Whats happening to your body on days off ?

dzp1

I usually train 6 days a week all outdoors but with all the awful weather in the last couple of weeks I've had a few extra days off.

Its not like I train hard 6 days a week, I'd probably do my key sessions on Tues/Thurs/Sat with Weds an easy ride and Friday a recovery ride. Then a longer easy ride of 50 miles or so on Sunday. But what I've noticed lately is that I don't go well after a day off.

I train with power and HR and I've noticed that I can be 5 to 10 BPM higher for the same power after a day off, and the more days off I've had, even if not consecutive, the worse it gets.

Perhaps I should just ignore HR but it shows that the CV system is having to work harder - WHY ???

I suppose I'm also asking - would my training be a lot more effective if I didn't take days off? the fact that I seem to slip backwards in the hr required to sustain a power, suggests temporary loss of adaptations ? or is it just something I should ignore ?

BenderRodriguez

dzp1 wrote:

I train with power and HR and I've noticed that I can be 5 to 10 BPM higher for the same power after a day off...

For me, a lowered heart rate is a sure sign that I am carrying residual fatigue, and after day or so off it will return to its 'normal' higher rate, even if my power output doesn't noticeably change.

cougie

That's odd - I've been training properly for a few months now and have taken a lower HR for the same (or higher) wattage as a sign of improvement. The body is able to cope better with work ?

I know that it always takes me about 20 mins to warm up each session - is having the day off giving you a longer warm up period maybe ?

dzp1

I believe its the same problem that exists if you race after a day off. For me at least, I'm rubbish! I know others say the same. A decent loosener session the day before a race (really just an easy hour with a few spin ups to sweetspot or FTP, just for a few minutes) seems to do the job.

But whats actually happening to the body that makes our race rubbish after a day off ?

Cougie - does your diary show any pattern of higher HR for a given power after a day off ?

And yes - if I warm up gradually for half an hour, I sense that my HR is then lower for the power than if I just dive straight into the harder stuff.

BenderRodriguez

cougie wrote:

That's odd - I've been training properly for a few months now and have taken a lower HR for the same (or higher) wattage as a sign of improvement.

If it is a long-term change it could well be a sign of greater fitness, but not a change that occurs over a few days: the heart does not change its size or the thickness of its walls that fast!

cougie

I'm repeating the same workout about a month or so after I last did it usually - so I can see the history of better figures and lower HR. Its not that scientific - I'm fitting them into my day when I can - so different times of day etc and different fatigue levels - but it definitely looks like its improving. I've been cycling for decades - so have lots of base - but not really trained properly for 15 years or so now.

dzp1 - I've not noticed any higher HR after a day off - but I'll see if the stats suggest it. It might be marginal for me ?

wavefront

I ride 6 days a week (most of it specific training) and over time my heart rate to produce a specific power has fallen as expected. If it changes from my normal range it usually coincides with fatigue/stress. I haven't noticed my hr being higher just after a day off, but after a few weeks off you'll notice a difference due to de training.

On my endurance rides my hr usually falls around 125-130 bpm but after an enforced two weeks off training, my two long weekend rides at endurance pace / power were measuring around 145-150 bpm. A lot higher than normal.

So now I'm in a dilemma, like you, do I follow power or hr to set my zones for the next couple of weeks until I get back to where I was?!

dzp1

wavefront.. I generally go by feel for anything sub-sweetspot, so like on Saturday after a day off I did a zone 2-3 "free" session of 2.5 hours, HR 149. Sunday I did 3 hours upper zone 1 and HR was 137, NP was only 2 watts lower and AP was 4w lower than Saturday. Those are the kind of differences I see, although this example is definitely more pronounced than usual.

Sundays nice weather and lighter breeze probably helped me keep things even.

I suppose this demonstrates that it can be unwise to only look at power. HR in both cases was in line with feel, but power wasn't.

Anyway, I was interested in whether other riders see this sort of variation and moreso I was wondering why! perhaps I'm a freak or overtrained :evil: hopefully some superdupermegaexpert will come along and explain all

damocles10

Are you getting enough recovery generally? This would include good sleep and diet etc.

Problem is everyone is different so it's hard to gauge without all the relative numbers over a period of training time.

dzp1

Overtraining is possible, although CTL is now 10 points lower than a month ago, it was 85 back then and has been between 70 and 85 since September so I am comfortable with that volume of work. So it must be pretty deep overtraining if thats the cause.

I do get health blips and I generally work hard for long hours which doesnt help. But the higher HR after a day off is something I've observed consistently. I suppose its been more pronounced lately which is why I asked.

Anyway, it sounds like other riders don't generally see this, so thats something I can take on board. So for now I'm taking it as an indicator to keep training tightly controlled for a while. No intervals or big hills !!