I must say my big volume was not planned initially. Got a mild cold, really mild but severe enough to abandon any intensity. Since I had time I wanted to make use of it …
January will see more right around AeT/low coggan-zone 3. I’m actually pondering the purchase of a lactate meter. These are quite expensive over here but the data geek in me has the upper hand. After having wasted my time with muscle oxygenation (BSX and so) I want to try the real stuff. And after all those years of high volume now I really would like to know where my AeT/LT1 is. And if I can still push it further right. And then I would like to check MLSS. Februay will see the introduction of threshold work. These MLSS tests may be a good incentive.
I finished up a cycle of TB mid volume 1, 2 and 3 last week. Skiing this week and kick off SSB next week. My FTP has held pretty steady so far. Test next Tuesday.
So too early to assess any benefit but I feel good right now.
Estimation from HRV is quite involved. HRV data needs a lot of pre-processing (filtering, resampling and so). Too much effort required …
However, I’mnot sure if you actually mean HRV. We had some exchange on the estimation via Pulse-deficit in this forum. And yes, I have played around with it. For me this is at the same precision level as going by feel.
I would say that’s accurate. I messed around with it (Heart Rate Variability) and even though its precision may be questionable, it does show distinct (albeit fuzzy) VT changes, similar to what a talk test would provide. Just interesting to see how different tech measures different aspects of physiology.
In 2018/2019 off season I did all mid volume plans:
TB 1, 2, 3, GB, SSB 1, 2
For 2019/2020 I will do MV plans:
SSB 1, SSB 1, SSB 1, then SSB 2
I couldn’t stand the thought of doing Traditional Base again indoors so repeating SSB 1 along with incorporating strength training on Wed and Fri. In week 5 of my second round of SSB 1 and realized that adding strength training left me failing some of the o/u workouts. Have since moved strength training to Monday only and will see how that goes.
So far I’m about a month ahead of my FTP from last year at this time and my ramp test in 2 weeks will be a good marker.
Update: Have settled into a nice routine of gym work, longer roller riding at VT1 and mountain biking on the weekends weather permitting. 8-12 weeks of this and see where things stand. No real race goals but looking for a bump in overall strength and endurance without losing the “punch” I picked up last season. Training perspective, I’m on an extended “base” which may not end until May.
I’m in a real conundrum at the moment. I am supposed to be heading into SSBII, but I really felt I got the best improvement last year in long SS intervals, and the threshold stuff really burned me out.
My feeling this year is maybe a 4 week block of long SS workouts with one VO2 workout a week? Then a more definitive change in program to build with suprathreshold and VO2 work after.
Regarding the update. I’ve really gotten into a rut. Ever since the end of October I’ve been in and out of colds/flu’s and fevers. It’s been really horrible and I’ve only managed to barely keep up with SSBMVII did Mary Austin twice without completing and so on. Feels really bad even though my FTP is way higher than last year. About 10% higher now than were it was last year but I find it really hard to motivate myself to suffer more than 1h SS. The Saturday’s O/U-workouts just don’t work anymore. But I’m starting over next week with SSBMVI again then having used the planner I’m set for the A-race in beginning of August.
Just have to sort out how to combine my oldest son’s ice hockey practice, taking care of the family and work with my 12hrs of training.
PS. I’ve also skipped some workouts to play Ice Hockey myself and I’ve combined those with other workouts. Hockey is more VO2Max-focused than anything else so I assumed it’s much like combining cycling with XC Skiing or something along those lines.
Similar here. I wasn’t really keen on threshold intervals just yet. Doing more tempo and longer endurance workouts for now. As I have mentioned above, after a couple of weeks I’ll introduce one VO2Max session a week like you want to.
FWIW, if doing the classic Trainer Road SSBMV1 to SSBMV2 to Sustained or General Build progression I feel that SSBMV2 6 week period is the hardest cycle in the progression. The program works really well though and completers will definitely have a good 20-60min power number at the end of 20 weeks. But you gotta really want to do that 20 weeks :-]
Think a lot of folks are looking for something that is a notch less intense? We could always just hit the intensity slider from 100% to 90%.
But, I would like to see an addition to the SSB programming which would add a level before SSB 1. Let’s call it SSBMV Zero for discussion.
SSBMV0 would be programmed as a prebase and be good for general fitness and perhaps more fun (very subjective):
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Low volume VO2max (4x4 at 110-115% or a nice 30/15 or 30/30)
Wednesday -TSS / Volume adder (Pettit, Baxter, etc)
Thursday - SST Day, 3x12 to 2x20 but not exceeding 85%
Friday - Rest or TSS / Volume adder (Pettit, Baxter, etc)
Saturday - 90-180 min VT1/AeT/Z2
Sunday - 90-180 min VT1/AeT/Z2
** Riders wanting to go all in on the Z2 work can modify Thursday away from SST and Tuesday too if they wish. But at that point you aren’t reading this and are doing your own programming or paying a proper coach.
Anywoo… SSB Zero would be a nice 6 week block which is not going to be killer for trained athletes and which can be repeated for general fitness as needed. Zero can be modified readily to incorporate gym work if desired (2-3 days per week) and Zero would lead nicely into SSBMV1 then SSBMV 2 to create a sweet (sic) 18 week program. Coming out of those 18 weeks riders would have no problem jumping in to early season races and would definitely be primed for a BUILD.
