Just finished up my first ever training plan on TrainerRoad— Sweet Spot Base— Mid Volume I.
Before : 275w After: 291w Weight: 86kg
I stuck to all the workouts, didn’t skip any amazingly. Really pleased with the result— while I was doing the ramp it occurred to me I hadn’t really done anything higher then 105% during the entire six weeks of the plan, so was unsure how it would all go when pushing up towards 400w (failure during 395w). Next up, Mid Volume II— with maybe a redo of a week due to travel, and maybe I could eek out 300w next time around?
Onwards and upwards! Thanks to the TrainerRoad team!
Attempted a ramp test yesterday. Some advice from others, ho do you go in to an FTP test. I had a day off on sunday but rode (commuted) for 1hr that day and admittedly did this undernurished shall we say. But I made a 5w improvement since my last so not all bad.
3 Feb: 254w (first ever ramp test, felt this was slightly low)
Started SSB MV1
26th Feb: Manually Adjusted to 273w - I had just completed eclipse and completed the 3rd 20 min interval comfortably adjusted higher at 260 watts so felt a significant manual jump in FTP required.
Completed SSBMV1
18th March: 290w
Started SSB MV2
Completed SSBMV2
30 April: 302w (4.5w/kg)
Started General Build
Next test: 29 May: ???
Also weight has fallen from 70-71kgs to c66-67kgs
happy with the improvements - compliance to SSB MV2 could have been better but with weather improving coming in to summer its hard to resist replacing weekend workouts with outdoor group rides, which arguably aren’t effective at improving FTP. 2 races also fell in SBMV2 and need to get better at making sure lower priority races don’t disrupt the plan for the preceding week. Very happy with the improvements in any case.
Other things I have introduced since feb off the bike:
largely cut out alcohol mid week and limited drinks on weekend to 2 or 3
all round general improvement in diet - replaced sweet treats with fruit. Hearty home cooked meals most evenings, weekends sometimes harder to control diet due to eating with friends and socialising.
10-20 mins of ‘bedtime yoga’ a night - mainly stretching and winding down
always have a bottle of water with me
omega 3 tablet every morning (Matt Fitzgerald recommended)
although the above may not translate directly into more watts on my FTP number, they certainly have made me feel much better day to day. Rarely feel sluggish and have very productive workouts as a result. Improved flexibility through yoga/ stretching before bed I suspect has contributed to keeping away knee pain which I have experienced in the past when increasing training load.
Aug 2018 FTP 295 - 3.73 w/kg (virtual power) - at start of sweet spot base mid volume
Sep 2018 FTP 315 - 4.31 w/kg (virtual power) - at start of short power build mid volume
Nov 2018 FTP 323 - 4.45 w/kg (virtual power) - halfway through short power build
Feb 2019 FTP 298 - 4.11 w/kg (real power) - after short power build mid vol
Apr 2019 FTP 296 - 4.08 w/kg (real power) - I’m definitely faster despite the numbers
I haven’t really pushed my anaerobic system at all since Feb. Training has been steady.
April 8th - 226 *3.37 w/kg
April 30th - 244W *3.66 w/kg
This was the end of SSBMV-II
Lost around two pounds in three weeks while still gaining strength.
Starting General Build now with long outside rides sprinkled in. Gonna be interesting to see how my body tackles the added training load.
This is my second year of TR. The first year saw me using Virtual Power and a Cyclops Fluid 2 trainer. I completed SSB LV 1 & 2 and then April rolled around and I went outside. My Virtual Power FTP was around 315-320, which I always believed to be far too high.
This year I purchased a TACX Flux, learnt about the importance of calibration and set about committing to the training in early October 2018.
To date I’ve completed SSB LV2, Short Power Build and then Criterium Specialty. I’m currently working through a tailor-made plan of my own, focusing on things that became apparent during the three phases. I’ll then go back and try to tackle Rolling Road Race.
From October 2018 to now, my FTP has risen from 268 to 308. I think 308 is just slightly low now and I’m due a test in a weeks time.
My cadence is slowly improving (no pun intended), and my heart rate has dropped by 3-5 beats across the interval spectrum.
