Free Strategy Session
Schedule a 20min session to review your current fitness, goals, challenges and lifestyle. By the end of it we'll come up with a specific strategy you can take immediate action on.
Turn Data Into Lifelong Performance
We can control and transform our health & fitness at any age. However, the problem is that most of us are drowning in information, and yet starving for sustainable strategies that we can actually use to improve the quality of our lives.
If we listen to every expert, fitness influencer, and celebrity there are hundreds of different things we should be doing to build fitness and improve our health. Long runs, HIIT workouts, stretching, green smoothies, cold showers, meditation…
Sure, in a perfect world we have plenty of time to spend on ourselves. But it just doesn’t happen that way - most of us have real life commitments to fit in somewhere, which tends to change everything! You know, meetings run late, babies don’t sleep well, anniversaries, holidays...
The perfect way to get healthy may sound good in theory, but it’s just not practical. Someone else’s idea of perfect might be okay for them, but wildly unrealistic for you. The truth is, building fitness is a series of ups & downs. We push ourselves a little, learn how the body responds and then repeat in a much more focused way.
The good news is that we already have all the tools we need to make be successful. Most of us already have a fancy watch that collects all kinds of data about our performance and lifestyle. Speed, distance, power, heart rate, VO2max and threshold values, running dynamics, respiration and oxygenation rates, sleep quality… We just need someone to show us how to maximize them.
The secret to achieving extraordinary results is to listen to yourself first. So, instead of relying on the “expert’s” idea of a perfect plan, why not build a sustainable, perfect-for-ME plan guided by your individual metrics?
"I Can Show You How To Use Data To Analyze How Training & Lifestyle Habits Impact Your Performance, As Well As Help You ‘Tune Up’ All Those Little Nuances To Ultimately Perform And Live BETTER."
Methodology Focused On Heart Rate Training
I've channelled years of experience in professional sports and rehabilitation into effective science-based methodology which cuts through the noise and provides strategies you need for life-long health & fitness. My approach is based on individual metrics and delivers sustainable results. And I am happy to share it with you!
Intensity Measures
Methodology uses heart rate zones to ensure that everything the body goes through is taken into account. That includes training-related stress, as well as impact from everyday lifestyle (emotional stress, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, etc.)
Performance Data
Race results, time trials or FTP tests is not the only data that matters. The most useful data is continuous and shows individual trends and benchmarks over time (i.e. heart rate at certain efforts, developing muscle tightness / pain)
Recovery Indicators
Learn to ‘monitor’ and optimize your lifestyle by paying attention to tangible markers like resting heart rate, HRV, sleep quality, blood markers (i.e. glucose, lactate, CK) and even non-tangible metrics like mood or appetite.
"This Is NOT A One-Size-Fits-All Training Plan. Regardless Whether You Are An Experienced Or Hobby Athlete, My Methodology Is Focused On You As Individual. YOUR Background, YOUR Lifestyle And YOUR Fitness. "
What others are saying
"Working with Andrejs made me appreciate and even enjoy the hard work that is required to improve"
He has a wealth of experience and he translates theory into practice in easily understandable formats. I am running faster, feeling stronger and there is less fatigue following big runs.
Ahmet
Istanbul, Turkey
"Having Andrejs design a full distance triathlon training plan for me has proven to be an invaluable decision"
It has removed the guesswork and allowed me to focus my time and energy on the physical workouts. He was very personable and knowledgeable during our conversations, and he worked with my schedule to set up video calls despite our significant time difference.
Beth
Tennessee, USA
"One of the best decisions I’ve ever made!"
Working with Andrejs has been amazing. The program he designed specifically for my Superbike racing season has helped me to get fitter, stronger and more competitive than I’ve ever been.
Grant
Johannesburg, South Africa
"Andrejs as a trainer is a must for anyone serious about challenging themselves to their maximum!"
Andrejs was always more than just a trainer, taking care of both my physical and mental needs to prepare me for my multi-marathon challenge. He'd provide a solution for every muscle pain I came up with so that I could continue training to the maximum of my ever improving abilities.
