First time posting something on the forum!
I am in my second phase of mid volume general base.
Got a 7 watt ftp increase and dropped about 2kg of weight during my first base phase.
Pretty much nailing all the workouts and have not missed any, so pretty happy overall.
Altough, after my ai ftp increase it seems like my heart rate is higher during sweetspot comparing to base 1..
Coming out of a rest week so kinda surprises me..
Does this mean my ftp is set to high?
Example:
Max hr 197
Sweetspot efforts: average hr of 177
I am also on call for my job..
Eating a bit less and having overall more stress.
Probaly should mention its hotter in the training room then the last couple of weeks.
HR is a metric that can vary quite a bit day-to-day based on many factors. The food you’re eating (or not eating), heat in the training room, and life stressors can all have an impact on your HR.
Since HR can vary considerably, we recommend focusing mostly on power (which is an absolute metric and does not change) – but tracking your HR can still be useful.
In this case, we’d recommend keeping your updated FTP and seeing how your workouts go. We’d also recommend trying to address those outside stressors that might be impacting your HR.
From your post, it seems like weight loss might be one of your goals. That means eating a bit less during your normal day, but try to ensure that your workouts are still properly fueled. If you’re starting workouts and you haven’t eaten in a few hours, try taking in some carbs shortly before you get on the bike to make sure your energy stores are topped off. Gels or drink mixes can be quick and easy for that.
Heat in the training room is also something to consider. How is your cooling setup? Do you have a good fan or fans? We recommend industrial strength/blower fans that can move a lot of air. If you can open windows or use air conditioning, that would help as well. Strong fans, though, are crucial to getting in good indoor training. Some athletes even use more than one if the heat really gets to them. Heat can make your HR shoot up super fast.
Finally, it sounds like you’re busy with your job and life beyond the bike, so make sure you’re taking care of yourself and getting plenty of sleep. Those other stressors can be tougher to deal with, but try to manage them as best as you can and I think you’ll see benefits in your training.
Hope that helps you out – feel free to let us know if you have any other questions!
Also, if you are relatively new to structured training, the second phase of mid volume general base is very early in your journey to improve your fitness.
If you are still completing all of your workouts well, HR is a number to take note and consider things outside the workout that might be affecting it.
In your case you have rightly identified heat and stress.
If you can get better cooling and reduce stress, your HR might be a few bpm lower in a SS workout.
But, for now, I say it is nothing to worry about. Just another data point to follow.
