Trying out a block of threshold training

79 degrees? Damn.

Yeah 4+3 is really different then the usual 7 days in a week :rofl::wink:

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Compared to any of the TR plans it is. :+1:

I noticed quite a few people here are working on VO2 and SST blocks, and are soon planning to transition over to some threshold, so it seems timely to resurrect this thread and get the threshold chat in one place. (Please move this elsewhere if there’s somewhere more suitable)

After my VO2 block and some recovery, I’m planning to do some focussed work to try to grow FTP. Because I’m not usually great after a recovery week, I’m going to FTP test on the 1st Saturday. I don’t have much experience with suprathreshold workouts, but figure it’s a different stimulus and more interesting than doing all O/U workouts.

After these 3 weeks, I’ll have a recovery week and then probably do another block and work on extending TTE, and these will be more around the 95-97% FTP work level plus long SST.

What are your thoughts? What would you change?

I would be inclined to make the Friday a choice between Pettit/Taku/off depending on feel. I’ve fallen into the trap of making easy days a bit too long in the past. Your Thursday and Saturdays are super high quality, so I would want to make sure the Friday doesn’t detract from them.

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I would do a progression on thursday of threshold (2x15-2x20-3x15 (or tougher)with minimal rest). I would make the sunday workout a longer endurance ride. Four (sub) threshold workouts per week is too hard for me

I’m actually most ‘worried’ about Tuesdays - those are gonna be tough :sweat_smile:

The 90 minute Fridays are really just to keep my weekly hours consistent with where they have been for a while, which seems to work alright in terms of recovery. With some extended cooldowns, I’ll probably be in the 10-11 hour range, which seems to work for me at the moment. Although if I do start to struggle then 100% agree that the Tue/Fri are the ones to turn down.

Do you think that would be more effective at raising FTP than suprathreshold? That sounds more like how I’d plan to boost TTE (which was 60 mins last time I checked). Although of course these things never move in isolation…

It is only me and my weaknesses but I would be killed by this block :wink:

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An alternative could be a 3x20 (95%-97%-100%)

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I did Star King +3 (3x20@100% with 2 minute rests) the weekend before last.

I did 2x30 this weekend just gone.

I’m doing 1x60 this weekend.

That’s all the progression I need.

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As intensity goes up volume needs to go down. If you are dead set on the weekly hr target I would drop the intensity of that friday ride so its 60%. Some of those workouts (Fletcher etc.) are touching on 75% intensity and that can be a lot in a week like you are doing.

FWIW all of the materials coming out of Moore and Cusick indicate that for FTP work you want to target 15% as a weekly total of overall work, with 20% being the upper limit. The way your draft week is scheduled you are pushing the high end of that and if you subscribe the the mantra of doing the least amount of stress to generate the most amount of adaption, you may be digging yourself into a deep hole.

I’d strongly advise starting by making your easy days easy (Friday, maybe even look at Weds) and then see how that goes.

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I’d say this draft ‘threshold pulling’ block is maintaining intensity when comparing to my last couple of blocks, so unless I come down with Covid or get injured I think I’ll be fine. Recent blocks:

VO2:


Intensive aerobic:

Sounds like most of you are more into the TTE extending progressions than working above FTP to increase FTP. I know these sub-threshold workouts can raise FTP (I’ve done it myself), but for me this was quite a slow process. I’m totally open to adapting Tue, Fri, Sun and will proceed according to fatigue/RPE.

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