Hybrid Athlete 101
Hybrid Athletes are the ultimate all-rounders, combining strength and endurance. Here’s how you become one:
What is hybrid training?
It’s a way of training which lets you bench 200lbs and run a marathon on the same day. To get there you can't just follow Wendler’s 5-3-1 strength program and sprinkle in triathlon-prep workouts. Instead, you need to build a deliberate exercise regime:
Why do it?
I’ve been training as a hybrid athlete for years because I can say 'yes' any time to:
• lifting heavy in the gym
• playing a pick-up basketball game
• chasing my kids and dog around the garden
• running ultra-distance (30+ miles) obstacle course races
What more is possible?
A Scottish athlete, Fergus Crawley, is setting a new standard. He has:
• run a sub-5 minute mile and deadlifted 500lbs on the same day
• completed a 600kg powerlifting total and ran 60km in under 6 hours in a single day
Check out this video about how he structures his mornings.
Why doesn't everyone train like this?
Trainers used to think you could not train to become stronger and run longer at the same time. This was due to a study by Robert Hickson in the 1980s which showed test subjects plateauing. However, this study has been called into question.
Concurrent vs hybrid training
A lot of athletes combine strength and endurance, but they use "Concurrent training". This is when a runner builds leg muscles by squatting to run faster and protecting their joints.
Hybrid training uses a combination of workout methods but not to help a runner be stronger or a powerlifter to have better cardio. It's about being a hybrid of the two and becoming an all-round, functional athlete. It's about improving strength and endurance simultaneously.
How to get started?
Most hybrid athletes start off with a strong base in either strength or endurance as it puts a lot of pressure on your body. When you get started the top 3 considerations are:
- how to limit fatigue
- how to fuel properly
- how to plan your training days
For this, you should consider sticking to 8 hours of rest between sessions.
Fuelling your body with a high protein diet for muscle repair, sticking to clean foods and getting enough sleep.
Dedicate specific days to either strength or endurance. Here's a sample week:
A typical week of hybrid training
Mon: Lower body (squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts)
Tues: Interval running
Wed: Upper body (bench, overhead press, rows)
Thur: Low intensity (run, row or bike)
Fr: Overall strength (deadlifts, curls)
Sat: Longer endurance run
Sun: Rest Day
For other inspiring hybrid athletes check out Nick Bare, who shows us how to build a multi-million $ business while getting fitter every day:
And Hunter McIntyre who’s a world-record holder for Spartan (obstacle races) and Hyrox. Hunter and I trained together in California doing a 52-hour no-sleep crucible event, which combined strength and endurance (video here).