All in all, I’m really pleased with the improvements I’ve seen and they are transferring nicely to outside rides and races.
This is interesting but not realistic science or potentially any benefit to you, could just stress you out ?!
Some folks have long off periods (e.g. winter), their fitness and FTP collapses, then they get on the program and see huge FTP boosts over SSB and maybe into Build
Others like myself ride all year round, and see quite small but beneficial improvements, not necessarily in pure FTP terms but ability to hold higher Watts for longer periods (endurance)
Factors like age would also make a big difference…
May 2018: 76Kg around 200W ftp (2.6W/Kg) Starting to ride with my local club
October 2018: 65Kg - 261W (4.0W/Kg) - 20min ftp test Starting a structured training
November 2018: 65Kg - 271W (4.2W/Kg) - 20min online race average Continue structured training
December 2018: 65Kg - 286W (4.4W/Kg) - 20min ftp test SSB Mid Volume
February 2019: 65Kg - 291W (4.5W/Kg) - Ramp ftp test General Build - Mid Volume
March 2019: 65Kg - 291W (4.5W/Kg) - Ramp ftp test General Build - Mid Volume
April 2019: 65Kg - 304W (4.7W/Kg) - Ramp ftp test
Pretty proud of my improvement, might dream of 5W/Kg
Just done the FTP test after 6 weeks of mostly conformant training SSB LV1.
For some reason it was connected to the wrong power source sigh! (My Neo varies by 5-15% to my StagesL (not tested this thoroughly))
Previous Stages result was 199W. Today’s Neo result is 212W. So it has gone up but don’t know by how much exactly - could be 5% or 20%!!
Will redo tomorrow!
Edit 15/06/2019: Ran a few more tests - the StagesL actually reads about 5% lower than the Neo (around threshold (200W) it’s nearly always lower by about 10Watts)
Half distance tri base: 220 FTP; 3.3w/kg
HD build: 240 FTP; 3.58 w/kg
HD speciality today: 250 FTP 3.79w/kg. (even numbers; I like to set my FTP in TR to my goal number prior to the ramp test. I know a personal limiter on these is that sometimes I struggle with motivational to go all in on the trainer and mind has just stopped at the 19:30 mark. I may be selling myself short a bit on the test, I understand that, but it has been working so far.)
All tests with stages L PM and done in aero bars. The hurt is paying off!
Just Finished 2nd winter using the plans and have been actively training for 18+ months now. I am new to competitive riding and started second training season with power meter (vs virtual power first winter). Started at 180 FTP and now at the beginning of road race season I am at 248. I’m 6’2” and 175. My goal is to be at 3.5w/kg by mid summer or 260 at 170 lbs.
On a ride, I was dropped every hill, than a friend told me, “everything starts with the alimentation”.
I mainly changed my alimentation, it helps on both sides, power and weight.
Then, since I was progressing a lot (and even dropped the friend who was giving advise ), I decided to continue with structured training.
I started in November my first training with power meter and with a TR’s concurrent I won’t name here!
November 16th, first FTP test ever : 280 watts => 3.6 w/kg December 9th, during a training : 284 watts => 3.78 w/kg January 8th, during a FTP test : 304 watts => 4.11 w/kg March 29th, during a 30 minutes virtual TT : 320 watts => 4.3 w/kg April 9th, first ramp test ever and first training with TR : 330 watts => 4.4 w/kg (which I suppose is a bit ambitious )
New to TR and any form of “real” training. First ramp test was 172W, after SSB1 Mid I’m at 191W, an 11% improvement. I know Noob gains is a thing, but I’ll take it. Most important, thanks to TR I actually have a plan going forward.
So finally, I’ve had the dreaded DECREASE in FTP. Not only that but I’ve put on a kg because I’m a disgusting glutten
I tested a week ago and went down from 238 to 230W. I was a bit tired and I’d also had the most time in the saddle (albeit outdoors MTB) since last August, so I put it down to fatigue etc and decided to have a recovery week before commencing the second half of Build. Tested again today and died at 232W. Ah well, I’ve taken it on the chin and will just keep on going, be stricter on my eating and see what happens over the next few weeks.
Starting to ride with my local club 
), I decided to continue with structured training.
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