Weekly training volume planner

A good training block raises weekly hours gradually, drops them every third or fourth week so you absorb the work, and tapers before the event. Enter your weeks to go, current weekly hours and the most you can train, and the planner lays out every week with its phase and intensity focus.

Calculator

Sport

Plan length

Weeks to go

weeks

Hours you train now, per week

Most hours you can train in a week

Recovery week

The right ratio depends on you (what you can handle) and your plan type: steady maintenance or easy base needs fewer true recovery weeks, so 4:1 can work well there.

12-week cycling plan: 6 h → peak 10 h, 86.25 h in total.

6.5

4.5

7.5

8.25

8.75

5.75

9.5

7.5

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BaseBuildPeakRecoveryTaper

Week	Phase	Hours	Focus
1	Base	6 h	85 % easy, 15 % hard
2	Base	6.5 h	85 % easy, 15 % hard
3	Base	7 h	85 % easy, 15 % hard
4	Recovery	4.5 h	95 % easy, 5 % hard
5	Base	7.5 h	85 % easy, 15 % hard
6	Build	8.25 h	80 % easy, 20 % hard
7	Build	8.75 h	80 % easy, 20 % hard
8	Recovery	5.75 h	95 % easy, 5 % hard
9	Peak	9.5 h	80 % easy, 20 % hard
10	Peak	10 h	80 % easy, 20 % hard
11	Taper	7.5 h	85 % easy, 15 % hard
12	Taper	5 h	85 % easy, 15 % hard

Loading weeks grow about 8 % per week up to your maximum; recovery weeks are about 65 % of the week before; taper is 75 % then 50 % of peak (2 weeks) or 55 % (1 week).

How the planner builds your weeks

A good block of training does three things: it adds load gradually, it gives your body regular chances to absorb that load, and it arrives at the event fresh. The planner turns those three principles into a week-by-week plan of hours. It is part of the free LeCoach cycling calculators.

The rules it uses:

Start where you are. Week 1 is your current weekly volume. Jumping straight to a higher number is the most common cause of early-block fatigue.
Grow about 8 % per loading week, up to the maximum you said you can train.
Recovery week every 3rd or 4th week, at about 65 % of the week before. You get fitter during recovery, not during the hard weeks themselves.
Phases follow the calendar. Roughly the first half of the loading weeks is base, the next third is build, and the last loading weeks before the taper are peak.
Taper before the event. With 10 weeks or more, two taper weeks at about 75 % and then 50 % of peak volume. With fewer weeks, one taper week at about 55 %.

Worked example. You have 12 weeks to your event, train 6 hours now and can do up to 10. With a recovery week every fourth week, the plan runs: 6, 6.5, 7, then 4.5 (recovery), 7.5, 8.25, 8.75, then 5.75 (recovery), 9.5, 10, and a taper of 7.5 and 5 hours. That is 86.25 hours in total, peaking at 10 hours in week 10.

What each phase is for

Phase	Goal	Easy / hard split
Base	Aerobic engine, durability, consistency	85 % easy, 15 % hard
Build	Raise threshold and VO2max	80 % easy, 20 % hard
Peak	Make fitness race-specific	80 % easy, 20 % hard, quality over quantity
Recovery	Absorb the work	95 % easy, 5 % hard
Taper	Arrive fresh	85 % easy, 15 % hard, keep a few short race-pace efforts to stay sharp

Volume and intensity are two sides of one load. As intensity rises in the build phase, total hours often stay flat or rise more slowly. If your available hours are small, intensity carries more of the training effect, which is the idea behind time-crunched cycling training.

4:1, 3:1 or 2:1?

The right ratio depends on you (what you can actually absorb and bounce back from) and on the type of plan: steady maintenance riding or an easy base phase needs fewer true recovery weeks than a hard build, because there is less to recover from in the first place.

