Rest Days?

Somebody may have already posted something very similar and I apologize for being repetitive but I haven't had much time lately and couldn't read through all the posts.

The masters athletes that I coach (over 40 yrs) generally get 2 rest days a week and I periodize their schedules such that they do 2 harder weeks and then have a recovery week where time training or mileage goes down to about half of what they did on their hardest week.

Rest days don't have to be total rest days but they need to be easy effort activities, like a very light 30 to 45 min recovery ride or yoga.

I hope that helps.

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Originally Posted by Irulan

Don't you just hate this?
I've found that eating for recovery after any long workout or strenuous day is critical. I'm 51.5. The guidelines i follow are to have some carbohydrate and protein within 30 minutes post workout, and then to make sure I get another meal or mini-meal about two hours later, focusing on complex carbs and lean protein. For post workout, sometimes I opt for a bottle of Recoverite by Hammer, and sometimes I do it with something an orange and Mrs. Mays nut bar. This is really critical on the hard days.... we (DH and I) started really paying attention to recovery eating because we were having
"exercise hangover" issues after a hard day of all day mountain biking or powder skiing. It's helped immensely.

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I agree!! A few weeks ago I did a long climbing/hiking route...moving for over 5hrs without a rest break to speak of. We got back to the car and drove home so I did not have anything to eat for at least 2 hours after our hike. ( i was eating some small things during the hike) The next day my legs were so tired and I felt like I had no energy.

The following weekend DH and I did an even longer ( 9hrs) climb/hike with lots of elevation gain. Once we got back to the car the first thing I did was drink a chocolate milk that I brought in a cooler. I was suprised that the next day my legs felt great and I was able to go for a run.:D

I'm training for Ironman Canada. Fitting in all the workouts is extremely difficult, given my more-than-full-time job *and* my board member role at our regional bike advocacy org. I sometimes go three weeks without a complete rest day. It's too hard to get all the workouts in otherwise. So, my coach encourages me to think of a swim only day as a rest day. :o I wish I could, but I'm such a crap swimmer that my swim workouts are loooong. This morning's 3800 yards took me over an hour and a half to finish. When you add in the need to get up at oh-dark-30 to get to the pool early enough to get that done before work, travel time to and from the pool, etc.... Well, I'm pooped before I even sit down at my desk!

When I trained for my half Ironman 2 years ago, I insisted on one full day off each week, usually Sunday. (long ride Sat, long run Wed) Having one day each week with NO commitments was wonderful. I find that I need the mental break from training as much as the physical break.

I think my next REAL rest day will come in September.

Every year during spring, summer and fall, I do go through several wks. of cycling every day.

Now my distances are shorter...because workplace is closer and I'm not cycling longer distances after work for fun this year as often, compared to a few years ago. Part of it is due to the city where I live now and also what I feel like doing.
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When I was 51 yrs., I was cycling daily spring, summer, fall, each 30-40 km. daily within a 2- 2.5 hr. period when I was unemployed and looking for work ...off-bike.

Then weekends during that same time period (I was unemployed for 18 months), on weekends, each day ride was 40-60 km. I did go through several periods of cycling daily for 14-20 consecutive days. Then a rest day of no cycling or under 15 km. I did rack up alot of mileage with 2-3 bike touring trips for a few days..up to 7,000 km. for 1 yr.
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When I started off cycling at 32 yrs. for 14 yrs. onward, I was work commuting-cycling minimum of 30 km daily with some evenings of extra 10-20 km. for fun/fitness. Then weekends, going on longer distances for a ride somewhere.
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So now I noticed at 53 yrs., because I'm not cycling as long distances daily, I just found out this past holiday weekend, I cycled on Sat. only 32 km. Sun. 49 km. Mon. 65 km......I was glad by Mon. to do only 12 km. But I haven't been off the bike for the past 3.5 wks. It has been cycling....even a short distance. It's not hard for me, because we don't have a car.

But because now I'm doing much shorter distances daily, I want to remain cycling daily during spring, summer and fall, and get pissed off if occasionally I'm not cycling on a particular day due to super windy & rainy day. I get really impatient just walking to some place for half an hr.! Does that make sense? We've discussed this before in TE forums about the body getting hooked on cycling.

It doesn't hurt to take a rest day regardless of one's age. But for myself, the secret to consecutive cycling and not feeling overly burnt out, is to build in some days of much shorter and relaxed distances...for fun/utilitarian cycling where one's attention is focused on the errand, etc., not the cycling itself. It's psychological tricking for me and one naturally builds/maintains some level of cycling fitness.

