Easy Training Fix, Most Cyclists Do this Wrong!

[@neilk22]

“Your hard day isn’t really hard ‘coz your easy day wasn’t easy” -golden!

[@codeboy_henry]

I’m a trail runner, your material is golden and it definitely transcends Cycling. Thank you!!

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Glad to hear that runners are getting something out of this too!

[@fastleopard1]

The best example is the example of your success. If you are riding that slow or easy, the rest of us should as well. Thanks for the good content

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Thank you! It's about extremes. The easier your easy days are the harder your hard days can be.

[@dougturner2036]

I've definitely been doing this wrong. And at the age of 50 years, it's probably even more important that I follow this advice. Thank you!

[@fatbloaterdave]

As a competitive type, I try to set goals for Recovery rides. Keep under x-bpm or x-watts. Or don't open my mouth to breath etc.

[@jn01996]

Good approach although I would be careful with keeping your mouth shut after all not breathing will impose more acidic to your muscles

[@PATTKY]

Correct. NEVER MOUTH BREATHE if possible

[@ryanlahr4783]

A great way to get these rides in is to go with non cyclist friends for path ride for a beer or lunch. Be the antithesis of the bike bro and do a chill ride.

[@mewek]

Went for my first truly easy ride yesterday. Did 10km in 1 hour on roads/gravel roads :D Great channel by the way! Subscribed!

[@trbeyond]

Guilty! Did a 30’ recovery ride on the trainer tonight and found myself adding in a little bit of effort at the end to bump up the days TSS

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

trbeyond we’ve all been guilty! I actually try to see how low I can get my TSS on recovery days now.

[@AbdullahHafeez86]

In the caption of the Video Please add the word "Recovery Ride" to be able to search conveniently. I saw this video yesterday and took alot of time to find it again to be able to share with a mate... Thanks. You are doing a great job.

[@cameronking1872]

Funny when other cyclists’ try racing me while I’m on my recovery rides and probably get a huge ego boost from it because “they totally smoked me.” Haha

[@TechnoShamanism]

Jidduh krishmnamurti said „all suffering begins with comparison.“ ;)

[@sepg5084]

"probably get a huge ego boost" that's just your assumption and says more about you than them 😉

[@cameronking1872]

@@sepg5084 Ask 10 people if it's a confidence boost in such a situation and 9/10 will say yes... ...Pretty good chance it's an accurate assumption, Sep.

[@erictrelz3519]

Very good reminder of the importance of recovery

[@braddemarco8040]

Thanks for the video. I am guilty of not doing true recovery rides on a regular basis.

[@leebackus9875]

I appreciate your information. I do too much training. I will do as you suggest and tone it back.

[@dantana5774]

in my 45 years of road racing, and as an exercise physiologist working with others, recovery is the most difficult part of training to get across to otherwise smart people. They have the hardest time because: 1- they know others will be looking at their average speed and watts, 2- if the weather is nice, they want to hammer (what I call weather-dictated training) 3- after 20 minutes or so their legs start to feel better, so they have at it, or 4- they're in a small group and somebody starts some shit, either going for a sign or a hill- even though they've agreed that it's a recovery ride(until then)

[@lucianoserafino5872]

Pedal like you have no chain on your bike :)

[@falklevien]

Personally, I think that every session you do should have a purpose (unless you’re just riding recreationally, of course). If I ride easy, I really ride easy. If I ride hard, I don’t ride hardish, but smash myself. And if I’m doing a recovery ride, I do it properly and make sure I have something to recover from. This kind of mindset has really helped me.

[@Heliosmaster]

this is, as far as i understand, the best attitude (opinion formed on viewing many videos from Joe Friel, Stephen Seiler, Alan Couzens, etc.).

[@RyanVasquez6089]

Nailed it, thanks for solidifying what I had suspected from looking at my Strava fitness and freshness graphs. You've added quite a bit of into to that thanks!

[@felix-xo8oi]

question: lactate is said to be flushed out by roughly an hour after hard exercise. so shouldn't the recovery ride happen right after that interval session? also: is lactate really the problem here? to me it's not completely clear what - scientifically speaking - fatigue is exactly.

[@vin374]

Ebikes are great and fun for recovery rides

[@WowRixter]

Living in the hills makes recovery rides really difficult.

[@richardmiddleton7770]

Bigger cassettes are key here.

[@stfree7212]

Trainer.

[@AndyVandy516]

Good stuff. Could address warm up for intervals, high intensity hour long rides, and an endurance rides? TIA

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

All topics I plan to cover. Stay tuned.

