What’s your FTP in W/kg
350-400 TTS/week is not so much …
3.85.
I dont think you’re necessarily wrong but the podcast has mentioned a number of times that 400 TSS is a good amount and something that is benefical to most. 6.5-7hrs is the most I can mentally handle on the trainer.
Lots of comments here saying I am not doing enough load or being consistent enough which hints at the platform not working well. Interesting why so many people still pay but then doubt the effectiveness of it.
3 Likes
That’s funny you mention that because I am also a garmin connect geek 
.
Yes, I noticed my HRV drop because of a sinus infection I caught making it hard to sleep (breathing). However, during my workouts, HR was pretty much normal. Garmin actually told me my VO2 Max went up to 65 for the first time ever (from 60/61).
In my opinion, RHR and HRV should drop a bit as you are adding more load. The recovery week is there to allow your muscles to recover and absorb load. Overtraining doesn’t/shouldn’t happen over 4 weeks. You likely caught a bug if the drop was significant. For example I’ve had 800 TSS weeks basically back to back in the summer without a massive drop. But I was definitelly over reaching.
However, the FTP detection would not judge your performance based on what you said. I did research, and podcast confirms this, and I found that despite TR storing the HR, HR recovery, HRV data, it does not use it. It uses purely power data. So no, it will not affect AI FTP detection. Something must be going on with their calculation. I hope we soon find out if something changed.
Did you do these workouts on zwift by any chance?
3.85W/kg is really good. I have similar now in winter (45yo), I had 4W/kg at the end of the last summer) and I do 600-1000TSS/w (a bit more in the summer)
but yeah, I can imagine hard doing more just indoors.
1 Like
Thats really good TSS and most likely on the highest end of the majority of people.
1 Like
Youre the exception to the rule here and I think the most likely answer for your slight decrease in FTP during Specialty is fairly normal and within the margin of error. Essentially, your FTP is about the same.
I also think your TSS is fine. Mine is about the same (though closer to 500 on 9-10 hrs).
But, judging by the many posts and threads on this forum lamenting poor results after eg. “working super hard for 3 months nailing workouts consistently,” 99% of the time people are greatly over estimating how compliant they’ve been. They post their calendar or a TR rep looks at it and “Working super hard…” turns out to be “you were consistent for a week, then went on vscation for a week, then consistent for a week, then got sick and missed a few workouts, then came back and had a good few weeks, then abandoned the plan completely opting for freeriding in Zwift, and then the last 2 weeks you followed the plan again…”
12 Likes
My AI FTP has also been decreasing over the last 3 months from 300 to 298 to 295 and now 294, but I’ve been doing all the workouts and I’ve improved almost everywhere on my power curve except the shorter effort. My 8min power has increased by 28W, my 20min has increased by 1W(no changed), and my 1hr power has increased by 13W.
I also looked at the workout I did when I was at 300W and they seem easier than the one I’m doing now because my PLs are much higher.
1 Like
I love analyzing data! 
Having an illness can significantly impact HRV and potentially RHR as well. Interestingly, sometimes the data reveals these changes even before you start feeling the symptoms of the illness.
This issue began before the Zwift integration, so I highly doubt there’s any connection. Something feels off with my body right now, though I’m not entirely sure what it is yet. For instance, during the four-week period of low HRV and high RHR, my right inguinal lymph node was swollen and painful for about two weeks (hence I went to the doctor and let the bloodwork done). Thankfully, the lymph node has since recovered, and I no longer feel any discomfort. HRV also seems to be improving over the past few days, though it hasn’t fully returned to where it was for over a year prior to this phase.
What I wanted to highlight is that even when you execute prescribed training perfectly, external factors can sometimes interfere with your body’s ability to adapt—or even cause a decline in performance.
If thats the case, then this is out of control from “Trainerroads” perspective.
Since you’re tracking your data too and haven’t noticed similar indications, it’s possible this isn’t the root cause in your case.
That’s interesting! I’m currently experiencing something similar (when out-factoring the RHR and HRV issue). My last AI FTP increase was in mid-December, likely around the same time as yours!
Yes excatly. My last FTP increase was on December 17th. I don’t track my HRV and my RHR hasn’t moved a lot. I’ve also keep my weight at 75kg (+/-1kg over the last 4 months).
I also add 1 or 2% intensity on my workouts.