I'm mainly a swimmer, so what I find is that swimming is a good recovery from leg-oriented land sports like cycling, and leg-oriented land sports are good recovery from the upper body work of swimming. I don't do breast stroke at all because whip kick hurts my knees, so alternating swim days with running/cycling days allows me to exercise at least 6 days a week without being overly tired.
I'm 53 and post-menopausal. In some ways being done with periods is a good thing - I'm able to exercise much more consistently than when I had to deal with the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and the fatigue that went with it. On the other hand, recovery takes longer as I age, so I have to be careful not to overdo it in any one session. Short sessions more often are better for me than long killer sessions just two or three times a week.

When I'm in full on riding and training mode (which I'm not right now), I generally try to do two "hard" rides a week. One long ride and one shorter speed workout. In between those I might do a moderate paced ride, a recovery ride (depending on just how hard I rode) or take a day off. You really need to listen to your body to figure out what is best for you. Recovery rides are really important. When you do something like a century, or anything that is especially hard on your body, going out and spinning your legs the next day will help your legs recover much better than doing nothing at all . . . or riding too hard . . . and you'll be stronger for the next ride.

Before a big event, don't do too much the week before. And after the event, give your body some recovery as well.

Sometimes taking a week or two off all together after some serious training can really be beneficial to your body and your riding.

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Originally Posted by Catrin

I think the following is reasonable as a guideline - at least as a start. Obviously weather, schedule, and fatigue will have input on this.

M: full rest day. NO exercise. Period
T: gym (weights or metabolic training)
Wed: easy ride or easy mtb
Th: gym (weights or metabolic training)
F: bike commute
S: long ride or MTB
S: medium ride/MTB or hike

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Here's my qualification: I'm 57 years young. I've been riding over 20 years but I have arthritis in my hands, spine (brain - sometimes!). BUT I also hate rest days- feel like they're a total waste and I know they're necessary.

My first impression of your schedule was - make Sunday your really long ride so that on Monday you'll be more willing to make it a total rest day.

What is your metabolic training? You said you have injuries that get tweaked & when I see "metabolic training" I think that form could be compromised for a calorie burn. Building muscle is important as we continue down our path (note - not saying the phrase "getting older.") I also like workouts that require balance, like one-leg deadlifts on a bosu trainer. For a metabolic lift, I would do intervals on a stationary bike or treadmill. Deadly boring, I know, but blissfully short.

As somebody else posted, nutrition is important. I try to get some carbs & protein in before & after, regardless of intensity. They say the window is 30 minutes after exercise because that's when your muscle cells will uptake glucose more readily.

Because I hate rest days, often I'll just do a short & light upper body workout at the gym. 3 sets of 12 reps using good form & hitting all major muscle groups. Barely breaking a sweat. I do this once or twice a week, usually before or after big riding days.

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Originally Posted by Dogmama

Here's my qualification: I'm 57 years young. I've been riding over 20 years but I have arthritis in my hands, spine (brain - sometimes!). BUT I also hate rest days- feel like they're a total waste and I know they're necessary.

My first impression of your schedule was - make Sunday your really long ride so that on Monday you'll be more willing to make it a total rest day.

What is your metabolic training? You said you have injuries that get tweaked & when I see "metabolic training" I think that form could be compromised for a calorie burn. Building muscle is important as we continue down our path (note - not saying the phrase "getting older.") I also like workouts that require balance, like one-leg deadlifts on a bosu trainer. For a metabolic lift, I would do intervals on a stationary bike or treadmill. Deadly boring, I know, but blissfully short.

As somebody else posted, nutrition is important. I try to get some carbs & protein in before & after, regardless of intensity. They say the window is 30 minutes after exercise because that's when your muscle cells will uptake glucose more readily.

Because I hate rest days, often I'll just do a short & light upper body workout at the gym. 3 sets of 12 reps using good form & hitting all major muscle groups. Barely breaking a sweat. I do this once or twice a week, usually before or after big riding days.

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Good thoughts Dogmama, and I hate official rest days myself. The "metabolic training" is a class at my gym and I am very cautious about which instructor I sign up with. The one I typically use knows my propensity to over-do things and he makes certain I use proper form. He knows my abilities, and physical issues, so I try to use him when I can. The basic idea is to use as many large muscle groups at a time, so we might do something like going around the track doing 5 Burpees, then 5 lunges, 5 Burpees...etc.

