How to Build a Hybrid Training Week That Actually Works

If you’ve ever tried to balance running, lifting, and, well… life, you’ll know it’s not as easy as just chucking workouts into your diary and hoping for the best. The good news? Coach Patrick Moorshead’s got the blueprint, and it starts with working smarter, not just sweating more.

In our recent webinar, Patrick broke down exactly how to structure your week when you’re chasing multiple fitness goals. Whether you're training for a marathon, trying to shift some fat, or aiming to get stronger without wrecking your knees, this is for you.

1. Start With the Priority

The biggest mistake most people make? Trying to do everything at once with equal intensity.

Patrick’s approach is different. He gets clients to identify the main goal first—whether that’s fat loss, a race coming up, or building muscle. That one goal becomes your North Star, and everything else fits in around it.

📌 Real talk: If you’ve got a marathon in 12 weeks, that takes priority. Don’t expect to PB your deadlift every week too. Likewise, if you're in a fat loss phase, your running might take a back seat, but it’s still in the mix.

2. Minimum Effective Dose Wins

Here’s where Patrick really flips the script. Instead of cramming in six workouts a week “just because”, he recommends starting with the lowest sustainable training volume and building from there.

Something like:

• 3 sessions per week to start
• 1-2 runs, 1-2 resistance workouts
• 1-2 complete rest or active recovery days

It’s about ticking boxes, not burning out.

As he puts it: “Start lower and build up. Don’t start high and burn out.”

This keeps momentum high and motivation steady. No more guilt-tripping yourself for missing sessions you were never realistically going to do.

3. Adapt As You Go

Patrick talked about a common scenario: someone starts strong, crams in 5–6 sessions a week, and then hits a wall after 3 weeks.

The result? Fatigue, frustration, and falling off the wagon.

Instead, he recommends reviewing regularly:

• Feeling tired? Drop a strength session.
• Marathon prep ramping up? Prioritise long runs.
• Life throwing curveballs? Shift a session or focus on recovery.

Patrick even builds in deloads and recovery weeks as part of the plan, especially after big efforts like races or hard training blocks.

4. Train With the Year in Mind

One of the smartest bits in Patrick’s section was about mapping your year, not just the next 8 weeks.

He shared how one client, Andrew, juggled a marathon, fat loss, and summer holidays, all by phasing his goals:

1. Start with a fat loss phase – light calorie deficit, tidy up habits.
2. Transition into marathon prep – reverse diet to maintenance, increase carbs.
3. Post-marathon recovery – bring training down, shift focus back to fat loss.

By zooming out and being strategic, you can hit multiple goals without spinning your wheels or overtraining.

5. Maintenance Matters

When something isn’t your focus—like running during a muscle-building phase or lifting while prepping for a race—don’t ditch it entirely.

Instead, maintain it at a minimal effective level. That might mean:

• 1 run per week just for enjoyment
• 2 short resistance sessions to preserve muscle

The goal? Keep your body adaptable, engaged, and mentally fresh. Patrick calls this the “minimum dose mindset”, and it’s a game-changer.

Our Final Thoughts

Building a hybrid training week isn’t about cramming it all in. It’s about prioritising, planning, and adapting. With a smart structure in place, you can get stronger, fitter, and leaner, all without falling apart mid-way through the month.

So if you’re juggling running, lifting, and a busy life, take a page from Patrick’s playbook

• Less pressure
• More planning
• Better results

And if you want help customising your own week? Personal coaching could take all the guesswork out of it. That way, you can just show up, train smart, and crack on.