Hi there,
I’m still a complete newbie in this structured training thing, so forgive if this is a stupid question:
Is it ok to increase the rest between intervals? I did Monitor +1 today with the regular 1 min rest, but was barely able to finish (and I know it’s not supposed to be a super hard workout). I was thinking taking it to 1’30” or even 2’ towards the end would make it much more bearable.
Does this negate the benefit of the workout in any significant way?
Thanks!
Sergio
First a question, what plan are you following and where are you in it (that you are doing this workout)?
Are you in the middle of Sweet Spot Base 1, Mid Vol, Week 3?
Depending on your prior history, Low Vol is the common recommendation.
Yes, that’s exactly where I am.
I really had no experience and found the workouts a bit tough in the very beginning, but now I’m getting to the end of all of them, even if I need to lower the intensity just a bit (~5%).
Good work getting there. You might still consider dropping down to Low Volume, if the reason for missing on the workouts is fatigue.
To answer you basic question, it is sometimes OK to extend recovery intervals. It varies with particular workouts as the recoveries can be intended to do different things.
If you do add some time, it is best if it is not required at every recovery. That is a sign you are having a bad day or worse. But the occasional need to extend, especially towards the end of a workout, is fine.
Also, if you are having to reduce Intensity as a common solution, that is another sign you may be in over your head. 5% reduction is pretty big and can actually alter the intended goals of a workout in some cases.
Thanks for the quick replies!
I’ll try to stick it one more week and see how it goes. I’m getting good rest and nutrition and hopefully I’ll make it to the end.
If that’s not the case, though, should I simply pick up low volume from where I am or should I start from the beginning?
I’m not planning on any specific event for now, so going back wouldn’t be such a problem.
Thanks!
S
If you are set on your plan and need to maintain the current “weeks” to keep your goal event in place, I think a direct swap is fine.
If you have time to start over, it could be a good idea. I would recommend a bit of a recovery period (part or all of a week) to allow your body to fully bounce back. Then jump in with a new Ramp Test and full commitment to the Low Volume plan and really nail the workouts.
I had similar troubles when I tried to blend the Mid and High Vol plans. I thought I needed more work and really set myself back by not doing the workouts to the fullest. Now I follow Mid closely and really focus on hitting the goals. That has served me better.
Great!
I’ll give it a few more days and see how this goes.
Thanks again!
S