Advocate Q&A: Andrei Burton
Talk us through a typical riding, climbing and training week…
So this can vary hugely depending on what events I have coming up. It could be a climbing trip, a Ninja Warrior production, or preparing for a world record or world championships on my bike. I used to train much more but now I do a little less, so I usually train twice a day, 5 days a week. This could be climbing, calisthenics, riding trials, road cycling or occasionally gym work, but I don't train in the gym much anymore. I also work a lot on mobility and core conditioning, making sure I have good movement and movement patterns. In general, do 15 minutes in the morning and again in the evening, working on some "yoga" style movements and exercises.
What does your routine look like before a typical riding session?
These days I usually start my warm up by getting my heart rate up first, then working on some dynamic movements and rolling to free up my hips, quads and hamstrings, especially if they are still tight from previous sessions. I build up gradually and I don't do any intense or powerful moves for roughly the first 15 minutes of riding. Things are a little different for climbing indoors; I usually have fairly intense sessions. Therefore, I will spend anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour warming up, getting all my joints acclimatised to the movement and load required before I even start climbing. This is mainly to avoid tendon injuries in my fingers and arms. I've had big issues with my elbow joints from years of riding at a high level so I do what I can to keep them healthy and prepare now!
Do you do anything differently pre-competition?
Actually no, I generally just keep training as usual. I will only slow down if I feel like I am becoming less powerful or feeling tired when I ride. I do try to keep my diet a little cleaner than usual though!
When do you tend to use active recovery sessions and what do you normally do?
I actually do this almost every day, if I am training or not. I will usually work with a roller and do movement pattern work to ensure my body is working as it should and avoid injuries. I roll and mobilise a lot around my legs/hips/lower back and shoulders as these areas tend to get super tight from the crazy positions I put my body into both riding and climbing.
Do you implement any specific injury prevention strategies?
Definitely; I incorporate this into my morning and evening mobility routine - working on my movement patterns, stability and symmetrical mobility, particularly around the hips and lower back. I have upped this part of my conditioning in 2021 and I think it has helped me a huge amount.
You’ve had the MoveWell Complete Pack for a while now…what’s your favourite thing about MoveWell?
I love the sustainability of these products, that is something I really want to encourage and work with. Also, they're lightweight and portable, which is so useful. I am on the move all the time so it’s nice to have something I can take with me and use to keep myself in check. In 2019, I was away for 10 months of the year, so having kit that is effective, portable and I can easily take with me is very important.