Cant seem to reach my level once again after a cold (1 month without intensity workout approx)

Training
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-I started training on trainer road on November 12 2018 with an FTP of 198. Did some cherry picked workouts for a montth.

-On January 8th 2019 I started a Climbing road race plan, with an FTP of 211 on the initial ramp test. (+13 1 month approx)

-On March 12th 2019 I did a ramp test and a week of workouts with an FTP of 219 (+8 2 months approx) On the 18th of march I started another Climbing road race plan with tahat FTP.

-On May 7th 2019 I started a sustained power Mid Volume I Plan. With an FTP of 236 for the initial Ramp test. On the Mid Plan Ramp test I got 252 FTP. I couldnt finish the entire plan because of sinusitis, decided to stop for a week but went for about 20 days without any intensity workouts.

-On June 11 I started intensity workouts once again, with the 252 FTP. It seemed tough, but I went with it for 3 weeks, before taking a week of vacations with a low level of training.

-On August 27th i decided to start a sustained power buil mid volume, did a ramp test and I was back to 217 FTP, seemed very low, I manually went for 225 FTP. On the mid ramp test of the SPB plan I got 223 FTP (+6 FTP seemed a little progress), a decided to stick to 225 FTP.

-On the 11th of October 2019 I started a sweet spor base mid volume I, On the initial ramp test I scored 220 FTP. The test was done 1 day after coming back from a 4 day training at sea level, back to Bogota 2,600m asl, So I repeated the test today, after one threshold training 1.5 hrs, a rest day and a late meal, a couple of vodkas and two poor sleep nights, scored 221 FTP.

Im planning to rest for saturday and sunday and start a SSB Mid Volume I plan on Monday. I dont know whats happening, why the improvements from the last SPB were so poor in comparison from the same plan taken some months ago.

Ill be glad if someone could guide me. I have no problem showing all my trining history.

Hope to recieve some good advice.

Regards,

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The past is the past. Test, follow the plan and you will pass your previous levels.

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Assuming that every FTP test was on the same power meter/trainer and you have controlled all other testing variables, it’s appears consistency has been a bit of a problem. Also, you seem to be doing the recommended plans backwards. You started with Specialty (Climbing Road Race), which doesn’t build FTP but rather gets you in peak fitness particular to a specific race demand. Then you did Sustained Power Build, but it was interrupted by illness and vacationing. Lastly, you’ve gone down to Base and you’re wondering why your FTP is down. You’re a mess, lol.

Follow the Base-Build-Specialty periodization consistently and ensure you’re fueling your workouts, recovering properly and listening to your body when other stressors in life arise. Your FTP will climb back up. It’s expected and unavoidable for FTP to drop a bit when you go back to Base training. You’re allowing your body to recover from a previous tough season and laying the foundation for your next season.

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Unfortunately most of your data is probably garbage data. I don’t mean that in an insulting way, but rather just saying it’s not going to be meaningful moving forward, because you shot at the hip. You hit the bullseye a few times and completely missed the target a few times.

Best thing to do is just stick to a plan you can sustain, and for most people that means the LOW VOLUME plans, and make it through the entire 28 weeks with no breaks.

While on the topic of sustainability, another thing I’ve been doing recently is that I stopped listening to music while training. Instead, I watch Youtube videos on a 55" TV placed 4 feet away from the bike. It keeps me entertained, but I don’t have the help of loud music with tempo matched to cadence. I found music to be a crutch and its inspirational power can diminish over time.

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