4 Comments
May 8Liked by Gordo Byrn

Hi Gordo, can you help me with something? At the beginning of article you state "If you can’t go up, then it’s time to go down." Then later, "Within your week structure, set a level you can repeat without issue forty weeks a year. Repeat The Week"

If say, I can increase cycling volume to 12hr/wk and feel I can get to this level and repeat, I'm not going up, shouldn't I just focus on repeating the week or is it time to go down?

Thank you for the help.

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If you're feeling good at your current level then stick with it. That's a good feeling.

If you were feeling at your limit at 12hr/wk then those feelings would be an indication to set the target lower.

g

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Hey Gordo - with the 5/2 weekly schedule - when do you schedule your weight lifting? Do you lift on "green" days, other days? No lifting on your 2 "off" days?

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It depends on the time of year and the fatigue that will be generated by the strength session.

In the winter, or anytime when strength load is high, the key strength days are loading days. So they are in the "5."

In-season when strength load is lower OR when I am doing a heavy day & a lower day for my 2 strength days... then the heavy day goes in the "5" and the lower day is done as an easy day with a short swim before.

With strength:

1// keep it up weekly, year round so you don't experience the start-up soreness/fatigue each time you come back from a break

2// put the key strength block(s) in the part of your year where cardio will be lower

3// know that when you go heavy in the gym, most your other training will slow down and be mostly Z1

More detail in our strength chapter

https://feelthebyrn.substack.com/p/strength-essentials

See Phasing Your Strength

https://feelthebyrn.substack.com/i/141673213/phasing-your-strength

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Most everyone will find they need an easy day inside their "5." Often I need two. So I am getting 3-4 easy days in each week. This enables me to sustain week-after-week and benefit from compounding.

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That's the long answer.

Short answer... if my two easy days are on the weekend then strength is Tuesday (heavier) and Saturday (lighter).

Right now, Tuesday heavier strength is done after my Peppy Run, making that day challenging from a neuromuscular perspective.

When I find whole body strength is too fatiguing then I can split upper-lower across two days. even if I go heavy, those are less training.

So let fatigue and soreness guide you on how best to structure.

g

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