How Far Ahead Does AT Look?

Random question, I’m working my way through SSBHV1, so far so good and I was starting from near 1 on most PLs (5 months off the bike will do that :pensive:), and been really happy with AT keeping it sensible but regularly upping the future workouts as I’ve proved myself capable. Bigger picture, plan is SSBHV1, SSBHV2, GBHV, repeat, the next few months are already in the calendar.

I took a look through future workouts last night and it seems that, if I complete basically to plan and no further adaptions occur, I get to SS PL 6.0 by the end of SSBHV1, then SSBHV2 is full of SS 3.0 - 5.4 for the first few weeks, almost as if its expecting me to be going backwards.

That got me thinking back to the adaptions, all of them that I remember were constrained to the current block, at what point do future blocks get “trued up”? I kinda expect to start build with training wheels on because AT has no recent data that would be relevant, but SSBHV2 follows on from SSBHV1 quite neatly so I assume it needs to be amended before I start.

Thanks

I’ve only seen adaptations within the current block. You’ll have a ramp test at the start of the next block so in theory that will adjust things anyway and those “drops” in PLs will hopefully be taken up by your increased :wink: FTP.

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I mean, I admire your optimism about my performance in the ramp test :rofl:

That may be the logic, but then the question would be whether it takes any account of the expected PL, e.g. If we assume a 2.0 decrease (made up number of course) from the average ramp test, when does that get locked in? I could finish the plan with 4.0 or 8.0, or is there some smarter logic…?

I might be over thinking this, but that’s me :joy:

Dunno :rofl:

Don’t look at PLs as absolute, they are just an indicator to match workouts to what AT thinks you should be doing. If your FTP changes then your PLs change and therefore the workouts that will be presented to you will change.

Don’t overthink it - go with the flow but be aware that AT is generally conservative in how it “pushes” you.

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OR anticipating a FTP increase, in which case your PLs would subsequently drop as well.

Dont read that much into it, your Progression Levels are very descriptive of your current fitness. Do the workouts to the very best of your ability, answer the surveys appropriately, and AT will do the rest. :sunglasses:

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Ok, I actually got an answer to my question today so I thought I should update in case anyone else wonders :slight_smile: In short, “a week ahead if not in the same block”.

I’ve just finished the first workout of SSBHV1’s recovery week, nice relaxed ride, been greeted with the joyous “Adaptations Pending” message, there were 21, all of which were in the planned SSBHV2 block which starts next Monday, and were primarily related to the Sweet Spot workouts.

Obviously I still plan to do the ramp test next week, and expect more adaptations post that (one my PL’s are adjusted down with a new FTP, assuming an increase :rofl:), but as of right now, if I didn’t do the ramp test or change FTP then the overall plan would be a relatively smooth progression from where I am now (Nangpai - ss6.0 was Saturday) at roughly the progression speed I’d expect.

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:rofl:

Because I want to prove to myself that it works…

Yes, I’ve already checked it out:

But I want to at least give it a go so I’ll see how close I can get.

Do I believe it works? Sure. But I’m recovering from serious injuries (FTP has gone 296-202-“Maybe 218?”) so I’m not totally comfortable it’ll work for me because I’m a bit of a potentially unusual case (cardio, great, muscles…nah), so I want this as a comparison… If it comes out basically the same I will leave myself in the machine’s hands next time :wink:

Also, I need to prove the increase to myself, I can’t ride outside yet, so I kinda need to show myself I can still do “normal” stuff… :cry:

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