# Rate this Chat GPT 12 Week Cycling Plan to Grow FTP **URL:** \ **Category:** Training\ **Created:** [October 24, 2024, 6:59pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520 "2024-10-24T18:59:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CKL](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/ckl/32/138115_2.png) [@CKL](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/CKL)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2024, 6:59pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/1 "2024-10-24T18:59:46Z")
I asked Chat GPT to write me a 12 week cycling plan to grow my FTP from 325 to 350. Here is what it came up with. What do you guys think? ### Weeks 1-4: Base Building & FTP Intervals **Monday - Friday (2 hours each day):** - Day 1: Sweet Spot Intervals\*\* Warm-up: 20 mins Main Set: 3 x 12 mins at 88-94% FTP (285-305W), 5 mins easy spin between efforts Cool-down: 10 mins - Day 2: Endurance Ride\*\* 2 hours at 65-75% FTP (210-245W), steady pace, focus on smooth pedaling - Day 3: VO2 Max Intervals\*\* Warm-up: 20 mins Main Set: 5 x 4 mins at 105-115% FTP (340-375W), 5 mins easy spin between efforts Cool-down: 10 mins - Day 4: Recovery Ride\*\* 1.5 hours at 55-65% FTP (180-210W), easy spin - Day 5: Threshold Intervals\*\* Warm-up: 20 mins Main Set: 4 x 10 mins at 95-100% FTP (305-325W), 5 mins easy spin between efforts Cool-down: 10 mins - Saturday\*\*: Long Endurance Ride (4-5 hours) Ride at 65-75% FTP (210-245W), include occasional climbs at threshold intensity (around 2-3 efforts at 10 mins at 95-100% FTP) - Sunday\*\*: Rest or Recovery Ride (optional) 1 hour at 50-60% FTP if you feel like an easy spin * * * ### Weeks 5-8: Build Phase **Monday - Friday:** - Day 1: Sweet Spot + Over/Unders\*\* Warm-up: 20 mins Main Set: 3 x 15 mins at 88-94% FTP, alternating 1 min over FTP (105-110%), 1 min under (85-90%) Cool-down: 10 mins - Day 2: Endurance Ride\*\* 2 hours at 65-75% FTP - Day 3: VO2 Max + Sprint Work\*\* Warm-up: 20 mins Main Set: 5 x 3 mins at 110-120% FTP (355-390W), 5 mins easy spin, then 4 x 30 sec all-out sprints with 4 mins rest Cool-down: 10 mins - Day 4: Recovery Ride\*\* 1.5 hours at 55-65% FTP - Day 5: Threshold Intervals\*\* Warm-up: 20 mins Main Set: 5 x 8 mins at 100% FTP, 4 mins easy spin between efforts Cool-down: 10 mins - Saturday: Long Endurance Ride (4-5 hours) Same as previous weeks but aim to push a little harder on climbs or include more time at threshold (2-4 efforts) - Sunday: Rest or Recovery Ride\*\* * * * ### Weeks 9-12: Peak Phase **Monday - Friday:** - Day 1: FTP Test/Progression Ride\*\* Warm-up: 20 mins FTP Test: 20-minute all-out effort to assess your progress Cool-down: 15 mins _If no test, substitute with a tempo ride at 90-95% FTP (290-310W) for 40-60 minutes_ - Day 2: Sweet Spot + Over/Unders\*\* Warm-up: 20 mins Main Set: 3 x 20 mins at 88-94% FTP, alternating 2 mins over FTP, 2 mins under Cool-down: 10 mins - Day 3: VO2 Max + Sprint Work\*\* Same as previous weeks but push the intensity higher on sprints (all-out) - Day 4: Recovery Ride\*\* 1.5 hours at 55-65% FTP - Day 5: Threshold Intervals\*\* Warm-up: 20 mins Main Set: 4 x 12 mins at 100% FTP, 5 mins rest Cool-down: 10 mins - Saturday: Long Endurance Ride (4-5 hours) Focus on endurance with 3-5 efforts at or near threshold - Sunday: Rest\*\* ---
**Author:** ![cnidos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/0ea827/32.png) [@cnidos](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/cnidos)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2024, 8:58pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/3 "2024-10-24T20:58:17Z")
On superficial overview: 1. Doing 6h a week of high intensity work, in a 14-15h week, including VO2 max and threshold work, every week in the base phase… is maybe not a great idea. 2. The math doesn’t math. Example: the Day 1 workout in the base phase is stated to be 2 hours long, but the actual described workout is only 70min. 3. There’s no obvious progressive overload. Like it’s just “do the same workout every week for 4 weeks.” You’d have to calculate the TSS for each workout and see what’s happening with that over the course of the program. 4. There’s no allowance for FTP testing at any point during the program. 5. The VO2 workouts are prescribed by percentage of FTP. 6. The build phase has easier threshold workouts than base does. 7. Etc. It’s like the early AI-generated pictures. On quick glance there’s nothing obviously weird about it. But the more you look at it the more you’re left scratching your head. Edit: one more that has me puzzled is: > - Day 3: VO2 Max + Sprint Work\*\* > Same as previous weeks but push the intensity higher on sprints (all-out) ??? This mostly seems to be nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Jolyzara](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jolyzara/32/97333_2.png) [@Jolyzara](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jolyzara)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2024, 9:22pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/4 "2024-10-24T21:22:00Z")
> [@cnidos](#): > > It’s like the early AI-generated pictures. On quick glance there’s nothing obviously weird about it. But the more you look at it the more you’re left scratching your head. And yet I bet it would still work for most. 🙃 ---
**Author:** ![cnidos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/0ea827/32.png) [@cnidos](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/cnidos)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2024, 10:15pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/5 "2024-10-24T22:15:37Z")
> [@Jolyzara](#): > > I bet it would still work for most I’ll have to disagree there. ☺ Not many people are able to do ~15h a week, with 2h each of VO2, threshold, and SS work each week, for 12 weeks straight. ---
