Base-Base-Base,... or Base-Build-Build-Build....?

Hi,
I have spent around 3 years with Trainerroad following training plans.
My question is, having in mind there is no A events ahead, just to be strong for weekends to destroy my friends :grinning: and be stronger and stronger every week … it’s better to do base, base, base… or build, build, build…?

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Lots of base is better than lots of build. Or alternate between base and build, which is what the plan builder suggests now. Lots of build on top of each other will not be good for you aerobic capacity, which will at some point run you down.

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I’d probably suggest Base> Build> Base> Build.

Establish an aerobic base, then improve your VO2Max with build, then go back and consolidate an higher aerobic base around that improved VO2 capability, etc.

And perhaps consider different flavors of build. eg. Sustained Power Build 1st time round, then Short Power Build next time round. Obviously you need to consider this in context of what type of events you are likely to be targetting when they go ahead.

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If I was forced to choose, Base, base, base, specifically sweet spot base.

That said, as said above, I’d rather do Base, build, base, build :stuck_out_tongue:

Depending on how much time you have, I would try something like: SSB1, SSB2, Build, SSB2, Build, then repeat from SSB1.
SSB2 is essentially a pre-build - the mid volume plan has lots of short above threshold work as well as loads of sweet spot.
If I didn’t have any specific goals I would also vary the build plan - between general, sustained and short power each time, to give yourself a different challenge.

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I have similar question.

I did 12 weeks high volume sweetspot base plan and now doing general build high volume and i do not have following race. So i will go back base again but which base and which volume?

I do not have time problem, so should i follow high volume again? Or this time mid volume (for changing the stress?

Come back base 1 or 2? As i said no time problem. So come back base 1 will be more beneficial? (I gained a lot during 12 weeks base high volume even though i am not new rider 290w to 320w. So i want to keep improving).

base-build-base-build.

If you have lots of time then consider Traditional Base or increasing volume of Sweet Spot Base

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I could do traditional base but i gained a lot in the sweetspot base. To me, doing lots of %88-94 of ftp (sweetspot) increase FTP but on the other hand doing lots of zone 2 do not make the same benefits (maybe i am not right).

That’s what i am asking actually. I improved my ftp about 30watts during base and not i am in the build and hopefully i will improved ftp again. So doing the first base period with this new ftp (30+ before the last sbb 1 hv) will be better than starting directly base2?

Or doing base 1 again, is pointless and should i start base 2 directly?

No back to back build for me.

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:notes:It’s all about the base, the base, the base, no trouble…:musical_note:

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Can you expand on that as the description doesnt mention anything about base being an easy intro to skip if you’re returning from build and all plan builders (when afforded sufficient time) include base 1?

Okay thanks :+1: So the statement qualifier is it being mid season and the lack of full training plan time, which corresponds with plan builder shortening base 1 before the others. But, if you have the time before an event, returning to full base 1 is recommended.

You’re not letting the roof come back down, you’re building another strong foundation for the next roof to be higher. If all you do is raise the roof eventually you run out of foundations.

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I think base 1 is also good as a break after a full base-build-speciality cycle, to take the intensity down a notch and allow for another cycle. If coming directly from build, maybe going into base 2 is fine. Might depend on what the limiters are maybe.

Oddly, I’ve only had my FTP go up from doing Base 1. It’s kind of hard to say where your roof is until you get to the next Anaerobic effort, but I’m not so sure you would see a significant reduction in your roof height that wouldn’t be built back up by Base 2 pretty quickly. I don’t recommend it every time, or perhaps most of the time, but I think going back to Base 1 occassionally can be valuable as @splash says as a break.

Not sure it would come down materially in a single block of sweetspot and o/u, but so be it if the point of base 1 is to take that higher roof you’ve made, build a wider base / solid foundations under it so you can go on to pitch an even higher roof next time. That’s how Chad & Amber explain it in the podcasts anyway.

because maybe the rider is prioritizing their base more than their roof. Not everyone is at the point to raising their roof. And most aren’t there all the time.

Using Plan Builder and high volume plans, it has me doing SSB1, SSB2, ShortPB, SSB2 and then Specialty. SSB2 high volume has 100% sweet spot workouts for 5 weeks. I’m not worried that all my gains from ShortPBHV will be lost. I’ll be doing SSB2 for a second time at a higher FTP and again raising my floor. VO2 is the quickest to touch up, so I’ll do that in Specialty.

yeah I get that - hence my original query :+1:

I’m doing SSBMV1 right now (after doing LV 1 and 2), and it sure does not feel like an “easy intro” to my weak body… If Tunnabora, Monitor +1, McAdie and Antelope back-to-back are “easy”, I dread “hard”.

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