1 Like
they mentioned on the last podcast that they are working on a new AI FTP. so maybe it has to do with that.
1 Like
Oh I also have been decreasing over 3 months and actually a year. I was at 299 last March but I was okay with drops since during summer I do not really train with structure. Just do hard group rides.
So I went down to 293 post summer, and now down to 284. The initial drops into December did not bother me since I actually missed 3 workouts due to moving houses.
All great points!
Look, if the AI FTP is using some smart way to track that I am getting less fit, I want to know. Because then I can address it. But during those last 3 weeks, all my works felt either moderate or hard. Only one was tougher than usual because I did some leg worksout the day before and was a bit sore.
All I was trying to say is that the FTP calculation doesnt know how you actually feel during the workout. At least that’s what they say.
The TR will get back to me at some point and I will let you guys know what they said.
2 Likes
yeah let us know. I sent them an email about it yesterday as well. They usually answer in 24 to 48 hours.
My most recent aiftp also gave me a couple watt deduction. I can tell my ftp by feel pretty consistently so I have a general idea if it’s right or not. That being said, I can’t feel 4 watts, and I certainly can’t feel a percentage of it.
Given this seems to be a trend, I suspect the software has been changed in a way that resulted in some more conservative estimates being given out. I suspect, for the most part, you didn’t get less fit, the software simply got more precise. A few watts does’t matter, FTP changes by the day. This is part of the problem with setting your fitness to one number.
Try 4x10 or 2x20 and see what that feels like. You’ll know in the first interval if it’s too easy or too hard. Add or subtract watts as your effort dictates.
4 Likes
Hey all, I’ve also found unexpected behaviours of the AI FTP detection sometimes.
I’ve had some training blocks where I’ve nailed every workout with no increase or a decrease in the AIFTP number, and other blocks where the AIFTP detection has gone higher than expected from the amount and type of the work done. I’ve also tested the AIFTP results performing some 20 minutes test and I’ve find both overestimations and underestimations by AIFTP detection. So I start to consider FTP values only an anchor point for training with trainerroad workouts, particularly for Z3-4 and considering the power records as the main indicators of progression. In this regard, for example in the last summer, with an AIFTP of 254 watts, during a 20 minute effort preceded by sprints and also VO2 max work, i was able to mantain an average power of 290 watts (equivalent to about 276 FTP in a 20 minute test) and in periods with a lower value of FTP I was able to set all time PR’s in the long and short part of the PD curve…I don’t really knowy how much the FTP value is a true indicator of fitness, so I started to consider it only a tool for my training and looking more at the power duration curve as a real indicator of performance. I’ve also found that, following trainerroad workout prescriptions, particularly for the threshold/SS zone, anchored to the AIFTP, seems to give the best workout to the actual ability. For the Z5 and further I don’t follow precise wattage prescriptions anymore and simpy try to go all out for the given duration/repeats number.
My 2 cents
2 Likes
At your current FTP and at 6-7 hours per week, you may have reached your genetic limit on that volume.
Despite all the marketing claims, the rider is still and always the coach. The coach has to make some decisions on direction and what to do when things are working (sickness, overtraining, lack of progress).
You may need more training load like others are saying.
And your FTP may have gone up but you haven’t shown the software a performance that tells it that FTP is higher.
The software isn’t magic. TR’s plans aren’t magic. Like all structured plans they will get most people faster. Newbies may get a lot of FTP watts. Someone who is well trained may only get a longer TTE and some better sprint power.
5 Likes
Did @Caro.Gomez-Villafane ever get back to you? Did you contact support? Curious if you’ve received more feedback that hasn’t been shared here.
Also - I know you specifically said something like “Don’t tell me to do an FTP test because I pay TR so I won’t have to do one”, but if I were in your situation, I would absolutely do one (not a ramp test, a real FTP test). Better to do a hard workout for an hour and see what you can do in real life than to sit back and wait for an algorithm to figure it out when you don’t think it’s accurate. Apologies, I know you asked to not hear that feedback. I just think it’s better to take the bull by the horns in this situation.
6 Likes
yea you could very well be right
thats fair enough. its not a bad suggestion, its actually good. my comment was more in the context of “dont tell me because I already know thats an option but that wont solve the concerns with what the software is doing”.
edit: no feedback yet. will reply here when i hear back.
4 Likes