How far to over-reach
How far to over-reach
This is the question that every coach should ask themselves when setting a block of training for their athletes, or the question a rider should consider before embarking on a big stint of training.
In truth, there is no exact answer. A lot depends on the recovery capacity of an athlete, prior experiences, and fatigue levels at the start of the block of training.
However, if you train with power, then a good rule of thumb on how far to over-reach is that at the end of a block of training a rider shouldn’t see more than a five per cent drop off in power figures for the same perceived exertion compared to when they are fresh. At the same time, a rider shouldn’t experience a drastic increase in the level of perceived exertion for the same power output compared to when they are fresh.
If you have correctly over-reached then following a period of recovery you should see an increase in power or a decrease in perceived exertion for the same power compared with previous figures.
When training with heart rate, you should notice that, as you become more fatigued, it’s more difficult to sustain higher heart rates. For example, you may only be able to sustain lower zone four during threshold efforts rather than upper zone four. As soon as you are struggling to hit the correct heart rate zone, or can only just get into the correct zone for an effort for two or three days in a row, then it’s time for a rest. Power and heart rate numbers aside, it’s also important to listen to your body. We’ll consider some of the key signs of non-functional over-reaching on the next page.
If following a period of recovery you don’t notice an increase in performance then chances are you didn’t over-reach quite enough. If you experience a decrease in performance following a period of recovery then chances are you got into the realms of non-functional over-reaching.