Every situation is different, but there are a few rules you can abide by to determine whether you should quit\u00a0your cycling workout or put your head down and suffer through it.<\/p>\n
Harden up. You\u2019re training just a few times a week and if you consistently bail on workouts, you\u2019re not going to get any stronger.<\/p>\n
Are your endurance and recovery rides getting in the way of your intensity rides? Don\u2019t let them. It\u2019s better to trim down your additional rides rather than sacrifice a quality workout. At the end of the day, they\u2019re the most important if your goal is to get faster and improve on the bike.<\/p>\n
You need to evaluate your training as soon as you notice any plateau or decrease in performance. We all have bad days but bailing on workouts or missing workout objectives for more than a few days implies there could be an underlying problem. Consistently bailing on workouts on a high-volume plan almost always implies that you\u2019re training too hard<\/a> and need to increase the amount of rest you\u2019re getting or enhance the quality of your rest.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a multi-sport athlete \u2014 like a triathlete \u2014 you can also look to how much you\u2019re training in another discipline.<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s likely your run or swim training is interfering with your time on the bike. This is one of the main reasons I recommend following a properly structured triathlon training plan<\/a>, as they help prevent athletes from training too much in one discipline and not enough in another.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a seasoned athlete who regularly feels the need to skip or modify your workouts, there\u2019s one more thing to keep in mind. VO2 max and threshold workouts are going to require more output from your body than a newer athlete because you\u2019re already reaching more of your potential VO2 max output.<\/p>\n For example: If your FTP is 300w and you\u2019re doing VO2 max repeats at 120%, you\u2019re working at 360w. If your FTP improves to 320w your new VO2 max repeats are now 384w. The difference between 360w and 384w is pretty enormous when we’re talking about 2-3 minute repeats several times throughout a workout.<\/p>\n While each case is different, it\u2019s much easier to decide whether to continue a workout if you\u2019re on a structured training plan. When you\u2019re on the right plan training at the right difficulty, you\u2019re less likely to need to bail on a workout. And if the time comes that you do, you\u2019ll know it\u2019s a unique occurrence and not because of your training too much.<\/p>\n So how do you know if your plan is pushing you at the most appropriate intensity for you? Power is one way. TrainerRoad training plans<\/a> include workouts that are exclusively structured according to power \u2014 the most objective and effective way<\/a> to measure your effort on the bike. This allows each workout to be scaled to your personal fitness level. No more getting into workouts that seem way too difficult or way too easy.<\/p>\n Every week, the cycling authorities at TrainerRoad gather for a roundtable discussion and answer questions from cyclists around the world on the Ask a Cycling Coach<\/em><\/a> podcast. Listen\u00a0to the Episode 53 to hear more.VO2 max and FTP Also Play a Role Here<\/h2>\n
So: Bail or Buckle Down?<\/h2>\n
Listen to Experts Discuss Topics Like These\u00a0and More on the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast<\/h2>\n
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