[@syrus3k]

Absolute Zen guru of cycling.

[@stuartdryer1352]

I think this is great advice. I wonder though if complete rest wouldn't be better. A recovery ride the day after a hard ride is not flushing out metabolites because those will have washed out within a few hours or less. Maybe recovery rides are good for your brain. Just fun. But I quibble. I need to watch this video once a month to remind myself. My doctorate is in physiology. I know this stuff. Intellectually anyway. And yet I make this mistake constantly. Like I said awesome advice.

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Thank you. One of the hardest rides to execute for sure.

[@goaskdra]

Thanks ! I needed to hear this ! 👍👍

[@massimoserafini8115]

Thanks Dylan, love your vids. Quick question: would a brisk walk with my dog for 20-30 minutes be considered “recovery”, would that be enough to flush out my legs?

[@inphiknitfractal]

Gotta find somewhere with less hills for recovery rides...that or ride the mtb on rd in granny gears ;) (limited being on an island)

[@aaron___6014]

Inphiknit fractal I've never ran across a hill while riding on a trainer

[@andrewhighfield3338]

Spot on but sooo hard to do!

[@geoffreyanderson4719]

You can help to remember to put in the hard work on the day you're supposed to work that way you can feel good in taking the days when you're supposed to do real recovery

[@fatbloaterdave]

Also, if going easy on your recovery days is hard, go harder on your hard days. The fatigue should take care of any want to go faster.

[@stopspammingmesrsly]

Dear Dylan, can I just go for a walk and get the recovery benefit?

[@geoffreyanderson4719]

bonking was a big problem every spring which somtimes demolished me on the weekly long ride. iguess i wasnt recovered with glycogen.

[@Clean_Cars]

Another great video Dylan 👍

[@harsdensus88]

Hi Dylan. Can you make video about afordable homemade energy bar?

[@marcdaniels9079]

Check out GCN for great recipes that are really easy to make.

[@TysonHaas]

What do you recommend I do when my power zones don't relate to my HR zones. I'll be in zone 2 power range for an endurance ride and my heart rate will be in Zone 3-4.

[@leandronadalin1425]

Hey Dylan, Thanks for the tips and info! I did 3 weeks FLT focused training (using the tips of your video) and 1 week easy recovery. By the end of recovery week, I tried an FTP test, but I felt my legs really stiff and heart rate coming up very quickly during the test, been very hard to sustain the power that I was easily making the weeks before. Should I rest further days or push into the workouts again?

[@Tharindu43]

You’ve probably already done one of these but I can’t find it, do you have a video on how to structure your recovery *week*

[@Xflosiv]

I absolutely love your content and I'm learning so much, thank you!! I'm a fairly slow runner but I run lots of half and full marathons. I started cycling on a trainer during lockdown and am now doing road rides. I find I'm breathing really hard, especially on climbs (really slow too) but my heart rate is extremely low. This is so different to running! If I breath like that in running it translates to a higher heart rate no matter how slow I'm going. Any idea why this is so different for me in cycling?

[@jonjoseph6401]

Can you cover what a taper week looks like? Is it different then a recovery week?

[@jonathansobieski2962]

Hi Dylan, can you point me to a source for the recommendations for intensity and volume for recovery rides and also for recovery weeks? You mentioned target power ranges and heart rates and I’d like to see where those recommendations come from.

[@billybyrne7130]

Hi Dylan. Love the content. On recovery days is it ok to do swimming after session. Also on a rest week can I lift for a couple of days.

[@surfnewt2768]

Hi Dylan. Another excellent video. Very informative. Can I ask you about one point from the video - you showed a training week from training peaks back in Jan 2019. I couldn't help but notice your fitness/fatigue/form stats for that week. The fatigue stat or ATL was 145 which seems very high . Can i ask you do you pay attention to those stats or do you just go be how you feel? I use training peaks and find that I am constantly in negative form (or TSB) even when I factor in plenty of rest days.

[@samellis4239]

Hey Dylan! What would you recommend for rest weeks and rest days when I’m participating in some races like the NICA races where we race every other week for 10 weeks? Thanks! I love what you are doing!

[@PeterSdrolias]

Couldn't agree with you more! Appropriate recovery is vital to any successful training program. On a completely unrelated topic...which gravel bike out there would be your go to?

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Exactly. Niner RLT9 RDO.

[@damon123jones]

steven sailer confirms this. good job

[@pablocruz1211]

How old is that article? there is not such thing as go for a spin to remover the lactic acid from your muscles. Lactic acid is actually recycled by your body for more ATP formation, Lactate is not a bad thing.

[@jasonhall6354]

So what if my HR exceeds 70% LTHR while my FTP is below 50%? I’m getting back to cycling after weightlifting for years, so my aerobic fitness is not good.

[@Bultish]

Question: So how do you structure a recovery week when doing the 4 week ftp intervals 2 times a week?

[@ryux]

But how am I supposed to get these KOM's when I barely push the pedals 😔

[@michaelwilliamson2578]

Thanks for the quality videos Dylan. I use HR for almost all training and racing. For a recover spin what HR percentage range do you recommend? I have struggled in the past with always pushing the pace and I want to make sure that my Easy rides are truly EASY so my hard rides can be hard. Thanks.

[@fatbloaterdave]

During a recovery ride, max HR should be Under 70% of your threshold HR. Average for the ride should be lower.

[@ArashFallah]

How do one find the Threshold Heart Rate? I don't have a Powermeter yet, so HR is my only training tool at the moment.

[@jerichoholic5805]

Go flat out for 25 mins after a 5 min warm up. Make sure you pace well in the flat out effort. From the 25 mins effort, consider your HR for the last 20 mins. That's your LTHR.

[@WealthForge44]

@@jerichoholic5805 I would rather suggest a good 15 - 20 min warm up, then a 20 minute ride, of which 15 minutes hard ride, 4 minutes super hard ride and the last 30 sec to 1 minute extreme hard.

[@bdubs1967]

really going to implement this. Great channel.

[@SY-hc3dj]

Thank you

[@tywitt3351]

Old vid but no mention of cadence. Way back we focused the rides on no resistance flat roads but spinning. Your comment on easy pedaling makes me question this

[@salsalawyer]

Ok so how to cycle between the low and moderate intensity rides during a given week?

[@GarfieldSound]

What do you think about using acupressure [shaktimats or the lyapko I'm using] instead of recovery rides or simply in general after a workout.

[@elliotlinzer929]

Watching this video, I do not actually see any evidence that recovery rides improve performance. One study looks active recovery immediately after a ride, which is not the same thing as a recovery ride on a different day. Another looks at elite athletes training at low intensity, but it is zone one on a three zone model, so it is probably mainly endurance, not recovery pace. Dylan: Can you comment?

[@10ktube]

What if you're racing on Saturday, if you do some openers mixed with the recovery ride, does it cancel out? I think most do the Monday off and Friday easy or off, race Saturday long ride Sunday, that Friday is what confused me with what to do.

[@tzaidi2349]

Exactly how many bikes to you own Dylan Johnson?

[@ben1447]

3:45 the numbers for the recovery ride :)

[@Drogos79]

optimal time window after hard days for recovery ride? the sooner the better? can I just paddle easy for couple extra miles after hard ride or should I do it next day?

[@JuanRivera-wg8iv]

Great video. Question, would my recovery be interruped if i go to the gym to do shoulders or back.or chest?

[@plainlyeclectic]

Juan Rivera you should be okay but stay off the legs. If you notice that you don’t feel too well after the gym day on the back then take a step back

[@classactracing]

Recovery might be the most important “training” you do on your bike. Some of my recovery days are so embarrassingly slow.

[@Spillner]

You should go ride with Trevor Connor then ;)

[@jomarlayco2877]

Who cares if its slow, that's how its done. Also best to do it solo, never go with your riding mates, especially those who are undisciplined and like to go fast and hard every time you ride with them.

[@suisinghoraceho2403]

Thanks for the great video. Have planned a whole month using the method you’ve mentioned. In the middle of a recovery week, planned some recovery ride with some sparsely distributed 10~20 secs sprints in between (20secs sprint for every 5 mins of riding for a total of 50 mins work out), TSS comes down to about 50. Is that a good idea?

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Depends, what are you training for?

[@suisinghoraceho2403]

General improvement of my fitness. My FTP is at 160W, I want to get it over to 200W. I want to do my virgin century some point early next year. I also want to do a 2-day charity ride at the end of September (100 miles each day. Day 1 hilly, day 2 flat) with a good time.

[@johnknox4293]

thanks

[@nathaliec7330]

Excellent

[@د_محمد_شاهين]

Great channel. Really like your videos and since finding your channel I am working my way to watching all the content. Comment:...blink :)

[@gheorghefalcaru]

SUPER!!!!!!!

[@rorykoehler9018]

Would you recommend an ebike for recovery rides (especially in more lumpy locations)?

[@raphaeltiziani7476]

I did them so often wrong. :D

[@kentmoore9563]

Do you have anything about nutrition? I bonk a lot due to not eating enough.

