What is a proper recovery week?

jonty1977

HI All,

I was accused of over-training for the last month and was advised to have a recovery week as i'll only get stronger as i rest. I was then told my problem is that I don't what a proper recovery week is.

So any ideas what a "proper" recovery week is?

Thanks.

BeaconRuth

There is no more a single answer to that question than there is to the question "what is a proper training week?" One person's recovery week it another person's hard training week.

Maybe provide a bit more info?

Ruth

jonty1977

Hi Ruth,

throughout January I have done the following every week:

Monday = half hour recovery in zone 3
Tuesday = 1 1/2 hours turbo avergaing HR zone 4
Wednesday = 1 1/2 hours outdoor chaingang 24 mph average with HR averaging zone 4 - 5
Thursday = as tuesday
Friday - day off
Saturday = as tuesday
Sunday 4 - 5 hour ride 17 - 20mph avergae HR zone average 4

Hope this gives you more info

Thanks for the reply


John

Alex_Simmons/RST

Are you feeling exceptionally tired and is your performance suffering?
If not, then a specific recovery week is probably not really required.

Sometimes 2-3 days rest is often enough. Depends on how long/hard you've been training for and the rate at which you've ramped up your workload in recent weeks.

When it is justified (which is less often than most people think), then cut back the volume to say 60% of a normal week and keep some of the intensity but leave out any high end stuff.

jonty1977

Thanks Alex.

I'm not feeling tired, maybe some muscle soreness on a monday but that is soon gone. If anything i'm feeling stronger every week.

I plan on continuing the above training through february, increasing intensity then having 3 days recovery at the end of february.

wpdoolan

I treat a recovery week as a no effort week.
I try to do the same time training but with no intensity,
it is hard to hold back but spin the legs on easy resistance and on the road
try and take it easy and enjoy spin maybe put in coffee stop

I plan for a week like this after every third week, remember it is the recovery period
when the body adapts to the efforts and although you dont feel tired now over training
can creep up on you gradually

Anyway hope this helps