Optimal number of rest days for performance?

G

g8r80

0
I ride a 50 mile ride every Saturday and usually shorter, 20+ miles 1x or 2x / week, along with my 4x / week workout schedule. I cycle for fitness, not the other way around.

I have recently added the hack squat to my repertoire (thanks for the suggestion, Chillen:cool:) on days I don't cycle to work my quads and for cardio. I usually don't do hack squats and cycling on consecutive days; I usually skip a day.

On Monday, I did hack squats with more weights (180#) and more sets 5x10 than before - I had been doing 140# with 3x10. Today, I went on a 50 mile ride and my legs felt dead.

I know you can work muscle groups on 48 hours rest, but does that provide peak performance? If I rest 72 hours, will I have better performance or is there no difference between 48 and 72 hours?

I am going on a 50 mile mountain ride in Colorado (I live in flat Florida) on Sunday and will be working the hack squats before I go. How much rest should I give my quads before my big ride on Sunday?
 
I don't think that whether or not you are sore anymore isn't necessarily an indicator of whether or not you've had enouhg rest. I believe active recovery is the term used for performing while you are sore and actually feeling better afterwards. Many times I've lifted and run while I still was sore, but when I actually started lifting, the soreness went away.

Personally, I think 48 hours is a minimum time for recovery of the used muscle groups. As for your big race on sunday, I'd give it 72 hours, or just 48 hours if you don't work too hard in the workout before the race.
 
missed this one- sorry.

triathlon training has a 3 day prior to race routine following hard training. Diet is a key element too.

light day
completely off a day
light day - 15 minutes or so at a bit over 1/2 force to get heat within the muscle and stop. sleep and -

then race.

this routine make you want to burst!!!

depending on where you are in FL, Clermont has LOTS OF HILLS for training- ie:sugarloaf included.
 
flyinfree said:
missed this one- sorry.

triathlon training has a 3 day prior to race routine following hard training. Diet is a key element too.

light day
completely off a day
light day - 15 minutes or so at a bit over 1/2 force to get heat within the muscle and stop. sleep and -

then race.

this routine make you want to burst!!!

depending on where you are in FL, Clermont has LOTS OF HILLS for training- ie:sugarloaf included.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, guys. After not getting any responses, I went ahead and did my hack squats on Thursday, but my mother-in-law is about to pass away so I will not be riding on Sunday in Colorado as planned. I will be riding on Friday in Colorado before I return to Florida and I might try to sneak out tomorrow AM to ride with the fast boys for a 30mile jaunt.

My former and wife's current PT, who played linebacker as a walk-on for Nebraska, also concurred with the 72 hours as a minimum, 1 week preferably.

FF, I've seen your posts - you're a monster! When I'm stronger and lighter, I'd be honored to train with you sometime in Tampa.
 
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