For SSBMV1 – IF following Zero, would make Tuesday a “medium volume” VO2max day then keep the rest as is. There is already the option to make Sunday a “long” day and I would probably do that (as opposed to the extra SST).
SSBMV2 – This is a really nice 6 week block. Maybe take the longer and slower Sunday option.
Well that got long and probably isn’t as helpful as intended. But perhaps Zero is something like what you were thinking and if so hope the pixels above were useful.
That’s why I’ve stayed in SSB1 for 3 iterations, just have no desire to tackle the intensity in SSB2. Agreed that I’ve found the Saturday o/u workouts a bit too much for me, mostly mentally. I just don’t feel like suffering quite yet. I’ve bailed on several of the o/u’s and it doesn’t even bother me, I’m more interested in sweet spot stuff for now.
Mark,
First off, thanks for the well thought out response!
Just some back ground on me, not only do I usually do the 28 week cycle, but I actually go right from that into rebuild and CX specialty, and do a traditional block before. On top of being a masters age dude, which I think applies to a lot of guys here. Given this, I think that a lot of guys and gals here are in the same boat, where (after the newb gains of the first few years if just starting structured training) carrying that much intensity that many weeks is a recipe for disaster. I had a nightmare 2019 with over training, and am more looking at how to grow aerobically in a consistent sustainable manner, increase durability and that sort of thing.
I think this would be a really interesting podcast topic. I’m thinking of doing 10 weeks or so of SSB1 but -10% and increasing volume when I can. I’m 44.
I have been swapping the Thursday and Saturday workouts since the beginning of 2019. I do the Thursday workouts in the evening after work, vs my Saturday workouts in the morning.
For myself, I can handle those tougher workouts in the evening better than early morning.
For HR Asheville last year, I did SSB1 → SSB2 → Sustained Power → Century, all MV. I got a lot stronger but was completely burnt by intensity on the trainer when I got to Century. My compliance dropped way off. So this year I followed up SSB1 MV with SSB1 HV, with sub’d in VO2 on Tuesday. Nothing crazy, e,.g, Mills +3, Dade +4, Matthes +4. I’m in week 4 and so far, so good, This seems similar to what you’re thinking, so I’d say I like it.
I can’t imagine doing anything HV except SSB1, so will moving on to Sustained Power MV.
Since I asked Andy Coggan directly in another forum, just sharing, always interesting to hear different views. In particular these days where one could get the impression that there is only one truth in training.
19 hours ago, [sryke] said:
just curious as I struggle with this each winter. How to build this base?
Slide 32 of this presentation shows one effective way:
More globally, I would say 1) as much volume in levels 2/3/4 (up to FTP) as you can handle, and 2) start yesterday and proceed patiently (the magnitude of possible improvement in muscular metabolic fitness is greater than for, e.g., VO2max, but too often people try to rush things along).
Base update: late November and December were pre-occupied with keeping up some training volume while recovering from a heavy cold. Late December upped the volume before Christmas break then some long rides over New Year.
January plan is to follow the Steve Neal prescription of Z2 rides + long tempo intervals, increasing time in zone. Did 2x40min tempo just before Christmas, hoping to build to 2x45, 1x60 + 1x30, and finally 1x90.
Overall aim is to get CTL up to a decent level with as little time above Z3 as possible. Then kick in to some proper hard sessions to build the top end.
scrolling through those slides I can also see the error of my ways the last few years. 5% increase in AC, Nerumuscular strength, and aerobic power produce widely different responses in a 4 km pursuit ( just over 4 min at world class level). I focused a lot on short power and my fatigue resistance has since suffered. Back before the days of trainerroad, I always used to think the pacing of the xterra bike leg as more similar to a marathon mtb. Still hard, but being a bit smarter about going over threshold
So this year I’ll be trying to take the best lessons that I’ve picked up from the scientific triathlon interviews. So much good information in those from some of the world’s best. Filliol, Weber, Lorang, Olbrecht. So the goal is to always try to see how to add in some more volume, and save the really hard work for the 3-6 weeks prior to B or A races.
Just got done doing an extended version of SSB1 (repeated a few weeks, added a recovery week in the middle) along with getting to 8k in the pool, and a 1 hour 40 long run. The increase in volume has done wonders for my swimming, as I did a 2x 1k main set the last work week (2x15 min) on only 15 seconds rest between the two at just below threshold pace.
Next 8 weeks will be seiler style VO2 max intervals for all three sports 1x week per sport and keep up the focus of incrementally increasing volume. Not big increases, just small tidbits here and there. By the time that is done, I’ll try to work in SSB2.
yes, this lack of focus on sustained power was probably also my main mistake of last winter’s polarized experiment. And why this race season was really bad. And yes, there is probably a reason why all the mentioned coaches (I would include the Norwegians as well) use >FTP so sparingly: it messes with “maximizing consistent training load over weeks”. This is really the common denominator for all the mentioned coaches. And what Coggan says: “as much as you can handle”. Nicely mirrored by my Strava-pro-extracts: rarely killer workouts but consistently riding a lot “with stuff” at times.
So the key “metric” would be: how much can one handle over a block of days/weeks. Trial and error unfortunately.
Ah, this one is a nice one as well, Australien Road Champ:
If you are tired ride long. If you feel strong ride hard. Repeat. … when do you decide to rest? … Technically, If you need to rest, you may have been riding too hard.
