I’m just coming to the end of SSBLV1, having completed five weeks and now going into the recovery week.
I have added volume to each of the five weeks by adding 15-30mins of zone 2 work at the end of ever structured workout, and adding a fourth zone 2 ride.
My average TSS for the block so far is therefore around 330 TSS.
The TSS for the scheduled recovery week is 153. I’m wondering if I should add an aerobic zone 2 ride to the recovery week, to match it up with the previous weeks in this block? Something easy to bump the TSS up to around 190 (which would be 55-60% of the block average).
OR… am I being a classic cyclist and massively overthinking this, and should I just stick with the three scheduled rides? Cheers.
Absolutely, and I’m actually looking forward to an easy week of riding after the last five weeks. My query was more to do with bringing the reduced TSS up slightly, as I have done with the block so far by adding in my own volume.
As scheduled, the recovery week TSS is around 45% of the block average, but it should be nearer to 55-60% from what I understand. Hence why I was asking about adding volume.
Hey, Hows it going congrats on making to the recovery week as next week will be a check on your progess with an FTP test.
I am also in recovery week and just read Coach Chads comments for the week of recovery. I’m also reading the Science of Cycling-Zabala & Cheung and Fast After 50 - Joe Friel. Here is what they all say and it’s basically the same:
Yes. you need recovery but it depends where you are in your journey i.e. do you need the full week taking it super easy or can you do a few days rest and some intensity…plus old Joe says it is very easy to fall into the trap of wanting todo too much too soon. So you have be in tune with where you are physically in your training and you must be in tune with how your body responds.
So,for me I’m on a recovery after 7 weeks of build phase and I will do a SS workout today and start my recovery tomorrow. With an FTP test next Monday.
One thing I do is monitor my HRV daily and adjust my training accordingly and for 2022 that will also incude riding with friends if I wake up in Amber or Red HRV I’m not riding I’m recovering. I have found I preform better when training in the Green.
You can ownload a free app Elite HRV and start rocking and rolling. Elite HRV works with a varity of HRMs it’s free check it out.
I’m not pro or coach or doctor, But I did stay at Holiday Inn last night…
Good luck with your training and keep the rubberside down
Usually you want to reduce volume and intensity during recovery week. But here comes the individual response and needs and even something simple like recovery week can be tuned up.
For example - whole week without any sort of intensity and with volume so much reduced like in tr plans makes me feel horrible after. I am not recovered but thrown out of “the zone” and first week of training is recovering after recovery week. I like to do one easier intensity day on later part of the week and rest is Z2 with just slightly reduced volume. Usually 2-3 easy days is enough to recover and then doing normal Z2 work is good to keep the blood volume up and engine going.
So by adding some Z2 time you should be ok. If you are tired, just do shorter rides than usual, and if find our that you need some intensity workout just keep it easier than in training block. Basically you want to do less but just enough to keep the engine going.
Don’t overthink it, take it easy. If you want to ride extra then don’t go above zone 2 try and keep it very very easy. I’ve gotten my best ftp results after a recovery week from riding 2-3 days only; z2 rides.
