How long to rest? It takes at least two weeks, but I certainly wouldn't extend it for more than a month. The longer and more you train, the longer you can and should afford. However, if you drag systematic inactivity for more than 4 weeks, there will be an unnecessarily large drop in performance, which will require a longer and more painful return to original performance. You do not have to worry about any major decline in 2-3 weeks. Especially if you do some physical activity from time to time. Ideally different than the rest of the year. So if you mix swimming, cycling and jogging for most of the year, you can now include something new to change. What's on offer? There are plenty of possibilities, and now is a good time to try something new. If the weather is still good and in the fresh air you are best so it can be inline skating, hiking, rowing, canoeing, trampoline, climbing, tennis, table tennis,… If you pause for winter, use it for skiing, skating sledding, snowshoeing. Just watch cross-country skiing! If you replace your 12 training hours a week by bike, in the swimming pool and marathon runners with 12 hours of intensive cross-country skiing, you have not put any post-season breaks yet! Much more convenient from this point of view will be downhill skiing. Not only will you relax your aerobic system. You may also find that you have muscles on your feet that you haven't had a clue about… If you don't mind doing sports under the roof, then there is a very varied range of other beneficial activities. The larger the city, the more options. Right now is the perfect time to try different forms of strengthening, yoga, pilates, TRX, indoor rowing, squash and other forms of strengthening the neglected parts of the body stabilization system. Do not be afraid to experiment with periods of “your” movements such as spinning, alpining, heat belts,… Maybe you will be so impressed that you will liven up your winter training, when there is little light and warm outside, regularly. Involvement in team games such as football, handball, volleyball, basketball, etc. seems to be perfectly perfect. If you are a member of a running group with similar races, try to arrange a break together and then have fun with the pink ball games. If you catch it and you have a common time and space, then you can then once a week indoor football as an intensive form of cross-country sprints throughout the winter…
A common feature of the activities during this period is that you can leave your upset Garmin at home. It is not necessary to monitor your pace and heart rate and, if so, only for the sake of interest. Just enjoy the movement in the regeneration zone. Discover new possibilities and new tracks for fun. Do not try to replace the usual summer glove with a new glove in a different form… You may be worried that your long-standing stamina will drop during this period. Not! It lasts a long time at a decent level even when resting (illness, injury). What begins to fade relatively quickly is strength and speed. Therefore, at this time you really do not have to force yourself into any longer sporting activities. Just a short one and only occasionally work or speed up to barely gasp. Just a few such moments every few days and your heart and anaerobic system will not fall asleep.
It is this period that is an ideal time to catch up with your precious half, children and friends. The ideal is to fit the break into a family holiday. At this, then devote yourself exclusively to sports with your loved ones, which in most cases will be the desired recreational rate. Do you live alone? Plan a travel experience without remorse that you can't train on board an airplane, train, car or boat. To a certain extent you can also add at work and other hobbies. But in this case, be careful not to replace the existing stress of fitting the training into a tight daily schedule by the stress of completing a demanding work project. Such stresses add up and the main goal of the transition period is to have a good rest and regenerate. Did you plan to go on a long trek in the mountains and didn't work? Does not matter! Now you have mainly to relax and so do not stress. There will be plenty of time to start preparing for the next season. Ideally, however, you will transfer the habit of stressless training to the rest of the year, and your performance will only benefit in the final. Can you miss something? At least his body relaxed and he will enjoy all his training! Given that most triathletes (and marathoners) are chronically overtraining and do not spend enough rest, training for them in the end may actually be a blessing. Mainly the positive effect of this fact not to kill unnecessary stress!
