Brick Workouts: What They Are And Why You Should Be Doing Them
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If you're training for a multi-sport event like a duathlon or triathlon, you need to be doing brick workouts. We answer all your questions from what they are to why you should be doing them and the benefits.
Want to digest this in audio format? Have a listen to our podcast episode all on Brick Workouts and brick training
What is a brick workout?
A brick workout is a training session in which you do two disciplines back to back with no rest. For example, you may do a bike ride followed by a run, or a swim followed by a bike ride. The most common brick workout for duathletes and triathletes is the bike to run brick workout, as this is where the race is won or lost, and running off the bike is the one that catches most people out.
If you have never done a multi-sport event before, your body won't be used to the feeling of doing multiple disciplines back to back. You need to acclimatise your body to this type of stress and also to get accustomed mentally to running with legs that don't feel like they belong to you!
Why is it called a brick workout?
The jury is still out on this one! If you were to ask 100 triathletes why they think it's called a brick workout, chances are you'd get quite a few different answers. The most widely accepted reasoning is because your legs feel like bricks after finishing this type of workout. However, other people say it's because you are stacking two disciplines on top of each other like bricks, or even that it's a fun acronym for Bike Run It Can Kill!
How to do a brick workout
As with everything, it's important to start small and work your way up. If you are going to do a bike to run brick workout, do a longer bike ride of, say, 1 hour, and then do a shorter run of only 10 or 15 minutes. The key is to have as little rest in between sessions as possible, with none at all being optimum. On race day, you want your transitions to be seamless and short, so practising at home is a great way to get used to this.
When doing a bike to run brick workout at home, have your running kit ready to go for when you get back from your bike ride, just like you would on race day. If you are going to practice a swim to bike brick, you could easily cycle to the swimming pool and then cycle back afterwards.
How important are brick workouts?
Brick workouts have many benefits, not only for race day but also for your conditioning and general fitness. Doing two different disciplines back to back keeps things fresh and will really crank up the calorie burn. You will be able to do a longer session without it feeling boring as you won't just be pounding the pavements for 2 hours, you will be changing from one sport to another.
Another benefit of brick workouts is that it will be more of a full body workout and therefore condition your body better. If you go from swimming to cycling, you will be working your upper body hard in the pool and your lower body hard on the bike, therefore getting a more all-round workout and improving your tone all over.
Apart from that, brick workouts are extremely important for multi-sport events. You will need to get your body used to being under stress for a long period of time and to be able to keep your technique sound when fatigued. Running off the bike is a strange feeling and you need to be able to do it without thinking too hard. Brick workouts are also important as they will help you to pace and know what your body is going to feel like on race day.
Brick training for beginners
An effective brick session is more about the transition than anything else. If you are training for a sprint triathlon, you don't need to be doing 3 hour brick sessions and killing yourself. Build up slowly by doing a short cycle followed by a short run and go from there.
New for 2025 our Brick Training guide just got better
From questions for our connected triathlete network, we are bringing you an update. What questions are being asked and how can brick training benefit you?
Who can benefit from Brick Workouts?
Brick workouts can benefit different types of athletes and can be adjusted according to experience level:
- Triathletes Brick workouts are especially beneficial for triathletes. They prepare the body for the unique challenge of transitioning between swim-to-bike or bike-to-run, improving overall performance. Brick workouts also help triathletes get used to the feeling of running straight after cycling.
- Beginner triathletes Novice triathletes can benefit from muscle adaptation. A simple brick workout for first-timers can be adding a one-mile run at the end of a bike workout.
- Experienced triathletes Even experienced triathletes can use brick sessions as a priority in training to help them progress and perfect race day performance. They are helpful to athletes with time or performance goals.
- Duathletes Brick workouts are essential for duathletes.
- Runners and Cyclists Even those who don't plan to compete in triathlons may benefit from brick workouts.
Why do they call it a brick workout?
The origin of the term "brick workout" is debated, but here are some common explanations:
- Legs feeling like bricks Many believe the name comes from the heavy, uncomfortable sensation in the legs when running immediately after cycling.
- Stacking disciplines Some suggest it refers to layering two disciplines on top of each other, similar to bricks in a wall.
- Acronym It is also said to be a fun acronym for Bike Run It Can Kill.
- Coined Term Another explanation says that Dr. Matt Brick coined the term when writing about his bike-run and run-bike sessions while training for a duathlon.
Using Brick Workouts in Triathlon Training
Brick workouts are a workout that includes two disciplines, typically swim-to-bike or bike-to-run, that help prepare the body for the unique challenge of moving from one sport to the next in a single race, while minimising any major drop in performance. They are a great way to perform race specific training.
