"Block Training", "Peaking", "Resting", "Tapering" – These are just a few words that athletes use on a regular basis which describes the way they train. You see, since we're all human; we can't be at 100% race fitness every day for the entire year, and therefore target specific parts of the year where we have race goals and would like to be race fit. So what happens is we tick these events on the calendar and work backwards to make a training schedule leading up to the events.
In a simplified manner, it works as such: We start off by doing long medium tempo rides to build a base fitness, kind of like building the foundations to a house. As we approach our target, we increase the intensity and decrease the length of our sessions, say from 7hours to 2/3hours, and finally a week or so before our goal, we switch off the intensity and let our body recover for the hard stuff, the racing. Once that's over we take a break for a while, recharging until we start the process all over again.
So that's it. In a nutshell. And what I've come to realize in my relatively short time in the working world, is that just like in sport, we can't be 100% work fit every single day of the year. There are months where Obox is flying through projects, leaving work at crazy hours not bothering about anything but the task at hand, but then there are other months where we're struggling for inspiration and grinding aimlessly through work, counting the extra hours like ten year olds at aftercare.
And so comes in my theory; through experience, we (should at least) know which months are our busiest and/or most productive through the year, why aren't we targeting them as goals? Why can't we treat work like athletes treat sport and take it easy through January and February, working regular work hours, building up our integrity and keeping something in reserve; knowing that April is usually a ripper where we'll need to be putting in 12 hour days and giving up our social ambitions?
…Then when we're through the hard work block of March, April and May, restructure for June, July and August with an eye in giving a huge push through the following months until late November where you're winding down and December when people are worn out from a mismanaged year of tough work every single day and don't have the energy to embark on new ventures like starting a new website. By the time the holidays come around, you can kick back and recover for the following year, knowing you've managed a good year and hit your financial targets when it mattered most. Best of all is that by now you're feeling fresh and can enjoy a good festive season, not having burnt yourself out working at 100% effort 24/7/365.
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