I dont get plan builder (Type 1 Diabetic Info Thread)

hi, i really dont get plan builder.

I want to work on my base, i am ftp 242 and would like to focus on Zone 2 which should be around 135-185 Watts.

Now putting my data into plan builder:

  • have worked average 3-5h/
    week in the last 4-6 weeks
  • am new to interval training
  • am not working for a specific event

…all i get is this:

All workouts are DIFFICULT… most right below ftp… barely any recovery in any week… barely no Zone2 rides…

i just dont get it… isnt this too much for me as Newbie? I put all my criteria to lowest, most beginner and still the Plan Builder gave me a plan which makes me nervous even now.

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well, if you’re doing low volume you basically have to have difficulty high to elicit enough stress, I think. Even on high volume, I have one day a week of endurance and 5 days a week of intervals. If you want to focus on z2 you have to be willing to put in 10+ hours a week for that to really help.

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I would finish up and see what actually is put on the calendar. TR definition of difficult might not be your definition of difficult.

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i did that and got scared. most of the workouts are right under ftp in their intervals…most ar IF p.ip plus… there are almost no recovery rides and barely any pure zone 2 workouts which are regarded as so important…

How familiar are you with the concept of “Sweet Spot Training” ?

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Have you accepted Chad as your coach and saviour?

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i am and have read about it here on TR… but how come Zone2 is almost not covered in the training plans? or do I overlook something?

Sweetspot is above my Zone2, so how can I train my Zone 2 if I am pushing 40-70Watts beyond my Z2 during the intervals?

Its a shock at first. But if you accept Coach Chad as your savior, you will be happy with the results.

And yes. It will not be easy. Yes you will struggle. Yes, it is worth it…

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By working sweet spot, you work push up your FTP which then increases your zone 2, so you don’t necessarily have to work that specific energy system, esp if you’re short on time. They have traditional base for those with lots of time and can focus on only z2. by going higher intensity at lower volume you get more “bang for your buck” where z2 really isn’t to get you a lot if you’re on low volume. If you have more time you can always throw in a z2 day between the scheduled workout days, but basing a low volume plan around z2 isn’t going to help much at all

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You have to understand the goals of TR and the majority of their plans.

“Make the most from the least.”

  • Meaning that they are targeted towards “Time Crunched” athletes with as few as 3-5 hours or up to 10-12 hours per week to train.

  • As such (and in particular for their Low Volume plans at 3 workouts per week) they are attempting to cram a lot of fitness into a small window of workouts.

    • This means Z2 stuff is essentially a non-starter. It is Tempo and above in most cases, with lots around Threshold. It all depends on the specific phase and a few other choices, but the LV 3-Day plans are essentially “High Intensity” as a rule.

If you want to burn low and easy, you need to do that largely manually.
(Edit: or look at examples in the Traditional Base section, as mentioned below)

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The TR answer, that may or may not be the best answer is that you’re not training enough hours per week to ‘waste’ any doing easy riding. If you up the volume to mid or high you’ll see easy rides. Alternatively manually try Traditional Base Low Volume.

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thanks…

now i put all criterias on the opposite

highest volume etc…

still most workouts are from 0.80 IF upwards.

what is your final goal and expectations of TR.
Maybe that will help other to guide you to the plan that might benefit you the most.

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0.8 IF still isn’t particularly hard work. Give it a go, get used to it and you’ll find that you enjoy at and you get noticeably faster.
Ambling along in zone 2 isnt going to do much for you at all. true story.

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again, even high volume sweet spot base at around 10-12hrs has one day of endurance a week, on friday. It’s a lot of work in a relatively short amount of time. if I had time, sure, I could go out and do 3-5hr z2 sessions to get the same benefit as a 90-2hr sweet spot workout, but doing a lot of sweet spot is getting more out of me than if I were to just do 90min endurance sessions all the time.

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As mentioned, I think you need to take a breath, and explain your goals.

There are plenty of options within the TR world, but much if it is based on a few assumptions and common requirements and/or limitations.

Just lay out your broader goals (with some relative detail about your past, present and planned future) and see what the smart guys here can suggest.

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thank you.

I am an absolute amateur cyclist, 42y, 88kg, 242ftp, sporty and focused but not into competition anymore at all. I have never competed in races or do plan any in the future. I am cycling since 2004. I love to take some outdoor rides, mostly enjoy climbing hills, and i guess I am not that bad at it although my 2,75 W/kg seem somehow low?!
Until some few years ago I was a high level competitive tennis player. Also I have been a licensed high level tennis coach so I understand principles of training, processes in our bodies, how to structure exercises etc.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in late 2018, have to inject insuline 4-6 times/day and want to mostly use cycling to keep my blood sugar low and the need for insuline shots to 2-3 / day through working on my muscles. That is the main reason I got myself a Kickr and subscribed to TR in autumn 2018.

I understood that intense Zone 2 workouts will help developing my Mitocondria and through this my insuline sensitivity will again rise which is my ultimate goal.

I habe 6-10h of time per week, but dont want to be exhausted by individual workouts so that i cant barely move the next day. This was the case when I did the time crunch plans - brutal.

I have a Wahoo Kickr and am ready to go.

Looking forward to your suggestions, much appreciated.

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6-10hours per week is actually quite a lot of volume for someone completely new to structured training. You may want to work your way up to that over the course of a few weeks.

As I see it you have two options:

  1. Go with SSB Low Volume (1 and then 2) and add in endurance rides on the days in between. You might be surprised how quickly you recover from a 1 hr sweet spot workout.

  2. Go for Traditional Base plans (which are more aimed at volume than intensity).

The joy of training with power (or virtual power) is that the workouts scale to your capability. All your FTP results do are set those levels so you can train energy systems.

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i am not new to structured training, i follow TR plans since late 2018

i just out of curiosity and trying to find a less demanding plan put “newby” into the plan builder

here is my ftp since 2018

You’d likely need to define that term more specifically. Again, TR is condensing training into small time availability, and will lean towards intensity as a result. That is true to a point in the Mid and High Volume plans as well.

It sounds like what you want is more “easy” than “newby” in a way to spend most of your time around Z2. That is not the primary aim of TR or the Plan Builder. So you are kind of expecting the wrong thing from the tool and how it’s meant to function.

Like any programming, it was designed for particular inputs/outputs, and general assumptions along the way. Rolling long, low and easy is not what TR does in general, and don’t have an “easy” button to make that happen in Plan Builder. What you seem to want is likely best done the “old fashioned” way with manual plans and even just manual workout additions to meet your particular needs.

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