Heavy legs after 2 rest days

by Marco
(Leiden (NL))

Heavy legs after two days rest :

"Hello Marius,

I want to share with you this my strange feeling.

I'm following the 3.30h plan, but it is a generic situation I alwyas had with any plans I followed.

After the week-end and in general after 2 rest days, the first weekly session (easy runs or hard runs don't matter) is a pain...I feel my legs heavy and contracted...and it doesn't matter at which point of the training I am (beginning or middle or close to the marathon day) either.

is there any explanation? Do you have suggestion?

Thanks

Marco"

Answer: Hi Marco, and thanks for your question.

This is quite normal - and my own experience as well. It has to do with the elastic properties in the muscles, which are highly dynamic and with total rest ; the elasticity in the muscles tend to go down (which is why many that have overtrained do not get better with total rest, they need a dynamic training program with short, varied sessions to get out of it)

Point is : the central system (nervous system, metabolic system, enzymes etc.) does well with a couple of days rest, while the muscles like a little bit of movement. So those two days in a row help your "central" system rest a little bit but you have to accept a little heavier legs after that. It is what you have to "pay" for that.

If it gets too bad, jog 10-20 minutes on one of the two rest days, just to keep the muscles going a little bit.

I wish you all the best,

kind regards,
Marius