New Dad Feature [Extra Workout Selection]

Hey I’m a new dad so doing low volume right now, but occasionally I might get a free extra day to train. I’d like an automated workout selector that would fit my plan builder. Or at least some automated guidance on which type of workout to plug in to add volume when the opportunity arises

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There are filters on the workout page when you search workouts…select the time ranges, intensity levels, etc and TR will spit out workouts that fit the criteria.

Congrats, btw!

But granted, I still find myself browsing workouts like the Netflix library. It is really hard to pick something that’s challenging and fits the plan. Most of the time I’m not even entirely sure what „fits my plan“ would mean in terms of TSS and energy systems. A „hit me!“-button would be pretty cool, let Coach Chad figure out what we should do!

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I’m an "experienced Dad* at this point (8+ years in on parenthood)…

Pick the plan you, your partner, and both employments, can commit to, add volume where you can.

It might be it an extra interval or three of VO2, (fitness permitting), tacking on Z2 to a scheduled ride, or a #nojunkmies by towing the infant around in the trailer. Recently, I’ve just been tacking zone2 spinning into both my basement rides and my commutes. It makes the #nojunkmiles feel like pure fun when I guide the 8/6/4 year olds on traffic laws and behavior. Don’t get me wrong, when I take the kids out for parking lot hot laps, I try to blow their doors off during their sprints, and when I ride out for a beer with overgrown men, still have an awareness about my effort level…

My advice is that if you are on the LV plan, then don’t worry about how extra workouts fit into the plan. Any extra workout is a bonus so do whatever for your schedule and what you feel like.

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If you’re following a LV plan, the important energy systems are being addressed. I’d add some Z2 endurance rides such as Pettit, Beech or Boarstone, depending on available time that day. If it’s just a day you have extra time, consider a + ride that adds some extra endurance.

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that’s a great request. I go at it the other way, and enrol in a Medium Volume plan, and cherrypick from that week’s extras, often doing the variant versions.

Awesome thanks!

Agree. TR low volume plans have a lot of intensity. Adding more lower intensity volume I think is better than adding another threshold or VO2max workout.

FWIW, most of the “sweet spot” workouts in TR low volume plans (eg SSBII and sustained power build) are more like threshold workouts.

So another option is to add a true Sweet Spot workout like 2x20 at 90%. I find these are a lot less fatiguing than a threshold workout.

IMO, adding volume comes down to a pretty simple choice - between adding an endurance workout, or sweet spot workout. And you can decide depending on how fatigued you feel.

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Some more intuitive adjustments/additions to your training plan WOULD be a great feature, for new dads, folks working through injury or illness (or just tired athletes who need to be told to chill :rofl:), fingers crossed on this feature! :crossed_fingers:

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I would echo the advice of adding Petit in whenever you get the opportunity to add some extra time on the bike, maybe even Baxter. I think Carter is a 45 minute version of Petit. And Dans is 30 minute version.

I wouldn’t worry too much about what to add if you are on the Low Volume plan.

Enjoy being a Dad. Take lots of photos :slight_smile:

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One, congrats.

Two, if you’re on a LV plan, just pick a workout that fits your time constraints, and if it is between two intense days, make it an endurance or recovery ride… Shade it 15 minutes short of what you think you should, particularly if the following Plan-Built day has any intensity. If its separated by a day or so, think about tempo or even sweet spot. Get the sleep you can, the volume you can, and the intensity you desire.

Three, don’t burn any marital bridges over a 45 minute endurance or recovery ride. Ask me how I know…

Four, I’ve posted my thoughts on these rides before- and I was way less structured when my children were born - but sometimes the routine of it is more important than the actually TSS or volume. Figure out what you want to have available, create a custom workout that is interesting enough to do, but easy enough that you can binge watch whatever HBO/Showtime etc series you want… It helps if that workout is just a few minutes longer than the typical episode… My go to was either a 55/75/90 minute zone 2 (60-70% of FTP) workout with a warmup, a break, a long interval, a break and another long interval or two, followed by 5 minutes of mental reset/cooldown.

I was an AM rider until my second was born, but then I got bottle duty at 0500, while my wife was on the treadmill, and I had to leave for work while she was showering and #2 was taking his first nap of the day. I shifted to being a PM rider, getting a workout in before dinner or after the kids’ bedtime… Its about getting ~most~ of the rides completed. Give yourself some slack on bad days, just grab 30 minutes of spinning if you can.

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This. I did low volume SSB last year and added anywhere from 1-3 endurance rides per week, when time and travel (remember that) allowed, from 1-2 hours long. Worked well for me

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