Many triathletes focus every week on mastering their bike to run transition by doing bricks, but they rarely focus on transitioning from swim to bike, a switch that is equally as important. By practicing your swim to bike, you train your legs to engage quickly after minimum use during the swim as well as train your gut, which can “freak out” and cramp up, as it goes from horizontal in the swim to vertical on the bike.
The only problem with these aquavelo bricks are that they logistically hard. If you are swimming at a pool, see if you can put your bike on a trainer on the pool deck or in your car and ride immediately after changing. Even better would be to swim in your tri shorts–preferably the pair that you will be wearing race day–and just throw on a tri top as you sprint through the locker rooms.
While your transition might be a little long, the back to back workout will still have benefits. A spin bike, which many gyms have, can also work. Practicing in open water with your bike in your car ready to go or being watched over by a friend is even better. The most convenient would be to setup a trainer next to a Vasa Swim Erg and go from the “swim” to the bike repeatedly with ease.
Work out 1: Tempo race simulation (best done outdoors) and a good way to practice race day nutrition
Warm up: On pool deck do arm swings, push ups, and squat jumps for 5 min to get the blood moving.
Swim Main set: 200m hard, 600 steady race pace, 100 build, 100 HARD, 1min rest, repeat twice to three times.
Bike: 2min build, then hold race pace for 20min, 5min easy (repeat 2-5 times depending on distance of your race)
Workout 2: Threshold work
Warmup: 200 easy, 4×50 drill, 4×50 build
Main set: 10-20×100 HARD with 20s easy
Bike: 10min at threshold wattage/zone 4/ RPE:8 , 5min easy spin x4
Workout 3: (Best done on a Vasa or with a bike on the pool deck)
Bike warmup: 10min easy then 5x30s at 100rpm, 30s easy, 5min easy
Swim warm up: 200 easy 4×25 build
Then 2-4 rounds of
Swim: 500 continuous as 50 hard, 50 easy
Bike: 5×1 min all out, 1 min easy, 5 min easy spin.
Cool down
15 min easy on the bike
Tweet us or Facebook your favorite Aquavelo bricks and let us know how these go.
