

Spotlight: Breaking the Physiological Bank in Training, and Rethinking Rugby’s Red Card
4 snips May 28, 2025
Explore the intriguing concept of a physiological budget in training, highlighting how short bursts of intensity may lead to training 'bankruptcy.' Discover insights from the Giro d'Italia and how to balance exertion and recovery for optimal performance. Shift gears to rugby with the introduction of a 20-minute red card rule, allowing teams to substitute players mid-game. Analyze public reactions and the safety implications of this change, fostering a thought-provoking discussion on officiating and player conduct in the sport.
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Manage Training Intensity Wisely
- Short intensity spikes during easy/moderate training can undermine adaptations if too frequent or intense.
- The physiological cost of intensity increases exponentially and must be managed wisely to avoid overtraining.
Keep Easy Days Easy
- Do not worry about a few short power spikes during a long low-intensity session.
- Avoid frequent and very intense spikes that increase normalized power and physiological stress.
Why Rest Days Feel Tough
- Ross Tucker explained disappearing freshness after rest days in cycling could be due to glycogen storage leading to water retention.
- Another theory is neuromuscular pattern disruption causing sluggishness post rest day.