I’m doing the Low Volume 40K TT Training Plan on TrainerRoad.com. It mentions that you can do multiple recovery rides between the scheduled workouts.
What would be an example of a good recovery ride? I assume the purpose is to engage the muscles that are tired/sore lightly. Is there a recommended amount of time/intensity for this?
Does TrainerRoad have a set Recovery ride that I can do?
Cycling somewhere in mid to high zone 2 (65 to 75% of ftp)
The purpose of that is to get better at cycling by working hard enough to cause aerobic adaptation but not so hard that you are wearing yourself out.
Recommended amount of time is as much as you can. =)
Well if the group the wife and I usuly ride with most Sundays is any indicator, I think if you notice you are averaging 80% of NP 5 minutes into the ride - it ain’t a recovery ride!
According to literature from many coaches, it is IF<.56 from 30-75min in most occasions. Obviously can vary greatly for each individual. For me, that is right on. I can recover at <56% FTP anywhere from 60-75min is ok. Above IF .56, that is endurance work, either maintenance or challenging session by its duration.
Somebody that bikes 15hrs a week, longest ride 6hrs…just example, can and will call the recovery ride something drastically different than myself.
Just my 2cents.
According to literature from many coaches, it is IF<.56 from 30-75min in most occasions. Obviously can vary greatly for each individual. For me, that is right on. I can recover at <56% FTP anywhere from 60-75min is ok. Above IF .56, that is endurance work, either maintenance or challenging session by its duration.
I’d agree with that. To me a recovery ride is around 55% of FTP or lower and around an hour. Going above that is endurance work. Endurance work may be easy depending on where in that zone you’re riding and the duration, but to me a true recovery ride is about 55% of FTP or lower. Very, very easy.
I only do recovery rides outdoors. A recovery ride on the bike path on a beautiful day is fun. On the trainer it’s a torture session, worse than VO2 max intervals.
Most easy days are Z2 for me. Sort of like what Jack mentioned where you still feel like you’re building fitness but not so much in a way that won’t allow you to hit your next hard workout.
That said, after a big TSS ride or big TSS week, sometimes I feel so wasted that I just go out and noodle around at 50-55%. The reason being that if I did closer to 70%, I would be impacting my ability to hit my next workouts as prescribed. These are the type of days where taking a complete off day (or at least off the bike) may be just as good an option, but I rather burn a few calories so I can eat a cookie.
Recover Z1 (on IM program, so Z2 is endurance not really “recovery”)
for me i have always used 110 bpm, 110rpm… forces me to spin out the legs and loosen things off…
Always best achived on turbo or rollers… on the road too many distractions and challenges to raise the effort…
normally watch tv whilst doing this…