Shoutout to Low Volume!

This is always my plan. A couple of structured workouts on the trainer mixed with commutes and a long weekend ride.

Never happens.

I just end up riding outside all the time. I’ve looked back to 2017 and that’s what happens all the time. I get pumped in November to “train”. Go 5 days a week. Burn out around…well…around now the start of Feb. Limp across the finish line. March 15th (or so, I’m in the PNW) hits and I forget what a trainer is.

Last week I was determined to do 2 rides a week on the trainer with structure throughout the year so I would improve.

Now…not so much.

It’s obvious to me how low volume plans can help mentally but is this seen in your watts as well?

So, I’m only 4 weeks into SSBLV1, so I haven’t had a ramp test to compare it to yet. Having said that, I’m working at the same FTP as I did my last few months of high volume, and I’m completing workouts which defeated me previously, when training on a higher volume.
There’s two elements here. The first is that going into a workout with a mindset of “I can complete this!” means that you are more likely to complete it. Secondly, following a good plan perfectly is better than poorly following the perfect plan.
I believe that I’ll lose a bit of FTP in my next test (thanks to a new trainer with a more accurate power curve, and also the fact that ramp tests tend to benefit from VO2 max, and crit specialty left me with an awesome VO2 max, hence perhaps inflating my FTP).

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Me too. This year it was time for a change. I started my focused training this week and with a new approach so I’m hoping I can stay consistent through the spring, summer and fall (winter is the easy part), and really start getting the progressive gains I know I’m leaving every year when I inevitably lose interest in structure. Wish me luck. :joy:

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I joined this boat also.

Did a High Volume Bike trainning for a solo Ironman last august. Took a break because I coulnd figure it out how to feel pain anymore. Had a baby girl in december and now Im doing LV + some endurance rides + a couple of swims and feeling good. Fitness is climbing and I have a peace of mind on hitting every workout.

November is too early. Do weight training and functional fitness in November plus base mile riding. Start the hard work in Feb and be dropping your friends by May or June.

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I think I am the black sheep on this one. Using the triathlon plans, I had to get away from the low volume as it just wasn’t enough time on the bike. I come from a running/swimming background so the bike is where the improvements can be made, and 3 rides that keep me under 3 hours of bike training a week is just not enough. I am trying a HV base and then a MV build and special. I am hoping the increased saddle time and training will do wonders for my lacking bike splits.

This is just the thread I was looking for. Last spring I did SSB2 and both General Build Blocks in MV. I only did the workouts, no outdoor rides. I did get faster, but it cooked me.

This year Im trying a different approach. Im halfway through SSB2 MV, but Im only doing 3 to 4 of the workouts each week. I’m omitting the long endurance workout and going outside. NO. MATTER. WHAT.

I’m channeling my inner Pete (from the podcast) and enjoying a “soul ride” each week. He also mentioned that he sets the priority to hit 2 or 3 key workouts per week and releases himself from the pressure of hitting all 5 each week.

For now, Im going to leave it on the MV, just to have that 4th workout in there as “bonus points” or in case of a rainy weekend. My only problem is that when I do go outside, its just so damn fun to be smashing all my own PR’s and I go too hard.

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I think we need to do an unofficial rebranding or renaming of Low Volume. The current name downplays the actual value and effectiveness of a fantastic plan. It is great on it’s own, but the numerous options to build upon it makes it quite the awesome starting platform. I used to consider it as a lesser option, but since trying it, I think it can be a better plan (with appropriate additions) than the Mid Volume options for many riders.

Limitless Volume
Leading Volume
Legendary Volume
Legit Volume
Laudable Volume
Logical Volume
Low-risk Volume

Silly, but sometimes the name matters as much as the content :stuck_out_tongue:

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True… “low” sounds like “beginner, amateur, not taking it serious…”… who would subscribe to that??

So… supporting your point… lets do some better marketing for LV

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How about just adding + to the end i.e. Low Volume+. It’s there as a reminder that you’ll probably get faster with the set amount of volume but can always add more time in the form of zone 2 rides.

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Great to hear - I’m thinking of joining TR from another online training provider and like the dea of the LV plans. What days do you ride, out of interest? I’ve heard a few of the Successful Athletes Podcast guests say they get the structured workouts done during the week, to accommodate a group ride at the weekend, but the only one who specified what days was (I think) Michael Brophy who did Tues/Thur/Fri.

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Also doing low volume - makes it much easier to ensure I get training rides in, and that in turn makes me feel good.

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I’ve been doing an LV plan to get ready for Ironman Arizona in November.
My riding days are usually either Tuesday/Thursday for the structured TR rides, and Friday for the long group rides outside.
The last few weeks, I’ve been riding outside a bit more often, so the schedule has changed a bit depending when I am able to get out and ride.
But for most of the summer I did the Tuesday/Thursday/Friday schedule, and at some point when my bike was waiting for a part, all three were on the trainer following the TR plan.

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I do the typical Tuesday/Thursday, and then do the weekend ride whenever time suits best.

I’m racing most weeks at the moment, so it’s often a question of whether or not to use the race as a workout, or whether to use the race as an ADDITIONAL workout. Since most races are on Tuesday, I can judge how hard the race was, and if I didn’t get a good workout out of it, I might do the scheduled workout on the Wednesday and push Thursday’s back to Friday.

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I do LV Tues/Thurs/Fri mornings with a 2-4 hours MTB ride Sunday morning. I usually keep Monday as a full rest day and sprinkle in various strength stuff such as KBs, dumbbells and bodweight stuff throughout the week, time permitting.

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Awesome, that is just what I needed to hear. Thanks.

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With a couple of exceptions I’ve only ever done Low Volume plans. Fitting in three workouts a week is relatively easy and depending on weather (I work outdoors) I can move them around to fit.

The exceptions were doing the Polarised Plans earlier this summer when I did the Medium Volume, that worked well as it was basically two hard workouts during the week and then long steady rides at the weekend. The other time was last year when I did either Medium Volume Build or Speciality and it wiped me!

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I started TR with SSB mid volume substituting endurance days for mtb rides. Then I went to high volume SSB then back to mid volume sustained build. That volume almost ruined me. Really bad choices at 47 with no structured training experience! I’m doing low volume now but this year has been extremely stressful with work issues & a concussion in May while recovering from knee surgery I had last winter. No overt gains for me but Im starting to feel strong & am redeveloping good muscle endurance. Last summer however, I did only 2 workouts from the LV plans & got fit, strong & fast beating my best times on virtually all different courses I was riding. LV should not be overlooked!

I was on a MV plan and probably still doing that volume or more but I was substituting workouts for outdoor zone 3 rides and whilst that was fine before with AT it degraded my higher zone PL’s post AT and the TR support advised me to switch to a LV plan and so far I’m liking it and the lager variety of work out TR presents as it adapts :slight_smile: