Hi, I’m just coming to the end of my 4th training week (3 weeks into mid volume general build and did a week of training before starting) my concern is that a week seems like a very long time to not do any intensity I understand the need to recover but do we really need a full week? Has anyone cut the recovery week down to say 3 to 4 days done a ramp test and then trained at the weekend with intensity and got good results?
Recovery weeks are subjective, and in my experience length of recovery time also can vary based on the training you’ve been subjecting your body to along with all other stress/nutrition/etc.
I think the soonest I’ve done a ramp test is the Saturday at the end of a recovery week. I felt great, and more than ready to hit it hard once again… I nailed the assessment and gave everything I had.
Typically for me personally, I’m ready for some intensity when the weekend rolls around, sometimes I’m smashed all week and don’t start feeling better until Thurs/Friday.
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If you feel your body is rested enough to do some more work just go for it. Just make sure you notice any signs of being too fatigued early enough to adjust your training. And if you feel the weeks of the next training block have become to hard to manage learn from thaht and take it more easy in the recovery week next time.
Not everybody needs the same amount of recovery. And not everybody needs to same amount of hard work. You know your body best and can feel how it reacts to your training. Learn to use that information to improve your training.
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That recovery week is when your body adapts a lot of the stress you’ve put on it. Length seems somewhat subjective, but is easier to do everything in 1 week segments. If you’re new to training, take the full week of recovery to start, see how you feel, and then go from there and adjust from there. Also you’re 4 weeks into 25 weeks of total training, got a long way to go until your A race, or the end of the plans, no need to burn yourself now.
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It varies from person to person, but 3/4 work/rest weeks is a good starting point.
I typically take my rest week easy because then I can smash myself as hard as I want on my work weeks and know I’ll bounce back. If you’re feeling good, there’s nothing wrong with doing some work, I’d just keep an eye on training stress and don’t go nuts.
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Since you just started trust the plan, they are well designed and feeling good a good sign. There is plenty of intensity coming up.
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Old topic I know, but this is my exact question. I started this season with 15 weeks of base, progressing from a few weeks of low volume into SSBMV, then SPMV. I am now doing 5 weeks of SSBHV, with recovery next week. I have been feeling great, increased FTP a few times during this block, and have added on TSS as well, mid 800 TSS last two weeks, likely this week as well. I frequently feel ready to go after several recovery days, but want to make sure I am fully ready going into SPHV and specialty.
What do you think about adding a sweet spot or moderate intensity outdoor ride Saturday/Sunday (which for me is not end week, I start my plans on Wednesday, with Tuesday off), and then an easy recovery ride Monday?
I do MV volumes and generally take the rest week pretty much as per plan. The only revision is a bit of intentisty (usually Baird) on the final Sat / Sun.
I find it helps for the ramp test a few days later.
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Thanks. This is pretty much what I am thinking. Not that a ramp test is a race, but I have felt flat in some after a week full of easy endurance. I was thinking sweet spot, but do like the Baird idea quite a bit.
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