Recovery week

daveryanwyoming

I'll turn this question around. Point to one peer reviewed and controlled study that demonstrates the benefit of a fixed x week on, y week off periodization scheme for endurance athletes. Bompa layed the groundwork for body builders and the concept is very appealing, but it's been widely adopted as the only way to go with very little research backing it up.

I have no doubt that we need to dig deep and then back off in some way. The only thing I argue is the idea of fixed on and off weeks that don't take into account anything beyond a calendar. They typically don't take into account an athletes work and home schedule, their ability to recovery, the nature of the recent training in terms of duration or intensity or anything else. You just get blanket statements like 4 on, 1 off or 3 on and one off for masters riders. What happens when the 3 on conflict with some other life interruption and the one off turns out to be the week where you feel fully recovered and ready to hit it hard?

Perhaps slamming the concept of periodization is too strong. I definitely question the blind application of on and off weeks as though every one needs one week a month off regardless of personal circumstances. I do believe in periods of stress and periods of recovery for daily, weekly and longer cycles including the yearly build/taper cycles but I can't find any evidence that preset work/rest weeks are the best way to go.

If you have data that supports a preset train/rest plan as superior to paying attention to your training load, your life interruptions and your own ability to recover I'd love to see it.

-Dave