Here's how brick workouts can be used in training:
- Goal The goal is to help that transition feel almost normal so you are ready to run.
- Incorporating bricks If you’re just getting started with brick workouts, try adding one brick into each training plan. As you gain more experience, you can increase the frequency of brick workouts, even turning each bike workout into a brick session.
- Increasing volume As with all training, increase volume slowly to minimise any injury risk.
- Guidance Consider seeking guidance from a triathlon coach to help maximise training time and race results.
- Transitions Brick workouts are also an opportunity to practice transitions. Setting up a small transition station and timing the bike-to-run movements can help see how quickly you are ready to run. Practicing the order you take off your helmet, switch shoes, and grab your race belt helps movements become smoother and more efficient.
Two brick workouts to try, based on experience level and training distance:
First Time Brick (Sprint Distance)
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Bike:
- 10 minutes at Zone 1-2
- 15 minutes at Zone 2-3 (keep cadence above 85rpm)
- 5 minutes at Zone 3
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Transition: Practice a quick and efficient transition, aiming to keep the time under 60 seconds.
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Run:
- 10 minutes at Easy Pace
Progressing the Brick (Olympic Distance)
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Bike:
- 30 minutes at Zone 2
- 20 minutes at Zone 3
- 10 minutes at Zone 2
- 5 minutes at Zone 4
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Transition: Practice a quick and efficient transition, aiming to keep the time under 60 seconds.
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Run:
- 20 minutes at Tempo Pace
Adding brick workouts to training at the right time, and understanding their purpose, will allow you to get the most from these sessions.
Top 10 tips for Brick Training
While the sources don't provide a list of the "Top 10 Tips" for brick training, the following information has been compiled from the sources and conversation history to provide guidance:
- Understand the Purpose Brick workouts prepare the body for the unique challenge of moving from one sport to the next in a single race, while minimising any major drop in performance. The goal is to make the transition feel normal.
- Plan your transition zone. Setting up a transition zone ahead of time helps you iron out logistical kinks. Lay out gear and running shoes and have a plan for your helmet, bike, and cycling shoes.
- Practice transitions. Use brick workouts as an opportunity to practice transitions. Time bike-to-run movements to see how quickly you are ready to run. Practise the order of removing your helmet, switching shoes, and grabbing your race belt to help movements become smoother and more efficient.
- Acclimatise your body. If you have never done a multi-sport event before, you need to acclimatise your body to doing multiple disciplines back to back.
- Start slowly and build gradually. Don’t jump into the full biking and running distance in one workout. Begin with shorter brick workouts and gradually increase the duration and intensity as training progresses.
- Be race-specific. Your brick workouts will be most effective if they are geared toward your actual race. Replicate the distances covered on the bike and run.
- Stay Consistent. With consistency, patience, and practice, you will become more comfortable with this type of triathlon workout.
- Warm-up well. Always get ready for the workout with a dynamic full-body warm-up.
- Stay well-hydrated. If training indoors regularly, drink enough fluids to cope with increased sweat loss.
- Fueling and Hydration: The brick is a good time to dial in race day pacing, nutrition, and hydration. It helps you test the durability of your fuel plan. Experiment with different sports gels, bars, chews, and drinks to know which flavours and types work best, and when to take them.
- Listen to your body. Pay attention to your body, maintain proper nutrition and hydration, and gradually progress the duration and intensity of brick workouts.
- Consider off-order bricks. Don't always do brick workouts in the same order. Mix it up with different lengths and purposes.
- Avoid overdoing it. Be careful not to overdo brick workouts, because they can cause more fatigue than single-discipline workouts.
What is an example of a brick session?
A brick session involves combining two different disciplines back-to-back. The most common example in triathlon is a bike session followed by a run. An often-neglected brick session is the swim-to-bike brick, which is logistically tougher, but can be done by cycling to the pool, swimming, and then cycling again soon afterwards.
Here are some examples of brick workouts:
- Transition Bike-to-Run Brick: Cycle at a moderate intensity for 45-60 minutes, focusing on maintaining a consistent pace and good cycling form, then transition immediately to a 15-20 minute run at a comfortable pace.
- Long Endurance Brick: A long, steady bike ride at a comfortable pace for 60-120 minutes is followed by a slower-paced, longer duration run for 30-60 minutes at an easy, conversational pace.
- Race Simulation Brick: Warm up with 10-15 minutes of easy cycling and running. Perform a shorter, high-intensity bike ride that simulates the cycling leg of a race, and quickly transition to a run at race pace immediately after the bike ride to simulate the running leg of the race.
