Rest: Better completely off or low intensity workout?

Sometimes life gets in the way of training - plain and simple. When it does I don't begrudge it, I go with it. I think it is resonable to take at least 1 rest day per week. It is not unreasonable to have a light week for a change. Light workouts if you can fit them in are great. The question is do you want to take time off because your body is asking for it or because your mind is asking for it?

This is a hobby. A pass time. Keeping it in perspecitve both in your physical and mental life can't hurt.

Take the time if you need it. Never feel guilty about that.

That was a long way to a non answer. .

Don't be afraid to take a couple days off in a row every now and then. I am currently in Base 3 of my training and for the 1-3 weeks, the weekly hours keep building and then the 4th week is a recovery week and the training hours get cut in about 1/2. During this time I take 2 days off in a row. You do need mental as well as physical breaks. It is this rest that will help you become stronger.

I just got done looking at my recovery week. It seems that instead of doing 2-3 workouts a day, I tend to just do one workout a day during that time.

I have read in TTB that amateurs usually take complete days off and pro's do light workouts on these days. What ever?

I hope this helps,
Randy

Edited by Blacktoe 2005-03-07 11:35 PM

You guys are more hardcore than I am. lol. I am a newbie to this and just quit smoking recently. I am also in grad school and my school/work schedule is pretty grueling. I have a dog and a GF too so I am pretty busy.

I find time to train 5-6 days a week depending on the week. I think I am going to focus on getting enough sleep this weeek and lightne up my workouts.

My race, a sprint tri, is 16 weeks away. I am going to start this sites 13 week plan at the 13 week mark and I should be pretty preapred going inot that with this groundwork I have laid. I just don't want to get worn out as I have gotten sick in the past doing too much, and I also don't want to throw my training off. However, I could feel my tiredness when I got in the pool yesterday so I decided ot take today off and try and get some rest.

I was thinking I would take a light week this week with maybe 4 days of training and the rest off. Then 3 weeks more hard, thena light week before I start my program.

lablover, congrats on quitting smoking!

Your plan sounds good either way. You should catch up on your sleep if you have a chance. DOn't feel guilty about it. You could also start the 16 week program now, but your plan sounds good to me too. Even better if it sounds good to you!

What tri are you planning?

The tri is the Pardeeville Triathlon here in WI. It is fairly small, but is close by. I am also planning on doing the Devil's Challenge Sprint in early September. I registered already so it a no going back scenario.

I have wanted to do a tri since my senior year in HS when I was running CC. However, there have been a lot of years of partying and getting fat and out of shape between now and then. 10 years to be exact. So I am excited to race again after so long, not that those years weren't a hell of a lot of fun, but it is time to move along from that for me.