EVOQ.BIKE Cycling Podcast

Read the full blog here! Once Strava started to incorporate their version of a Performance Manager Chart, calling it Fitness and Freshness, athletes started to dig into their data more and look at graphs of how fit they were. While I like that Strava made the idea of Chronic Training Load (CTL), Acute Training Load (ATL), and Training Stress Balance (TSB) very easy to understand, there is one massive reason why you shouldn’t obsess over this curve and base your overall fitness solely on this one number.   CTL is what Strava calls Fitness.  ATL is what Strava calls Fatigue.  TSB is what Strava calls Form.  Ideally, you have a Fitness that is at or above 70 and a Form that is close to, or above 0.   When athletes start to rest, I hear people saying “My fitness is plummeting!” Well, sort of. You need rest, as this is when the body adapts to the stress you put on it (the riding) and you come back stronger. Sign up for our newsletter here.

If you like videos and visuals, check out the video here! Most cyclists hate rest weeks from their training regimen. Not only do we have to ride less, but the immediate feelings after a rest week can make us feel sluggish. That said, cycling recovery rest weeks are 100% necessary, as they make us stronger cyclists. When we rest, we recover from the training, and come back stronger. If you do not rest, you will never hit your peak performance capabilities. Rest is also crucial when you start to feel sickness lurking. Take a day or two completely off, and get back to 100% health. See the video below, where I immediately nipped sickness in the bud before Tour of Southland. Sticking to the schedule could have derailed me for a week! Check out the Blog here! There's a difference between a rest week and taper week, check them out!   Comment below on how you use these to maximize your performance on the bike!   If you like these posts, please share them with one of your cycling friends!    Contact me if you have questions or comments about training, thanks!    Email: Brendan@EVOQ.BIKE   Instagram: @BrendanHousler and @EVOQ.BIKE  Twitter: @BrendanHousler and @EVOQ.BIKE