By Amy Kuitse, D3 Multisport
March 14, 2008 -- One of the most overlooked pieces in a triathlete's training cycle is recovery. Recovery may mean different things to different athletes and coaches, but no one doubts it necessity during training. Over the last couple of months I have been reminded again and again of the importance of recovery in my own training. Every time I ask for harder workout on a scheduled rest day, my coach reminds me that, “Sometimes we need someone to protect us from ourselves.”
This is now how I view recovery days/weeks. Its a means of protecting us from overtraining; a chance to allow our bodies to absorb all the good work we have done the previous 2-3 weeks; even a chance to get a few errands done! So, with that said, let’s take a look at recovery or "easy days" from the perspective of active recovery, instead of taking a day completely off.
There are a number of different ways we can complete active recovery workouts during a specific week in our training cycle. One way would be to continue with swim, bike and run workouts, but with no intensity and decreased volume. The volume of this will be determined by your coach, or the plan you are following, but here are some sample guidelines for the three disciplines:
Swim: 1000-to 1500-yard swim with mixed strokes, drills, kick sets, all easy.
Bike: Ride on a flat or rolling course for 45-60 minutes. Make the ride an easy spin. Keep the cadence relatively high and your heart rate no higher than zone 2. Stretch when done.
Run: Easy 30-minute run in zone 1. Follow with drills (strides, high kick, bounding, etc.). Stretch when done.
In the case of the bike and run you may find it especially valuable to wear your heart rate monitor, so that you can make sure you're keeping these active recovery workouts easy and in the recommended zones. It remains important that the workouts remain easy, regardless if you are feeling good or very rested.
In addition to swiming, biking and running for active recovery, you may choose to use some of the equipment available at your local health club. I have one athlete I coach who uses the elliptical machine for an active recovery. We follow the same guidelines for this as we would for running: No more then an easy 30 minutes in zone 1. Yoga is another great recovery workout. In addition, stretching in a quiet, calm environment and can serve as a form of meditation for some.
Last, but not least, you could try a walk in the park or around your neighborhood. Most of us do not think of this as active recovery, but it can be very therapeutic especially when followed by light stretching.
Explore the different workout equipment at your club along with the various classes they offer and talk with your coach about the different options. You may find something new that you can use, which will also give you a mental break from the standard swim, bike & run training you do daily.
Above are just a few different ways that you can complete a form of active recovery. It can be determined by you, your coach, or the plan that you are following. Regardless of what that activity is, the key is remembering that it is all about recovery. Incorporating true recovery days into our training regime is the only way our body can relax and absorb the hard work we have done in the previous weeks. It is during this time that adaptation occurs and we find ourselves with improved fitness.
So, don’t be afraid to slow things down during your recovery week. Many times a little recovery is all you need to take your fitness to the next level.
Coach Amy Kuitse is a USAT Certified Coach and can be reached for personal coaching at www.D3Multisport.com