You are “pushing” your FTP and create adaptations by riding just below FTP (97-98%). Your TTE of 60 min means that you should start with TiZ of 60min and extending it to 90min total TiZ (so for example 4x22,5 min etc but or something like that). So you are increasing total amount of work by extending total TiZ.
There is no huge philosophy just take your TTE, divide into intervals and do more by increasing total TiZ and do this pretty fast - so if you have done 4x15, do 5x15 during next workout or increase the intervals to 3x20 and increase TiZ from that. Do this 2x or 3x week and your FTP will go up. Restest and do this again.
Since I was getting bored by doing Sweet Spot as continuous intervals I switched to Over-unders. Currently my first hard workout is
2x20min 90s @ 90% FTP with 30s @120% FTP
The first interval is usually doable. For the second interval I have to fight. However time passes a lot quicker. Furthermore I have the impression to work power production a little bit. Interestingly FTP% avg is around 103%.
If you are doing an extensive block:
Use PDC to find TTE at FTP.
Starting with 2-3 intervals and progressing to 1, increase TiZ in each workout to at least 2 x TTE.
If you are doing an intensive block:
Find power at 15 minutes before TTE [as established in the previous block]. Set this as power reference point [PRP].
Work intervals at 95 – 105 per cent of PRP for weekly TiZ of 10 – 15 per cent of weekly volume.
With 2-3 intervals, progress to 150 per cent of TTE in each workout.
Thank you, very nicely explained.
This is what I was planning to do, gradually increasing TiZ at just below FTP.
I’m following the 2-3x/week hard sessions, the rest is Z2 riding.
The only question now is how to incorporate 1 of these 2/3 weekly rides to be over/unders. For example: If I’m planning to do 5x12, can I do Picket Guard, 4x18 would be King Peak, 3x20 Carpathian Peak?
Can these be interchangeable? As far as I understand, overs should be shorter than unders, since “working a bit below FTP is better than working above FTP” - a thing Kolie Moore mentioned in “FTP training” episode; but looking at TR workouts, overs are usually longer?
So for me there is no difference. The wattage at 45 mins and 60 mins are identical on PDC.
It’s almost flat from 09:00 @ 375w - 60:00 @ 360w. I don’t think I have any maximal efforts in the 8 - 45 minute range, because my training never usually works that area.
I guess I’ll just continue working in the 40-60 TiZ range for this intensive block, but focus on the higher end of 95-105%.
WKO works only when your PDC is up to date. So that your PDC is flat between 9min and 60min, it dont say that its really flat. I recommend to get some all outs around 30 and 40min.
They are the same as threshold but train a little different thing. That is why as O/U I prefer SST with 30s surges around 120% FTP - they recruit more muscle mass, help with efforts over FTP and are more like riding a bike outside. Recently TR has added couple of SST works with power bursts. For me Z2 for lactace clearance works better than flat O/U, and these bursts works great for FTP and things above FTP so double win. You can progress with them like with threshold - but they are very hard.
This is true, but I have the same situation as @4ibanez and pushing your PDC 30-40 min usually shortens your TTE, maybe pushing your mFTP up. So you will have more intensity in your training, but also shorter TiZ if your training base is your TTE. Which one is better is the matter of debate probably.
Yeah, Leconte looks great, I was just giving some quick examples above to properly ask a question.
Lactate clearance, yeah. I’d use them to diversify my workouts a bit, add extra adaptations. I’ll experiment a bit and see what sticks.
Thank you both @jarsson and @4ibanez
You can try that, but IMO that over is a bit too low to get the lactate generation you’re looking for in a short “burst”. I’m sure you’ll be able to get through it. It’s easier than the TR standard over-unders which are usually 95-105.
You don’t improve by setting PRs every single workout. That’s not a progression that you’ll be able to do for very long for reasons that should be obvious (you’ll burnout, plateau, or get injured fairly quickly). As to how working a power lower than your FTP for your TTE and out beyond that will help you improve, there’s plenty of literature out there on sweet spot training. You’re working a high % of your FTP for long intervals which helps create myriad adaptations in your body allowing you to do more work for longer.
The point of working powers slightly below FTP (and also SST intervals) is to reduce the fatigue cost of these workouts while maximizing aerobic adaptations. While KM and other coaches will tell you that the best way to raise your FTP is to ride at your FTP, most people can’t do a whole lot of volume riding at FTP for very long. Intensive blocks (those where you’re riding at or above threshold), for example, last about three weeks before recovery is needed if you’re doing it right. Meanwhile, you can do extensive SST blocks back to back for several months.
Just throw something together depending on where you are, your goals, current fitness etc. Below is my block’s Tuesday O/U progression. I’m a bit scared of week 2. I call week 3 the ‘Dowsett Destroyer’, which will probably also break me. Don’t know how optimal it is, but works me up to longer overs, while giving me something different each week.
One caution I’d point out here is that if you have no need to do 2xTTE at SST or beyond, there’s not much reason to train it. E.g. I have a 63min TTE @ FTP, but no event that I will do will require me to sustain 90% of FTP for more than 2 hours. I moved to training intended to raise my FTP when I got to a 1x90 @ 90%.
These recommendations are intended to be progressions that you work towards, not absolute targets. In other words, you don’t just do extensive work until you can do 200% of TTE and then shift to intensive work. You do extensive work until you hit a reasonable target or would be better served to raise FTP.
It makes no practical sense for someone who is a Cat 4 at 3.0W/kg to train to sustain that for two hours when they probably have significant room to improve by raising their FTP rather than focusing on how long they can sustain that relatively low power for their competitive category.
As with most things, the answer depends on the individual, and that is the intent behind these webinars. Tim and KM give general recommendations that must be applied to the individual based on their individual profile and event demands.