Brisket Training

Jun 13, 2019

Bob King

Brisket training.

Now I have your attention!

First you need to know that "brisket training" has multiple meanings.

Learning how to cook brisket– trimming it, getting the right rub, what temperature, how long, etc..
When a coach says, “hey come over for the game tomorrow, we’re having brisket (which is inspiration to train and work out really hard to be able to eat whatever and justify a food coma).
A training regime.

I know, I know, a training regime doesn’t sound as good as the other two, but the tactics in cooking brisket can actually overflow into a training regime. How? Well how do you cook brisket? Low and slow...

From a training perspective, there are two key methods of rest days. Some days you need to completely take off, while other days you need slow but active movement to boost your chances of recovery and allow time for your muscles to absorb your training.

On these days, a 20-30 minute exercise is a good minimum aerobic time because it fits the parameters of an active recovery session. For us big guys though, that time limit eliminates a nature run outside– so inside we go.

The American Heart Association says it best heart health, the guidelines for working out well enough is a 20-30 minute session at 65-75% max heart rate. This guideline provides a range of time and intensity for athletics, not a home on the range like the old cowboy song. Meaning, get comfortable home on the range for those aerobic off days.

In terms of the sessions, I will share what my typical rest day activity is and another mindful key point.

I personally find it very hard to sit in one place for 20 minutes, much less– 30 minutes! For my attention span I:

Use bikes with fans called AirDynes or Assault bikes
I ride for a 30 minute session
I split the session into a 10-10-10 indoor triathlon going from light to heavy then back to light
You can come up with any number of indoor triathlons or a biathlon to break things up.
Above all, stick to the time and intensity!

The mindful key point is:

Keep your brain out of it!
“Push till you pass out” is not the best method for achieving your goals. You will gain the most muscle recovery and benefits of training by taking it slow every once in awhile.
This is especially valuable during the summer, when Texas feels like 400 degrees, and during the winter, when North Dakota feels like 400 degrees below.

So let’s review: