Why I Don’t Always Recommend “Pushing a Workout to Saturday”
Every coach knows the dance: you're tired, life’s been hectic, and that workout on the calendar just doesn’t feel possible. A client recently messaged me saying they were fatigued and getting over a cold after a VO₂ max workout on Tuesday, and wanted to push their Wednesday threshold (Building Fatigue Resistance) session to Saturday. On the surface, it makes sense… Shift things around, make room, stay on track.
But here’s the catch: not every workout is interchangeable, and pushing one workout down the road can throw the whole cycle off balance.
The Purpose Behind the Placement
That threshold or tempo session wasn’t randomly assigned. It was there to build fatigue resistance by stacking it after a hard VO₂ day. It wasn’t about hitting fresh power numbers. It was about learning to stay steady, composed, and strong when tired. That kind of durability is key for athletes targeting long events or multi-day demands.
When we move that session to Saturday —after a rest day on Friday— it’s no longer a fatigue resistance builder. It becomes the second intensity of the week. Then Sunday hits. You head into your hard group ride already spent. You’re frustrated. You’re trying to hang on when you should be thriving. You’re not building… You’re surviving.
When to Skip, When to Shift, When to Stay the Course
✅ Skip the workout if you're feeling truly fatigued or run down. Your body’s telling you something - and - rest is a better adaptation tool than grinding through.
🚫 Don’t just push it to the next open day if it throws off the intent or structure of the week. Recovery days, intensity balance, and fatigue stacking all matter.
🔁 Move with intention, not intensity. An endurance ride, openers, or skills session can often replace intensity when your tank is low. You’re still progressing, but without digging a hole.
The Cost of Constantly Re-shuffling
Here’s what often happens with “just moving one thing”:
Saturday: Now you're doing threshold intensity fresh
Sunday: You go into a hard ride already depleted
Monday: You’re wiped—maybe skip your recovery or ride too easy
Tuesday: VO₂ max is back, and you’re still behind on recovery
Wednesday: Building Fatigue Resistance again…
Thursday: You might be ready… or still dragging
And now? You’ve lost the rhythm of the week.
That “small” pivot on Tuesday created a ripple that impacted 5–6 days of training. It’s not about discipline. It’s about preserving the purpose behind the plan.
The Power of Deleting a Workout
Sometimes the most supportive move isn’t rescheduling. It’s letting go.
If you're tempted to push a missed workout forward, ask yourself: Is this helping me progress, or is it just lingering stress on my calendar?
Leaving it there can be like hitting snooze on an alarm… Tempting in the moment, but it often leads to more anxiety, more disruption, and less rest in the long run.
Deleting the session is not failure.
It’s a conscious decision to move forward with clarity and purpose.
You’re not erasing your progress… You’re protecting it.
When It Does Make Sense to Move a Workout
There are absolutely times when shifting things around is smart—especially if it preserves the integrity of the training week.
Here’s when I might recommend moving a session:
✅ Life logistics require it. You’re traveling and can’t ride? Moving a session up a day, with proper recovery on the backend, is fine.
✅ You’re not sick or overly fatigued—just had a rough day. If shifting a workout by 24 hours still allows for solid recovery before the next key effort, it can work.
✅ Swapping intensity types. Moving an endurance ride up or pivoting from intensity to aerobic work can help you stay consistent when life throws curveballs.
✅ There’s a higher-value opportunity. Swapping a solo interval ride for a group ride with matched intensity or terrain? Great—if it serves the same purpose.
✅ You’re in a flexible or non-peak block. Base or general prep phases allow for more flexibility without compromising adaptation.
The key is: Don’t chase missed workouts. Protect the training rhythm.
When in doubt, ask:
Does this change support my progress, or am I just trying to catch up emotionally?
Final Thoughts
Training is a long game. Every missed workout doesn’t need to be made up. Every decision though, should be made with intention.
So the next time you’re tempted to move a workout, take a breath and ask:
What was the purpose of this session?
Will moving it help me or just prolong the fatigue?
Would skipping it entirely actually serve me better?
Move forward. Stay flexible. And trust the rhythm that builds real results.
