# Combining traditional base + Vo2/Specialty for Covid reset. Good/bad? **URL:** \ **Category:** Training\ **Created:** [March 30, 2020, 2:51pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/combining-traditional-base-vo2-specialty-for-covid-reset-good-bad/32432 "2020-03-30T14:51:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![llmonty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/llmonty/32/13604_2.png) [@llmonty](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/llmonty)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 2:51pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/combining-traditional-base-vo2-specialty-for-covid-reset-good-bad/32432/1 "2020-03-30T14:51:27Z")
So, I am clearly peaking as I finish Specialty Climbing Road Race for gravel events not happening now. I am considering going back to Base, but thinking of Traditional Base Mid-Vol, with some additional higher intensity interval work thrown in. Thinking: - Tues+Thurs: .70+/- 85-90 min consistent work outs - Wed: 60 min vo2 / anaerobic intervals - Sat: 2 hour .8+/- threshold/SS, maybe with some .6 endurace tacked on Sun: 3 hour .7+/- Why am I thinking this vs. SS Base? - 4th year with TR, and 5 biking in general. Never have done trad base, always SS - like the idea of trying traditional base - Kids are distance learning and don’t have to get up as early for school, so I have some extra time - Recently hitting 2-3 hr PRs doing consistent .7 rides, without feeling exhausted. Have been working on being less surge-y as I was planning to do a duo race with a consistent rider. It has been a revelation - Keep some top end fitness in case June/July events happen Is this similar to polarized? ---
**Author:** ![RobertK](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/robertk/32/8539_2.png) [@RobertK](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/RobertK)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 3:25pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/combining-traditional-base-vo2-specialty-for-covid-reset-good-bad/32432/2 "2020-03-30T15:25:13Z")
Not a bad idea _if_ you take some recovery weeks and don’t go too hard on the VO2 intervals. You could pretend you’re a rower/XC skier for a few weeks and: Week 1: 2 recovery days 2 days where you do some intervals at 105-110% FTP and focus on extending the duration (what I call extending the PD curve), rather than on blowing your guts out at 120% every damn time. 2 endurance days – say just 2 hrs at IF of .6-.7, depending on how you feel. Just get the time in and make sure you’re going easy enough to be fresh for the VO2 days. 1 long day Week 2: Same as week one, but trade a SST day for one of the VO2 days. Again, I’d say focus on extending how long you can hold that 90% FTP rather than on doing the intervals/chunk effort harder Week 3: same as week 1 ---
**Author:** ![bbarrera](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/bbarrera/32/14734_2.png) [@bbarrera](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/bbarrera)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/combining-traditional-base-vo2-specialty-for-covid-reset-good-bad/32432/3 "2020-03-30T16:11:22Z")
yes during Traditional Base 1 if you add a vo2 workout or two it would be polarized. I seem to be a volume responder, and believe racking up 2+ hour workouts is better than 90 min endurance. > [@llmonty](#): > > am considering going back to Base, but thinking of Traditional Base Mid-Vol, with some additional higher intensity interval work thrown in. Thinking: > > - Tues+Thurs: .70+/- 85-90 min consistent work outs > - Wed: 60 min vo2 / anaerobic intervals > - Sat: 2 hour .8+/- threshold/SS, maybe with some .6 endurace tacked on > > Sun: 3 hour .7+/- thats more pyramidal, and works well if you respond to sweet spot and threshold work. I would do the vo2 work on Tuesday, after your rest day(s). ---
**Author:** ![llmonty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/llmonty/32/13604_2.png) [@llmonty](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/llmonty)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 7:45pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/combining-traditional-base-vo2-specialty-for-covid-reset-good-bad/32432/4 "2020-03-31T19:45:31Z")
Thanks for the suggestion on Tuesday VO2 work. Did Huxley today and added a Baxter -1 tomorrow, another endurance Thurs, Vo2/threshold Sat, and long endurance Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![gcarver](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/gcarver/32/15266_2.png) [@gcarver](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/gcarver)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 11:01pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/combining-traditional-base-vo2-specialty-for-covid-reset-good-bad/32432/5 "2020-03-31T23:01:14Z")
After 2 years of SSB, I tried traditional base mv this year. I think I kind of prefer it to SSB now. None of the workouts are forbidding or scary, they’re just looong. It was a very different kind of stimulation, and it seemed to work great. Ultimately it’s only an extra hour or 2 per week, and if you have the time, and especially if you’ve done a few rounds of SSB before, I think you should try it. As for modifying it to keep some top-end power, I would suggest swapping in 1 hard workout per week. Check out TB3: one threshold interval session on Tuesdays, and I found that worked wonders to start getting familiar with intensity again, after months of none. ---
**Author:** ![bbarrera](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/bbarrera/32/14734_2.png) [@bbarrera](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/bbarrera)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 11:16pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/combining-traditional-base-vo2-specialty-for-covid-reset-good-bad/32432/6 "2020-03-31T23:16:15Z")
> [@gcarver](#): > > After 2 years of SSB, I tried traditional base mv this year. I think I kind of prefer it to SSB now. 👍🏼 next season I’m planning on doing traditional base 1 (twice) + strength training. This year I did TB-1 and TB-2 before trying to skip sweet spot by doing a Stoggl/Sperlich polarized intervention, and that was a big #fail. Not going to make that mistake again. On the other hand, polarized approach for build looks interesting and I could see using TB-1 endurance workouts (modified -10%) along with two vo2max workouts from build plan.