowing, rowing here, rowing there. And so I think that when I started, I was already...

able to do everything so for me it was super easy. Yeah and of course I got immediately few good results. Yeah and that gave me, okay I can do this, I want more, I want more, I want more and then the rest is history.

So you've achieved world championships in multiple rowing categories. What key habits or mindsets contributed to your success during your

I think that my biggest key of success was my hard-head. I think that nobody ever said to me, you cannot do it without me proving wrong. So I think that perseverance, hard-head, working mentality and that's it. mean...

you

Also when people were saying, oh, it's impossible, I was thinking, okay, I just tried. And okay, sometimes I failed, but most of the time it went good.

So talk to us about those times that you wanted to do something and you failed. What kept you, you know...

I

had one, one of the biggest change in my career was after London Olympic. And I paired up with a friend of mine, Elia Alwini. He was like an amazing athlete, like really Olympic medal in Sydney, in Athens, sorry. One of the best physiological talent that I have ever seen in my life. A little bit lazy though, but.

Yeah, usually those type of others, are a little bit lazy. And we were having a project, we were willing to do the double in the Olympic Games coming to Rio. We started this double, fantastic physiological from him. I was like super endurance, so we were like a perfect match, power and endurance. But at the end, know, in rowing, something didn't click, so...

The thing that I explained, contact with the water, feeling, something didn't went good. So that project failed. That winter I have had like a huge problem with my intestine. So I got to the hospital, been like two, three months in the hospital. So that project completely fell apart. But, but there is a but, I was in the hospital and...

I was about 60 kilo. The problem was big, I don't tell you all the story, but I got down to 60 kilo. Now I'm 80 kilo, but my race weight is 70 kilo. I got down to 60 kilo, I got a big surgery at the intestine. Out of the surgery, as soon as I was a little bit better, a couple of days, I call him and I say, Leah, listen, it cannot finish like this. We need to go to the World Championship.

Of course the double was already selected. There was still selection for a pair, so the sweeping bolts. So in rowing there is a double, oars and a pair, one oar only. And I say to him, I want to come back and we have to do it. And he told me, yeah, we have one month to the selection. And I say, don't worry, gonna be ready. The doctor came in and I say, how long is it gonna take to be ready for rowing? And he looked at me and said, what? Like eight.

Don't think about it. I say, okay. Two weeks after that, was already training full way with still the stitches on my abs. Went to the World Championship with Elia, we got second. Yeah, was really never give up. Thanks God my body is able to handle my abs.

you

You

Wow.

Wow.

my

god. So never give up.

Yeah, yeah.

So how have you taken that mental strength and maybe stubbornness into your everyday coaching and being an athlete today?

I have to say that I have had to take it down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down,

planning, progress, small step. I'm happy when I meet someone like me that says, oh, let's do it. But of course, now I have a little bit more experience and I try first to understand what type of person I have in front of me. So I have to say, I I try to push that part down. It's good when in certain occasion. So sometimes I show to my athlete that.

there is a race to do, I'll do it, even if I'm not trained. But well, I think there is a part that is more important when you are an athlete and you have to watch out when to use it when you are a coach.

Mm-hmm.

So what do you think the biggest differences are? You know, you're also, you're coaching rowing rowers, but you're also coaching Ironman athletes. What do you think the biggest difference is between rowing and endurance?

I will call it Ironman and rowing. But just because Ironman and a little bit triathlon in general, in my opinion, is more a lifestyle. Rowing is a sport, but we don't have in rowing like a big lifestyle behind. You come to the club, you your training, you go home. In the Ironman is a little bit more the lifestyle, like, you know, get the...

the right clothes, go for a run, go in the swimming pool, do all the things. And I tell you, because I signed up for Ironman and I've noticed that as soon as I sign up, my gear start to change. When I go running, I go dressed and when I go biking, I have to be proper with the chrono bike. And for the rowers, we are a little bit more, let's say farmers.

Hahaha!

Farmer's Foreman. I think that the biggest difference I use with my athletes in Ironman is try to get them into a lifestyle. Of course with the training plan, I like a lot to different types of training. So I include rowing in my Ironman training for my athletes because

Totally.

Anyway, if you think about rowing, it's a full body exercise. And sometimes if you don't have much time, 30 minutes, one hour or ergometer is like perfect for a triathlete because you train everything. So I try to use rowing into the training and it's really effective, especially with people that are working and they say, I have half an hour today. like a good rowing session is perfect.

Hmm. So how do you, so is that an aerobic activity or is it a strength activity? How do you, how do you incorporate that?

