Trading Muscle for Medals

Teatime with the Trainer 

What would inspire you to give up your hard-earned gains? Follow brand ambassador Bryan Christy on his road to the Ironman.

ORS: What is your training background?

Bryan: My passion for training started at a young age when I got ambitions to complete a marathon. At 13 years old, I completed this goal and ever since I have had a love for all types of training. Whether it be lifting weights, doing triathlons or a spartan race for fun! I really started to enjoy lifting weights during high school football. Once I saw the difference it was making in my physique, I was hooked.

ORS: What made you decide to start training for triathlons?

Bryan: Watching my dad compete in all sorts of triathlons as a kid was a huge motivating factor for me. I always thought it was such an awesome accomplishment, and I wanted that under my belt. The main reason for completing triathlons is so that I can eventually conquer the main goal, the Ironman.

ORS: What does your training program consist of when preparing for a triathlon? How is this training different from your off-season training?

Bryan: When I am training for a triathlon, I make sure to train heavy on my weak points. I am way more confident in the running aspect of the race as opposed to the swim, so I will focus heavily on the swimming. I typically will start off with a 20 mile bike ride, transition to a three to six mile run, followed by a 30 minute swim session. I always make sure to finish my sessions with 30 minutes in the sauna. When the off season comes around, I absolutely hate the cold, so it's time for me to hunker back down on the weights and gain some of my size and strength back.

ORS: Are you afraid to lose gains, since you are abandoning weight lifting for part of the year?

Bryan: Absolutely! When you are doing this much cardio, it's impossible to keep on muscle mass. That is why I still keep weight lifting in my regimen during my off-season. It is always a nice break from triathlon training to get back into some strength training.

ORS: What goes on insside your head during a race and how do you keep yourself going?

Bryan: I think every triathlete will agree with me that during the competition the thought "what the f*** am I doing" will go through my head at least once or twice. It's important to tune out the negative thoughts and stay positive. The thought of me crossing that finish line keeps me going, as there is nothing sweeter.