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These Rules For Training and Rest matter for every keen sportsman or woman, if you are a seasoned athlete, cyclist, rower, triathlete, or a beginner, whether you are a top Iron Man, or if you're a jogger new to cycling and now contemplating some testing long distance road cycling sportives. We have learned our training methods through many hours and days riding on training camps with some of the world's top bike-riders. Here is a brief summary of some of the points about Rest that we feel really matter. It's important to keep a training and eating diary too, for each day's activity and calorie consumption. But only track your weight once each week. We suggest that you do this on Monday mornings, Then, if you feel that you are behind on your weight-loss goals, you can normally put in a really strong Sunday training session. But then be really careful with your Sunday lunch and tea-time food consumption and calories!

Try to Rest every third day

The more you train or race as an athlete or cyclist, then the more important this rule is. Do not push yourself and overtrain. It can set your form and fitness back for quite a few weeks. Only the pros and Olympic Squad Members can ride every day at full tempo. But they have to, in order to be conditioned for doing their job, including a season of three possible European three week stage races. And the pros can often grab 14 hours of sleep on some days, to support their body's recovery process. Your body will need to recover from training without such a sleep luxury. In fact the less fit that you are, then the more this rule of Rest should apply. And then, getting on the bike again after a rest day will feel fantastic!

Do not train when you feel hungry or unwell

Either will drain you and you will do your body more harm than good. After eating good carbs more than one hour before, you can train for 90 minutes without re-fuelling your muscles with some more glycogen. Never feel that it is making you stronger by 'running on empty'. You can deplete muscle strength and it ruins your body's fat burning capabilities. If you ever feel at all unwell, pushing your heart rate can be extremely dangerous. So just treat it as a rest day. Never feel guilty about interrupting any training regime if you feel any symptoms of flu, nausea, or any other illness. And if you are on any painkillers, do not train until 24 hours after a course is completed. Again, just treat it as rest and then feel refreshed and ready when you can get back out on your bike or go running.

Train on alternate days for either leg rides, tempo and intervals

Variety really is the spice of elite cycling or athletic life! Unless you have the free time to train twice a day (and then get the requisite rest), try to get your body used to race conditions. So, for an average sportive or club rider, two example week's' cycling training would be:

Week One

Monday. Rest

Tuesday. 60km tempo ride

Wednesday. One-hour sprint intervals

Thursday. Rest Day

Friday. 80 km easy ride

Saturday. 80 km tempo ride

Sunday. Rest

Week No. Two

Monday. One hour intervals

Tuesday. 100km easy ride

Wednesday. Rest & relax

Thursday. 60km tempo pace

Friday. One-hour high cardio intervals

Saturday. Rest Day

Sunday. 120km easy ride

For an average standard racing cyclist during the season, we recommend as much racing as possible to achieve real leg speed. It beats lonely painful intervals every time, when you are pumped up with adrenaline during competition. However an elite rider or athlete will need easy days too, training one day for 4-6 hours midweek, between weekend races. Check with your club coach or more senior riders in your own training groups. Just remember to follow the rule to rest. Enjoy that day off and you will relish the next day on the bike even more! We hope these Elite Fitness Training Tips have given you some insights on achieving more through your training.