Okay.

the contenders, then you have middle part of the race where you have to try to keep the most constant pace but the higher speeds possible. And then if you can, you have to sprint at the end. Yeah. So in the past was clear that there was a start, middle part and sprint in the last, I think, 10 years.

slowly getting like a flat race. it's full gas for how long you can keep it pretty much. So the difference, the clear difference between the endurance of an Ironman or a Triathlon, but even a sprint Triathlon is we have a six minutes full out where you are pretty much eating lactate.

So our preparation goes from the endurance part. Of course, most of the preparation is aerobic because you cannot push yourself full out every day. Then we have strength. We are working on the strength. We are working on the threshold. We are working on the max power. We are working on the lactate tolerance. We are working on VO2 max. It's like, I don't know, I have been into a lot of sports.

we are working on the lactate tolerance, we are working on pure command, is like, I don't know, haven't been into a lot of

That's it. Thanks.

forms, and rowing, training in rowing is the most complete training you can do. Then, maybe the evaluation that we have to do after is how much science there is into rowing, so how much we are precise at the moment.

And rowing, training in rowing is the most complete training you can do. Then maybe the evaluation that we have to do after is how much science there is into rowing. So how much we are precise at the moment with

the rowing programs. But so far in the history, I think that 80 % of our training in aerobic and then we divide the rest in the other parts.

So Martino, do you, you're obviously an Athletica investor, an Athletica user, talk to us about the Athletica training program for rowing that you use and how it meets those, what you just described in terms of the boundaries of these key aspects that the rowing athletes need.

Yeah, so of course my path into Atletica started with high intensity interval training, so reading the book that you wrote. And of course following the New Zealand, the Kiwi pair, so one of the most famous rowing duo of all time. And of course in my small club I've...

I was starting already to work with that type of philosophy and as well I prepared myself to compete at the World Championships. So my last World Championship I coached myself. So I was the coach of myself, okay I was supported by my father as external coach but I was pretty much writing down the program with him. So I went a little bit on the extreme of the high intensity interval training.

won the stream alone of the IELTS municipal training for

good results, I won the World Championship. But anyhow, coming back to Atletica, then I started to see that with my imagination, so with my willingness to experiment all the things, I was going maybe a little bit too random in the training planning. So my first year as a coach was like, the structure of the week was there, but the training were always different.

two results. I won the world championship. But anyhow, coming back to Atlantica, then I started to see that with my imagination, so with my business to experiment all the things, I was going to India to meet with Brando in the training planning. So my first year as a board was like a structure of the week was there, but the training world was always...

And I started to notice that the other...

some athletes were suffering about it. So the athlete needs regularity. And for me it's fantastic because Atletica is the base that I want. So the basic training that I want are there. But the program give me a regularity. regularity in the build up in quantity, quality and...

And like that, I can give to the athletes a little bit more structure. anyway, I can experiment a little bit.

So how do you use it as a coach?

So how do you use it as a coach? What

do you kind of find Athletica is good for, but what do you feel that you really need to do as a coach working alongside of it to optimize for the athlete?

is good for, but what do you feel that you really need to do as a coach working alongside of them to optimize for the

athlete?

Of course, we have before every training or now and then, we have a talk with the athletes. So when a coach has the program, anyway, you need to see how the athletes react during the training. So we start from the training base of Atletica, but then, of course, I need to understand if the athlete is ready, how the athlete is doing the program, and if he can actually do...

all the program for that day. most of the time, most of the time we have noticed with the athlete that I'm following that the training is correct. So the volume of training, the intensity is correct. But sometimes, sometimes I need to see moment by moment what the athlete does. Plus there is a technical part. So rowing is like, there is a huge part of on technique.

So I need to see how the training is done also technical wise because there is a huge difference between doing, I don't know, the 30 second at race speed with a bad technique or with a good technique in terms of effort as well of the other because if the other rolls bad in a very uneconomic way, the fatigue that he accumulate is higher than if he rolls properly. So the coach needs to

Mm.

control all these things.

So obviously you have seen as an athlete but also a coach you've seen so many high class athlete on the boat rowing so you have like a fine-tuned eye for the technique. Do you spend a lot of time with your athletes on water?

Perfect.

observing them all the time or do you like coach online too or?

Yeah, yeah.

No,

So most of the that I'm coaching, I see them every day. I have a few athletes that they train abroad. I'm mentoring some athletes from Korea and some athletes from the Italian national team. But the point is, my philosophy is when you are with me, we work on the technique. When you are far,

the interpretation can be not correct when you see a video. So I give suggestion when you are with me, we work more precisely on what has to be done. I mean, the video is good, can give you an in, can give you an help, but I like always to be, to see the atlas on the water for more. So usually the people that work with me, I organize camp where they can come.

stay a week or two weeks or three days depends and there we can work a lot more on the rowing technique.

