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Learn to Read Training Plans

Learn to read training plans. Pick the plan that goes best with your level and benefit best.

Training Plan Basics

If you know how to read training plans, you can maximize your athletic performance and fitness, while at the same time minimizing risk of injury and overtraining. To do so, periodization is part of the plan.

Periodization refers to physical (and mental) training structured around periods of progressively-loaded training load or stress. Each of these periods is followed by recovery or rest. Eevvoo’s periodized training plans are organized into macro-, meso-, and micro- cycles. All to help you reach your goal(s).

  1. Macrocyles
    This cycle refers to your entire year, season or for instance an Eevvoo training plan. It includes workouts and competition/racing.
  2. Mesocycles
    Each macrocycle is built up by six to twelve mesocycles. Each cycle is four to six weeks in length, these include three to weeks of building up your training and a week of easy recovery like workouts. Each of these cycles will in most cases focus on a specific sub-goal like endurance, sprinting, power, etc to reach your overal goal. This is why at Eevvoo you can find workout and training plan goals.
  3. Microcycles
    Each training week forms a mircocycle. Depending on your level your week can be made up of key workouts (3-5), a couple of recovery workouts and/or a day (or more) off. Your weeks are progressively loaded in duration and/or intensity) throughout the mesocycle until you have a recovery week.

Eevvoo’s plans are structured with these cycles in mind. Balancing building and recovery for optimal adaptation.

The benefits

Think of an event, like a race, you would like to attent to? What would happen if you would do a hard flat out workout the day before? And what would happen if you took it more easy in the days before? It is most likely you will have a hard time when you did the workout, since you were tired of the days before. Did you take it easy to be fresh and energetic you most likely will put in a solid and strong performance. Which would you prefer?

Adaptation is your key to improving fitness. When you go out for a workout and train hard, you actually tear your muscle fibers. When you rest and recover after this workout, the torn fibers heal, rebuilding your muscle so it can handle similar stress in the future. In other words, training itself does not produce adaptation; it is the rest that follows training that allows your body to get stronger. Do this process over and over again and your will adapt to more endurance, power and speed, or in short elevating your overall performance.

When we look at the previous questions above, It’s a simple fact that you will perform best with fresh legs and a rested body. In order to get the best out of yourself, you need to adapt. A hard workout performance will tax your system more than before. This produces better adaptation after you have had your needed rest after your hard workout performance. You can think of it as going two steps forward and one step back, eventually improving by adapting to the next hard workout.

“What would happen if you would do a hard flat out workout the day before?”

Eevvoo aims at the best balance for you between working out, recovering from this and adapting to handle more in the future. However, a plan is only more than just a plan if you are listening to your body. It can take years of trianing and a lot of self-awareness to kind of training is appropriate to get the desired effect.

This is why you need to pick the best suitable plan. This is where the magic of plans, their periodization and working out really elevate your performance. Of course, working with a personal coach is an even better way to get you plan tuned in even better.

Levels & Goals

Use it in your advantage

When you first begin structured or periodized training, the first thing you may notice is that your hard training days become harder, and your easy days become easier. Most people who train without structure will run or ride at a medium-hard pace most of the time. They might ride a little easier if they don’t feel great or push a little harder to chase a fast group of friends, but for the most part, they’re riding in the middle. You can get fast this way, but the ceiling is lower than with a structured, periodized program. Riding medium-hard all the time means you will never get the big stimulus of completing a difficult workout with fresh legs or the adaptation that comes with subsequent recovery.

When you begin a periodized training program, you will notice many rides include ‘intervals,’ or periods of work followed by recovery. These might best be done lapping a climb or finding a steady, uninterrupted flat section. In other words, they might not be as exciting as our preconceived idea of a “bike ride.” Try not to panic; you should still have plenty of opportunities to get out and explore or check off a big adventure ride. Those rides will simply become your big volume days, and your shorter, more time-compressed rides will be dedicated to intervals, which make better use of limited time.

“You can compare this block with the warm up lap before a Formule 1 race starts.”

Training Plan Periodization

  • V 1-3
  • Race Period 1-2
  • Recovery
  • Taper
  • Race

Cool Down

A cool down in sports is a crucial phase that occurs at the conclusion of your workout (or competitive event). It serves to gradually transition the body from the heightened intensity from the core exercise to a state of rest. The primary objectives of a cool down are to promote recovery, enhance flexibility, and reduce the risk of post-exercise soreness or injury. Here’s a comprehensive description:

A well-executed cool down is not only physically beneficial, but also aids in the mental transition from the intensity of exercise to a state of relaxation. It contributes to overall recovery, helping athletes maintain flexibility, prevent injuries, and prepare for subsequent training sessions or competitions.

The cool down serves as a proactive measure against potential injuries by allowing the muscles to return to their optimal length-tension relationship. This aids in preventing stiffness and soreness in the post-exercise period.

 

  • Gentle Cardiovascular Activity
    The cool down typically begins with a gradual reduction in intensity and in the lowest zone possible. This helps to gradually lower the heart rate and blood circulation, preventing abrupt cardiovascular stress.
    Often it involves light aerobic exercises like slow jogging or brisk walking.
  • Static Stretching:
    At the end of your workout and in contrast to the Warm Up, you can do some easy static stretching.   Static stretching helps improve flexibility, reduces muscle tension, and aids in the prevention of muscle imbalances.
    This could involves holding stretches for specific muscle groups in a stationary position.
  • Mental Cool
    For (competitive) sports, the cool down may also include a period of reflection and review. You (and your Eevvoo coaches) might look back on your performance, identify areas for improvement, and set goals for future training sessions or competitions.

Post Cool Down

At the very end or your workout you can

Possible options for the post cool down part of your workout are grabbing a drink, food or do some relaxing to get back on your feet.

This block is optinal for workouts.

 

  • Hydration
    Adequate hydration is emphasized during the cool down to replenish fluids lost through sweating during the exercise. Proper hydration is essential for the body’s recovery processes.

Final Thoughts

danger of getting injured and therefore there is a balance between what you can handle and what the  but each workout we write at Eevvoo has some fun in it. To variaty to you workouts and training plan

Training can be serious and dangerous business. Sports and injuries are unfortunately bound together. Therefore balancing between what you can handle and being injured is

 

  • Skip
    Have you finished this block part with some time left? Then take a little extra breath, relax for the time being. Or push the lap button, if you can’t wait any longer for your workout to start, to finish the Pre Warm Up Block(s).
Let’s go together!
Let’s go together!