If you’re looking to take your triathlon training to the next level, then incorporating brick workouts into your routine is a must. A brick workout is a specific type of training session that involves back-to-back training sessions in two of the three triathlon disciplines: swimming, cycling, and running. The name “brick” comes from the feeling of heavy legs that triathletes often experience when transitioning from cycling to running, as if their legs are made of bricks. In this guide, we’ll explore what brick training is, why it’s so effective, and how you can incorporate it into your own training regimen.
What is Brick Training?
Brick training is a type of workout that involves transitioning between two of the three triathlon disciplines without taking a break. The most common brick workout is the bike-run brick, where you cycle for a set distance or time and then immediately follow it with a run of equal or shorter duration. The goal of brick training is to simulate the feeling of transitioning from one discipline to another during a race, as well as to improve overall fitness and performance.
Why is Brick Training So Effective?
Brick training is effective for a number of reasons. Firstly, it allows you to simulate the feeling of transitioning from one discipline to another during a race, which is often a difficult aspect of triathlon for many athletes. Secondly, it improves your cardiovascular fitness and endurance, as well as your muscular endurance and strength. Finally, brick training is a great way to get in more training volume in a shorter amount of time, as you’re essentially doing two workouts in one.
How to Incorporate Brick Training into Your Training Regimen
If you’re new to triathlon or haven’t done brick training before, it’s important to start slowly and gradually build up your training volume over time. Here are some tips for incorporating brick workouts into your training regimen:
- Start with shorter distances: When you first start doing brick workouts, begin with shorter distances or durations. For example, start with a 20-minute bike followed by a 10-minute run, and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable.
- Focus on transitions: One of the most important aspects of brick training is the transition between disciplines. Focus on making your transitions as smooth and efficient as possible, and practice them during your workouts.
- Mix up your workouts: Don’t always do the same bike-run brick workout. Mix it up by doing a swim-bike brick or a run-bike brick to keep your body challenged and avoid boredom.
- Incorporate strength training: Brick workouts are a great opportunity to incorporate strength training into your routine. For example, you could do a bike-run brick followed by a set of squats or lunges to improve your muscular endurance and strength.
- Gradually increase volume: As you become more comfortable with brick workouts, gradually increase the duration and intensity of your workouts. However, be careful not to overdo it and risk injury or burnout.
Conclusion
Brick training is an essential component of any triathlon training regimen. It allows you to simulate the feeling of transitioning between disciplines during a race, improves your overall fitness and performance, and allows you to get in more training volume in a shorter amount of time. By following the tips in this guide and gradually building up your training volume over time, you can master brick training and take your triathlon performance to the next level. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start brick training today!
Why is it called Brick?
The term “brick” in brick training actually comes from the feeling of having heavy legs, as if they are made of bricks, when transitioning from cycling to running. This is a common sensation experienced by many triathletes during the bike-to-run transition, and the term “brick” has stuck as a way to describe this feeling and the training sessions designed to help athletes overcome it. So, the name “brick” has nothing to do with an actual brick, but rather the sensation of having heavy legs during the transition.
What causes the heavy legs
The feeling of having heavy legs during the bike-to-run transition in a triathlon is caused by a combination of factors, including the use of different muscle groups and the impact of running after cycling.
During the cycling portion of a triathlon, the primary muscles used are the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. These muscles are used in a repetitive motion, and blood flow is directed to the legs to support their continued use. When a triathlete transitions to the run portion of the race, the primary muscles used shift to the hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and foot muscles. This sudden change in muscle use can lead to a feeling of heavy legs, as the muscles are not used to the new demands being placed on them.
In addition to the change in muscle use, the impact of running after cycling can also contribute to heavy legs. During cycling, the body is in a seated position, and the impact on the legs is relatively low. However, when transitioning to running, the body is suddenly subjected to the impact of the foot striking the ground with each stride. This impact can cause the legs to feel heavy and fatigued, especially if the transition is not executed smoothly or if the athlete is not properly trained to handle the transition.
Overall, heavy legs during the bike-to-run transition are a common challenge faced by triathletes, but through proper training, including brick workouts, and attention to proper technique, it is possible to minimize the impact of this sensation and maintain strong performance throughout the race.
What happens if you don’t include brick traning?
If you don’t include brick training in your triathlon training regimen, you may struggle with the transition between the different disciplines during a race. The bike-to-run transition, in particular, can be a difficult aspect of triathlon for many athletes, as the change in muscle groups used and the impact of running after cycling can cause the legs to feel heavy and fatigued. Without proper preparation through brick training, this transition can be even more challenging, which can negatively impact your overall performance in the race.
In addition to the specific challenge of the bike-to-run transition, neglecting brick training can also limit your overall fitness and performance. Brick workouts are an effective way to improve your cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, and strength, as well as to get in more training volume in a shorter amount of time. By skipping brick training, you may miss out on these benefits, which can impact your performance in all three disciplines of triathlon.
Overall, while it’s certainly possible to complete a triathlon without incorporating brick training into your regimen, doing so can make the race more challenging and limit your overall fitness and performance. If you want to be competitive and perform at your best, it’s important to include brick workouts in your training plan.
Examples of brick training sets
Here are some examples of brick training sets for triathletes:
Bike-Run Brick
This is the most common brick workout and involves cycling for a set distance or time and then immediately following it with a run of equal or shorter duration. Here’s an example set:
- 30 minutes of cycling at a moderate intensity
- 10-minute transition period (practice your transition from cycling to running during this time)
- 20-minute run at a moderate to high intensity
Swim-Bike Brick
This workout involves swimming for a set distance or time and then immediately following it with a bike ride of equal or shorter duration. Here’s an example set:
- 500 meters of swimming at a moderate to high intensity
- 5-minute transition period (practice your transition from swimming to cycling during this time)
- 30-minute bike ride at a moderate to high intensity
- Run-Bike Brick: This workout involves running for a set distance or time and then immediately following it with a bike ride of equal or shorter duration. Here’s an example set:
- 20-minute run at a moderate to high intensity
- 5-minute transition period (practice your transition from running to cycling during this time)
- 40-minute bike ride at a moderate to high intensity
Long Bike-Short Run Brick:
This workout is designed to help you get used to the feeling of running after a long bike ride. Here’s an example set:
- 90-minute bike ride at a moderate to high intensity
- 5-minute transition period (practice your transition from cycling to running during this time)
- 20-minute run at a moderate to high intensity
Remember to always warm up before your brick workouts and to focus on making your transitions between disciplines as smooth and efficient as possible. Gradually increase the duration and intensity of your brick workouts over time to avoid injury or burnout.