Training Stress

Now that we have discussed recovery within your training we need to cover training stress. When we write a training plan we first put in the event(s). Then we fill in the recovery because it is only after recovery that you are at your best. Finally we fill in the training stress that will prepare you for the demands of your event(s). Let's take a closer look at how to apply training stress.

Overload

You need to apply stress to your body in order to stimulate your body to adapt and become more fit. More specifically you need to apply stress that exceeds what you have already become used to and have already adapted to. This is the concept of overload. If you go out and do the same route every day at about the same pace you are not applying an overload. (I am going to come back to this example of doing nearly the same workout several times throughout this tip.) You need to do MORE than what you have been doing. We'll discuss how to go about that more below.

Doing More

OK, so maybe you have been doing the same ride over and over and then you sign up for something bigger. Many people start with adding distance and/or intensity to "do more". This is a progression of the example above where you go out and do the same thing. The problem with this approach is that you just end up going "sort of far' and "sort of hard". If you don't feel good on a given day then you just don't go as hard or as far and often times there is associated disappointment. As spoken about in a previously training tip you have a hard time planning a "good" day with this approach.

The correct way to do more is to BREAK IT UP. One day will be long and easy. Another day will be short but with shorter length efforts. You need to look at the different demands of the event(s) that you are training for and apply training stresses that address those different demands. Isolate the different types of training stresses and dedicate an entire workout to one type of stress. You can not do it all in one workout. You need to break it into manageable pieces.

Every Day is NOT a Test

You MUST avoid trying to best yourself with every workout. This is much like doing a test of your maximum every time, or a "max" test. The primary reason for avoiding this is that you are no longer applying a specified workout load. Instead you are attempting to apply a greater load every time with, frankly, little chance of being successful. Let me tell you why you will not best yourself every time. BECAUSE YOU ARE GETTING TIRED. As you apply a training load that is greater than what you have done before you will get tired. As you get tired the result of a "max" test will get worse. When you try to go harder every day you are essentially doing that "max" test and because you are getting tired you will not go faster every time.

Instread of going out to do more than your effort last time out you need to train at the prescribed level. If it is a long easy day, go long and easy. Don't go long and hard if that isn't the plan. More is not better. Better is better. Focus on doing everything right, not harder.

Occasionally you will have a true test day. Only after deliberate recovery from training will you be able to do a better maximum.

Know the Purpose

With your goals in mind, and your training planned out, you will have workouts to do in order to best prepare you for your event(s). When you go out to do the training you need to know what you are supposed to do in that ride. Workouts have a specific target. You should know what the purpose of the training is. Know what you are working on and then go out and do it well.

This training tip also to be featured on: www.CenturionCycling.com/training