Is there a significant gain one can get from SSB HV over LV?

Is there are significant gain one can get from SSB HV over LV?

Hi, at a general level you will see greater improvements from the increased training load that High Volume brings.

BUT

High volume plans involve a ‘lot’ of work, it is not recommended to make such a big jump in one go. You are far better of going to a medium volume plan and slowly increasing the training volume, maybe 5% per week. You may be able to cope with the extra work quite easily, but then again it may be too much…recovery is a very important part of training.

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Great advice from @Jonnyboy

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Is 30-50 watt gain possible at SSB low volume 1 and 2?

It depends on your current fitness level.
My wife startet cycling and had a gain of around 40W in 8 weeks.

Depends on where you’re starting from. I jumped 30 watts 210 - 240ftp after just SSB volume 1. However, this is my first time really training cycling so i’d say that’s expected.

Which volume she’s at?

She did the Sweet Spot Base Low Volume plan

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Its a significant increase, and it really depends on how trained you are to start with. People who are at a low level can potentially see significant early gains in the 30-50W range, but it varies based on individual.

It may not be productive to set such high standards, why not set yourself some process goals, like committing to train 2-3 times a week using trainer road and aiming to complete the set workouts at 100% intensity. at the end of SSBLV1 you will have a much better idea of how much training you can cope with and whether you want to increase the intensity.

Do you know your current watt per kg or FTP? and how would you describe your current level of fitness and experience?

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My current FTP is low. It’s 180. I trained outside like for a year, at least three times a week though all those workouts were based on perceived effort and speed. I’m kinda new at indoor training. I’m on my third week now at LV1.

Numbers gunna do what numbers gunna do. If you’re new to the whole thing do low volume. If you are relatively fit from off the bike, can probably swing mid volume.

Do the work, recover, and eat then you’ll get faster. Burying yourself in volume out the gate is not the way to do it.

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The short answer (and the one you really don’t want to hear) is the no one knows. There are so many variables about your and your history to make any prediction.

Follow the advice @Jonnyboy, and set process goals (ones you that can control), pick a manageable plan (without over doing it and crashing) and nail those workouts, then recover properly.

Let the gains be what they are. Evaluate your response to the training and recovery. And add more workouts carefully. Inside training is more stressful and concentrated than just about any outside riding. It will pay back more than the same time outside. But you can add more in small steps if you handle the main load well.

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How have you found these three weeks? challenging or relatively easy, or somewhere in between. Do you feel tired or well rested and eager to start the workout? How is your nutrition?

thinking about all of this will help you assess how you are adapting to structured training, both in terms of intensity and volume.

I would suggest that you complete the low volume plan as is for now, or just add one more workout per week. (EDIT: adding an outdoor ride instead to the mix like @mcneese.chad suggested is a great idea )

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I had the same question coming into my training and after I got through a couple weeks feeling good I started adding the +1 workout to my Thursday planned workout. So far so good doing it for 2 weeks now. That was something that was suggested to try once I was a couple weeks in and if feeling good. Give it a shot if your feeling good! Just be careful it does not affect the Saturday workout though as that’s your tough one for the week that needs to get done. INMO.

Mike

According to Alan Couzens based on his data on average 20 monthly training hours is worth an FTP of about 3.4 W/Kg. Adding 20 hours adds about .5 W/Kg with diminishing returns as volume increases. There is one big caveat, there is a huge variance between indiveduals with some seeing big gains from more volume and others seeing little or even a degradation in performance.

Personally 20+ hours a month barley gets me over 3 W/Kg :frowning_face:

https://www.alancouzens.com/blog/volume-vs-intensity.php

https://www.alancouzens.com/blog/volume_vs_intensity2.html

https://alancouzens.com/blog/vol_int_responder.html

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I posted something somewhere on the forum about his numbers. You’re less likely to be either an instensity or volume responders, both ~20% or something like that. Non-responders make up the majority.

I actually started my first week with Mid volume. T’was really hard for me so I moved to LV1. There were 3 pre-added workouts which I find not enough for me, so I added 1 endurance and 1 recovery workout. Apparently, I mimicked the MV schedule with lower intensity workouts. My question now is, on average, how many watts can be gained through doin’ SSBLV1? Is there like a minimum gain I may expect after LV1? Sorry for I sounded so particular in everything. I’m just that excited on the gains I may get from this training.

20+ hours a month of trainerroad structured workout wont get you over 3 w/kg? Last year i did low vol with 3 rides a week, and had an 3.8 w/kg - so that data shouldnt be the bible. I think with structured workout you can, with 20 hours a month do well over 3.5 w/kg. But nutrition is an factor here too - and stress level at work - and getting the sleep you need

The short answer is…No, there isn’t.

The longer answer is as previously mentioned, that the majority of people who complete a workout plan consistently and at the correct FTP will see gains, and that relatively untrained athletes see bigger gains early on. but as people get fitter these improvements taper off.

If I had to guess, I would say at your current FTP and training level you may well get a 10-20 watt bump from your current plan.

BUT

it might be 5, 25 or even 0. and if you fixate on a figure as your arbitrary goal of success then you are just asking to be disappointed and demotivated if you don’t hit it.

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Last February /March, I did SSBHV I and II, back-to-back exactly as prescribed. My FTP went from about 270 to 280 over that 2 month period. Not much in the way of numbers, but I felt strong on the road and will follow the same program this year starting next week.