I do have a challenge getting nutrition in that first 30 minute window. The sports dietician said it was ok if it was in the first hour...but it takes me about 30 minutes to grab my things, walk to my car and get home. Bars have too many carbs for my purposes - unless it was a very hard workout I don't want too many carbs but do want 9-10 grams of protein. It is a balance.

I think I was to blame for my recent tweaking of injuries. I was still trying to build lower-body strength and ramp up my riding at the same time. This is the time for maintaining strength, not building it :o My instructors at the gym have given me some exercises that will allow me to focus on core, hips, and lateral movements (like kettle-bell side lunges, or kettle-bell one-legged deadlifts). I think I need to back way off on the high-weight squats and deadlifts and use more functional types of exercises that uses my body weight to help maintain.

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Originally Posted by Catrin

I think I need to back way off on the high-weight squats and deadlifts and use more functional types of exercises that uses my body weight to help maintain.

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During riding season, that is what I do. I, too, cannot recover sufficiently from high weight, low rep lower body work AND ride too. So, I keep my lower body reps at 12 & work on hamstring dominant exercises and, like you, functional types of exercises.

I learned the value of rest on my ride today.
Yesterday I took the day off; nothing.
Today I did a 49 mile very hilly ride (about 3K) feet of climbing. I ate a good breakfast, and consumed 3 shot blocks, a Luna Bar, and a soynut butter and jelly sandwich on Ezekial bread, as well as drinking 2 bottles of Nuun and some regular water.
This is the first time I haven't felt like crap on this ride. We do it 2, maybe 3X a year. I think the key was the constant flow of sugar to my body. I am loathe to use the shot blocks, but I felt so much better, I'm going to loosen up on that now.

I always cut back on leg exercises during cycling season. And I will skip them entirely if I have a very long ride coming up in a couple of days. (Very long for me these days is 60-70 miles.)

For post-workout food, can you bring a snack to the gym with you?

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Originally Posted by ny biker

For post-workout food, can you bring a snack to the gym with you?

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Typically I am coming from work, so have been struggling to figure out what will give my body what it needs outside of a bar. Nuts don't give me enough protein without consuming way too many of them, and bars generally give me more carbs than I want. Of course, I COULD take a bar with 20 grams of protein and split it...

Any suggestions about other ways of getting 9-10 grams of protein after my workout and <20ish grams of carbs? Hard workouts I've no problem with consuming the entire bar, I just don't think that is needed after every workout - if my understanding is correct. Most of my bars have 30-45 grams of carbs. PB sandwich with one slice of bread would probably work protein wise, but there would be so much that there would be far more fat than I want.

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Originally Posted by Catrin

Any suggestions about other ways of getting 9-10 grams of protein after my workout and <20ish grams of carbs?

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The Clif MOJO bars run in the range that you mention for both protein and carbs. In fact, the peanut butter pretzel bar has 9 grams of protein, 20 grams of carbs, and 190 calories. They are less dense in texture, and more crunchy than the regular Clif bars. I have one in my bag ready for tomorrow's ride.

ETA: Don't by the one's with the chocolate chips and carry them in your jersey pocket when it's hot outside :)

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Originally Posted by goride

The Clif MOJO bars run in the range that you mention for both protein and carbs. In fact, the peanut butter pretzel bar has 9 grams of protein, 20 grams of carbs, and 190 calories. They are less dense in texture, and more crunchy than the regular Clif bars. I have one in my bag ready for tomorrow's ride.

ETA: Don't by the one's with the chocolate chips and carry them in your jersey pocket when it's hot outside :)

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Ooooh, I didn't know about these, will check them out. Thanks!

Will remember that about the chocolate chip ones :) I had a chocolate Power Bar in my hydration pack for today's hot ride and was quite surprised that it hadn't melted by the time we stopped mid-way in our ride for a break, it was around 90 by then. I suspect it was only due to all of the ice in my pack...

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Originally Posted by Catrin

Typically I am coming from work, so have been struggling to figure out what will give my body what it needs outside of a bar. Nuts don't give me enough protein without consuming way too many of them, and bars generally give me more carbs than I want. Of course, I COULD take a bar with 20 grams of protein and split it...

Any suggestions about other ways of getting 9-10 grams of protein after my workout and <20ish grams of carbs? Hard workouts I've no problem with consuming the entire bar, I just don't think that is needed after every workout - if my understanding is correct. Most of my bars have 30-45 grams of carbs. PB sandwich with one slice of bread would probably work protein wise, but there would be so much that there would be far more fat than I want.

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Can you pack a cooler? Then you can have whatever you want - hardcooked egg (light on yolk if you are worried about that), chicken, etc. and an appropriate carb source.