But the way Sanders breaks it down is refreshingly simple and something I hadn’t heard articulated in quite this way before: mechanical load versus metabolic load. He could tolerate his desired training load with relatively little interruption from injury. But if his recent run of injuries has taught him anything, it’s that managing mechanical load has become just as important as maximizing metabolic load. Considerations for Your Own TrainingWhen considering how this might apply to your own training, Sanders highlights that mechanical load is inherently much lower in the swim and on the bike. Once again, it highlights how metabolic load can remain high while mechanical load, and therefore impact, is reduced.