The Overtraining Threshold

I don't normally link many articles by other coaches/authors but when I see one that pretty much sums up what cycling training (and improving cycling performance) is all about, like this one does, I include it. The article is entitled, "The Overtraining Threshold", and it's written by Joe Friel.

As a fellow coach, I couldn't agree more with what Joe Friel has to say in his article. It pretty much sums up cycling training in a nutshell. Here's two particular paragraphs from the article that I want the athletes I coach (and anyone that wants to improve their cycling performance) to read and understand- because it's the ONLY way you're going to improve your cycling performance. The first is:

"Throughout most of the training year the workload should be just great enough to produce stress marked by fatigue and adaptation, but not so high that overtraining results."

The second is:

"As physiological adaptation occurs with improving fitness, the overtraining threshold rises. So the workload must rise along with it if fitness improvement is to continue. Most athletes recognize this phenomenon and allow for it by increasing the number of intervals within a workout, or by extending the length of a workout, or by doing repeats at a greater speed. The problem is that most athletes try to rush the process. But it’s simply not possible to speed up the changes that happen at the cellular level ¾ short of using drugs. The human body adapts to changes in workload slowly and steadily. Each individual athlete has his or her own unique rate of adaptation. The trick is to discover what yours is and then to abide by it when determining training workloads."

Here's a link to the entire article:

http://blog.trainingpeaks.com/2010/02/the-overtraining-threshold-by-joe-friel.html

It's all about "stimulus" and "response"..increasing workload steadily and allowing your body to adapt. And, as Joe aptly points-out..DO NOT rush the process. Give your body time to adapt..because that's how you get stronger..and that's how you increase your cycling performance. Power ON! Coach Rob