Intensity and volume reign in the competitive fitness landscape.

While debates go back and forth about which is more effective for adaptation (Hint: It depends), very few people are asking whether they should just stop training when they still have something left in the tank.

In fact, many athletes who we coach often ask if it’s ok that they feel like they could have done more.

In some cases, they want to add in more accessory work. In other cases, they wish they had done more intensity and/or volume in their daily training session.

But, leaving something in the tank is a crucial part of long-term development.

Check out the conversation with Jon, Todd, and Luke to hear how to balance the concepts of “minimum effective dose” and “maximal tolerable dose” in training, when it’s appropriate to do extra work after a session, and when you should empty the tank in training.

Listen Here

Show Notes:

  • [00:13] Am I leaving gains on the table if I feel like I have more in the tank after a session? Pushing too hard on a specific session can limit overall improvement from a training cycle.
  • [07:50] Minimum effective dose vs maximum tolerable dose and how to apply these concepts to specific training sessions
  • [12:58] Achieving the best possible result in a session and getting the best training dose are not the same thing—more advanced athletes can often intuitively find the correct balance here
  • [17:19] Is it ok to add in extra “easy work”—like skill work, easy biking or running, core exercises, etc.
  • [25:08] When is it appropriate to actually push to the limit? What kind of mistakes do athletes make in training sessions that prevent them from finding their actual performance limits?