So I don't ride as often as most do here on BF. I average ~130mi/month although this month should end up closer to 160-200mi as I've joined a group ride this should bring me up to at least 40+ mi/week.

I don't get to ride everyday so in a sense I already have off days. What constitutes an off day? I ask because I'd like to increase my LT and overall endurance so I've started cross training.

Recently on days that I don't ride I've been either using a treadmill or elliptical at work to get a cardio workout. I'll throw in a moderate weight lifting for the upper body, bench press, curls,etc.. low weight high reps, looking to keep tone not bulk up.

This is my typical week

M = Group ride 20+mi avg 16mph various terrain
T = weather permitting, commute to work round trip (8-15mi), else cardio or weights
W = weather permitting, commute to work round trip (8-15mi), else cardio or weights
Th = weather permitting, commute to work round trip (8-15mi), else cardio or weights
F = weather permitting, commute to work round trip (8-15mi), else cardio or weights
Sat / Sun= One of these days I'll do a 25+mi ride, doesn't always happen

So on the weekends is really the only time I can guarantee I'm not doing anything at all.
So my question is does a day during the week that I couldn't ride to work due to weather or other circumstances and working out constitute a rest day? or is a rest day considered a day were no workouts take place ??


Thanks in advance
Dennis

It doesn't appear that you are doing enough intensity to need a complete day off. Depending on how hard you ride on your commute, any or all of those days could be considered rest days.

I would not refer to that schedule as training. Its really just riding. Not enough to need a rest day. Perhaps you can add some intervals to your commute either on the way or on the way home. Maybe some hill repeats one day, some sprint drill to follow. Another day can be used for 5 minute max intervals(an effort you can do for 5 minutes, but barely). The racing forum has some training plans/workouts in a sticky. Id start with 2 different ones per week during the week with a regular commute day in between.

Thanks for the info. I'm a little new to the idea of training. On my commutes I always push to break my best time on the way into work over a 5mi distance. I usually look for a longer route home.

I'll look into intervals and hill repeats etc...

Other than that does a rest day actually mean no workout be it cycling or other means?

maybe not the best idea, warmups and cooldowns are important when you start to push hard. 5 miles doesn't leave much time for either so you might consider saving the "best time" for the longer ride home.

For me it does. Although I often do alot of stretching on rest days. Just gotta liten to the body.

Thanks for all the feedback. On my way home tonight I rode for a warm-up and then hit two hills near my house for some repeats that are 6-13% ~1mi long each on my third lap I could barely keep up my effort to stay at 80%MHR, and I now know the feeling of actually hitting your LT.

Doing cardio still constitutes "training" which breaks down muscle in the body to be rebuilt. Whether you are biking 6 days a week or biking 3 days a week and running 3 days a week you are still training 6 days a week.

As for the lifting comment of toning there is no repetition range associated with greater muscle tone. High reps (8-12) constitute more growth than anything else. 15 and beyond is purely for endurance purposes, but as far as a repetition range used for toning there is none.

Muscle tone is due to having developed muscle as well as low body fat.

Thanks for the insight I was not aware of that. So if I'm not out to bulk up but build my endurance what should I do in the weight training sessions ?

Here is the rep scheme with rest and what it yields.

1-6 reps with 2-5 minutes of rest yields little to no growth and major strength gains.

8-12 reps with 1-2 minutes yields a mixture of growth and mass, or growth and endurance. With 8 reps needing around 1.5-2 mins yield more strength and some growth.

reps of 10 yield pure mass and reps of 12 and higher are for endurance.

Currently I have not used reps more than 15 as I do not see any muscle growth and with as much muscle mass as I have I think if I went for 8 weeks without doing reps less than 12 I would lose quite a bit of mass.

I know how to lift weights more for building mass than I do for endurance sports. I would however recommend that at least every third workout lasting 4 weeks before changing it should probably contain a rep range of 10 reps to make sure you keep your muscle mass. And every once in a while do some heavier sets to maintain muscular strength. Doing reps of more than 20 is using the same muscle fiber type as you do in cyclinig, but it doesn't tend to the other fibers in the muscles that are for shorter periods of time. If one only focuses on one and not the other muscle imbalances can occur which suck to try and get rid of. use the fiber types or lose the benefits of them when you get older.