Getting into pentathlon is no easy task, but it’s nothing impossible. It does take a lot of dedication and time, however, at the end of this journey, you will feel nearly like a superhuman. Moreover, many people give up before they even begin their training, just because the whole idea of pentathlon seems impossible to complete. However, with the right guidance and the right mindset, you could be planning your first training session as soon as tomorrow. But first, let’s see what modern pentathlon is so you can understand what your practices will look like.
Short Introduction To Modern Pentathlon
The modern pentathlon is an Olympic sports event that includes five different disciplines. These five disciplines include cross-country running, pistol shooting, show jumping, swimming, and fencing. The participants gain points by competing in each of these five disciplines. The winner of the pentathlon is the competitor with the highest score from all of the disciplines combined. Until 1996, the athletes had five days to finish competing in all of these disciplines. But, since 1996, all five events must be finished within a day.
How To Start Training
One of the first things that many athletes who want to participate in a pentathlon have to face is the proper training for the main event. It can be quite frightening to face the fact that you must perfect all five of these disciplines that couldn’t be less similar. However, that is the first mistake that most athletes make.
You must accept the fact that you won’t ever be equally good in all disciplines. That is the first lesson that you will have to learn. Most athletes begin by training only in two disciplines. For example, they work hard on swimming and running and try to get the best possible results before moving on to the other three disciplines.
Additionally, you don’t need to own a horse to practice show-jumping. Most athletes think that practicing for a pentathlon you need to own a horse, which is something that not many people can afford. But this isn’t true. Many pentathlon athletes practice for the main event by visiting local riding clubs.
Furthermore, the most expensive piece of equipment, after horse riding, is the one that you will need for fencing. Fencing equipment can be very expensive, this is why you can consider starting off your practice lessons in a local club, and afterward, when you are determined that you will participate in a major competition you can get second-hand equipment. Most importantly, remember that even though you should perfect your skills in all five disciplines, it’s enough to be the best only in some of them.
