I’ve been wondering about this, and I realize this topic has been brought up on several occasions, hoping this is different enough to warrant some discussion. So we all know the TSS during build (at least in high volume plans) is less than base. So while I was getting pretty far down in TSB for SSB HV (into the -20’s), my TSB during sustained power build hasn’t gone below -10 at all. Now, I certainly understand that the work component of the build plan is pretty darn demanding, and I welcome the endurance days, I just wonder what it would be like to really get myself to a similar negative TSB during a build phase and the stimulus/adaptation that could come from that. I’m halfway through build, but I’m thinking of trying longer endurance sessions for the Wed and Friday workouts and see what happens there (certainly don’t need more over threshold sessions to kick my butt!). Curious if anyone else has tried adding more TSS to a build plan and how it worked out at the end.
Hi there,
I’ve posted these on another thread but for reference here they are again: PMC charts for consecutive Low, Mid and High volume plans with Sweet Spot Base, Beneral Build and then Climbing Road Race.
As you’ve observed, there is a marked reduction in TSS between Base and Build which is the same for all of the plans but most pronounced in the High Volume plan. This will be due to the amount of TSS that you can accumulate when doing only Sweet Spot compared to how much you can get when you’re doing VO2max etc.
My opinion is that the CTL peaks much too early in this plan - it should really peak at the end of build.
Mike
Funny, I was just looking over those numbers for myself and thinking the same thing (MV though). I’ve only done short power build and general build in the past, but glancing at sustained power I think the end result would be similar - the only way I’m really able to add TSS to those build plans indoors are by adding some extended endurance onto the end of VO2 rides, extending the existing endurance rides, or adding on early morning ‘TSS filler rides’.
Since I’m typically on mid-volume though, I am able to add more TSS throughout build as outside rides also start picking up - I try and keep these as endurance type rides rather than drop rides (harder rides / drop rides I swap out a workout)
I’m hoping to get in more outdoor rides with people and get some 200tss weekend rides in and what not, so hopefully I can find out for myself what doing more work during build can yield. With so many people (myself included) finding that the most FTP increases occur during base, I was just wondering if it’s because base is where people are really getting their TSB negative.
I might be doing base again in a few weeks after build as I get myself aligned for CX season, so I’ll have to document and report back