Training schedule
Keep this to about 45–60 min. Warm up 6–8 min easy cardio. Use one quick ramp-up set for leg press and incline press, then move efficiently. Target RPE 7 on most work sets with 2–3 reps in reserve. The goal is to re-engage all major patterns without creating excessive soreness after the work-travel break.
Updated: Increase the 3 × 4 min quality block from upper Zone 3 to controlled Zone 4/threshold with explicit HR guidance.
Total 55–70 min. Warm up 10 min easy. Then 30–40 min steady Zone 2 at conversational effort, roughly 135–150 bpm based on recent rides. Follow with 3 × 4 min controlled Zone 4 / threshold at RPE 7–8. Let heart rate rise naturally rather than forcing it early: aim to be around 160–165 bpm by the middle of each rep and roughly 165–170 bpm toward the end; brief touches above 170 are fine if the effort remains controlled and repeatable. Recover 2–3 min very easy between reps, then cool down 5–10 min. Indoor bike preferred for cycling specificity; rower acceptable. If legs are notably sore from Oct 1 strength, skip the threshold reps and do 50–60 min easy Zone 2 only.
Warm up 8–10 min. This is the fuller strength day after the travel break. Keep compounds at RPE 7–8 and accessories at RPE 7–8; no failure. If Thursday felt unexpectedly hard, stay at the low end of all load ranges.
Yesterday was a full-body hypertrophy session, so today builds aerobic volume without repeating heavy lifting. Do 50–60 min easy aerobic work (indoor bike preferred; rower or incline treadmill fine) at RPE 4–5, conversational throughout. Aim roughly 135–145 bpm; brief drift toward 150 is fine, but do not turn this into tempo. Then complete the direct-ab block below with controlled reps.
Warm up 8–10 min. This is a progression from Oct 1 and Sep 25. Use the top of a load range only if the first work set is no more than RPE 7 with clean form. Keep 1–3 reps in reserve; no grinders.
60–75 min steady Zone 2. Indoor bike is preferred for cycling specificity, but rower or incline treadmill are fine. Keep RPE 4–5 and conversational; roughly 135–145 bpm is the main target. No tempo or threshold work today.
Warm up 8–10 min. Progress reps first on movements that were already RPE 8 at the prior load. Push-ups are included for variety and additional chest/triceps volume without another machine isolation movement. Keep most work at RPE 7–8.
30–45 min very easy cardio at RPE 3–4, then a short core/mobility block. This is the only Pallof exposure of the week, deliberately lighter and lower-volume than recent plans.
Repeat a proven threshold structure as the week's single hard cardio session. Warm up 12–15 min. Then 4 × 6 min at RPE 7–8 with 3 min very easy between. Let HR rise naturally; aim roughly 165–172 bpm toward the latter half of each rep, with brief touches a bit higher acceptable if all four reps remain repeatable. Cool down 10–15 min. Total about 65–75 min.
Third strength session of the week. This session adds assisted dips for pressing variety and keeps lower-body volume moderate after Friday's threshold work. Choose dip assistance that allows smooth sets with 2–3 reps in reserve. Keep curls at the current load rather than progressing; 22.5 lb has already reached RPE 8–9.