Is the progressive nature of SSB too hard for cyclists who aren't new to structured training?

I’ve come back to SSBLVI after a full season of high volume, doing the full base/build/specialty. When I started SSBLVI, I found the workouts absolutely achievable, and blitzed through them with easy.

However, as I’m getting to the back half of the block, I’m finding them harder and harder to complete, to the point where I’m failing workouts like Warlow.

So, I’m wondering whether the progression is too fast, if you’re not getting the ‘newbie gains’ that many riders will start with? Or, do I just need to HTFU and gut through it?

SSB LV should be easily doable if you have some experience with training. I would rather say too easy for some people with experience.

There are too many contributing factors to guess what could be a problem - stress (life), nutrition, cooling or maybe overtraining from last season, simply bad day etc…

But in terms of the plan - it is intensive but 3 workouts per week with recovery between should not be too taxating (another individual element - personally I can handle hard workouts better after riding my bike in between them than after complete off the bike day). Look for some external factor if everything is ok there

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Newbie gains long gone. I usually don’t have an issue with progression until week five of ssb2. If you are struggling with ssb1 progression most likely your ftp is set too high. If not then something external is going on. Recovery, fueling, equipment, etc.

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Have you given yourself a break between completing the HV Base/Build/Specialty and starting this new plan? Could be that you’re carrying fatigue, even though LV does allow for recovery between workouts. I can only imagine that HV asked a lot of you.

Yeah, I took a few weeks off, including one week where I didn’t touch the bike at all. It felt amazing! And the first 2/3 of SSBLVI were a dream.

I nailed Geiger yesterday - I’m beginning to think it’s the 95%+ work that’s killing me.