I’m at about 4.3-.4.4 w/kg. You think I should move to a personal coach and away from TR?
(He asks the coach.)
It depends. There was a lot of info in that prior post… I don’t think too many people are going to get to 5W/kg on the volume he was suggesting, and it seems like to get higher volume he’s going to need to drop intensity for a while. Hence my recommendation.
Your circumstances might be totally different.
Also, 5W/kg is not a given for most people, even if they can do the volume/work. At some point, genetics matter, too. Once you get to 5, you’re getting in somewhat rarified air.
3 Likes
so I reached 5 by this approach. TR helped me get to about 4.5-7, then got a coach and then the real fun began: long z2 rides, 60min intervals, hurts a bit more but less frequently!
3 Likes
Tritely perhaps. Be less than 30. Careful diet. Good coaching. Careful diet. Consistency. Careful diet. Not overtraining. Careful diet. Don’t get injured. Careful diet.
Sadly I think too many of us (me included) come to cycling with one set of expectations, then get sucked into another as we gaze through the large end of the telescope at a very tiny fraction of riders, then get discouraged that we can’t meet those - and either abandon the sport altogether (bc of “failure”) or decide to ignore the telescope and reset.
I know we won’t ever get the watt/kg envy out of the sport. But I for one have decided that it isn’t the golden calf it is made out to be
6 Likes
Thats frustrating. I would tell my other half to shape up or ship out if he started any of that, so although he probably would have liked me looking a little less scrawny, he respected my desire to do all necessary to be a top age group athlete.
But I realise you have to live with the consequences and maybe it’s better to strike a happy medium with your partner.
Best of luck ,and maybe make the weight loss nice and gradual so she doesnt notice 
1 Like
Half of that is just not true. I started cycling when I was 33. One and a half year later I’m at 60kg with an FTP of 300 watts. I never had coaching, no prior experience in endurance (or any other sport for that matter) and neither do any of my parents or grandparents. I certainly was overtraining for a while and had injuries, which combined took me out for at least 2 months.
I wouldn’t call my diet careful. Just don’t eat trash.
Leaving only the consistency part. Which is true I guess.
2 Likes
Nice summary 
I guess I left out genetics. That’s the magic mystery part that some are blessed with.
Careful diet means exactly as you’ve said.
I’d be really interested to know if there is any correlation or reverse correlation between mass and achievable FTP. I don’t see many bigger guys cranking out 5wKG. I know there are exceptions but It seems to be more common in smaller bodies.
2 Likes
I agree. Its frowned upon to call your partner fat and tell them to lose weight, yet for some reason people seem to think the opposite is ok and you can tell people they are too skinny and it doesn’t look good and they need to gain weight. Bad double standard.
1 Like
@Captain_doughnutman Inquiring minds want to know!
I reached 5 on a 7-10hpw schedule over 2-3 years with a coach, but I immediately started at 4w/kg my first time riding a bike (from other sports background) and probably was in mid 4s at the end of my first 12months. We didn’t train like TR tho. We did 2 intensity days per week and z2 volume otherwise, plus 1 gym day and 1 core day, and regular 3-4hr long weekend ride w a tempo block in it (classic ‘there are no secrets - just do the work’ type training plan). I was in college at the time in my early 20s. I think the main purpose of my coach was to prevent me from over training, rather than how to train hard. It’s a balancing act. I definitely would have done too much to recover from on my own.
I also think it’s pretty unlikely to get to or around 5 with low volume like this unless you’re lucky and naturally very athletic. I also rarely rode with others bc group rides tend to be counter productive to a training plan unless they are purposefully scheduled into it. Basically just bc they can be a hammer fest where you just kind of end up in the grey zone tho whole time rather than training a specific energy system.
1 Like
Im curious about this because i have also found a lot of success not doing intervals
Are you doing these 40-60 minutes efforts 3-4 times on the same day with some rest in between or is this a 3-4 times per week thing? What percentage of your best hour power are you riding these at?
Philosophical question. What’s the difference between a long effort and a long interval? Is it just the difference between having a target vs riding to feel?
1 Like
Multiple on the same ride and it’s an interval i think. I’ll usually just ride 30-60 minutes at ftp or 75-90 minutes around 90%, but i suppose you could consider that a 1x interval.
Yeah, I think I know what you’re saying. I’d say you’re still doing intervals, just structured over a week rather / maybe less strictly prescribed?
Often you here Pro’s refer to them as “efforts”, i.e. they went out for four hours and had a two 20min efforts, or a 60min effort etc. I guess it’s just another way of describing the same thing, but can help people to feel less pressured? Or maybe if it’s not having a rest interval?
Whatever works of course, just an interesting and random thought based on the above discourse.
Same ride, 5-7 min rest. Target is averaging 85-90% of ftp. Power fluctuates by 20w+
Nothing. When a blade becomes a sword?
.
I think three things that most people who get to 5 need that TR doesn’t really do well because it’s designed for indoor trainers:
- LONG regular endurance riding 5-6+hrs
- Long threshold work, extending time in zone even out past an hour.
- Recovery. Like, shut it down for a few days and really rest.
The first two of those most people won’t do ever, let alone on a trainer…
13 Likes
What would your typical frequency be for “regular” here?
Depends on the athlete’s schedule, training history, life stress, etc. Also might depend on the goal events and such. But I would start by building up to weekly, then if they can handle it go 2x per week.
And then it depends on the time of year. During a base period, more likely to do them more frequently. During build and later, maybe once every other week, or you might just do 3-4-hr rides 5days a week… it depends.
3 Likes
2x week just to maintain the aerobic fitness needed for 5+.
More to build it. 3x 4x in non-racing periods.
2 Likes