Full Capacity
The last two days has provided an opportunity to for some good training and I think the travelling final caught up with me yesterday. Over the years I have learnt to listen to my body and well when I jumped on the bike yesterday I thought it would be a long session but due to the fatigue I felt I only rode 40km. It was cold and I decided to turn early and head home. I didn’t see it a bad thing, actually I thought hitting the wall a little was a good thing. Between the training and travel lately I was on the limit. So after the ride in the evening I jumped on the ergo and did a power session I was surprised by the output. Within one day I was thinking that I was at full capacity and within an hour I was digging deep to produce maximal efforts although be it short. It is a session I enjoy with 2min max pressure at rate 20.
It is amazing to put everything into a single stroke. So when I refer to full capacity I know it can relate to fatigue but on this occasion it was about maximum force. It was as if I was producing peak force every stroke and what becomes noticeable is when I cam off the boil just slightly. The difference between sitting on 1.34 and 1.35 is so fine and yet full capacity is in reality maybe not sustainable. So what I was playing with was going to full capacity and then staying aware of how I was producing that force. Relaxation and breathing were key and speed of movement was critical. Once I started to find I began working hard it was like being presented with a choice. A fork in the road, with one option being to muscle it and try to work harder and harder or the other was to relax into it and trust that by keeping the intention of speed, relaxation and by using a strong breathing rhythm. Well a couple of times I went down the path to option one and a few times down the path to option two. The result was clear to sustain the output and ease of drive was actually possible with the later.
So stepping up to full capacity is one element in the equation to optimal performance, the other being the ability to sustain the intensity. It was a great little test and I will keep in mind during our preparation for the Worlds this year.
It is amazing to put everything into a single stroke. So when I refer to full capacity I know it can relate to fatigue but on this occasion it was about maximum force. It was as if I was producing peak force every stroke and what becomes noticeable is when I cam off the boil just slightly. The difference between sitting on 1.34 and 1.35 is so fine and yet full capacity is in reality maybe not sustainable. So what I was playing with was going to full capacity and then staying aware of how I was producing that force. Relaxation and breathing were key and speed of movement was critical. Once I started to find I began working hard it was like being presented with a choice. A fork in the road, with one option being to muscle it and try to work harder and harder or the other was to relax into it and trust that by keeping the intention of speed, relaxation and by using a strong breathing rhythm. Well a couple of times I went down the path to option one and a few times down the path to option two. The result was clear to sustain the output and ease of drive was actually possible with the later.
So stepping up to full capacity is one element in the equation to optimal performance, the other being the ability to sustain the intensity. It was a great little test and I will keep in mind during our preparation for the Worlds this year.
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