# First work out done. Questions about difficulty **URL:** \ **Category:** Training\ **Created:** [December 2, 2020, 8:56pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983 "2020-12-02T20:56:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![max\_sawicky](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/max_sawicky/32/58222_2.png) [@max\_sawicky](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/max_sawicky)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2020, 8:56pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/1 "2020-12-02T20:56:15Z")
So just got a wahoo kickr Did the ramp test. Got an ftp of 234. Been riding for about 6 months. I didn’t have the legs to get to my max heart rate during my ftp ramp test. 182/189. Had a terrible night of sleep so I think that’s a large contribution to lack of legs So I did my first work out, called pierce. Designed for v02 max. Didn’t even come close to my vo2 max, heart rate didn’t get past 165. Moderately difficult session, but nothing was too bad. Should I manually change my ftp to something a bit higher? ---
**Author:** ![Theyids61](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/theyids61/32/12893_2.png) [@Theyids61](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Theyids61)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2020, 8:59pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/2 "2020-12-02T20:59:09Z")
Is the max heart rate from running or bike? My bike max doesn’t hit running max even when I’m fully gassed ---
**Author:** ![Theyids61](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/theyids61/32/12893_2.png) [@Theyids61](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Theyids61)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2020, 8:59pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/3 "2020-12-02T20:59:56Z")
I take v little notice of HR, it’s all about power ---
**Author:** ![ColoradoJames](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/coloradojames/32/62866_2.png) [@ColoradoJames](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ColoradoJames)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2020, 9:00pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/4 "2020-12-02T21:00:05Z")
Welcome Max! What’s been your structured training history in the last 6 months? What’s been training load or TSS? What plan are you starting with? ---
**Author:** ![max\_sawicky](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/max_sawicky/32/58222_2.png) [@max\_sawicky](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/max_sawicky)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/5 "2020-12-02T21:02:10Z")
Max heart rate based on a Bike. Usually big sprints chasing down friends on mtn bikes or racing a friend at the end of a climb. But if the work out should be at v02 max, and I’m \>20 beats away, how am I working v02 max ---
**Author:** ![max\_sawicky](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/max_sawicky/32/58222_2.png) [@max\_sawicky](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/max_sawicky)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2020, 9:04pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/6 "2020-12-02T21:04:37Z")
Just riding bikes since April. No real plans, but got close to 3000 miles under my belt, road and mtb. I think 300k in elevation gain as well. I’m doing short power build, low volume. Basically adding the trainer on top of my regular riding, or maybe a lil overlap cause winter is coming. Interested in crits next season. ---
**Author:** ![Theyids61](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/theyids61/32/12893_2.png) [@Theyids61](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Theyids61)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/7 "2020-12-02T21:05:13Z")
I don’t know but mine would be -20 off my MHR on a workout like that too ---
**Author:** ![Theyids61](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/theyids61/32/12893_2.png) [@Theyids61](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Theyids61)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2020, 9:06pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/8 "2020-12-02T21:06:46Z")
Try a longer interval sweet spot session (2x12 or even 2x15 or 20) and see if FTP is still low ---
**Author:** ![ColoradoJames](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/coloradojames/32/62866_2.png) [@ColoradoJames](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ColoradoJames)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2020, 9:10pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/9 "2020-12-02T21:10:29Z")
“Try a longer interval sweet spot session (2x12 or even 2x15 or 20) and see if FTP is still low” Good idea for tomorrow. I personally would leave it at 234 for 1-2 weeks, complete all the scheduled workouts with your supplemental work outside, and then decide to either retake the ramp or manually adjust. But you won’t hurt anything too much if you manually bump up now a little bit (maybe a max of 250 though). Just make sure to listen to your body, don’t over do it early on. For me it’s easier to add to the plan than subtract, because subtracting means I have recognized I’ve done to much which is generally not as good on me physically and mentally then recognizing that I’ve done too little. ---
**Author:** ![AJS914](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@AJS914](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/AJS914)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2020, 9:15pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/10 "2020-12-02T21:15:23Z")
> [@max\_sawicky](#): > > Should I manually change my ftp to something a bit higher? I’d say NO, NO, NO, and NO. Don’t try to second guess or hack the system that has been set up for you. Follow your plan until you have a lot of knowledge and know when to start customizing. If you boost your FTP then sweet spot becomes threshold, endurance becomes tempo, etc. You’ll always be riding in the wrong zone. If you want to get your HR higher during VO2max intervals, pedal at a faster cadence. Try starting them at 120rpms and see how that goes. Otherwise, follow your plan! ---
**Author:** ![max\_sawicky](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/max_sawicky/32/58222_2.png) [@max\_sawicky](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/max_sawicky)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2020, 11:11pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/11 "2020-12-02T23:11:20Z")
This is great info guys. Thank u so much for the input. I’m gonna do a couple of weeks of where I’m at, see how it feels. Adjust cadence’s to get more into the paincave if needed and see how I feel later on. With the extra training, I’m gonna have to adjust nutrition anyways so I should wait and see how I feel. Starting bwith a 3.1 body weight/ftp ratio. We’ll see where I’m at in 2 months. ---
**Author:** ![ColoradoJames](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/coloradojames/32/62866_2.png) [@ColoradoJames](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ColoradoJames)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 12:14am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/12 "2020-12-07T00:14:49Z")
@max_sawicky How did Lion Rock (or your next workout) go? ---
**Author:** ![ErickVH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/erickvh/32/15689_2.png) [@ErickVH](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ErickVH)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 12:18am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/13 "2020-12-07T00:18:33Z")
> [@max\_sawicky](#): > > So I did my first work out, called pierce. Designed for v02 max. Didn’t even come close to my vo2 max, heart rate didn’t get past 165. Moderately difficult session, but nothing was too bad. Pierce won’t get you to max HR. 25s at 120% isn’t enough time to get you there. ---
**Author:** ![RCC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/rcc/32/1014_2.png) [@RCC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/RCC)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 8:25am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/14 "2020-12-07T08:25:56Z")
A good “test” of if you’re doing VO2 Max is go at that power for 2 minutes. If it feels really really hard, seriously, too hard to hold for another 30 seconds then you’re probably about there. ---
**Author:** ![bobw](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/bobw/32/24759_2.png) [@bobw](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/bobw)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 8:43am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/first-work-out-done-questions-about-difficulty/47983/15 "2020-12-07T08:43:20Z")
Why have you jumped straight to Build? If you’ve only been riding for six months then Base will be your best starting point. Think of them as parts of a house: Base is the foundations; Build is the superstructure; Speciality is the fitting out and decorating. You are building a superstructure without any foundations - castles built on sand and all that.