The Dark Side Of Rest?
 

I try to rest - take a day off - about every 7 to 10 days or so. Sometimes it's intentional, sometimes not and in ways it does me a world of good and in ways it doesn't. After a day of rest, although my muscles are less sore and seemingly more prepared for the task ahead, I think my body has a difficult time getting out of the "rest mode". The first day back at it is much more difficult than the last day before I rested. I go out fully stretched and nourished and still it's as if it's uphill into headwinds the entire way on that first day afterwards. I tried resting for 2 days and it made it about twice as bad. Does anyone else share this phenomenon?

there seems to be a bell shaped curve with me. 1-3 days are ok. 3+ to 5 days it seems as if i am cycling for the first time (my cadence is out and my muscle memory seems forgotten) then after a week i have so much energy and power i wonder how to simulate a week off without actually having to take a week off.

I think it is different for each person. After a day off, I feel energized and eager to go, and I often set personal records on those days.

Tim

A day of rest does not have to mean staying of the bike. Try going for an easy, easy ride or hike.
Slainte:beer:

I've found that when I take a day or two off I'm refreshed and seem to ride better.

Unfortunately I've taken too many days of lately and am having a tough time getting back into my old form again. :(

When I know a day off is coming, I ride as hard and as long as I can the day before. I enjoy the "tingle" in the leg muscles during my day off. Normally my days off are forced on me by early morning business meetings and evening functions on the same day or some such set of circumstances. My ususal routine calls for at least 10 miles of riding every single day. I usually get 20+ on Saturday or Sunday and often have time to do 12 - 15 on a normal day.

After a 20 minute warm-up, I decide whether it will be a normal day. a hard day or a "day off" in the saddle.

then there are those days where it just doesn't seem to matter...you can be hydrated, carbed up and ready to roll and NOTHING seems to click like it should. Usually after the first mile things just tend to ...I don't know...gel. You know what I'm talking about? It's like breathing--you just do it. On these weird "off" days, though, things don't ever smooth out and I can't get to that plateau.
Since endorphins are so "addictive" I guess a bad day of riding for me is like giving a crackhead a vial of table sugar and saying "go have fun!"

Surely everyone is different regarding the way they feel when returning from rest days. Usually I have my best rides the day after my rest day, but that could be due to way the intensity levels of my training rides are structured. once again the question "training for what?" eerily creeps across threadend's mind

It is interesting that many of the training guidelines that are designed to peak you for an event go real heavy on rest the week of the event. Some I have used actually jump you from a single day of non-riding up to 3 days of non-riding and 2 days of recovery riding the week before you race.

Rest and how it affects people is very individual. We have just started our Spring so the past 3 months have been very patchy for riding. I normally try to ride 4 times per week during winter, so a rest of 3 days is not uncommon this time of year. I use to get very depressed when I couldn't ride.

My wife pointed out to me that I don't compete. So why was I feeling guilty for not riding? I have now learned after 10 years of riding that even if I can't ride for a week (this happens ~ twice per year) there is always next week and I can ride then, the weather can't be crappy forever. I now enjoy my rest days and do things around the house or play PS2 or watch a DVD.

I don't seem to notice any side affects from having a few days off, but I will take it a bit easier for the first half hour. The most I will ride is 4 days straight, I live in the hills where there are no flat roads, after day 4 I need rest.

CHEERS.

Mark