Optimal Volume

Scott and I were out riding yesterday and I took the opportunity to run him through a summary of my Big Day piece over the weekend, and the following discussions that we had. He had some interesting ideas -- here is what I heard...

1. The goal should be optimal volume, not simply, more and more volume.

2. Take a guy like Lance, he wants to make sure that he is getting enough but at his level, the risk from getting too much could be illness. Like all of us, he's constantly searching for the optimal mix. NOTE -- this relates to something that I learned from swim coaches, the optimal training plan for an athlete will change every season. Also, Joe likes to say that the 'easiest' year for a coach is the first season -- nearly every athlete will improve with a structured program and appropriate rest. The best coaches are the ones that figure out how to get their crew to improve every season.

3. He smiled when I reminded him about the 35 hr week that we built, when I told him about my thoughts on 35+ perhaps causing me to shed steady in favour of easy // that's when he came up with the phrase optimal volume. During Epic, I tend to go over 35 and we both agree that Epic is very specific, very appropriate training for me. So perhaps, my comment about 35 was premature -- 35 is simply my personal optimal volume, for now. At this stage, I find that it is a nice level of base training volume for me. Still, if I am on a three week cycle then I could probably do something like 40/35/25 and be feeling pretty reasonable. The 35 would result from a total rest day as I hit the wall for 24 hrs following the 40 week -- ultraman 2003 experience.

Cheers,
gordo

Question:
Would a three week cycle of 40/35/25 then followed by a recovery week? Joe recommends in his book the reverse, to use your example, 25/35/40 then a recovery week. I like to go two weeks about the same, then a bigger week, then recovery. Or, would I be better off going something like 20/20/20 then recovery week? Thoughts?
    -- Mac

Answer:
Good question -- First a thought...

If you have a read through my posts on the Big Day thread, you will find one where I talk, indirectly, about my optimal volume over the years -- look for the one talking about my volume limits over time.

So a lower volume can be just as optimal as a higher volume. An average of 25 would be too low for me in 2003 -- back in 2000 it was far too high.

So don't focus on the exact numbers I am about to use...
40 -- just under six per day average
35 -- one total day off, just under six per day average
25 -- three easy days (@3 per day), one very easy day (@1), three moderate days (@ 5)

So you see that the main determinant of weekly volume is the number and placement of the easy days, not the overall weekly target. My "on-days" would each have about the same average volume.

So my weeks are the same -- it's simply where my easy days fall that moves the weekly volume numbers. Also, as everyday is Saturday in g-world, my weekly volume masks some cycles that might cross weekends.

A bit of a simplification but my general approach to volume is as outlined in the Four Pillars -- the part about how to build the week. I don't work to a specific target with myself or my crew. It's more about what we can tolerate physically and stay comfortable within the realities of our life goals. Many times, we find that even two hours too much can make a huge difference in the quality of our lives.

Hope this helps,
gordo

Question:
First of all, I just finished your book and I was amazed by the simple and easy ways to improve. I have a much better understanding of the training now, well at least I have the big ideas. Now I have to do my own way and experience, racing, time, patience will lead me to good IM times. I'm planning one day to race Hawaii. With what you have accomplished ,that give us heart to try anyway!

What is the right volume for a guy like me, who has a full time job, no kids, a wife? I know your answer, is what's feel right for me!

In Joe Friel's book, I saw the overall training time in 1 year, but at the same time, I'm planning to really boost on endurance on the bike, so I might drop a bit the volume on my strength, so I'll look for something around 20hrs a week on the Base period more than 50% of the time I'll spend it on the bike, so 20 hrs isn’t so much. How can I find the optimal

Cheers and again Great book!
    -- Mickael

Answer:
It depends. There is no magic number -- build your week like I outline in the Four Pillars. Adjust volume based on what you can handle in your life. For IM Preparation, when you push yourself, best to do so with steady-state endurance rather than intensity.

Good luck,
gordo