Most riders do well with three loading weeks and one recovery week (3:1). Consider 4:1 for steady maintenance blocks or an easy base phase, where the weeks are not that taxing to begin with. Choose 2:1 if any of these apply:

You are over about 50 and notice you need more time to bounce back.
You are new to structured training.
Work, family or sleep put a lot of stress on your week.
Your HRV and resting heart rate tend to drift in the third loading week.

There is nothing weak about 2:1. Training that you absorb beats training you merely survive.

Want this worked out for you every day? LeCoach builds your training around your own numbers.

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How much volume do you need?

That depends on your event and your history more than on any rule. Rough guidance for cyclists:

Goal	Typical peak weekly hours
Fitness, first sportive up to 100 km	4–6
Gran fondo or century	6–10
Amateur road racing	8–14
Long-distance and ultra events	10–18

Runners usually train fewer hours for the same level of event, because running carries more impact. Triathletes split their hours across three sports, so the total is higher than for one sport.

More is not always better. If your available maximum is more than about 80 % above what you do now, consider capping the plan lower this time and raising it next block. The TSS calculator helps you check whether the load inside those hours is realistic.

Common mistakes

Starting at the target volume. Ease in; the first two weeks set the tone for the block.
Skipping recovery weeks because you feel fine. Fatigue shows up late. Take the week and you will start the next block stronger.
Using hours as the only measure. Six hard hours and six easy hours are completely different weeks.
Cramming missed hours into the next week. If you miss a week through illness or work, do not double up. Continue from where your body is.
Tapering too much. Cutting volume is good; cutting all intensity leaves you flat. Keep short, sharp efforts in race week.

When the plan should change

Illness: stop, recover, then restart at about the volume of your last recovery week. Read training after illness or time off.
A run of poor sleep or high life stress: swap a loading week for a recovery week. The plan bends; it should not break.
Feeling flat for more than a week: that is a sign to recover, not to push harder. Our guide to fatigue management helps you tell normal fatigue from overreaching.
A B-race in the middle of the block: treat the week of the race as a mini taper.

The planner gives you the shape. Turning those hours into the right workouts on the right days, and adjusting them when life gets in the way, is the job of a training plan. See our guides on periodization and base, build, peak, taper, or browse the cycling training plans.

LeCoach builds that plan for you: it takes your goal, event date and the hours you have, writes every workout, and suggests changes with a reason when your activities or recovery data say the plan no longer fits.

Sources

Bompa TO, Buzzichelli C. Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training, 6th edition. Human Kinetics, 2018.
Mujika I, Padilla S. Scientific bases for precompetition tapering strategies. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2003;35(7):1182-1187.
Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2010;5(3):276-291.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours a week should I train for cycling?

For general fitness or a first sportive, 4 to 6 hours a week is enough. Gran fondo riders usually peak at 6 to 10 hours, amateur road racers at 8 to 14. What matters most is a volume you can repeat week after week, not the highest number you can manage once.

How much should I increase my training volume each week?

About 5 to 10 % per loading week is a common, sustainable range. The planner uses 8 %. Bigger jumps are possible from a low base, but they raise the risk of fatigue and injury, especially for runners.

How often should I take a recovery week?

Every fourth week (3:1) suits most riders. Every third week (2:1) suits masters athletes, beginners and anyone under high life stress. A recovery week at roughly 60 to 70 % of normal volume, mostly easy, is enough.

How long should my taper be?

For most cycling events, 7 to 14 days. Reduce volume by about 40 to 60 % over that period but keep some short, race-pace efforts so you stay sharp. Longer, more important events justify the longer taper.

What is the difference between base, build and peak?

Base builds your aerobic engine with mostly easy riding. Build adds threshold and VO2max work to raise your top-end fitness. Peak turns that fitness into race-specific readiness with efforts that look like your event.

Can I use this planner for running or triathlon?

Yes. The principles of gradual growth, recovery weeks and taper are the same. Runners should be more careful with growth because of impact, and triathletes should apply the plan to their total hours across swimming, cycling and running.

What if my event is less than 8 weeks away?

You can still build useful fitness, but expect to sharpen what you have more than to build something new. Keep the growth modest and make sure the taper is not skipped.