taking a break

Improvement in performance is achieved by preparation system that includes training, recovering and competing. Having 'asymmetrical' emphasis on each component may not yield best results. Finding optimum balance, and managing their ratios at different times yields the best performance at the most important time.

Chapeau! said:

Improvement in performance is achieved by preparation system that includes training, recovering and competing. Having 'asymmetrical' emphasis on each component may not yield best results. Finding optimum balance, and managing their ratios at different times yields the best performance at the most important time.

What!? Never mind I retract the question.

leanman said:

how many of you still take the traditional week or two completely off the bike at seasons end?
this off the bike time is supose to recharge you both physically and mentally..
what if your season has ended, but you dont want to take off the bike a week or two? what if you dont feel you need to be recharged.. maybe a few days off to let you legs heal, but any longer than you loose what you gained the past 9 months..
i spoke with steve tilford, as i race against me a bit(he is in the mt bike hall of fame, and rode the world road race with greg lemond etc... a stud)and he says at our age, its soooooo hard to get back what you worked so hard for, so why take time off? if you need a few days to rest your legs, then do it. to recharge your mind he said, is dumb, cause you are doing what you're supose to love.. riding/training/racing.
he races road, crits, then mt. bike races, and in the winter when everyong is taking their break, or doing an hour ez on the trainer, he is still training and doing cycle cros races.. he races year round and said it isnt hard for everyone to do those either. just when you feel your legs a bit tired, rest 1-2-3 days, then go back on the training plan of a long day once a week, a short interval day once a week and a hard short 20 minute tempo ride one day a week. all other rides should be short recovery rides..
follow a 3 weeks on 1 week ez riding year round.
no way one should take off a few week riding..
whats everyone opinion on this?
i'm trying this program starting tuesday after 2 days off. my legs feel a bit tired, so this will be my new plan for the year..... year in year out. rest a few days when your legs are tired, train a long ride, a short interval session and a 20 minute hard tempo session. rest of the time ride ez..an hour ez...
this way you are fit all the time, but not 100% race fit. you are not loosing what you worked so hard far. maybe you are 80% fit all fall and winter. then you eliminate the long ride with a training race or reg race, so all spring and summer you'll be 80-90-100% fit
thoughts?

Uhm, saying that recharging your mind is dumb sounds, well, dumb.

I love riding my bike! I hate the stationary trainer! If I didn't live in California's central valley where one can ride outside comfortably for 330+ days a year I would have to cross train to maintain fitness. As it is I crosstrain for fun and to reach goals outside of cycling, but ride road and mountain bikes all year long.

That being said there is a huge difference in riding regularly and training. In training you make demands on yourself with consequences that induces stress and even if it's a stress you love it takes a toll. Time away from that stress allows for renewed excitement, morale, concentration, and focus. So it's not really a break from the activity it's a break from the demands of training, and perhaps it's not for everyone. But ,I'd hate to find out too late that I needed a vacation didn't take one and now in spring or early summer Im over-trained and no force on earth can improve my performance until I take time off!

I've found that taking a break is not really about reducing training but about eliminating structure. Just get out and do stuff for a few weeks/months without following a workout "plan".

My "off-season" generally means the re-addition running, skiing, hiking, swimming, lifting, and lots of miles in the saddle with nothing resembling intervals. In fact I intentionally dont collect power meter data at all. After two months of that, I'm mentally and physically ready to re-test my power levels and start training in earnest again.

leanman said:

how many of you still take the traditional week or two completely off the bike at seasons end?
thoughts?

1 month off ! would be tradition,
1 or 2 weeks off is not tradition, is what modern riders and coaches do,
so don't worry you will not lose your fitness doing so.

And it doesn't mean you will sit in the garage looking at your bike hanging on the wall. That's the time to go to the travel agency and book some nice holidays for you & family, they will appreciate it as much as you !