Which effort makes overtraining most apparent?
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If overtrained, you would feel quite crappy at pretty much all effort levels and would have other signs of overtraining: appetite, sleep, sex drive, mood, etc.
I dont think you can standardise signs of overtraining VS effort levels. Overtraining is very complexe and it's not been understood quite well just yet.
I dont think you can standardise signs of overtraining VS effort levels. Overtraining is very complexe and it's not been understood quite well just yet.
it could be lots of things: accumulated fatigue, general stress, over reaching in training, FTP set too high, etc, etc.
are you testing regularly? What sort of load have you been doing lately? Maybe back it off a few days and see what happens?
are you testing regularly? What sort of load have you been doing lately? Maybe back it off a few days and see what happens?
Yep. Done my testing regularly and had a slow but steady increase in FTP until three weeks ago. Took a rest week and allowed my ATL drop below CTL.
First week following rest week, I did a handful of SST efforts which all felt good. The following (this) week I thought I would add a 2x20 @ FTP, but no - missing some good 20 watts and was completely drained after the first interval and had to roll home.
First week following rest week, I did a handful of SST efforts which all felt good. The following (this) week I thought I would add a 2x20 @ FTP, but no - missing some good 20 watts and was completely drained after the first interval and had to roll home.
"Overtraining" basically means that your body is not responding positively to the work load. It's a syndrome. The causes and symptoms can be all over the place.
Based on what you described, I'd guess you need some more easy time. At least that would be true if it was me. Try at least 3 more days in a row super easy (as in 1hr <50% FTP) or off the bike entirely, and see what happens. If that isn't enough, then rest more. Get plenty of sleep, eat good food, stretch and relax. Don't worry about your CTL and ATL numbers. When you really *feel* hungry for the bike again you are probably good to go.
Based on what you described, I'd guess you need some more easy time. At least that would be true if it was me. Try at least 3 more days in a row super easy (as in 1hr <50% FTP) or off the bike entirely, and see what happens. If that isn't enough, then rest more. Get plenty of sleep, eat good food, stretch and relax. Don't worry about your CTL and ATL numbers. When you really *feel* hungry for the bike again you are probably good to go.
formerly rruff...
@WMW
Thank you. I try to take one day a weekly off the bike along with one day weekly doing Z1 for an hour, so rest feels more than sufficient. A visit to the doctor did however confirm that I most certainly have had an infection that my body has been taking care of.
If anybody else has an idea of where you would be most likely to notice power drops when overtraining/overreaching, feel free to post!
Thank you. I try to take one day a weekly off the bike along with one day weekly doing Z1 for an hour, so rest feels more than sufficient. A visit to the doctor did however confirm that I most certainly have had an infection that my body has been taking care of.
If anybody else has an idea of where you would be most likely to notice power drops when overtraining/overreaching, feel free to post!
If I wake up with cramps in my calves, should I skip a day, or should I go longer and harder? What if my legs start feeling sore a few hours after a ride? I expect this question has been thoroughly answered somewhere.
Saura mon coeur que mon cul poise.
adapted from Rabelais
adapted from Rabelais
It means that your body isn't coping well with some part of what you're doing. Now that could mean anything from the actual load you're doing or it could be your position that's not working right for your body.
As for efforts that show overtraining....I can often times nail out a 5 minute effort that's extremely strong when I'm overtired, but the moment I move towards a more FTP-style effort (20 min) my body says 'no' and won't keep the power and/or the heartrate up.
As for efforts that show overtraining....I can often times nail out a 5 minute effort that's extremely strong when I'm overtired, but the moment I move towards a more FTP-style effort (20 min) my body says 'no' and won't keep the power and/or the heartrate up.
ultyguy wrote:As for efforts that show overtraining....I can often times nail out a 5 minute effort that's extremely strong when I'm overtired, but the moment I move towards a more FTP-style effort (20 min) my body says 'no' and won't keep the power and/or the heartrate up.
That sounds like me. Nailed half a dozen of new personal bests up to 5min just found it incredible hard to work at/around FTP. More rest to come!
There's a distinction to be made between over reaching and over training. The former is reportedly short lived whilst the latter is a life changer!
There is a school of thought that it's quite difficult for amateurs to get to the over training position, it's more often the over reaching.
For what it's worth, on the rare occasions I've over reached, almost everything above recovery pace is difficult to sustain. Endurance, can't face the duration and probably couldn't do it anyway, tempo and SST can't hold the HR, threshold no way, HR just won't go near and legs won't push. Re-test my FTP? I've tried, about three-five minutes in and it's no go, I wouldn't complete the test and if I did the results would be worthless!
A few days off/easy riding and I'm back.
There is a school of thought that it's quite difficult for amateurs to get to the over training position, it's more often the over reaching.
For what it's worth, on the rare occasions I've over reached, almost everything above recovery pace is difficult to sustain. Endurance, can't face the duration and probably couldn't do it anyway, tempo and SST can't hold the HR, threshold no way, HR just won't go near and legs won't push. Re-test my FTP? I've tried, about three-five minutes in and it's no go, I wouldn't complete the test and if I did the results would be worthless!
A few days off/easy riding and I'm back.
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