Hi,
I have only just re-subscribed back to TR due to the Zwift integration and loving my indoor cycling training as a result. Great job TR team!
I’m only a few weeks deep and have been using TrainNow rather than a Plan as I am not really training up for any race etc and also do a lot of outdoor riding (Group Chop rides, Crits etc) so TrainNow seems to be a good fit.
As most know, TrainNow throws up 3 suggested workouts each day (Attacking, Endurance & Climbing) and a duration can be selected (30mins to 135mins). However, my selection of which workout to do has no real science behind it and I pretty much select the workout according to how I feel, previous TrainNow workouts I’ve done and how much time.
For instance, this week, if I’ve done an Endurance, Sweet Spot and then VO2 over the preceding 3 days, and depending on how I feel, after those 3 x 45min workouts, will pick my next workout with no real science behind it other than how I feel and whether my motivation is more to do another endurance ride or something more challenging.
So my question is - am I still progressively building fitness etc by simply selecting the AI driven workouts suggested regardless of type and duration (dependant on what I select) or should I jump in and select a plan so I know at least the thinking process of which workout is selected for that day, is taken out of my hands and all I have to do is “trust the process” of AI selecting the plan workouts?
I am no newbie to training and understand the basic principles of 80/20 etc but left to me as a self-coached Athlete I could be setting myself up for failure by thinking that the workout I am selecting via TrainNow is stretching me when in fact it isn’t and would be better served in a plan selecting the workout so it progressively builds a better FTP etc.
Would love some guidance on how better to use TrainNow as I think it is an incredibly great feature, particularly for those that want to have the flexibility in training (like me) v a Plan that gives me the discipline and structure required to improve. Thanks.
Hey there and welcome back!
In general, we’d recommend using Plan Builder over TrainNow for long-term training.
TrainNow is awesome to use if you have a free day here or there that you’re looking to fill in with some extra workouts, but you’re correct that there isn’t any sort of built-in progression that’s meant to get you to a specific fitness goal.
That said, it can still certainly build up some fitness! It just may not happen as quickly as if you followed a plan, and the fitness you build would likely be pretty “general” rather than “specific.”
If you choose to go with a plan, you could select Low Volume to get 2-3 structured workouts in per week, which then leaves you with a lot of flexibility for other rides and races you may hop into. Even if you drop/replace one of those workouts in favor of a hard ride/race, your general plan/training will still be moving you in the direction of the fitness goals you give to Plan Builder when setting everything up. Plus, TR will keep you on track as Adaptive Training kicks in and adjusts your upcoming workouts as necessary.
Hope that makes sense and helps you out… Feel free to let us know if you have any additional questions!
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Thanks. A low volume plan sounds just right. Would an FTP Builder plan be the best for improving general cycling fitness or something else?
Yes, I think an FTP Builder plan would be great for that!
Happy training! 
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Just my two cents. I’ve been using other training apps the past years before getting back on TR last Nov. All the adaptive/AI stuff was new to me and I asked the very similar questions and got similar answers. There was a lot to take in and figure out between adaptive plans, PLs, AI FTP, RL/GL, Train Now, Solo/Group Rides… and how they did or did not interact. Anyway, as far as TN vs a Plan goes, a plan is both backward and forward looking and intended to provide optimal progressions and improvement. TN is only backward looking and provides workout options that you can choose among based on what you’ve done, but no what may be optimal for your progression. With a plan, you can choose to do a workout outdoors, and that will be taken into account in the plan, but unstructured outdoor rides will not. They can trigger a red or yellow light day but they won’t affect your PLs, which is what plan adaptations are based on.
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