# How many "rest days"/ week.



## Banjo (16 Jan 2011)

I have read several times that rest days are important if you are doing lots of training miles. How many per week would be sensible?

I am not in any serious training programme, just upping the mileage a bit to increase stamina for some sportives and audaxes later in the year.


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## Garz (16 Jan 2011)

You should be training no more than 10% gains per week.

Simply rest when your body tells you it's tired, or if you don't feel tired make sure your nutritional habits are good and throw in some really light easy days to stretch the legs and tick over your cv system.

Explain your current regime Banjo or roughly what your up to as an example.


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## ttcycle (16 Jan 2011)

Hard to say unless it's clear how much riding you are doing currently and how much you'd like to do...


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## Banjo (17 Jan 2011)

Thanks for the replies.

Due to the nature of my job its hard to maintain a regular routine but generally I aim to do 3 ort 4 rides in the 15 to 30 mile bracket usually with some good hills and from spring onwards I try to do at least one longer ride 50 to 100 miler per week.

I also do lots of short hilly rides under 5 miles to work shops etc on the hybrid.

Dont really have time to do much more but as the season progresses I will throw ion more hilly rides and try to up the pace a bit.


Would having one or two days per week off the bike be beneficial or just a waste of time?


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## Garz (18 Jan 2011)

Beneficial. You need R&R.


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## gb155 (18 Jan 2011)

WTF is a rest day ?


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## lukesdad (18 Jan 2011)

Dont confuse rest with recovery, recovery is the key to fitness. Your fitness increases during recovery not the exercise. The quicker you can recover the sooner you can train again. Not enough people use effective recovery practices. Stretching massage baths proper sleep and eating at the correct times plus kit that can help you recover.


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## GrasB (18 Jan 2011)

lukesdad said:


> Dont confuse rest with recovery, recovery is the key to fitness. Your fitness increases during recovery not the exercise. The quicker you can recover the sooner you can train again. Not enough people use effective recovery practices. Stretching massage baths proper sleep and eating at the correct times plus kit that can help you recover.


+1 I cycle through the week & hit the weights & turbo at the weekend. It's a different type of training so come the beginning of the week my legs are fresh for 250+ miles of hard work again


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## Banjo (19 Jan 2011)

lukesdad said:


> Dont confuse rest with recovery, recovery is the key to fitness. Your fitness increases during recovery not the exercise. The quicker you can recover the sooner you can train again. Not enough people use effective recovery practices. Stretching massage baths proper sleep and eating at the correct times plus kit that can help you recover.



Unfortunately my job gives me a life of disturbed sleep patterns. Will try to concentrate on stretching and eating better but cant do much about the sleep thing.

Is it possible to effectively massage your own legs?


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## lukesdad (19 Jan 2011)

I use one of these Banj ". Some mickey taking when I first posted it, but its very effective.

https://www.cyclechat.net/


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## darkstar (19 Jan 2011)

I have 1 day a week where I do no exercise, it helps and I feel fresh when running/cycling/swimming the next day


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## fimm (19 Jan 2011)

Banjo said:


> Is it possible to effectively massage your own legs?



Yes, with a foam roller (it hurts, though).
I have one rest day a week. Any other days without exercise are called being lazy!


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## Banjo (19 Jan 2011)

fimm said:


> Yes, with a foam roller (it hurts, though).
> I have one rest day a week. Any other days without exercise are called being lazy!




Foam paint roller sounds a good idea will try that cheers.


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## montage (19 Jan 2011)

Banjo said:


> Foam paint roller sounds a good idea will try that cheers.



You'll regret these words when it comes to it! "Painful" doesn't do them justice


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## fimm (19 Jan 2011)

Banjo said:


> Foam paint roller sounds a good idea will try that cheers.



Not a paint roller, but a hard foam thing specifically for the purpose. A quick google gives:
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/flexibilityandstretching/ss/FoamRoller.htm
which has some ideas and a picture. I know one of my local running shops sells them.

(I suppose I should add, w.r.t. rest days, that I'm a triathlete as well as a cycle commuter, so I'm training in 3 sports and rest days are quite important. YMMV.)


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