I really hate recovery weeks. I can tell that I have fatigue built up before the start of the recovery week and that some pullback is required, but every time I do a recovery week, I end up hating it. The 1st 2 days are nice but then it seems that the week drags on. By the time I am done with the recovery week, I feel really sluggish. Coming out of the weeks, the 1st several days are a struggle, both mentally and physically. It’s as if I’ve become lazy. The workouts themselves after the recovery week also are harder than they should be RPE wise.
So I’ve been wondering if there is any science behind a whole week of recovery. It seems so arbitrary that we do everything in 7 day cycles. This last time around, instead of a whole week of recovery I did 2 days of rest and 1 day of super easy and then dived back in. Still sluggish but it was better. Just needed 1 hard workout to get my engine purring again.
I’m wondering if I should start doing just a 2 days complete rest every 2 weeks (2 days off, 12 days training). I still have easy days in those 12 days and sometimes life and work force extra rest days as well.
On the science, no, but it may be that you’re not recovered enough even with a week.
Are you talking about doing TRs recovery weeks, or like something else?
7 days might sound arbitrary, but if you have a schedule like most people in the West then your body will be attuned to the cycles of stress n 7 day loops. If you’re a man of leisure, then not so much.
I train quite a lot, but over the years I’ve become convinced recovery days are just not required for people like me. Reduce intensity every four weeks is a reasonable caution, and allows focus on aerobic adaptations.
What are you doing? All Z2 as per TR plans (the last time I looked)?
Assuming you ride both days at the weekend of your last loading week, how about:
Mon Off
Tues Recovery Ride 45 mins
Weds Off
Thurs Low Z2 ride 90 mins
Fri Z2 ride with some openers by feel
Sat/Sun Zwift Race / Group Ride / Whatever
I suspect - especially for people not riding 15 to 20 hours a week, a full week without intensity every 4 weeks is probably overkill, unless you’re really overdoing the intensity in the other 3 weeks. The week I’ve outlined above gives you four days with no intensity and then allows you some fun before hitting the intervals again.
Recovery weeks are amazing and I love them! I feel like it allows me to smash the training for three weeks with the motivation of a light week in the future.
Yes, I also need little bit intensity during recovery week, otherwise legs get slightly twitchy.
My usual plan has 3:1 loading/recovery pattern, with recovery week being always same except Saturday threshold, which varies with whatever current productive PL after AI FTP detection:
I’m doing intervals every week of the year. Rest weeks cut back on total volume and some of the interval work. Its a lot better than doing an entire week of endurance rides.
I rid 5x a week usually - 2 days intervals, 2 endurance (goal is below or at LT1), and one ride with friends thats “whatever it is”
When I do recovery weeks I take an extra day off (so Monday and Tuesday off), wednesday 90 minutes of endurance, thursday 60 minutes endurance, friday off, saturday - tempo, sunday whatever I want ride - almost like “openers” for the next week to resume Tuesday.
So I take an extra day off and no specific intervals that I’m targeting (I’m not strict about the tempo on Saturday - just going by feel anywhere form below Lt1 → below 90% FTP). Seeems to work fine. I tend to ave 8-12 if all goes well
When I was coached there was still recovery weeks just a little less often and not necessarily a full week and sometimes they were inserted into the plan after big weekend etc.
Once again I believe everyone is different. Training levels, work, home life all play a part in what a recovery is. How quick the body adapts is learned by experience. For me a week off is not in the cards. My body seems to recover in about 3 days, without any rides. Add in some outdoor fun rides and it might take 5 days.
I usually need 3-5 days of really easy riding depending how hard the last block was. So something like
Monday off
Tuesday easy Z2 60-90min, if feeling tired I’ll keep it Z1
Wednesday off
Thursday Z2 if feeling good I’ll do an easy interval session
Friday easy Z1/Z2 60min
Saturday Some kind of test like hold FTP for 30-40min to see where I’m at
Sunday Longer Z2
And the next block starts after a rest day on monday.
For me, recovery weeks aren’t just about physical recovery, it’s a chance to use that bit of extra time (and energy later in the week) to do something a bit different or catch up with friends/family.
My partner and I both training for Ironmans, so social engagements normally play second fiddle to training most of the time. It’s nice to have a bit of time every now and then that this is reversed and is perfect time for a slow MTB ride with friends or to just have a more chilled weekend togther.
