Why does every workout feel easy? UPDATED

Training
1

Hello all, I apologize if this has been covered. I searched for a while and can’t find anything specific.
I am rather new to very structured training. My structured training usually involves going as hard as i can on climbs, and recovering on the descents, group rides that often turn to races, etc.

I feel like every single workout on Trainer Road that I have done so far has been too easy. I even looked into the future and I barely see any that push me above my FTP. Is this because I know nothing about structured training? I am barely breaking a sweat and its driving me nuts! I wanna get strong and burn some calories.

Any advice is helpful! I absolutely love the idea of this entire thing, but need some convincing, or maybe some help as to what I am doing wrong? Thanks!

UPDATE! It was a bad test! i tested again, and now im concerned I wont be able to finish my workouts! Thanks for all the help!

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What workouts are you doing? Are you running a training plan? What’s your FTP? How did you measure your FTP? When did you measure your FTP last? What trainer are you using? Is it calibrated?

Too many unknowns right now to give any answer.

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I started a training plan, a climbing on to be specific, but think I am going to enter my target events to hopefully help.

I did an FTP test the very first day I set up my account. I do feel like it is a little low… but havent done a real test for a long time. My Garmin randomly tells me what it thinks my FTP is durring the summer and it is much higher, but I dont know if I can trust it. For reference, TR ramp test told me i am 265, and garmin has me around 300.

I have an early 2017 Wahoo KICKR that I calibrate quite often.

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Great questions with more to consider:

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Was it your first ramp test? Sounds to me like you maybe didn’t have the best test.

You could try and test again or just increase the workout intensity 5-10% and see how that feels (left lower corner in the workout window).

If you doubt if you tested well, write to support and they can have a look at your file.

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Yes and Yes

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Yes it was my first ramp test… I was thinking about testing again, but when should I do so? Want to make sure im fresh yea?

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OK, what answers are you giving the surveys?

As you can see, there are MANY variables at play. It might be good for you to contact TR directly, since they have access to all this and more without the need for you to repost it all. A TR rep may reply here as well, but contacting support directly can be a better place to start with complex details needed here.

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Test again… your FTP may be too low. (Training at a 265 FTP when you are really at 300 would definitely feel easy).
OR
Increase the level of difficulty. Bump up a full level and keep doing so until you find yourself challenged.

That said you shouldn’t be “going to the well” every workout. Different workouts have different goals and have different feels. Full on anaerobic sprinting is going to feel different than VO2, which is different than threshold. Regardless though if you aren’t breaking a sweat you are going too easy (see above).

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I have never answered above moderate… but I didnt realize these really made a difference. On last nights workout i answered easy.

I will see if anyone answers here, if not ill contact directly. Thank you so much for your help

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Yes, and I fully understand I shouldnt be going that deep on every workout. But I also want to break a sweat. Thanks for the help. i may retest. Do you suggest ramp? or 20 min?

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Check out the article I linked above. The survey answers aim to understand how the workout went for you, and will potentially make pending workouts in that training zone easier or harder as needed, with an aim to keep your training pointed the right way.

Depending on your precise training phase right now, it may well be expected that you are doing “easy” workouts. As mentioned above, training is not always about smashing yourself in the face. Proper training can and does vary from what people might think is the right way to get stronger and faster.

I still suggest contacting TR support so they can reply with a fuller picture than we can here, even with the info you’ve provided.

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13

I just realized something! when i did my first ramp test it started my FTP at 154, i saw that and knew that was way off so i jumped it to 260 since I knew it was closer. Should i have left it at that low number for it to be more accurate?

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How did you know that your FTP was 260w vs the test result of 154w?

I won’t say you should have left it, but that large of a disparity sure raises more questions than it answers.

“Accurate” is relative and needs to be considered with how and when you got either of those two FTP values.

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I didnt know that it was 260… but i knew it was a much more realistic starting point than 154! Im also unfamiliar with how a ramp test works…

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If you have done at least 10 indoor TR workouts (sounds likely), you might be able to use the AI FTP Detection:

But it may be limited considering the chance you have changed your FTP within a 28-day window. I think this is worth a look to see if you can use it. If not, it may well be that you are better off with a new Ramp Test, especially since you know more about it now and may perform it better.

Either of those seem better than the guess you made, unless you really have good reason to know that is “right”.

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The clue is in the name, the rest starts lowish and then ramps up every minute, you should last around 20 minutes (ish). If you start with the watts to high you’ll get an off reading.

Easiest thing to do, load up the ramp test and ride till you can’t, that’ll give you a more accurate number.

It’ll only take 30 minutes…

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So if I load it up, what should I start it at?

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Just wherever it starts. It gets harder until you fail. Just ride it as long as you can. You can turn on live ftp too and see what your ftp would be if you stopped riding the test. The longer you do the ramp test the higher your ftp is

1 Like
20

Well… it must have a bad test… decided to test again tonight, after doing intervals last night. New FTP is 295… now im worried I wont be able to finish my workouts. Thanks for all the help!

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