Being new to this tri thing let me make sure my nomenclature is correct: a “brick” is when you train for multiple disciplines w/o resting (e.g. bike/run; swim/bike) right? If so then…
How often does everyone brick train? Also, what are the main purposes of brick training - I’m assuming bricks help build your overall endurance as well as get your body accustomed to switching from one type of movement to the next. But do they make you a FASTER triathlete or would it be better to focus more on single disciplines and keep the intensity high?
I apologize if these questions have been posed before…thanks for all the advice, this forum has been an excellent source of information and inspiration.
most of my practices are working transitions. I’ll come out of an outdoor pool after having swam 5000 meters and then go for a 40Km ride. or come back from 100K ride or so and run 5 k. I won’t do full distances because theres still maybe another practice in the evening or the next day. It would be good to get used to this. If you understand french I could send you some examples of what my practices are from my coach for my team.
It depends on your level of experience and on how close you are from your race. If you have years of experience you don’t have to do as many brick workouts as someone new to the sport. Also as close to the race you are, the more bricks you should be doing. For short-course, swim-bike bricks are important, not as important for long-distance.
In general, a brick is a bike and run workout, though a swim-bike would have merit as well.
As for how often… I used to throw in a short run after most rides. The brick, to me, was more to get used to how the legs feel coming off the bike, and to get to the realization that, though the legs feel like they’re still going in tiny circles and your thighs feel like barrels, you are actually running just as fast as you normally would. All you really need to do is to get past that feeling until you can settle into a normal feeling run. So the brick could be just a 10 minute run following a hard bike ride.
Now if you REALLY want to get sadistic, take your trainer to the track and do brick intervals. A special type of self-induced hell…