- Sprint Distance Brick: 10 minutes of cycling at Zone 1-2, 15 minutes at Zone 2-3 (keeping cadence above 85rpm), and 5 minutes at Zone 3, followed by a quick transition (under 60 seconds), and then 10 minutes of running at an easy pace.
- Olympic Distance Brick: 30 minutes of cycling at Zone 2, 20 minutes at Zone 3, 10 minutes at Zone 2, and 5 minutes at Zone 4, followed by a quick transition (under 60 seconds), and then 20 minutes of running at tempo pace.
- Duathlon Style Brick: This workout mimics the switch between sports. Pacing is important on the first run and bike, so performance is strong on the second run, which should be more challenging than the first.
- Sam Laidlow’s Hardest Brick Workout: Consists of a 20km warm up at Level II, 70km at Level III and two reps of seven kilometres running at Level IV with five minutes rest at Level II after each rep, finished with ten minutes of jogging at Level II for the cool down.
- Swim-to-Bike: Swim 200m then practice taking off the wetsuit and gearing up for the cycle and then head off onto the bike as quick as possible for a short cycle (5 to 10 mins).
Is brick training essential for my first triathlon?
Yes, brick training is an important part of preparing for your first triathlon.
Here's why brick workouts are essential:
- Acclimatising the body: Brick sessions help your body adapt to the feeling of running straight after cycling. Your legs will feel heavy and slow when you come off the bike, and brick workouts help you get used to that feeling.
- Muscle Adaptation: Brick workouts help your muscles adapt to the transition from one discipline to another.
- Practicing transitions: Brick sessions allow you to practice your transitions, helping you to move quickly from one activity to the next. Setting up a transition area and practicing the order in which you remove your helmet, switch shoes and grab your race belt will help your transitions become more efficient.
- Mental preparation: Brick workouts simulate race day conditions and help you become familiar with the physical and mental stress of transitioning between disciplines.
- Building Confidence: Successfully completing challenging brick workouts enhances confidence.
- Race Specificity: The best training is race-specific, and you cannot get any more race-specific than running off the bike or biking after you swim.
- Technique and Pacing: Brick workouts help teach the body to adapt to the sensations of running with tired legs and to learn to run with good technique and pacing under load.
- Fueling: Brick workouts can give you an indication of how well you are fueling on the bike, and help refine your fueling protocol for race day.
A starting brick workout can be as simple as a 45-minute to 1-hour ride, then quickly changing into running gear and running/jogging for 10 minutes. As the weeks progress, you can either lengthen the duration of your brick or increase the intensity.
A quick guide on a Brick Run
A brick run refers to the running portion of a brick workout, which involves doing two exercise disciplines back-to-back with minimal rest in between. In triathlon training, this typically means running immediately after cycling. The purpose is to train the body for the specific demands of transitioning between the two sports.
Here is a quick guide to brick runs:
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Purpose
- Acclimatise the body to the feeling of running after cycling.
- Adapt muscles to the transition between cycling and running.
- Practice and improve transition times.
- Prepare mentally for the challenges of race day.
- Dial in race day pacing, nutrition, and hydration.
- Improve race performance.
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Incorporating Brick Runs into Training
- Introduce brick workouts 12 to 16 weeks before the first race.
- Start with one brick workout in each training plan and increase frequency with experience.
- Gradually increase volume to minimise injury risk.
- Aim to include at least one bike-run brick workout per week.
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Types of Brick Runs
- Transition Brick: A moderate intensity cycle is followed by a run.
- Interval Brick: High-intensity cycling intervals are immediately followed by fast-paced running intervals.
- Endurance Brick: A long, steady bike ride is followed by a longer duration run at an easy pace.
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Essential tips for brick runs
- Set up a transition zone with running shoes and gear.
- Start slowly and build up gradually.
- Warm up with easy cycling and running.
- Stay hydrated to compensate for sweat loss.
- Practice pacing to avoid starting the run too fast.
- Listen to your body and adjust the workout as needed.
- Fueling and Hydration: Brick runs are a great time to test nutrition and hydration strategies.
- Cool down and stretch after the run.
- Avoid heavy brick sessions and prioritize sport-specific work.
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Brick Run Examples
- Cycle 45 minutes to 1 hour then run/jog 10 minutes.
- Cycle for 30 minutes at Zone 2, followed by a 20-minute run at tempo pace.
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Key Considerations
- Running with tired legs: Brick runs help you get used to running with the heavy-legged feeling after cycling.
- Cadence: Since cycling cadence is higher than run cadence, athletes tend to run too fast, too early, off the bike.
- Transitions: Aim to transition as quickly as possible.