**Author:** ![Jolyzara](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jolyzara/32/97333_2.png) [@Jolyzara](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jolyzara)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2024, 10:20pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/6 "2024-10-24T22:20:06Z")
Just because you aren’t able doesn’t mean it won’t work. In college we did a program very similar (and that was for running), but also with a Saturday race and no rest day. Not saying it is optimal, smart or anything I would want to do it now… but it does/would work. ---
**Author:** ![Stevie\_Dee](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/stevie_dee/32/162626_2.png) [@Stevie\_Dee](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Stevie_Dee)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2024, 10:51pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/7 "2024-10-24T22:51:31Z")
Looks like a pretty brutal training regiment. If I were to give this training plan a name I would call it timebomb. ---
**Author:** ![Monkeyevil](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/monkeyevil/32/7316_2.png) [@Monkeyevil](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Monkeyevil)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 2:31am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/8 "2024-10-25T02:31:17Z")
This is a dumb plan, but where do you see 2hr of vo2 or SS? Its just 5x4s, 5x3s, and a SS progression with too short of a time in zone. ---
**Author:** ![Jolyzara](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jolyzara/32/97333_2.png) [@Jolyzara](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jolyzara)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 2:43am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/9 "2024-10-25T02:43:31Z")
What makes it dumb? (Not advocating or defending it… Just encouraging conversation because I like talking training). ---
**Author:** ![Monkeyevil](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/monkeyevil/32/7316_2.png) [@Monkeyevil](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Monkeyevil)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 2:49am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/10 "2024-10-25T02:49:50Z")
Beyond some of the days not making any sense… not many people can handle 3 intensity days a week, and doing the same interval duration and intensity every week doesn’t help gain fitness. (Look up progressive overload.) Well it probably would work fine with noob gains, but not in people with any previous training background. ---
**Author:** ![Jolyzara](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jolyzara/32/97333_2.png) [@Jolyzara](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jolyzara)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 3:24am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/11 "2024-10-25T03:24:46Z")
What workouts don’t make sense? And for what it’s worth a well respected coach a physiologist once told me… “there’s three ways to improve: go further, go faster or do it again and it feels easier.” I know many coaches that repeat workouts on micro cycles. Not saying that in this case, doing the same thing 4 weeks in a row is good (I think we can all agree here it’s not). That said we (me included) love exotic workouts. But in reality some good old traditional intervals is all you need. ---
**Author:** ![Monkeyevil](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/monkeyevil/32/7316_2.png) [@Monkeyevil](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Monkeyevil)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 3:35am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/12 "2024-10-25T03:35:38Z")
“Long Endurance Ride (4-5 hours) Focus on endurance with 3-5 efforts at or near threshold.” Focus on endurance but do 3-5 arbitrary length efforts near threshold? “If no test, substitute with a tempo ride at 90-95% FTP (290-310W) for 40-60 minutes” Tempo huh? AI is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Jolyzara](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jolyzara/32/97333_2.png) [@Jolyzara](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jolyzara)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 4:21am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/13 "2024-10-25T04:21:46Z")
> [@Monkeyevil](#): > > “Long Endurance Ride (4-5 hours) > Focus on endurance with 3-5 efforts at or near threshold.” > > Focus on endurance but do 3-5 arbitrary length efforts near threshold? Jack Daniels (author of Running Formula) has marathoners do marathon pace & threshold in the middle of their long runs. Ok, they are prescribed and not “arbitrary” (whatever that means) but it is a thing. As for tempo… what’s wrong with it? ---
**Author:** ![svens](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/svens/32/118037_2.png) [@svens](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/svens)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 9:29am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/15 "2024-10-25T09:29:40Z")
This is very good point. Asked same question with with somewhat overambitious goal (10% increase) and more specific details like training history, accustomed intensity distribution, current FTP etc. ChatGPT came up with similar plan as for OP but more tuned to what I already do. Then asked additional question about how likely this goal is. Additional notes gave sensible advice: adjusting progression with halfway testing, taking recovery weeks, upping carbs intake. Although it still went little bit crazy with remark like _“translates to an approximate 1% FTP increase per week. This is achievable, especially if you stay disciplined with recovery and nutrition.”