This is a feature request to the devs - Can we please get a preference option for what kinds of workouts we want to include more of?
For example I HATE sweetspot and threshold but I love VO2 Max (yes, I know I am weird) so I would like to see more VO2 Max and less sweetpot. When I create a custom plan I get dumped with 4-8 weeks of sweetspot and threshold basephase before I get an enjoyable workout. That’s a long time to slog through unenjoyable workouts.
A simple drop-down menu to select the preferred workout type for those that have already selected that they have lots of experience with interval training would be perfect.
For what it’s worth, the reason you get those Sweet Spot and Threshold workouts in that phase is because it’s to build your aerobic base. VO2 Max workouts typically aren’t introduced until the Build Phase (this is often true for non-TR plans/coaches as well). Doing VO2 Max workouts year-round isn’t sustainable and could result in stagnated progress or even burnout due to the high-intensity nature of those types of workouts.
Plus, focusing on your aerobic base before getting into that high-intensity work will often allow you to see better gains from those high-intensity sessions later on in your plan.
Sometimes the workouts we dislike the most are the ones we need to focus on…
For those reasons, I don’t think we would make those changes to Plan Builder – our goal with Plan Builder is to make athletes faster. Picking and choosing workouts based on whether we like them or not isn’t necessarily the best way to accomplish that goal.
That said, if you’re set on skipping the Sweet Spot/Threshold work and jumping straight ahead to VO2 Max, you can always add a Build Phase plan to your TR Calendar instead of using Plan Builder. You can find all of our available plans by clicking on the “Training Plans” tab and then by clicking on the “View Phases” link towards the bottom of that page:
Thanks for getting back to me with the very details response. It is much appreciated
The context here is my motivation for using TR custom plans: I don’t want to think about training and building plans. The custom plans mean I only have to think about it once or twice a year. Your suggestion of just adding Training Plans, could work, but it requires that I have the in-depth knowledge to know which plan to follow and fill in the gaps of previous training.
To your point about Base phase vs Build phase. I totally understand where you are coming from, and I would agree IF this was my first, second or maybe even third year of interval training. I am now 5 years in to this journey and I want to stack the deck with more of love I want and less of what I hate. That doesn’t mean no sweetspot or threashold, just less of it.
There are many ways to build a solid aerobic base fitness. Coaches in the past have had me out on the bike for hours of Z2, they have got me doing metabolic shuffling with 30-45s at VO2Max every 15 min for 2 hours, and yes, they have had me do sweetspot three times a week until I refused to do any more.
I can imagine that there are a good number of experienced people like me that just want the machine to give us workouts that we enjoy and will make us faster. Having the option would be great
