Answer: The High-Volume Sweet Spot Base plan has a very specific training load, in both volume and intensity. This allows for a very high TSS relative to all other training plans. This high training stress score does not translate directly to other plans, including those in the Build Phase. High-Volume Sweet Spot Base is in…
Answer: The emphasis is no longer placed on growing fitness like it was during the Base and Build phases; rather, the focus of the Specialty phase is placed on event specificity. A reduced TSS allows flexibility for weekly racing opportunities during the final phase before your key event. The Importance of Dropping TSS as You…
Answer: FTP increases and applying different forms of training stress require small planned decreases in TSS to maximize training benefits. Reduce TSS Between Training Phases to Get Faster Within a progressively structured training plan, each new week sees a slight increase in the overall amount of stress (TSS), while each workout sees a similar bump…
Answer: For most athletes, no. Depending on the familiarity and experience with an FTP value, athletes can realistically sustain the power level of FTP in a range from about 40-70 minutes. ** Our default testing format to estimate an athlete’s FTP was changed to the TrainerRoad Ramp Test since this post was published Why Your…
Working hard will only get you so far. There comes a point when you need to strategically plan how to best use your hard work to maximize fitness gains — that’s what training smarter is all about. By exploring our training plan process, we aim to clarify the purpose of each training block you’ll work…
Following the release of our triathlon-specific Base plans, our new triathlon Build training plans will focus on raising your threshold on the bike, in the swim and in the run. Overview Our new triathlon-specific training plans have been designed for multisport athletes from the ground up. Not only do the on-the-bike workouts take into consideration the…
Every cyclist will miss prescribed workouts in their training plan at some point, but it’s not the end of the world. The key is knowing how to adjust your training plan to keep your training on track. Training Interruptions Whether you’ve become sick or found yourself on vacation during the middle of a training plan, it’s…
Once a novice to endurance sports, Daniel Clarke worked hard and trained smart. The culmination of all his efforts paid off this past July when he won his age group at Ironman Canada. For a guy who had a humble start to his triathlon career — he finished second to last overall in his first…
Fall is here. This is the time of year when most cyclists start their base training. For many riders, this means ramping up their training volume to get in as many miles each week as possible. As well intentioned as this type of training is, it’s not the most effective way to train. If you want…
TrainerRoad’s Ask a Cycling Coach podcast gives you the chance to get answers to your cycling and triathlon training questions with USAC certified coaches Chad Timmerman, Jonathan Lee and special guests. Check out a few questions we answered in our latest episode with special guest and TrainerRoad CEO, Nate Pearson. Listen to the Full Episode How do I become…