This is interesting. My plan was to do a ramp at the start of every phase. Did one at start of my base then i intend to use AI until the build where I’ll start that phase with a ramp and so on. From what I’ve been reading, and from your post, that seems like the wat yo go?
@Marc76 We generally advise prioritizing FTP gains over PL gains during certain points of the season and vice versa. Earlier in the season, we usually recommend focusing on building up your FTP. As you approach your goal event(s) of the year, we recommend switching that focus to PLs so you can work on specificity to prepare for the demands of your A race(s).
As @Pbase mentioned, you can also use Workout Alternates to manually pick out workouts at different Workout Levels if you feel like the workouts in your plan don’t fit your current needs. Upon completing those workouts, your PLs will be updated and any adaptations that might need to be made to your plan will be applied accordingly.
@2DollarLegs A Ramp Test (or another FTP assessment) can be a good idea if you haven’t had an accurate FTP measurement in a while so you can have a starting point to reference. If you already feel confident that your FTP is about right, then there shouldn’t be any reason to continue testing unless you want to – AI FTP Detection will get you dialed in each time you run it!
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Even though I’m in Specialty, I checked my AIFTP last night as soon as I could. I’ve been working pretty hard: 14-15 hour weeks, and workouts are going well. AIFTP said my 285 FTP is still valid. Is this because I’m in Specialty, or is my FTP really unchanged? I’m just trying to understand the system and how my most recent training is manifesting itself, or not.
Have you been doing a lot of outside workouts/rides? It’s been my experience the more you ride off the trainer the less accurate AIFTP is. It appears the algorithm likes a controlled environment. I’m looking to test this theory with a ramp test soon. As my ramp test and AFIFTP have been very close in the past.
I additionally suspect this is the reason for the long, long delay of introducing outside WL2/outside workouts. I don’t think they can completely analyze and account with so many variations outdoors.
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Yes, I’ve been doing a lot more riding outdoors. In the past month, all of my intensity sessions have been done outdoors, and most of my zone 2.
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Do you have a power meter outside?
Generally speaking, Specialty phase is more about fine tuning so FTP increase is not a goal and therefore less likely (although not impossible).
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Yes, I have a power meter for outside. And I have a paved rails-to-trails where I can put out pretty consistent power without having to stop or slow down.
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KM test makes for a great workout!
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Looking into it! 
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Hey!
Sorry for the delay on this one. 
We’ve been looking into your account and a few of us were away over the weekend. 
It looks like your most recent FTP detection is still valid, but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t getting faster! Your Progression Levels have increased quite a bit since your last FTP detection, so you’re clearly becoming more fit. 
I think that things are definitely going in the right direction, so I’d keep up the good work! You’re venturing into uncharted territory as you’ve never had a higher FTP that I can see. You can still make progress, but it might come a little bit more gradually. 
I’d say that after you finish your specialty phase and peak for that A race down the road, you should reach a new high point if all goes well!
Let me know if this helps and if you have other questions about any of this.
Best of luck with your training and your upcoming race! 
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Thanks for looking into it. I’m glad to hear that some of you were away for the extended weekend. I’ve been improving very gradually for a good while now, so I’m used to it. Hopefully that trend continues for a bit longer. Thanks again!
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Echoing what others have said above, I’ve found that the more I ride outside (and the more of those outdoor rides are not following a TR workout) the less accurate AI FTP gets. As my local weather has improved and as I’ve had quite a few events, I haven’t been sticking to TR workouts as much as I do during the rainy months.
I’m objectively fitter now based on known segments and wattage PRs, but AI FTP just knocked 10 watts off my FTP, and my progression levels are way down (because I haven’t been doing TR-approved workouts to keep them high.) This is not a big deal and I feel comfortable enough with the system that I think I can either bump intensity % or “test out” of the lower PLs when I get back to doing more regular indoor training.
Feature suggestion: in FTP history, it would be great to show every time that AI FTP Detection has been run, what it returned, and what the user did (e.g., accepted the value, why it wasn’t accepted, etc.)
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Hey @Drew 
I took a look at your Calendar and compared the training block where you were given a reduction in FTP versus the ones you got raises in FTP, and it is not that AI FTP is getting less accurate because you’re not completing TR Workouts, it’s just that you haven’t been doing any structured workouts in comparison to other blocks and all your riding has been endurance-type because the weather has been nicer.
While unstructured endurance-type rides can be great for training and the soul, they normally tend to be better for a foundation upon which to build FTP, rather than raising it.
As Sam mentioned in an email to you, Our system looks at your personal biometrics and the unique details of your recent and past cycling data to detect your FTP without the need for maximal efforts or specific workouts.
As far as the Progression Levels go, they decrease if there isn’t time spent in zone, as we see happening in your training. The good news is, like you mentioned, that they will quickly fall back into place when you start training them again.
Since you mentioned I haven’t been sticking to TR workouts as much as I do during the rainy months. I would consider changing your TR plan to a Low Volume. I see you have been able to consistently complete 2-3 TR Workouts per week in the past few months, so it may be worth just having 3 TR Interval Workouts per week and supplementing them with your unstructured riding! This way you can keep building your FTP and enjoy the nicer weather.
P.S: I also noticed that you have your A Event coming up and you just began what we call taper weeks, hence the shorter workouts. I would be mindful of completing 3:30-hour workouts during these next two weeks as the idea is to restore your freshness for race day. During a taper, the overall volume and time on the bike are reduced, while keeping the intensity high. 
Hope the info was helpful! 
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Thanks, this is all great info and I appreciate the suggestions. As mentioned, despite my recent AI FTP reduction, I don’t think I’m losing fitness based on both how I feel and setting PRs in terms of power and over known climbs/segments. Obviously FTP as calculated by the system is only one measure of fitness; maybe mine is down slightly (though I don’t think so), but endurance and ability to go deep 3+ hours into a ride have improved.
I always struggle with TR plans when the weather is good and there are group rides or other adventures to be had on the weekends. Skipping a fun (long, hard) outdoor weekend ride so I can be fresh for my interval workout on Monday is just not something I’m willing to do, even if it might be the best for training progression.
This time of year I tend to have an event every 2-3 weeks, so I’m always either recovering or tapering, which makes getting a consistent training block in hard. My usual approach is to try to train consistently for the first 3-4 months of the year (when events are rarer and the weather is bad) then ride that fitness through the spring/summer with less structure. I know this approach will not have me preforming at my best at a single “A” race, but TBH i just pick one of the many events I do as an “A” event for the purposes of plan construction; my real goal is to feel good and perform fairly well for the season. It’d be cool if TR had a plan for this, as I suspect many athletes are in a similar situation.
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Yup! I agree that FTP is not the sole measure of fitness
And yes, totally understandable, that’s why the Low Volume and even the Low Volume Masters plans are best when following a plan + adding unstructured riding.
Having 3 TR Workouts a week instead of 5 as you have now gives you a lot more flexibility with unstructured rides. No need to give up the weekend rides to be fresh for Monday’s interval as you can move it to say Tuesday.
Ideally, we want to get the best of both worlds, but at the end of the day, you make the call! I’m just here to give you options and try and help you with your goals as much as I can.
As far as having the “A” event for the purposes of plan construction you could always create a training plan with Plan Builder with no event. It will create the natural transition of Base>>Build>>Specialty.
Alternatively, you can individually add phases to your Calendar as you go and when the weather gets nice and you’re riding that fitness through the spring/summer you can use the TrainNow feature to recommend you a TR Workout on the day you’d like to train inside.
P.S.: I’ll be sure to pass the feedback to the team tho
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