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.
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.
ZZZs = Watts: Assessing and Improving Sleep for Peak Performance
You train hard. You eat well. But if you're not sleeping deeply and consistently, you're leaving watts on the table. Sleep isn’t just “recovery”—it’s a performance enhancer, hormone regulator, injury-preventer, and your most underutilized training tool.
The Caffeine Cycle and Endurance Sport Performance
Caffeine is one of the most widely used (and often misunderstood) performance tools in endurance sport. While it can give you a mental and physical edge, using it without intention can quickly backfire—especially when it starts interfering with sleep, recovery, and your body's natural rhythms. Here's what you need to know to use caffeine wisely.