Like the market, the body moves in seasons. Winter is accumulation: build quietly, take profits on schedule, never let the position get over levered.
A 13-week plan, solstice to equinox. Three build blocks, each made of 3 build weeks plus 1 active rest week, then a test-and-transition week heading into spring. It lines up with the TrainerRoad base-to-build ramp for the Grand Du Nord 55mi gravel A race (May 30, 2027).
"Rest is not the absence of training. It's the part where training turns into results."
Why active rest weeks are written in
Last week TrainerRoad flagged my load as very high, and I skipped rest days to get there. That's leverage without a stoploss. This cycle takes the rest weeks off the "if I feel like it" list. They're in the plan, they're on the calendar, and they're not up for negotiation.
The Calendar
Block 1: Accumulate (Weeks 1–3, Dec 21 – Jan 10): Volume, tempo, movement quality
Active Rest (Weeks 4, Jan 11 – Jan 17): Deload, mobility, Z2 only
Block 2: Intensify (Weeks 5–7, Jan 18 – Feb 7): Heavier pyramids, fewer reps
Active Rest (Weeks 8, Feb 8 – Feb 14): Deload, mobility, Z2 only
Block 3: Peak (Weeks 9–11, Feb 15 – Mar 7): Top-end strength, crisp singles
Active Rest (Weeks 12, Mar 8 – Mar 14): Deload, mobility, Z2 only
Test + Transition (Weeks 13, Mar 15 – Mar 20): Rep-max tests, FTP ramp test, spring plan
Weekly Framework
Every day: 4:00 AM Breathwork · 4:15–5:00 AM Yin Yoga
Monday: 6:00 AM Spin (hard: intervals) · 10:45 AM–12:30 PM Weightroom, Hypertrophy Push
Tuesday: 5:30–7:30 AM, 15 min treadmill warm-up + Weightroom, Strength Pull · 4:00–9:00 PM Skiing
Wednesday: 5:30–7:30 AM, 15 min treadmill warm-up + Weightroom, Legs & Core Power
Thursday: 5:30–7:30 AM, 15 min treadmill warm-up + Weightroom, Strength Push · 4:00–9:00 PM Skiing
Friday: 6:00 AM Spin (endurance/tempo only, since legs are tomorrow) · 10:45 AM–12:30 PM Weightroom, Hypertrophy Pull
Saturday: Legs & Core Volume · Skiing or Hiking (alternates with Sunday)
Sunday: Hiking or Skiing (the opposite of Saturday) · Sauna + Breathwork
Bike rule: the only hard ride is Monday, 48 hours before Wednesday legs. Friday stays aerobic because Saturday is a leg day. Runs are easy Z2 on Tue/Thu, and none the day before squats or deadlifts.
The Split
Monday: Hypertrophy Push
6:00 AM: Spin, TrainerRoad intervals (sweet spot → threshold as base turns into build)
10:45 AM–12:30 PM: Weightroom
Incline DB Press — 4×8-10
Machine Shoulder Press — 4×10-12
Chest Flys — 3×12-15
Rope Triceps Extensions — 3×12-15
Rear Delt Flys — 3×12-15
Tuesday: Strength Pull
Deadlift — main lift (see pyramid)
Weighted Pull-Ups — 4×6-8
Bent-Over Rows — 3×8-10
Face Pulls — 3×12-15
Biceps Curls — 3×12-15
Seated DB Shrugs — 3×12
Wednesday: Legs & Core (Power)
Back Squat — main lift (see pyramid)
Romanian Deadlift — 3×8-10
Leg Press — 3×12
Hanging Leg Raises — 3×12-15
Plank — 3×45 sec
Thursday: Strength Push
Bench Press — main lift (see pyramid)
Overhead Press — main lift (see pyramid)
Weighted Dips — 3×6-8
Skull Crushers — 3×8-12
Lateral Raises — 3×12-15
Friday: Hypertrophy Pull
6:00 AM: Spin, Z2 endurance or low tempo. No VO2 work.
