Originally Posted by
Heathpack
I follow a schedule set by my coach. Depending on phase of my training, I’ll take 2 days rest per week, do 1-3 intense workouts per week and 1-3 higher volume fun/mental break/easy to moderate intensity rides per week. I don’t take full weeks (or multiple full weeks) off the bike, as masters lose fitness more quickly and have more work to regain fitness when compared to younger people; this influences training in that more fun/enjoyable stuff has to be weaved in all year long, otherwise you might not want to stay on the bike year round.
Overall, my volume is kept under wraps, which allows more intensity. I actually am someone who can handle large training volumes but it has to be lower intensity stuff that builds endurance over speed. Speed is my goal, so volume can be counterproductive (even though it’s what my peers care about mostly).
Also lots of stretching and core/strength. Stretching all the time, core/strength in various forms once a week.
Thanks Healthpack. Makes sense with a coach and riding to a particular tailored regiment you would not suffer the fate of overtraining. I am sure your purpose of seeking a coach is to find Goldilocks...not over train and not under train to find your best fitness.
My issue even though I am generally disciplined in my life in term of balance, pretty strict diet for an average guy...limited alcohol, adequate sleep....I specifically don't train to a regiment or seek a coach to put me on a given schedule. This is deliberate. I don't view cycling as a discipline but rather recreational fitness. So a guy like me then is subject to the whimsy of riding too much or too hard or not hard enough and thereby perhaps optimizing my fitness.
But, your approach is right to find Goldilocks I believe. I was asking more generically on the general cycling forum for those that may not train with high discipline. Btw, your training regiment makes a lot of sense to me. I was asking more in generic terms. Reason I asked is I have this conversation with several older riders who are still fast and I stumbled upon that article which was compelling and seemed to support this assertion. Most say with age, they have to take a bit more time off the bike. And was wondering how many older riders were still training with the same intensity they did perhaps 20 years ago.
Thanks for response and well done on your training.