The real meaning missing is the key word “peak” fitness.
Of course, you can hold a certain level of fitness all year. We can have some level of strength and endurance.
What’s not possible is to hit your ultimate level of FTP and other fitness markers for the entire year. Most people consider 2 peaks a possibility, and a 3rd for a rare few if properly handled.
But the reality is that we can only keep that elevated level for a “short” period of time along the lines of weeks. Months are not practical and a year is impossible.
Our bodies (and minds) are not machines and can’t maintain that peak level for extended times. We need an ebb and flow with the drop in fitness for a break. And in some cases, that break is the very thing needed to achieve a new peak vs just continuing to hammer our bodies into submission with the hopes for more progress.
So it’s all down to the more specific definition of “fitness”.
Well, my understanding is that when people speak of ‘peaks,’ it is a performance peak, not a fitness peak. Meaning, performance is driven by both fatigue and fitness. So a peak is combined high level fitness and lowered levels of fatigue. However…lowering fatigue means a future drop in figness due to lessened training in recent history. So, the peak dissipates as fitness drops.
So I think what really the point here is that it IS possible to just maintain fitness year round, and it would likely be made easier by just not worrying about having a peak. J dont think peaks themselves further long term fitness. Theyre a tradeoff of future fitness for higher short term performance.
All good points. I’ve taken the steadily grow FTP approach and I have not focused on peaking at all in over a year. But I have done some racing, just didn’t change anything or try to peak for an event.
So I agree with you. But I also don’t completely agree with you
Here are the results from my no peak approach to not only holding fitness but growing it along the way…
Sure, I can share similar progress. But I don’t consider gains from year to year “peaks” with respect to my comments above.
This is all largely semantics, and as I stated directly above, some level of fitness is possible to maintain year round. Exactly what that is, with respect to the past and possible future goals is in flux and likely to vary for each person.
I agree, which is why I said, " I think what we mean to say here is that it is impossible to maintain peak fitness year round. But if you aren’t at your genetic peak, I guess I don’t see the harm in continuing to build."
Seasonal peak and genetic peak are two different things. I’m on a long term plan so minimal seasonal peaks. Hoping to see how fast I can get on ~12-15hr weeks in my 40s.
My “plan” is a continual pyramidal build, that’s what I’ve been doing since August 2018, but I still have peak weeks where power is up and HR/RPE is down. Typically (And not surprisingly) after a few big training blocks and a rest week.
It’s not the same as a full on planned race peak but it’s noticeable. And, it’s noticeable when it goes away…
Even seasonal peaks are difficult to maintain very long…for many athletes, a seasonal peak is close to their genetic potential at that time. Yes, it could continue to go up as you become a more seasoned athlete, but for the given set of circumstances, your fitness is pretty dialed in and can’t be maintained for long.
I’m just saying if you have a lot of room to grow then why not continue to build? Building feels more like a journey, peaking is more of a point in time.
I’m suggesting to the OP that if his goal is FTP building then why even worry about peaking? Just keep building and building and enjoy the process.
Exactly, well said. A continual build. You have weeks where you build and weeks where you rest such as the TR 3 on 1 rest week structure. To me that’s structured training and you are really just continuously building in 4 week blocks (or something to that effect depending on your calendar) with no end in sight.
I started using TR back in September because I wanted to see how ‘strong’ I could get by adding in structure. No goal events or races. My thought was to just cycle SSBI → SSBII → SPB → SSBI → etc and make adjustments when I stagnate or get bored. My riding age is 15 with a little bit of structured training in the past but little structure within the last 5-10 years.
With extra time working from home I did a 3 week block of high volume (to me at least) Z2 riding and will do another starting next week. This was after finishing a block of SSBI. After finishing the next Z2 block I’m planning to jump back into SSBII with some extra Z2 and then SPB with some lessons learned from the first pass. I’ll be adding more frequent recovery weeks.
I had set some specific FTP goals in the Fall but don’t have any specific number targets any more. I train because I enjoy the process and working towards my abstract goal, and not having races allowed me to eliminate some of the compromises in my training plan that accommodate racing. I also do not do long planned periods of no to low amounts of cycling. I get rest and recovery in, but don’t do things like take entire weeks off the bike, I’ll just lower the intensity or volume to get the needed recovery.
Absolutely…but how you construct that “build” will vary. There will be periods of high intensity work, driving towards a “peak”…and then a shift to a more sustained build (increased endurance / SS) that will still provide growth, but at a different pace than what had been done before.
also, you take a step back as you work on strength and off the bike stuff during the non-race period, but then ideally go farther and higher than you were the previous season, OR have more repeatability.
