Video: Adam Brayton's Coach Argues that "Multimodal" Training is Better than Cardio
It pains me to hear of the time and effort riders are putting in to improve their cardio whilst missing some crucial elements of training that can be incorporated easily.
In this video, we explore a different way - multimodal training - to increase your cardio but at the same time increase bike-ability in more areas such as strength and agility.
The workout is simple and requires a rowing machine and kettlebell or dumbbell. Don't worry if you don't have a rowing machine, any cardio piece will do (running, static bike, etc) but we love the added benefit of the rower so use one if you can. The workout looks like this:
15 rounds as quickly as possible:
250m row
12 jumping lunges with a twist (6 each leg)
12 Push-ups
The purpose of this workout is to stay in a steady state of effort with minimal rest between movements. This will be as effective as going for a 5k run for increasing your cardio but with all the added benefits of multiple movements.
Safety note: Please take it easy if this is your first time trying this type of workout. Warm up well and stay within your limits. The movements are not very technical or heavy so there is a minimal risk however if you feel any compromise in positions please stop.
I hope you enjoy this workout!
Jonny
123 Comments
I’m hooked man...and down 10 pounds from when I was doing CrossFit. Sure it’s muscle mass loss but I lost the bulk that IMO was holding me back and I thought I was doomed to have now that I’m mid 30s. I’m lean and feel super strong. Highly recommend it. Yoga is not just stretching....shit is intense. Oh yea and the lulu lemon pants are a bonus!
Vein...yep. I bet.
Those pants are like the sealed bag your favorite cereal is in & you trying to open the bag without scissors. 60/40 chance that stuff goes flying everywhere if you tear into em.
"Tonight baby...for you...I'm wearing a BattleCondom!"
Interested to know how Jonny sees this. I mean he’s obviously doing something right; these riders look mean.
How would one apply this sort of workout in a weekend warrior, 9-5 job kind of way? I can get to the gym 2, maybe 3 times a week as well as a ride (if I’m lucky) so I want to be as efficient as possible.
I'd say, for someone like me who is of average fitness, carrying a bit of weight and wants to get fitter - i'd half(ish) everything in the above video (so 7 rounds/150m row/6 lunges/6 pushups) and go from there. you know?
One of our biggest principals is that this training is effective for people who can make it to the gym only twice a week for around an hour, this doesn't seem a lot but most riders with jobs and families struggle to get to the gym let alone out for a ride. That's why we program 2 "essential" days with an additional 2 optional days so you can make the most of the time you do get to train.
For some, it is actually impossible to ride through the week and turn to gym based training before/after work or even lunchtimes, so why wouldn't you make the absolute most of the time you do have instead of muddling something together in the hope it will help.
I hope this helps explain our ethos on training time.
Having said that - I also believe that your program isn’t for the average MTBer; it’s for professional athletes. That’s what your YouTube channel is for and I for one appreciate the free advice you give out on there.
It’d be great to see either a video series for the average person, or a more affordable programme that’s financially viable alongside the pretty extortionate gym membership prices.
I beg to differ on our program being fro pro athletes only, we do train some very high profile riders yes, but the majority of riders who follow our program are average joe's (sorry for any of them reading this, perhaps if you are one of our guys you could comment and give some insight into how scalable and appropriate it is for everyone?)
Opinions on price are subjective, some people will pay more than the cost of our program for a single PT session. Our program offers massive value, this is shown by the results and positivity from our followers.
Having said that, if there’s the option of paying for a one off month - that’s more attractive than a subscription. Is there a minimum sign up length or can you take it month by month?
Want a Cardio work out? Ride your bike!
When I was a junior on the road and we were trained twice a week (we also went on trips with Phil Liggett, Stephen Roche), we never touched a rowing machine, the circuit types they talk about now for riding were common for roadies 30 years ago. My old coach is a current old guy track world champion just now too. Hated his coaching as it was difficult and never understood how much good he was doing for us. (I come from a cycling family fortunately or unfortunately, my dad is still a roadie at 77 with 1 working eye)
The way to test how good it is is try and cycle after being on a rowing machine and see how much co-ordination you have lost...
we used to do 7,6,5,4,3,2,1 (7 mins at fatigue at the end), with 2 minute break in between efforts, then random sprints for 5 minutes afterwards on a static bike followed by the old race on the rollers with x many laps of the clock that was driven by the rollers. Doing rollers once fatigued is crazy stuff, almost being sick for a long time, you learn to dig deep when in that dark place and the coach giving you a hard time for not putting enough effort in when all you want to do is be sick. There are no places to hide on a time trial, no excuses at all.
Oh, I don't miss road training lol. We started at 5,4,3,2,1, only once properly fit do you add the 6 and 7's in.
I use the spin bike these days as its easier and in my home gym, do 10 mins warm up then 20 mins at around 80% effort then up the effort for the next 10 mins. Normally feel sick and come off beetroot and like a human shower. Last 10 mins are 30s stand for a half rest and 30s seated and hard.
BMX sprints with static hips and shoulders are another good MTB training exercise.
They will also show you which foot is dominant for power rather than just dominant for cornering.
Pulling is often undertrained, in riders particularly, a weak posterior chain can create imbalance and over time you are more likely to pick up injuries. The rower is great to add high volume pulling to your routine and avoid using the same muscles repeatedly.
The pulling motion of the rower has a lot of crossover to control of your bike.
The rower has very accurate metrics so pacing and power can be monitored depending on the desired training effect.
The Concept 2 rower is so universal you can find one in most places in the world, meaning if you're familiar with pacing and your own metrics on a rower you can pick up on some training almost anywhere.
I could probably go on but for now I hope this helps.
Yeah, uh, what does that mean?
I'm in my fifties . A cardio work out is the best form of heart attack prevention. Ask your doctor he will tell you the same thing.
"A filibuster is a political procedure where one or more members of parliament or congress debate over a proposed piece of legislation so as to delay or entirely prevent a decision being made on the proposal"
It sounds kind of right for a Pinkbike article.
Fit4Racing was created to answer the need for accessible and safe strength and conditioning for riders of all levels. The CrossFit gyms I own are safe, in them we teach the importance of good movement which in turn means a very long process of athlete development around more technical movements such as Olympic Weightlifting. Is it appropriate for the average rider to spend 12-18 months learning to snatch properly? No. There are more effective ways to train to ride better.
then weekend real world riding.
100% @toad321:
What results come from time under tension? All results?
The video was clearlyabout cardio alternatives to steady state running, cycling etc, not strength. Watching Jonny's other videos he clearly delineates between strength exercises with strict adherence to form and cardio/capacity sessions where the exercises are simplier with less focus on form.
Nobody said you have to do it every day for an hour or so. As with everything else, it‘s the dosage that matters
Playing devils advocate here, did I mention planks in this video or is it that you just saw the picture and presumed there were planks?
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