Too much rest?

[Rydogg]

While resting / recovering, after how long do your muscles start getting weeker?

 

Days? Weeks?

[Bman]

Rydog, whats ya talking about my man? not a very clear question? do you mean with regards to pure cycling muscles after like a long race, resting thereafter and how long it will take to lose strength built from the race? or gyming muscle?

['Dale]

So many theories there, Rydogg...

 

I've read somewhere about 25% strength per week away from training.

Also, it varies from individual to individual.

 

Good question.

[Iron]

26 minutes after you stop ridding your body will start degenerating , first your muscles go then after that your organs . however the process will go into dormancy the moment you get back on your bike .

 

Solution never ever rest , ride all the time.

[Bman]

So many theories there, Rydogg...

 

I've read somewhere about 25% strength per week away from training.

Also, it varies from individual to individual.

 

Good question.

no ways as much as that? 4 weeks and you potentially lose all the strength you have

[Bman]

26 minutes after you stop ridding your body will start degenerating , first your muscles go then after that your organs . however the process will go into dormancy the moment you get back on your bike .

 

Solution never ever rest , ride all the time.

if only we all could

['Dale]

no ways as much as that? 4 weeks and you potentially lose all the strength you have

I've also read after 10 - 14 days, deterioriation starts to creep in.

Varying views.

 

I wonder what the fitness 'experts' here have to say.

 

Good question, rydogg.

[BigGuy]

Joe Friel's Training Bible books discuss this issue in detail. Depends where you stand fitness-wise, gender, age etc. Power, endurance, LT, VO2Max all have different rates of decline. But in general after 2 weeks of doing nothing you will have a little bit less endurance, but maybe not much less power. After 2 weeks of inactivity the rate of decline will start to increase, iow a decent ride once a week can keep one from losing fitness, but you will not gain any either, but that is much better than doing nothing at all.

['Dale]

Joe Friel's Training Bible books discuss this issue in detail. Depends where you stand fitness-wise, gender, age etc. Power, endurance, LT, VO2Max all have different rates of decline. But in general after 2 weeks of doing nothing you will have a little bit less endurance, but maybe not much less power. After 2 weeks of inactivity the rate of decline will start to increase, iow a decent ride once a week can keep one from losing fitness, but you will not gain any either, but that is much better than doing nothing at all.

Makes good sense.

 

Fascinating.

[Lucky Luke.]

26 minutes after you stop ridding your body will start degenerating , first your muscles go then after that your organs . however the process will go into dormancy the moment you get back on your bike .

 

Solution never ever rest , ride all the time.

 

I make it 25 minutes and 30 seconds, but otherwise I think you have put this topic to bed.

['Dale]

I make it 25 minutes and 30 seconds, but otherwise I think you have put this topic to bed.

[Let's Ride]

Very interesting topic. I think one good ride a week would help keep you from loosing your fitness.

[Let's Ride]

'Although not many studies have measured loss of performance after several weeks of detraining (would you volunteer?), performance is likely to decrease by about 3-5% after 3 to 4 weeks of detraining.'

 

'How about if you just reduce your training?

If you cut back the volume of your training (i.e. how often you train or long your exercise, you can maintain your fitness level for a surprisingly long time. Studies have found that when either the frequency or duration of training are reduced (while the intensity of training is maintained) that aerobic conditioning is maintained for up to 15 weeks. When the intensity of training is reduced (while the volume of training is maintained), however, then aerobic fitness declines more quickly. If you must reduce your training volume, therefore, maintaining your training intensity is the key to maintaining your cycling performance. Similarly, if you are injured, you can maintain a reasonably high level of aerobic conditioning by cross-training hard several times per week. The closer that your cross-training activity simulates cycling, the more slowly you will lose your cycling fitness.'

[Let's Ride]

I find that a few days - week break every 2 months seems to help me as my body gets tired and a full week or sometimes more helps me recharge.

[DJR]

If you cut back the volume of your training (i.e. how often you train or long your exercise, you can maintain your fitness level for a surprisingly long time. Studies have found that when either the frequency or duration of training are reduced (while the intensity of training is maintained) that aerobic conditioning is maintained for up to 15 weeks. When the intensity of training is reduced (while the volume of training is maintained), however, then aerobic fitness declines more quickly. If you must reduce your training volume, therefore, maintaining your training intensity is the key to maintaining your cycling performance. Similarly, if you are injured, you can maintain a reasonably high level of aerobic conditioning by cross-training hard several times per week. The closer that your cross-training activity simulates cycling, the more slowly you will lose your cycling fitness.'

Good answer. I experienced exactly this after a recent injury. I kept the intensity as high as a could and came out of an 8 week rehab almost as strong as I was before.

[Dicky DQ]

So there is no hope for me many months of only drinking beer. I should now be in negative power teritory.