_ based on my training history and having solid aerobic base. Sounds nice but it is usually other way around – more fit you are, harder additional gains come. Anyway, added more details about goal event (24h bike ride, not race). Again, AI proposed sensible adjustments: long 4-6h Z2 back-to-back at weekends, with periodic sustained tempo efforts thrown in, keeping weekly VO2max workout but dropping threshold → sweetspot depending on feeling, tapering before event, finding food/drink mixes that are easy to stomach for long durations, etc. Finally asked about reverse periodization. AI came up with revised plan, and listed benefits choosing this approach. In summary, I’d say beginner wouldn’t go wrong with developed plan. Only problem is that I actually knew what I wanted to achieve in discussion (nudge AI to propose reverse periodization with 2 intense workouts per week). Basically, this would be my own advice to beginner myself having enough time at hand 🙂 Or differently put: to get good plan, you need to provide details. But to know to provide necessary details, you need to be already experienced enough so you don’t need AI to help you. And other way around is also true – if you ask as beginner without necessary details, you’ll get plan that improves you one way or another, just because you are beginner and any structure is better than no structure. ---
**Author:** ![OreoCookie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/oreocookie/32/8298_2.png) [@OreoCookie](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/OreoCookie)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 10:39am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/16 "2024-10-25T10:39:48Z")
> [@CKL](#): > > What do you guys think? That ChatGPT is not a replacement for a TrainerRoad or FasCat Coaching subscription 😉 But I’ll humor you: - There is no mention of rest weeks. - It starts with VO2max work in week 1 of the base phase. - It schedules workouts for 6–7 days a week. - In the build phase it combines VO2max work with sprints!?!? - There is no explicit progression within one block. Maybe we should suggest someone at GCN to try that for shirts and giggles. ---
**Author:** ![hubcyclist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/hubcyclist/32/14363_2.png) [@hubcyclist](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/hubcyclist)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 10:39am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/17 "2024-10-25T10:39:52Z")
gonna agree with @Monkeyevil this is a dumb plan. there’s no progression to any of it, so essentially each “phase” is only a week you repeat. why vo2 and sprint? that’s also a dumb workout. 5x8 threshold, also dumb. and this is supposed to be a build phase and you’re not progressing TTE? this is just a general purpose plan, which may or may not result in an ftp increase. if op has plateaued with ftp, they need a vo2 focused block with 2-3 vo2 workouts ---
**Author:** ![OreoCookie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/oreocookie/32/8298_2.png) [@OreoCookie](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/OreoCookie)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 11:08am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/18 "2024-10-25T11:08:53Z")
> [@ivegotabike](#): > > Today’s AI seems very sensitive to the specific question asked. It is even sensitive to your choice of names in simple reasoning tasks. ---
**Author:** ![Pbase](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/pbase/32/969_2.png) [@Pbase](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Pbase)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 11:36am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/19 "2024-10-25T11:36:25Z")
> [@OreoCookie](#): > > There is no mention of rest weeks. I’m surprised I had to go this far down to find this comment. Also, you’re apparently doing a weekly FTP Test during Peak ---
**Author:** ![AlexMartins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@AlexMartins](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/AlexMartins)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 11:46am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/20 "2024-10-25T11:46:03Z")
To be very honest, a training plan isn’t too complicated. It’s the commitment, availability, period of your life, etc that makes a plan effective. A top-tier coach/training plan while you are having problems at work, studying, struggling financially, not sleeping and eating well, will bring you from X to X-1. Now… you don’t have kids or they’re already “adults”. You’re well-established career-wise, consequently, financially-wise. You have 15hrs and really are committed. I’d say that an off-the-shelf TP plan will work for you. ---
**Author:** ![cnidos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/0ea827/32.png) [@cnidos](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/cnidos)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 12:21pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/21 "2024-10-25T12:21:55Z")
> **Monday - Friday (2 hours each day)** ---
**Author:** ![OreoCookie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/oreocookie/32/8298_2.png) [@OreoCookie](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/OreoCookie)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 2:11pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520/22 "2024-10-25T14:11:33Z")
Everybody gets a whack at the piñata and candy keeps on falling out … :piñata: [Next page](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/rate-this-chat-gpt-12-week-cycling-plan-to-grow-ftp/97520.md?page=2)