Empirical Cycling Podcast Ten Minute Tips #55: When To Take A Rest Week, Trusting Subjective Metrics
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May 5, 2025 Discover the essential role of rest weeks in athletic training and how they can unlock better performance. Explore the balance between training stress and recovery, and learn how subjective metrics like heart rate variability and perceived exertion influence rest week planning. Dive into the importance of listening to your body, managing mental fatigue, and recognizing the impacts of nutrition and lifestyle choices on recovery. Plus, hear how personal experiences shape training decisions and motivation for cyclists!
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Rest Week Purpose
- Rest weeks allow the body to recover and become stronger after accumulated training stress.
- Fitness gains happen during recovery, not just during the hard workouts.
Don't Shorten Rest Weeks
- Avoid shortening your rest weeks by returning to hard training too soon after a block.
- Give yourself several days of easier or rest days to fully recover before returning to intervals.
Use Training Load and HRV
- Use chronic training load and communication to decide rest week timing.
- Monitor HRV and resting heart rate trends to help decide when recovery is needed.