Thierry
Tokyo, Japan
"Andrejs is very experienced with heart rate training, as well as various tools & gadgets"
He helped me to make sense of all the data I was getting and organize my training process. Training for me is a way to stay healthy and during our coaching sessions he introduced me to the professional way of training and taught me how to adapt it for my own needs.
Stas
Moscow, Russia
"I really appreciate the variety and time-effectiveness of the plan that Andrejs has created for my half-Ironman race"
The best part was that my knee pain went away after I regularly did the strength and mobility routines. I’m very happy with the progress and feel like it will be a strong season for me this year.
Adam
Budapest, Hungary
"Andrejs program and encouragement has been invaluable for me to stay consistent with my training"
He gives continuous feedback and great advice. His training plan made me feel good about the work that I’m putting in, see results and keep it up. Hope to join my first endurance race this year.
Lisa
Michigan, USA
"Andrejs was amazingly supportive in every aspect of my training process!"
After completing a triathlon I wanted to shift my training to focus on a new goal - a half marathon PB. I was overwhelmed by the information and guides out there. Yet, I struggled to find a plan that would allow me to maintain cycling and swimming fitness. Andrejs structured my training to do exactly that and introduced me to the world of HR training.
Charlotte
Sydney, Australia
"Andrejs helped me immensely to regain my fitness and go beyond my limits"
By setting reasonable, achievable goals and building over time, I found myself doing more than I imagined, and there is a road ahead.
Andrew
New York, USA
Imagine what it would be like to wake up every morning with the energy and confidence to take up any adventure - without wondering if you're fit or strong enough to complete it. This is what life will be like when you ‘tune up’ every aspect of your well-being.
A Message From Your Coach
There is a World Class athlete in everyone of us, burning to challenge the limits and push the boundaries of what's possible. However, in such quest for glory performance and results often start to stagnate. If not go the wrong way.
I know this because I’ve been there myself - chasing peak fitness and struggling on a journey to what I thought was optimal athletic performance. Trying to get to the next level, but with limited knowledge of what to do, ending up just repeating the same thing over and over again.
In my combined 20+ years of competitive swimming, kayaking, running and triathlon experience I’ve done it all. Won races as well as finished towards the back of the pack. Had the ability to put in 30-hour training weeks as well as struggled to carve out just half an hour for exercise. Been on World Championship level as well as forced to start from the beginning as a result of overtraining (or injury). Felt on top of the world as well as suffered from fatigue, mental and physical burnout.
You can say I learned the hard way that pushing hard does not guarantee success. It took me years of daily mistakes to find the path that leads to lasting results. But once I figured it out, everything started to fall into place very quickly.
"Something Tells Me You Came Here Because - Like Me - You Believe Your Body Is Capable Of More. And It Sure Is!"
I’ve considered myself an athlete for the most part of my life and was blessed to be trained by many great coaches. However, once I started combining all the knowledge & experience from different training philosophies into my own training methodology, I felt I’ve discovered a deep reservoir of untapped potential.
By diving into the data and building myself from the ground up I managed to go from a back-of-the-pack hobby athlete to a top-level competitor in a mere 2 years. Over the following 8 years I’ve had multiple Top 20 finishes at World & European Championships. But I didn’t stop there. Instead, I started writing programs and giving training advice to some of my friends. A hobby that quickly turned into a passion. Since then, I tested my methodology in several different sports, coaching hundreds of athletes of all levels of performance reach their best.
For a long time I lived in search of peak performance. Tunnel visioned on a specific race/result. Looking to squeeze out every ounce of energy I have only to arrive at the finish line with nothing left in the tank. In a weird way exhausting myself fully brought a sense of achievement and made me feel good about myself - that I’ve given it my best shot. What I found for myself, however, and consistently notice in the athletes I coach is that while peaks come and go, life goes on. The excitement of achieving something might last for a day, a week, or a few months. But eventually fades. And that is because the peak is never the end destination - there is always a bigger world ahead.