And what does data and analytics play in your process as a coach? Obviously you see your athletes a lot, so you can kind of tell their day-to-day form, but how do you work with data?

Thank you.

For me, I started like a personal interest, so to see if my interpretation was correct. But slowly more I see that the data are important also for the athletes. When the athlete has a moment that is difficult and he says, it's not going so good, and we go back and we say, listen, look, this is what we have done, this is your performance.

Hmm.

This is your heart rate and we have all the data that support the growth of the athletes but as well the flaws. We have a period that we are not going in the way we are expecting. We go and we try to understand why. And you can do it in all the parts of the training. So for example, I have an athlete very talented, very good, training very well. He was preparing properly for the race.

Training was going good. We were noticing that he was a little bit tired from the heart rate variation and the heart rate in the morning. He was looking tired and then he told me, I cannot sleep. And then all of sudden I discovered that he has decided to do a strange diet to lose weight. And also that is important to know because so for me also what he eats and the calories that he takes a day are data that are important to say, okay, this is good, this is good, this is good.

Yeah.

This is good. Where is the problem? And then you can figure it out. When you don't have data that support all these things, then you are searching around and maybe you don't find a solution. So the more data you have, the more precise you can be. Of course, with Atletica, my work is a lot more simple, like way more simple, because if I imagine to collect all the data of all the others I have, put it down on paper, do chart, do this, do that.

.

you

I will work 24-7. Like this, I have time more to think about, these athletes, these are all the variables that Atletica give me. Where is the problem? What we can do better? So as like, for me, it's fundamental. I I'm working now since a little bit with Atletica and with all the others I'm following and they are on the platform, it's going way better.

is fundamental learning. I'm working now in the field with Peter Stabiton and with those that are following. And they are on the platform. So I'm way

better.

Yeah, awesome.

Would you say rowers or triathletes more data geeks?

you

Hahaha.

you

A post!

I think that you know the answer already.

I have a question, Martina, this is a personal one and kind of, yeah, a selfish question, but I'm actually, because we've adopted rowing into Athletica and I'm kind of interested in it, I'm thinking of getting a concept to ergometer, maybe finding it secondhand or whatever, And that's, with the exception of you come across a gym or something like that, I might do some rowing, but I'm not,

Bye.

Thank

I don't have the motor pattern dialed, if I'm honest. What would be the benefit of someone that's brand new to it? Say like a triathlete that's kind of coming in. What would be the benefit? Where would you kind of start? What might you see cross-training wise? As I understand it, it's a pretty complete movement.

to it, know, say like a track lead that's kind of coming in. What would be the benefit? Where would you kind of start? What would you see cross-training wise? As I understand it's a pretty complete movement.

So if I have to think about my experience as an Ironman athlete, because I've done a few Ironman, I think that working on the threshold on the ergometers

will be very helpful for triathletes because it's a complete body exercise and so if I compare working on a threshold on the bike and working on a threshold on the ergometer mentally wise on the ergometer is way tougher, way tougher. It's really like a constant fight between you and this machine because it's a full body thing.

I would almost... Go ahead,

So I would rather, if I have to choose a threshold workout on the bike and on the air go, I will choose on bike if I want to do it easier.

Mm-hmm.

about, like, I'm just, thinking the core activation as well. Surely,

Yeah,

okay. Then we have the little bit more specific use. Rowing you use a lot of core, ab muscle, back muscle, stabilization muscle. That's the thing that probably has a triad that you do mostly when you swim or if you do core session, maybe with rowing you can integrate the two things because we are using a lot of arms.

In the common thinking about rowing, at least where I live, they say, rowing is all about arms, but rowing is about arms, core and legs. So it's a really, really connection between the part of the body. And if you see main difference between a novice and a professional athlete or experienced athlete is the different posture when you are sitting on the ergo. So you see the novice are...

the difference between a novice and a professional athlete or experience athlete is the different post-group and the other groups. So you see the novice

are very low on the bench and they are not able to use their core. The people that have a little bit of experience or professional athlete, they are really strong in their core. And as other forms,

very low on the back and they are not able to use their core. The people that have little bit of experience or professional, they are really strong in the core. And as other sports,

as soon as we have introduced the core stability in the routine, the performance on the Ergo went better. So yeah, as well that.

Yeah, I was thinking that too. then even from the HIIT science standpoint, you just think of the muscle mass engagement is quite complete and also a different way to target the cardiovascular system in terms of doing a different way to get at a VO2 max workout even, right? Is a good one for that too.

