How does age affect cycling training volume?

Question

Should I alter my training effort due to my level as a senior cyclist?

Answer 1

That’s correct. In older age, one’s post-exercise recovery is prolonged and sleepy, especially after strenuous cycling, there is more tiredness and ache in muscles than earlier. So this does mean that older elite cyclists may sustain lower training volume in order to remain injury free and have adequate recovery.

Comments

I am Re-Learning these principles at age 59, usually by mistakes. One of the challenges is that most of us interpret your body's signals of overtraining as "weakness" and the same grit that helps us compete, takes us to a bad place in training.

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Great content. As an older rider (50) I find a reduced training week every 5-6 weeks before ramping back up again really helps my body recover and consolidate any gains I have made. As most gains are made during recovery reducing milage and intensity every so often helps me maintain my training without succumbing to overtraining. Thanks again for a very informative content.

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Thanks Dillon - although it is depressing to be constantly reminded that not only am I limited due to my genetics but that things are only going down hill each year.... #OldGit

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50 here... I actually love there fact that I know i HAVE to train less to be able to recover better. I used to go hard as hell all the time because I knew there were gains to be made. knowing that if I do that now actually hurts my gains makes it nice to take it easy and know im doing it right.

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All good info.  My old body likes more time for recovery

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Yeah. My bones remind me I need more recovery time than back in my youth.