Rest Days?

[solobiker]

I have a very hard time with taking a "rest" day. I know I should....I just don't..maybe once every month or so. ( I guess this is my addiction ) I just love to move/exercise so much.

On weekends I usually do something pretty long up in the mountains..long hikes/climb, mtn bike, or a long run. Weekdays it is riding my spin bike and weights or running. I have the best intention of resting but by the time I get home I change my mind and go out and do something. I have noticed that the older I have gotten the slower I recover. I am in my early 40s.

[ny biker]

The older I get, the easier it is to say, never mind, I'll workout tomorrow instead.

Everything in moderation...

[nscrbug]

I too, don't think I would want to ride my bike everyday. I have a fairly short attention span, so doing one thing for consecutive days in a row tends to bore me. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE to ride...just not every single day of my life. On that note, I DO some form of exercise nearly every single day...be it going to the gym, riding my bike, swimming (in summer months), sometimes it might be a combination of several things in one day...all depends on how I'm feeling that day. So I guess I don't really take very many "rest days". I actually refer to my rest days as more of an "active" rest day...in that I'll dial the intensity down a bit on certain days.

Linda

[Catrin]

In the past I've swung between trying to take two rest days a week - either two full or one active and one full, to taking one when my legs ask for it. Obviously the latter is a bad idea... During the recent 12 days of exercise I DID mix up both activity and intensity level - it wasn't all riding.

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

I greatly appreciate the discussion and examples, it is helpful. Part of my problem is I don't typically get sore until I've tweaked an old injury or have a new one...outside of deadlifting if I've not done that in a long time.

I really like the idea of a play ride, but there isn't much of a chance for this unless I take my bike somewhere else...I would love to be able just to get out and ride to little ethnic food shops or something like that, but there isn't a real option for that unless I am willing to make it a long ride day. I live where I do because I've easy riding access to country roads, and it works well for that.

[Norse]

Similar to what the others have said. I will add that I generally walk every day for 20-60 minutes (1/2 hour is average), regardless of whether I am also biking that day. 2-4 times/week, instead of biking (road or indoor intervals) I will do some combination of: strength training, core work-out and/or yoga - even if it's only for 10 or 15 minutes. I find that my body lets me know when I have been biking too much and not giving it enough of what else it needs. For example, my lower back will get sore after a ride if I have neglected my core too long and my hip flexors cry "uncle" when the yoga is neglected.

[goldfinch]

I have not been methodical about rest days and planning my activity. Now my issue is weather. It rained yesterday. It is pouring today. Yesterday was a defacto rest day due to rain. Today is off the bike too. However, I did my morning walk with friends and relatives that I do when I am "up nort." That is a two mile, fairly brisk walk they do six days a week, and then everyone breakfasts together. Rain, snow, bitter cold, they walk. The only thing that stops a walk is a major blizzard or close lightning.

No gym nearby so after today's walk I did some exercises, including leg lifts, calf raises, and pushups.

Tomorrow should be a ride day because less chance of rain. The next two days thereafter it is supposed to rain again. I'll probably do core exercises on one of those days.

Too many rest days lately because too much rain and too much travel.

When the weather is nice I end up with too many riding days and hurt myself, like I did with my foot overuse injury.

[Irulan]

I have noticed that the older I have gotten the slower I recover. I am in my early 40s.

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.

[Dogmama]

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

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.

[Catrin]

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.

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 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.

[Dogmama]

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.

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.