Which is why my approach is not bound to one specific area. Instead, it’s focused on becoming an all-around strong and resilient athlete. A step-by-step framework designed to build foundational fitness and develop resilience through gradual mindset and lifestyle changes. Strategies to cultivate the mindset to overcome setbacks and grow confidence. Systems to adopt healthy lifestyle habits to have more energy and feel less stressed. And, of course, training tactics to get fit for all those experiences and adventures we dream of having throughout our lifetime.
If this sounds exciting to you and you want to revitalize your fitness & well-being, then I’m excited to invite you to reach out and join my coaching program.
Speak soon,
Andrejs
Andrejs Birjukovs | Endurance coach
Andrejs is a multisport athlete with a background in swimming, kayaking, marathon running and long-distance triathlons. Originally from Latvia, he represented his country on numerous occasions in World and European Championships, as well as the Universiade.
Throughout his competitive athlete career Andrejs has learned the value of reinventing himself through physical exercise and lifestyle changes. Now he uses that experience to coach others how to sharpen the art of listening to the body and use it to lead an active, empowered & fulfilling life.
Andrejs runs The Athlete Blog where he shares his training and coaching experience with the world. You can read his personal story here.
What Type Of Coaching Is Right For You?
"As A Coach My Goal Is To Help You Reach Exceptional Level Of Performance, Balance It With Busy Lifestyle And Educate How To Sustain TOP CONDITION Throughout Your Life"
How It Works?
FREE strategy session
At first we get together for a short ~20 minute session and discuss your current fitness & lifestyle, challenges you face, what you want to achieve and how can I help you in that.
We’ll also discuss the methods I use, how those will be adjusted to fit your needs and also set goals.
FREE strategy session
At first we get together for a short ~20 minute session and discuss your current fitness & lifestyle, challenges you face, what you want to achieve and how can I help you in that.
We’ll also discuss the methods I use, how those will be adjusted to fit your needs and also set goals.
Tailored Training Plan
After the first session I’ll prepare a training plan that will be based on the goals we’ve agreed on and tailored to your current fitness & lifestyle.
Regardless of the package, training plan will also include intensity & recovery suggestions, as well as my comments on what to focus on for best results.
Don’t worry, we’ll have a separate session where I will walk you through the program.
Tailored Training Plan
After the first session I’ll prepare a training plan that will be based on the goals we’ve agreed on and tailored to your current fitness & lifestyle.
Regardless of the package, training plan will also include intensity & recovery suggestions, as well as my comments on what to focus on for best results.
Don’t worry, we’ll have a separate session where I will walk you through the program.
Review Sessions
1-2 weeks into your program we will have a first review session where we will discuss training progress and make adjustments, if needed (intensity, recovery, skipped workouts, etc.).
During this session I will help you analyze your training sessions and provide feedback on how to make the most of them. I will also put training process in perspective (i.e. how various factors affect condition / performance / result) to help you understand the physiology behind my methodology.
VALUE package includes only 1 such review session to make sure the program fits, whereas in PRO package this follow up can be done every week.
Review Sessions
1-2 weeks into your program we will have a first review session where we will discuss training progress and make adjustments, if needed (intensity, recovery, skipped workouts, etc.).
During this session I will help you analyze your training sessions and provide feedback on how to make the most of them. I will also put training process in perspective (i.e. how various factors affect condition / performance / result) to help you understand the physiology behind my methodology.
VALUE package includes only 1 such review session to make sure the program fits, whereas in PRO package this follow up can be done every week.