Yeah.

from the HIT science standpoint,

just think of the muscle mass engagement is quite complete and also like a different way to target the cardiovascular system, right? In terms of doing like a different way to get at a VO2 max workout even, right? yeah, good luck to that too.

Yeah, and I'm just thinking also like today's modern age, we're all sitting, right? And then to your point on the core, well, it's a good way to kind of

Yeah, and then, you I'm just thinking also like today's modern age, we're all sitting, right? And then to your point on the core, also a good way to

alleviate and strengthen a lot of those, you know, or counter some of all that sitting that we're all doing right now, right?

I was gonna go back to the threshold session on the rower. If you're thinking of biomechanics, you're using arms, you're using core upper body, legs. So you're engaging more muscle, you need to pump more blood, your heart rate will go up. it's almost like cross-country skiing, right? It's a full body...

Yeah.

Exactly.

workout. So if you do any intensity, you're engaging more muscles, more cardio, vascular system to produce the work. super. I'm also on the, I'm gonna get into the rowing boat.

Bye.

You will die.

you

Preparing an Ironman, preparing an Ironman, doing rowing.

Yeah, or when I go to the local gym here, I do rowing, like 20 minutes rowing. It's hard for me because, you know, so I'm preparing for cross-country skiing with rowing.

Yeah.

Yeah,

totally.

Yeah, can imagine that when you do a preparation, so as I have done, you do a preparation for the Olympic Games in rowing, and then you go for an Ironman, you think, okay, I can do that.

Hahaha

Easy, you're not using like it you're on the bike you're not using your back right

Yeah, I am dead.

If you guys remember the podcast that I did with Martino on Training Science podcast that Martino, I think you commented that you thought Ironman was kind of a walk in the park. It was pretty easy for you relative to the past.

It was easy.

Relative to some training that we have done in the past, yeah, it was.

So Martino, for athletes using the Athletica rowing platform, what advice would you give them to make the most out it?

So what I like to suggest as rowing is not like triathlon that you have three disciplines, rowing is only rowing. I like to give to my athletes, for example, the aerobic section, I give them an alternative. So I will suggest to use at the beginning the rowing with the intensity training. So the intense training.

For example, we have the 30 second or the seven minutes or the resistant training. Those are very good training. And I will at the beginning rather do the aerobic as usual with running, cycling and because that's my opinion. The rowing aerobic session are really a bit boring for maybe. So always I suggest when someone starts and maybe get a little bit first, the rhythm in the, in like the short session and maybe just

some technical session to get, of course, to get the movement done. But I think that you can have a lot of fun with this short and intense session before and then get after with more volume on the ergomachine or on the boats. I suggest as well to start maybe on the sprinting program at the beginning to see if you like it and then maybe go to the moroccan.

specific program for the Olympic distance.

So Martino, as a world champion lightweight rower, how did you manage weight and nutrition and how do you guide athletes in balancing performance and health now?

My path was full of mistakes. Of course, I was in a period where the access to the internet was building up. So I started with the people suggesting, so X-Row were suggesting how to do and of course a lot of those things were mistakes. Then I...

Yeah.

start to work with nutritionists. Of course, as well, I had to search my way as well into that. My suggestion now with the ateliers searching nutritionists is that you have a good relationship with. So, not just go to a guy and start a plan. You have to understand if this person fits with you because especially when food is involved, it should be really easy.

well I have to search my way as well into that. My suggestion now is that you to search for the person you are in with. So not just go to a guy and...

like talking and change information. And the second thing I say to my athletes, don't see that as weight management like a problem because sometimes it's a taboo like the weight management, but see as a part of the training. So really try to divide why I'm doing that for performance as to be exactly as training. So when you don't feel like to do training anymore, you don't do it. If you have a goal,

Mm-hmm

You go for the training, you go for the weight management, and then you go. This is the sport part. Nowadays,

I see, especially with young people and with youngers, is a difficult topic. But of course, we have to divide between people that are doing it for fun and people that are doing it because they are professional. So, but the suggestion is always don't do it yourself. Ask to the professional.

we have to divide between people that are doing it for fun and people that are doing it because they are professionals. So, but the suggestion is always don't do it yourself, ask to the professional, plan

it with the professional. Maybe just for a period, period to understand how it is and then go in by yourself. But never grow like alone, alone in this path because it's maybe the most important part of the, good aspect but also.

with a professional, maybe just for a period to understand how it is and then keep going by yourself, but never go alone on this path because it's maybe the most important part to be a good athlete, but also be

an happy person.

Yeah, nutrition is emotional, but it's also like not just performance, but also health and therefore performance because you can't be performing if you're not healthy. What are your top tips for athletes balancing life training and recovery?

