Ride On: Step Up Without Overtraining 
A monthly resource for Spinning program enthusiasts

Overtraining is one of the most significant ways to undermine your training goals. The most common ways to overtraining are training with too much intensity, not enough recovery, insufficient aerobic base building, stress and poor nutrition.

Whether you want to lose weight, get leaner, become more competitive, have more energy or maximize your training, the following guideline will help you create a plan to step up your training without overtraining.

Create a plan of attack. The key to enhancing your training—without undermining you goals in the process—is to have a well-planned program that defines training periods, intensities and recovery periods. This is called a periodization plan.

Break it down. Breaking your training down into specific phases can rejuvenate motivation and help maintain consistency. To do this, divide your training schedule into microcycles (weekly), mesocycles (2-6+ weeks) and macrocycles (comprised of a set number of mesocycles that outline your annual plan or competition season). Once you determine these phases, you can work on specific objectives.

Take time to recover. Be sure to plan adequate rest into your weekly routine and schedule a rest week every third or fourth week. Manipulate volume and intensity during rest weeks to unload accumulated fatigue, maintain fitness and sharpen performance.

Practice proper nutrition. Post-exercise nutrition is vital to help your body rehydrate, replenish electrolytes, replace carbohydrates and provide protein for muscle repair.

Be consistent. Maintaining an energetic approach to training can help you overcome your shortcomings.

Keep a training diary. A diary holds you accountable and serves as a history of your performance. If you felt especially good during a given period, you can look back and analyze the circumstances surrounding that success.

Get the tools and tips you need to work out with purpose, enhance performance and maximize results with the 8-Week Performance Manual and Log Book.

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