Deload Week vs. Recovery Week: What’s the Difference, and When to Use Each
Not all down weeks are created equal. In this post, we break down the key differences between a deload week and a recovery week, when to use each, and how they impact your performance, recovery, and long-term gains as an endurance athlete.
The Science of Naps for Endurance Athletes
Let’s be honest—most of us aren’t getting a perfect 8+ hours of sleep every night. Between early rides, busy schedules, stress, and everyday life, full recovery is often the first thing to go.
But here’s the good news: naps aren’t lazy—they’re a powerful, science-backed tool that can boost your endurance, accelerate recovery, and sharpen your mental edge.
Small Effort, Big Payoff: Why 10-Second Sprints Are a Game-Changer
At Mach1 Performance, every detail in your training plan serves a purpose—including those all-out 10-second efforts sprinkled into your endurance sessions.
These aren’t just for fun. They’re Sprint Interval Training (SIT)—brief, max-effort sprints that deliver huge physiological returns with minimal time investment and almost zero recovery cost.
Why Training Smarter (Not Harder) Wins in the Long Run
By Roston Nordell, Mach1 Performance Devo Rider & Intern
“More pain, more gain” is the mindset fueling countless amateur and recreational athletes. But that mentality isn’t just unsustainable—it’s flat-out wrong.
Chasing fatigue isn’t a performance strategy. It’s a fast track to burnout. Real, lasting progress happens when you apply the right kind of stress, at the right time, with just enough recovery to adapt and grow.
Your Competitors Are Suffering in the Heat—You Won’t Be
Heat is one of the most underestimated forces in endurance racing. But it’s not just a challenge—it’s a performance opportunity. The difference? Whether or not you trained for it.
At Mach1 Performance, we help athletes turn heat into an edge. Here’s how.
Overtraining vs. Under-Recovery: Know the Signs Before You Burn Out
It sounds counterintuitive—but if you’re always training fast, you may actually be holding yourself back.
One of the most common mistakes cyclists make is going too hard on their easy days and not hard enough on their key workouts. At Mach1 Performance, we call it what it is: gray-zone purgatory.
So, what’s the fix? Strategic, consistent, low-intensity riding—also known as Zone 2 training.
Is Riding Slow the Secret to Getting Fast?
It sounds counterintuitive—but if you’re always training fast, you may actually be holding yourself back.
One of the most common mistakes cyclists make is going too hard on their easy days and not hard enough on their key workouts. At Mach1 Performance, we call it what it is: gray-zone purgatory.
So, what’s the fix? Strategic, consistent, low-intensity riding—also known as Zone 2 training.