If you are looking to enter the world of triathlons a runner, cyclist, swimmer or sports amateur, brick training is probably a new concept.
Bricks are workouts that combine two or three triathlon disciplines, this way, preparing you for the demands of each sport. For example, going from swimming without excessive leg movements to riding vertically on the bike, which depends on the effort of your leg muscles, can be particularly draining for your body.
Equally, the switch from cycling to running causes an unsteady feeling underfoot.
Bricks play a huge role in your race success and are worth incorporating into your weekly training routine. So, if you are new to this, you might use the following tips to learn how to ease into brick training and make it part of your training routines.
Sports transition
Teaching your body how to adapt when switching from one discipline to another is crucial. Pushing too hard at the beginning of the bike or run might be your first instinct; it can also cause you fatigue.
When you train for each discipline individually, you may feel that your legs are really slow after transitioning from swimming to cycling or cycling to running.
Practice the switch
For the swim/bike brick, you could swim in a pool at your local gym and then go straight to the on-site exercise bikes. As for the bike/run brick, you can set up a transition zone in your driveway or garage to simulate a race and allow yourself to go immediately from the bike to the run.
Start easy
If you are a triathlete new to bricks, a great introduction to bricks is cycling for 1 hour and then practising the run for 10 to 15 minutes right after. Do it once per week, and, with the time, you can do it twice per week.
Once you have more experience with this kind of brick, you can start with the swim/bike workout. This could be a 400-meter swim and then go cycling for 15 minutes.