Here's What You Can Expect
🏅
Get into top shape for an endurance race or an adventure challenge with organized training process that is adapted for your individual situation
⌚
Break through the training plateau using an easy-to-use and time-efficient framework which is adapted for beginner, hobby and pro athletes
💪
Build a solid foundation and become a well-rounded athlete with a specific strength & mobility routine designed to ensure longevity in the sport
⏱️
Learn to maximize the effect of each individual training session, as well as plan and execute races (pacing, nutrition, etc.) to ensure you’re reaching your full potential
📈
Gain insight into how your body performs and learn to self-steer training process based on personal data. In other words, turn “expert” advice into a plan that fits YOU
📆
Build momentum and create a lifestyle around sport by means of adopting several key habits into your daily routine. All without sacrificing any other area of life
📚
Get tools & strategies (principles, systems, guides, templates and calculators), as well as knowledge & confidence to maintain a high level of fitness throughout your life
📚
Get tools & strategies (principles, systems, guides, templates and calculators), as well as knowledge & confidence to maintain a high level of fitness throughout your life
⚡
Gain more energy, improve recovery time, as well as overall feel better, lighter and happier by ‘tuning up’ and optimizing various lifestyle factors & habits
A Real-Life Example Of Data-Driven Coaching
46 years old and a father of 3 kids Erik was involved in endurance sports throughout his entire life with the last 15 being focused on competing in long distance triathlons and trail running. Life outside training was pretty active as well with plenty of cross-country skiing and hiking with the family. He approached me with a request to train him for one very demanding mountain triathlon:
"It’s a half tri, but a brutal and absolutely stunning one with 3100 climbing on the bike and 1100 during the run on a single track. I did the race once in 2012 when I finished in approx. 9h55… (winner times are normally around 6h10-6h30). The bike is basically 44 km climbing, 44 km downhill and 10 km ‘flat’, so strong legs are needed 😉”
Despite living in the mountainous region of Norway, cycling was not Erik’s strongest discipline and the second half of the run always gave him trouble after all the elevation gained during bike leg.
Upon review of Erik’s training data (intensity, duration, intervals, variety, etc.), he turned out to be a great example of a resilient athlete with a very consistent and full training schedule spanning over many years. Six training days and close to 10 hours of total volume every week meant he had a very solid aerobic foundation. Which is why the key change we made was to his strength and power training approach. In particular:
- Developed a personalized maximum strength training routine to improve absolute force Erik can produce (Winter)
- Established heart rate zones to allow him to complete very targeted intervals and translate force into bike power and run fitness (Spring)
- Determined and practiced race effort and used the power he has built to improve extended climbing ability (Summer)
And Results Were Quick To Appear
Already in spring Erik shared he felt much more comfortable on the hills in the area he lived in. Going for bike rides now became more enjoyable, as it felt much easier. He also started seeing his PBs going down
Over the next couple of months thanks to a focused aerobic and power training his time on a much shorter but steeper climb improved by almost 15%
And in August, after a period of specific race-prep he finished his brutal mountain triathlon almost an hour faster than his best time from 9 years ago. And all of it from the change in the approach, not the volume
Think about how much it is costing you every day that you decide to postpone starting a health & fitness journey. Resilient athletes do not put their entire lives on hold to tunnel vision on one specific race or challenge. Instead, they understand the long-term value of continuous self-care and building foundational strength in their body and mind. And so can you!
Not ready for personal coaching just yet?
Check out these Frequently Asked Questions first
My focus is on personal coaching in running and triathlon. In particular, I enjoy working with athletes who are on endurance journey – training for marathons, 70.3, full-distance Ironman races and beyond.
I supplement this with strength & conditioning, as well as mobility training as well.
In short, VALUE package is made for those seeking to test their current fitness and get an easy-to-use plan of what & how to improve. PRO package, on the other hand, is for athletes looking for a coach who will supervise their training and make sure it is as efficient as possible.
Regardless of the package, though, you will receive a structured training program tailored for you, including:
- Specific endurance / speed / strength workouts
- Periodized intensity & recovery plan
- List of exercises to improve flexibility / mobility and strength
- Habit development framework
VALUE package includes one review session 2 weeks into the program to ensure the program really fits.
In contrast, PRO package is an ongoing online personal training where we regularly review every training session, analyze what has worked and adjust the program where needed. During these sessions we will also discuss training practices and I will explain the reasons and physiology behind them, as well as how different factors impact performance and result (such as stress, recovery, nutrition, lifestyle, etc.).
Both packages are suitable for any level of fitness and/or activity, as they are tailor made for every individual.
STARTER package is, essen