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

I plan on doing a proper ride fueling video. What do you normally eat while riding?

[@SunshinewindowsAu]

@@DylanJohnsonCycling i make my own bars works a treat: mix, tahini black and white, hemp and soy flour, coconut oil, honey, goji berries, dates, ground cashew, almond and pecans, good natural salt, maca root powder (optionally chilli powder). Set in fridge on tray cut slices wrap in rice papper store in snap lock bag ✌👨‍🚒🤙

[@portwill]

I like your videos! But why aren't you blinking? :D

[@kawesipastorholland]

Lol true

[@stanleyg.5722]

He is a robot

[@Adriano-do-Couto-Illustration]

If you pay attention you’ll see he’s carefully editing out the blinks. ;-)

[@EnigmaticAnomaly]

For some odd reason I find recovery rides more painful than threshold or above rides. Less power to the pedals means more weight in the saddle and bar; some things go numb and other things begin to ache. I've spent a lot of time fine-tuning my bike fit and balance (for the indoor trainer), but perhaps I've gone about it wrong. Harder days I'm dialed in and well balanced over the pedals, but on anything much under 200w and I feel like I'm riding on a 2x4 and keep wanting to slide further back than the saddle has room for. Any chance you have or can do a video on proper bike fitting?

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

I’d like to do one. I’d probably collaborate with our fit expert here at CTS. Stay tuned.

[@jbratt]

Maybe your recovery ride is too long. I experienced the same problem when Used to volunteered to ride support for a relay marathon. I found 45 minutes is a good length of time. I used to call it “going for a walk” on my bike.

[@petef15]

Safest just to not do them and have a day off.

[@zachhutelin8988]

So, is it bad to take recovery rides for a week or two?

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Is it bad NOT to take recovery rides for a week or two? Yes, very.

[@arelyt24]

Being a 9-5 athlete with a busy schedule around work and riding, as well, what is your take on the 3 week on 1 week off when two of the weeks were well below the scheduled training stress? I find I sometimes miss a few hard workouts and my ATL is lower than it should be, and makes it hard to justify a recovery week (or, at least, makes me feel like I don't need one). Generally, when I have above normal missed workouts, I replace my recovery rides with z2 rides for that recovery week. Is that advisable? Should I still take on the full recovery rides even though on paper my fatigue is pretty low?

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Normally I would advise against ever replacing recovery days with Z2 but on a recovery week that's a different story especially if your fatigue isn't high. I'd say low Z2 is ok. You can also do a recovery block that isn't a full week. Maybe just the first 3 to 5 days of the week are actually recovery and then you resume normal training.

[@wetyiop]

I notice your fatigue is very high making your form quite low? is it okay to do this through your build period as long as you have recovery weeks? I assume this could be because you've just come off your offseason and you need to build your CTL back up.

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

wetyiop you’re exactly right. In general I would say yes it’s good to do this in build but it depends on your target races and experience level.

[@arampuzon3767]

I love your videos, but please, do get a better or actual mic. 😟

[@troelsvinther4340]

12 people is not a study mate, and it was done at altitude #fakenews

[@tofuanarchy5461]

Present a study that states doing z2, 3 or 4 on recovery day is beneficial when you have eye gouging WO's on your 3rd week. B12 shots won't be enough M8.

[@gnemilostiviy2370]

I will be honest, after watching this video I am not convinced I would pay you to train me. What you say has logic, but I can see you knowingly presented a view that basically says “you should pay me to train you”. It just doesn’t sound honest. What you say about training is very 1980s. Do 3 month of base, then add some race specific intervals to peak in 6-8weeks etc etc. Yea that works, but it is not the best or the most practical way for most people in real world. Also, what you say doesn’t go in line with modern pro peloton. Michelton Scott coach talks extensively about benefits of training indoors over outdoors, they actually pick to do a lot of sessions in training camps while in the mountains to do on a porch on a trainer, heard about that? What about your training to peak multiple times in a season. For example I want to race well in March, then peak again in June and still do some races in September. I am an amateur racer and only have 10-12 hours a week at best, with some weeks where I can only do 5-6 hours. This has been talked about so much that I doubt that you don’t know about it. You are basically saying in the same Video Zwift Bad/ Zwift Good. Just confusing people. I don’t know if you are targeting a lay man who doesn’t know much about training, or athletes seasoned athletes with actual goals. You understand that most sane people can’t do Zone 2 on a turbo for hours week in and week out.. it just doesn’t work. You can write them a plan all you want, but if they not gonna stay engaged, they will just skip and come out unfit after winter..