10:45 AM–12:30 PM: Weightroom
Lat Pulldown — 4×10-12
Seated Cable Row — 3×10-12
Hammer Curls — 3×12-15
Face Pulls — 3×12-15
Reverse Biceps Curls — 3×12-15
Saturday: Legs & Core (Volume)
Bulgarian Split Squats — 3×10-12/leg
Seated Calf Raises — 4×12-15
Hamstring Curls — 3×12-15
Decline Sit-Ups — 3×12-15
Hanging Knee Raises — 3×12-15
Sunday: Endurance + Reset
Skiing or hiking (alternates with Saturday)
Sauna + breathwork, PM
The Pyramids: Main Lifts
Applies to Deadlift (Tue), Squat (Wed), Bench and OHP (Thu). Percentages are of a working 1RM; set it from a recent 5RM (5RM ÷ 0.87). Hypertrophy accessories go up by double progression: add reps until you hit the top of the range, then add weight.
Block 1: Accumulate (Dec 21 – Jan 10)
Week 1: 4×6 @ 70% · RPE 6-7 · tempo 3-0-1
Week 2: 5×5 @ 75% · RPE 7
Week 3: Ascending pyramid 8 / 6 / 5 / 4 @ 67 / 72 / 77 / 82% · last set RPE 8
Accessories: start at the bottom of each rep range and add 1 rep a set each week.
Week 4: Active Rest (Jan 11 – Jan 17)
Block 2: Intensify (Jan 18 – Feb 7)
Week 5: 5×5 @ 77.5% · RPE 7-8
Week 6: Pyramid 5 / 4 / 3 / 3 @ 75 / 80 / 85 / 87.5%, then 1 back-off set ×5 @ 75%
Week 7: Pyramid 5 / 3 / 2 / 2 @ 77.5 / 85 / 88 / 90%, then 2 back-off sets ×4 @ 77.5%
Accessories: add 2.5–5 lb wherever last block's top reps came clean. Finish Mon and Fri with a 3-move pump circuit, 15–20 reps, 30 s rest.
Week 8: Active Rest (Feb 8 – Feb 14)
Block 3: Peak (Feb 15 – Mar 7)
Week 9: 4×4 @ 82.5% · RPE 8
Week 10: Full pyramid 5 / 3 / 1 / 3 / 5 @ 78 / 86 / 92 / 86 / 78%
Week 11: Work up to a heavy single at RPE 8.5–9 (~93–95%), then 3×3 @ 85%
Accessories: hold the loads, trim one set from each isolation move to make room for the heavy work. Before squat and deadlift days, 2 sets of box jumps or med-ball slams to prime the nervous system.
Week 12: Active Rest (Mar 8 – Mar 14)
Week 13: Test + Transition (Mar 15 – Mar 20)
Mon or Tue: TrainerRoad ramp test, then set a new FTP
Tue/Wed/Thu: 3–5RM test on Deadlift, Squat, Bench, OHP (no failed reps, stop at a clean RPE 9)
Review the log, set the spring split around the equinox
What an Active Rest Week Looks Like
Not a week off. It's how fatigue gets cleared and the gains get kept.
Main lifts: 3×5 @ 55–60%, crisp bar speed, nothing grinding
Accessories: 2 sets instead of 3–4, about 50% lighter, stop 4+ reps short of failure
Gym days: cut to 4 (Mon Push · Tue Pull · Thu Push/Pull combo · Sat Legs, light)
Bike: Z2 only, 2–3 rides, 45–75 min. Line it up with the TrainerRoad recovery week (move the plan's recovery week to match if it lands off).
Runs: easy walks are fine, skip runs or keep them short
Mobility: longer Yin (30–45 min), hips, T-spine, ankles
Recovery: extra sauna session, 8+ hours of sleep, soft-tissue work, nasal breathing on every walk
Mind: review the block like a trading journal. What worked, what leaked, what's next.
"Take profits on schedule. The market rewards discipline, not bravado."
Programming Notes
Progression curve: build · build · build · rest. ×3, then test.
Bike alignment: TrainerRoad base moves into build through Feb–Mar. Hard intervals only on Monday. Friday stays endurance. Sunday is the long Z2 day. Leg days (Wed and Sat) always come at least 24 h after intensity, and more is better.
Load check: if TrainerRoad shows training load as very high, or resting HR is up 5+ bpm, or sleep goes sideways for 2 nights, drop that day's main lift to the active rest prescription. Respect the stop-loss.
Nutrition:
Lifting days: small surplus (+200 kcal). Eat at maintenance during active rest weeks.
Protein: 1 g per lb of bodyweight, ~175 g/day
Carbs before spin and after lifting
Electrolytes + magnesium daily
Recovery protocol: finish every session with 3–5 min of nasal breathing or a 1-min cold rinse.
LIVE FEARLESS, NOT RECKLESS.
J.F.D.I.