What 12 week plan had you done before the 4DP and what did you finally decide to do after?
Hope it’s going well!
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So, based on your answer, here, I have a question for you, @Coach.Simon.B
I just finished up the Metric Century plan and then did the HM - FF double plan. Now I have one week off before I start the KOS Training Plan because I need 1 week of recovery before starting a new plan.
However, I don’t see any 1 week plans. Are there any 1 week recovery plans? If not, shouldn’t there be some 1 and 2 week recovery plans? I looked at the Base Building plans, but they are all 3 weeks or 4 weeks. I could do a Full Frontal Prep Plan, but without the FF at the end, but that doesn’t feel right. Should I do a couple HIIT workouts, but at reduced intensity, and then do recovery spins or endurance + or Open workouts or Cadence Builds on the other days?
Thanks!
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Coach Simon B. I have read a few times recently about the importance of a recovery week. The last week in many plans is easier. Would it be a good idea to have a “recovery week plan” as a special focus training block , or would it be better to just ride easily, how you feel, and take a mental break from schedules and training.?
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It’s a great way to have a recovery week … even including Primers at the end.
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Having got that far Sir_Martin , you just might as well carry on lol
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I was a little bit confused by this. I thought the final week was a recovery week (assuming no FF at the end)? So we should have another recovery week on top before starting a new plan?
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I am sorry I did not respond to your earlier reply Philip. Your point was exactly the same as my intended observation, I was hoping for a coach to clarify it
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I know you directed these questions to @Coach.Simon.B, but I just saw them and thought I’d offer a bit of advice. While a 1 or 2 week recovery plan would be a good thing to include in our library, we feel that taking a break from the structure of a plan in between training plans can be a good thing too, for both your mind and body. Basically, just ride at endurance effort for short-moderate durations, maybe include a cadence builds session or primers toward the end of the week, but no other high intensity sessions. And yes, do take a recovery week, even after the recovery week built into the end of your plan!
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@Coach.Suzie.S That makes sense. I just have a hard time figuring out what to ride on an unstructured recovery week. Pretty much every ride I did this week I didn’t decide on until I was actually sitting on the bike, except for Power Station on Wed.
This I what my week has looked like so far:
Mon: 50 min Zwift Z1/Z2 ride (mostly Z1 flat except for a two sprints and two short punchy climbs [1min & 2.5min])
Tue: 30 min Recovery Spin
Wed: 2 mile Z1 run outside + Power Station @ 55% reduced intensity
Thu: Joyride @ 65% reduced intensity + Open 15 reduced @ 50%/FTP
Fri: 3 mile Z2 run outside + G.O.A.T. @ 65% reduced intensity
Sat: ??? Planning to do Endurance+ Z1/Z2 on level mode @ approx 55-60%/FTP ???
My biggest questions for my self-determined recovery weeks are always: Am I going too hard or am I going to easy or am I not doing enough of either and messing it all up?
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TY Coach.Suzie. Taking a short break from structured training is a good mental break as well as physical relief. I do need a reason to get back to the grindstone, so work well with structure as a motivational aid.
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I think you’re the best judge of whether you’re going too hard to or easy, etc. Take stock of how do you feel after the recovery week- it’s natural for the legs to feel a little flat, but how’s your general energy level and motivation to train? Good? Then you did it right. Feeling tired, sore, low motivation? Maybe you did too much.
It appears to me that you’ve done a good job with your self-determined recovery week, but I don’t have the whole picture of what your training entailed before the recovery week, so I can’t REALLY be the best judge. I think if you do what you feel your body needs/wants on that particular day, you’ll get it right.
Make sense?
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I think following a plan as you "get back to the grindstone " is a great thing- having a plan with structure certainly helps in that regard…which is where our Fitness Kickstarter, Base Block Plan, etc. come in if you need the gentle ramp back up.
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excuse my ignorance but… isn’t the off week included in every single block ?? whether its 4 week or 3 week, the last week is taper ?
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@micro Yes, it is. What @Coach.Suzie.S said was that we should include an additional recovery week on top.
Thanks for clarifying @Coach.Suzie.S!
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why then the training plays does not include such a week ?? After all they all consist of those 3 to 4 week training blocks, right ?
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@micro @Philip What we’ve been talking about is about a recovery week in between training plans - not the recovery weeks in the middle of of training plans. A 12-week training plan has scheduled recovery weeks which are fine and effective. But, when you finish a training plan your last day is either a big event or a Full Frontal. Both of those need to have a recovery week afterward before you start your next plan. However, the training plans end on the day of your big event instead of including a recovery week after the event day, and there are no 1-2 week recovery week plans.
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@emacdoug Understood that this is between plans. My question was geared towards - if you don’t have an event or FF at the end of the plan (e.g. the building blocks - though I guess these are the exception rather than the rule).
What I got from @Coach.Suzie.S is that it’s good to have a break from structured training regardless.
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I think the building blocks are an exception, in that you could string them together to create a 12 week plan, depending what you wanted to achieve, but after that you’d want to take some time out to recover before starting a new plan.
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Alistair, that is pretty much what I have done It is nice to get some different workouts thrown in too, I have done a couple for the first time.On the general road plan *3 had me going round the same circle of rides
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Alistair is correct. If you have an event or Full Frontal at the end of a plan, you should take a recovery week after. If not, you can start on a new plan, such as the building blocks.
My apologies if I was not clear on my response, as I seem to have misunderstood the question.
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