All my rides (inc the ramp test) are early so I do a warm up, the first 10mins of Agassiz when doing the ramp test. (all other rides I usually extend the warm up by 5 mins)
I just make sure I’m consistent and do this every time I test.
1 Like
Start of my next block (SSBLV2).
Pleased to get +10 watts; up to 294 after a few days feeling a bit under the weather during my rest week.
Little video as evidence 
10 Likes
Yeh - I think my HR monitor needs a new battery. It’s given weird readings on and off the last couple of workouts 
Big gains 
After Covid hit and it became clear that being overweight was a significant risk factor for severe disease I lost about 15kg of ‘dad bod’ weigth early last year. As a reward I gifted myself a smart trainer in the summer and used Zwift for a bit. My first ramp test in Zwift gave me a 230W FTP (2.8 W/kg) off the couch. But the Zwift training plans were pretty frustrating and I am really glad I found TrainerRoad.
I’ve been following a low volume plan since October 2020, pretty much sweet spot base and sustained power build on repeat. Today the ramp test gave me an FTP of 302W (3.7 W/kg) which I am super stoked about. Progress hasn’t been linear, but when I tested lower than before there alwayswas a reason like recovering from a cold so I kept the old value if I was able to complete workouts with it.
Besides FTP one of my favorite metrics is the ‘efficiency’ metric from intervals.icu (NP/heart rate) which seems to track really nicely with cardiovascular fitness (and shows the effect of summer heat in both years).
I am not training for any events but mainly for general fitness. Due to life I do about 95% of my riding indoors. And also my riding buddies seem kind of slow now 
But my goal is to reach 4 W/kg (maybe as early as next year?), maybe get a KOM somewhere and to participate in some grand fondos or gravel races.
Still enjoy Zwift from time to time but really love TR and the podcast (but miss Amber and Pete) and just renewed my annual subsciption 
17 Likes
Nice gains! Can you make as screenshot of the fatigue/form chart in intervals.icu as well? I’m working on a SSMV1-SSMV2 build and seem to be in the ‘grey zone’ or above most of the time. While previously before I was using trainerroad, I spend most of my time in the ‘ideal’ fatigue territory. Curious where your training took you.
Mine:
4 Likes
Great work. That’s killer progress 
2 Likes
I’ve just completed my first TR plan: SSB1LV (with some extra workouts).
Before: 233 W @ 65 kg (3.58 W/kg)
After: 255 W @ 64 kg (3.98 W/kg)
That’s +22 W (9.4%) and -1 kg in just 6 weeks. I didn’t expect that much progress… maybe there is a nice 5.0 W/kg in my future 
In case someone was wondering how PLs changed after the ramp test (SSB2MV):
- Endurance: 5.4 → 2.5
- Tempo: 6.9 → 4.4
- Sweet Spot: 10.0 → 6.4
- Threshold: 6.9 → 2.3
- VO2 Max: 8.4 → 4.1
- Anaerobic: 8.1 → 2.4
- Sprint: 4.4 → 1.0
Right after the ramp test I completed the next suggested 90min threshold 3.0 workout and it felt great - AT works perfectly for me.
10 Likes
Just completed TBMV1 and went from 243-248 W.
Not bad for something I threw on the calendar just to avoid laziness over the holiday season! Doing one more round of TBMV1 before heading into SSB in the new year. It would be nice to see another little FTP bump while I try to make the number on the scale go the other way!
6 Likes
Sure, here you go:
Never been sure what to make of this chart. I believe it’s geared more towards triathletes. At least you can make out some periodization due to the rest weeks. And my training apparently has become even less optimal since starting with Adaptive Training in June or July 
3 Likes
I’m 27m, and after a couple years of casually riding I just finished SSB1 and re-tested. Went from 211 FTP (2.51 w/kg) to 241 (2.87 w/kg) after 6 weeks. Don’t know if my weight changed since I don’t have a scale. Feeling great about a 14% increase In such a short amount of time!
11 Likes
@Carbman, @Pirate Seems to correspond with my findings that intervals.icu and Xert (I still have a old membership but don’t use it actively) direct you to way more fatigue in order to get to proper stimulus.
The Fitness line in the intervals.icu chart does not resemble or correlate to my FTP in any case, as is the same with the training load of the Xert progression chart.
The reason I asked the question is that I have the feeling that with Trainerroad (and even more so since AT) stimulus is less demanding (achievable but hard workouts) but offer the same or even better results.
My n=1 is that I have cycled quite a lot during "18 and "19 season only to stop almost completely in "20 and beginning of "21 due to some life changes. My "19 FTP peak was around 350w @ 4,375 w/kg.
Since I started training back in June this year with Trainerroad I took my first test at 311w @ 22 August. I probably came from around 260/270w initially in the beginning of this year. Yesterday’s test after finishing SSBMV was at 333w. Back at around 4,2 w/kg. So it seems that the ‘old’ part of my fitness comes back really quick.
The question I was looking to answer for myself is if (to be honest) the training load that Trainerroad gives me in mid volume is high enough to advance further. I know and see that workouts get harder and harder in trainerroad and I seem to be able to complete them with relative ease even after taking FTP tests. But having done 4/5 hour rides and 12 hour weeks with brutal tempo to get faster in the past there is a part of me that keeps doubting if 8 hours of specific workouts can give me the same or better results. I guess I need to trust the process 
2 Likes
Update:
August 16, 2021 (Started TR): 192 Watts
September 27, 2021: 222 Watts
November 8, 2022: 226 Watts
December 6, 2022: 235 Watts
Onward to the second part of General Build!
10 Likes
Update… while I wouldn’t call my summer and fall lazy, I was lazy about riding my bike. Most recent Ramp Test put me at 235W. Hoping to catch back up fast though!
4 Likes
My threshold improved from about 3.5w/kg at the start of the year, it stayed about where it was until I finally hired a coach from cts (previously I was self coached) I quickly saw 4.5 w/kg then over the summer a few weeks after my a race I hit 5w/kg and now I’m going to retest again on Xmas Eve the number my coach wants me to target on my 2x8 would put my ftp at 5.68w/kg. I’m currently targeting road nats, tog, and vos this season. My coach currently is having me do around 17.5 hours per week, Im out in the rain 6 days per week.
12 Likes
Impressive gains. Do you think you respond more to the volume (it’s quite big) or rather intensity? Do you do 2 or 3 intensity days per week usually? (Just my personal curiosity)
Crikey - that’s an impressive amount of time in the saddle 
I think it’s the program as a whole. Part of what we are working on is decreasing my recovery, and spending a high amount of time in the building zone. It’s a combination of both, the volume makes the work count for more, and work makes the volume build. I also am a gc specialist, so a big part of my focus is making my body do More on less recovery.
1 Like
When I did first ramp test 6 weeks ago, I tested @197W but I really messed that one up. I retested a few days later @215W but upped to 220W in my profile. Today after completing SSB1 low volume I tested @234W (m/47/75kg)
Pretty satisfied with the result 
Edit: I actually enjoyed doing the ramp test, I’ve not seen my heart rate that high ever before, didn’t even think it was possible to get it that high, 2 beats higher than my previous record and 12 more than predicted for my age 
10 Likes