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Recovery Rides vs. Recovery Rests

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  • October 31, 2014 at 2:06 pm #22663
    Quince

    In short; when to ride, and when to rest?

    After a big effort on a given day (and with the luxury of a free day afterwards), is it better to spend the following day pathetically curled in bed, or to head back out on the bicycle – albeit at a lower tempo?

    I think I have an issue with ‘spikes’ in the regime… If I haven’t been out for a while, I’ll want to give it the beans when I next clamber aboard the bike; but if I’ve given it the beans the day before, I’ll want to spend the next day in a state of impromptu hibernation. Then things like work can throw the rhythm out further.

    So, when do you opt for a recovery ride, and when do you purely rest? And, when you DO ride, at what length and intensity (compared to the harder days) do you ride at? As an aside, how do you plan around things like work hours – especially in the darker months?

    I’d be interested to hear some thoughts!

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  • October 31, 2014 at 7:47 pm #819619
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    Daveyraveygravey

    Depends on your age and what
    Depends on your age and what you’re used to, also how good you are at gauging how you have recovered. I only ride 3 or 4 days a week and can’t feel any benefit from a recovery ride. And are you disciplined enough to do a recovery ride properly? Can you avoid the temptation for a ten minute sprint or blast up a hill?

    October 31, 2014 at 5:14 pm #819617
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    Quince

    I realise they’re not
    I realise they’re not complete alternatives, but given that you can only be doing any one at one time, the question is; when for which?

    For example, is ‘Big Effort, No Effort, Little Effort’ preferable to ‘Big Effort, Little Effort, No Effort’? I’m not trying to pair them off in sort sort of ‘rest duel’ (so perhaps sticking ‘vs.’ is the title wasn’t wise), but collecting opinions and preferences as to how people balance their riding with their resting.

    I think what CXR has said is interesting. If I’m feeling really wrung out, I’ll generally take the morning to recover, but it might be wiser to use the afternoon to go for a gentle spin, rather than sitting around like a sack of turnips.

    Thank you both for your input.

    October 31, 2014 at 4:56 pm #819615
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    CXR94Di2

    I was a believer that a
    I was a believer that a complete rest day after intense workout was the best, I have changed my opinion. Light exercise the day after, I find quickens recovery and I feel better for it.

    October 31, 2014 at 4:06 pm #819613
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    Cyclist

    When it comes to active
    When it comes to active recovery vs recovery rest, then there is no V’s as they have two totally different objectives and outcomes. Both are required for ‘Total recovery’ they are programmed into a training programme as separate enterties, one complements the other: eg: my active recovery can be 90 min yoga session, next day total rest or a big ride then followed by a total rest day.
    One is no less important than the other….But, if you had a gun to the head and had to choose one, or as a coach (depending on the condition of the athlete) total rest would be the choice especially for novice and amateur athletes, and in my expierience most people especially men, over estimate their athletic abilities (women under estimate) so better to choose total rest, unless you are being guided by a coach? (And they are not always right) learn to listen to your body.

    And darker nights/colder weather, other than biblical conditions have no relevance at all, that tends to come down to laziness.

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