Yeah.

In that I'm very bad because now I'm training, coaching, trying to have a life so my recovery is probably horrible. But sleep, sleep, think that sleep is the key of everything. But not only the hours but sleep good, good bad, clean room. These things are fundamental and probably in the past we were not understanding that. I remember that I spent years sleeping like in a super uncomfortable

bedroom with uncomfortable blanket. I think that not only the hour are important. So for me it's important to have very good mattress where I can lay down and not have pain when I wake up and be well-feeded when I go to sleep. No light at all. I think that sleep is for sure the key.

Sometimes even more than training, the key of doing a good performance.

Mm-hmm.

Totally.

Yep. That's what Alistair says, right? Alistair Brownlee, athletic ambassador, said that recovery is 90 % sleep, maybe 9 % nutrition and 1 % everything else. yep.

So.

Hmm.

But we'll say more than only the because of course everybody says the amount of hour I think the quality of the hours that you sleep because you can also sleep six hour but if those six hour good sleep in a good bed, good air, clean room that's from this to this.

Agree.

Yep, totally.

What excites you the most about the future of rowing and endurance sport coaching, especially with platforms like Athletica?

I hope that it's going to become more accessible because it's like elite coaching for everybody. Because that's the change. So everybody can have like an elite coach without having an elite coach. But as well for a coach that I'm a coach that doesn't know anything. I want to learn. just do my athletic thing.

Yeah.

On myself, I see the program, I learn what and why and when the program does it. And at the end, I know more than before.

It's also a learning platform. Then of course, maybe read the book, understand why this training is there, why we do this training. But as well, there is an explanation on Atletica for every training. Like, I mean, if you don't have to coach elite athletes, but you are coaching like recreational athletes, could be enough.

So Martino, what's a lesson that you've taken from your competitive career, maybe the continuing competitive career that you carry with you daily as a coach?

I think that as a coach I really want to do everything possible for my athletes to have the best possible outcome of what they are doing. So I don't like to lose time. And in my other career I think that I have lost a lot of time because of different situations, coaches and whatever. So as a coach I want them to have all the tools possible.

to achieve their dreams. So for me also, my own study or atletica, the science based coaching, the data, they are all tools that I want to give them to, to, have their puzzle complete. for me, that's, that's important. So searching and, and Paul, I searched atlantica, I searched your book, but

For me that's important. So searching and I search, I'm taking, search your book.

Okay, because I want to learn, but also because I want to give to my athletes the best possible tools to achieve their dreams. Because they have one career, I will have plenty of athletes. But if I go with that philosophy, I will never be the perfect coach.

But, okay, because I want to learn, but also because I want to my others the best possible tools to achieve their dreams. Because they have one career, I will have plenty of others. But if I go with that philosophy, will never be like the perfect

Hmm.

say, you cannot be a perfect athlete if you don't want to watch all the details. You cannot be a perfect coach if you don't search all the details and all the possible things that can help you.

to be the best.

Well, Martino, thank you so much for joining us and thank you for your continued support with Athletica. And we look forward to seeing the changes in the rowing program because of your involvement. So we appreciate it.

Thank you, thank you. But I think that I have to say thank you to you because lately with Atletica my job is getting a little bit easier. I have time to train myself.

That's good. That's good.

That's our goal. Our goal is to make it easier for coaches to function. that makes us very, very happy to hear Martino. we are, again, we're really grateful for your involvement in the platform development and lots more exciting things to come.

That's our goal, our goal is to make it easier for coaches to function. that makes us very happy to hear Martina say that. Again, we're really grateful for your involvement in the class.

Thanks for exploring the path to peak performance with us today on the Athletes Compass podcast. When you subscribe, you'll ensure you're always tuned in for our next journey into endurance mindset and performance. And when you share the episode with a friend, teammate or coach, you'll be helping them discover new ways to level up their training and life. Take a moment now, subscribe, share, and let's keep navigating this endurance adventure together for...

podcast.

Subscribe, you'll ensure you're always tuned in for our next journey into endurance mindset and performance. And when you share the episode with a friend, teammate or coach, you'll be helping them discover new ways to level up their training and life. Take a moment now, subscribe, share, and let's keep navigating this endurance adventure together.

For more information or to schedule a consultation with Paul, Marjaana, or me, check the links in the show notes. For Martino Goretti, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr.

More information or to schedule a consultation with Paul, Marjaana or me, check the links in the show notes. For Martino Goretti, Marjaana Rakai and Dr. Paul

Laursen, I'm Paul Warloski and this has been the Athletes Compass podcast. Thank you for listening.