At the end of SSB1 MV, my first intro to structured training despite 8 years of regular riding and racing, improved from 280 to 293 W for 3.81 W/kg. Excited to see further improvement as my workouts look like they are about to get harder. Goal of 4.25w/kg seems within reach!
In my ramp test, i could hit 178 bpm btw my max around 180-182 bpm. And after this test i just spin 25 mins zone 1 and wanted to race on zwift as a workout after ramp test. But the interesting thing is that in the race i produced really high watts.
Zwift race numbers after ramp test (25 mins after test)
Duration = 24 mins
Avg watts= 331watt
Np= 340 watt
Avg hr= 171 and max hr= 180 bpm
what is my ftp? 320? If 320w how can i produce 340w np 24 mins after test?
is it normal to produce these watts after ramp test? Or did not go deep on the ramp test?
and my last question i started general build high volume with 320w ftp after 12 weeks volume and finished it with same power. I could finish all workouts but it seems ftp did not get high (but i lost 2-3 kgs). So can i say i gained from this build or loosing weight blocked my gains in terms of raw wat?
I’ve gone backwards but feel better doing the workouts. It’s like I was getting good at doing ramp tests but I couldn’t do the intervals. I went from 236W to 256W and any workout near or above threshold was impossible to complete. I’ve now adjusted back to 203W via the 8min FTP test and workouts are achievable.
Once AT is released I’ll do another ramp test and see how the computer adjusts the intensity levels for me. Hopefully I’ll find my groove.
I hate being outside the Bell Curve…
Np is not a good predictor of FTP as the idea is “steady state” and NP can be hugely elevated by some sprints and bursts of power. When it comes to avg it was 331 so if you trea ramp test as a clearing effort it gives you 314W. So 320W seems as a resonable number to me.
Age 45, weigh 67kg so currently 4.1 w/kg. Racing around 10 years and spent the last 5 seasons between cat 1/2 before Covid arrived.
April & May ramp test were on Kickr whilst all other were Garmin Vector 3. Kickr reads higher so I think I would discount 10 watts from those results.
I’ve been pretty regimental in terms of completing workouts since covid and working from home. Really enjoyed the workouts which provided some structure to my day and prevented me going insane
In terms of results I think I have pretty much plateaued as I use SSB1HV and SSPBMV mostly given no racing.
I would really love to break 300 using my vector pedals but I suspect I might be reaching my physical limits at 45 and current weight.
I repeated SSBHV 3 times and went from 279 - 283 - 284 and the test after the 3rd block 23rd Feb I completed the ramp test with the phone turned over and my FTP dropped to 278. That was a mistake for me because I am pretty dogged and feel I would have held on to 284.
Have been training very consistently over the last 8 weeks, using Fulgaz I started with and ftp of 285, wk 4 it was 320 and today it was 323.
Not as big a ls an improvement that it felt like while doing the ride but it is still an improvement. Sometimes for me just feeling like I am riding strong is just as good as.bigger numbers. I love feeling like I am ruling the test and it not ruling me
Completed 1st half Century MV and Traditional Base MV1
239W
3.03W/kg
December 15th, 2020
Completed Sweet Spot Base MV1
252W
3.21W/kg
February 2nd, 2021
Completed Sweet Spot Base MV2
258W
3.26W/kg
March 2nd, 2021
Midway Sustained Power Build LV + Z2
263W
3.35W/kg
March 30th, 2021
Completed Sustained Power Build LV + Z2
270W
3.45W/kg
So I finished up Sustained Power Build LV + Z2 rides and got a nice bump this time around. I felt fresher and was more consistent then my previous run through the mid volume version. That being said I did have trouble with the Thursday supra-threshold workouts, I couldn’t get all the way through the first few and subbed in an easier one on the final week. Really please with my results.
Hello, my name is Louis and i haven’t been to an FTP meeting in a while.
So a few things happened last year:
i dropped structured cycling when Covid happened,
dropped structured swimming when Covid happened as masters club got cancelled,
dropped cycling for 2 months,
then started cycling for fun every morning until it got cold again…scored a sweet deal on powermeter pedals during that timeframe
Then realized how low my actual power is (screw you tacx vortex for giving me false sense of power, 20w + drop!!!) and was spotty at best in my riding until december.
Then i dropped cycling completely and started running daily in Jan 2021… i spent 2 months not riding, again, dropped drastically once more, to 164w FTP beginning of march. Did one block of Trad Base Low volume while keeping my runs easy (z2 mainly) for the whole month, and got an increase to 171w FTP
Starting the Polarized plan and mixing it with 80/20 Level 1 10k running plan with no clear goal this week, but there’s definitely more intensity so i hope i’ll be able to reach the last 12-13 bpm i haven’t been able to get to (red-lining at 180 bpm for some weird reason on the bike this year… my max is low 190s)
From like 260w to 323w @ 81kgs. Happy with my progression! My stretch goal for this year is to hit 4.5w/kg which means I have to drop my weight to 78kg and raise my ftp to 350w.
I was 330 @ 79kg last year, but I think I can do better
I’ve dealt with a lot of injuries but was able to avoid them this winter and I’m very happy with my progress following the SSB MV plans. Thank you TR!!!
Date
FTP
Weight
W/kg
Notes
Test
Dec-18
220
60
3.67
First ftp test (20 min) and new to indoor riding and structured training
20 min (trainer)
Jan-19
256
60
4.27
SSB MVI (90% compliance)
Ramp (trainer)
Apr-19
260
60
4.33
SSB MVII (50% compliance) + unstructured outdoor
20 min (outside)
Nov-20
258
62
4.16
A year and a half of unstructured training/injuries
20 min (trainer)
Dec-20
261
62
4.21
4 weeks of sweet spot and threshold workouts (3-4 hours a week)
I got a Stages last year. My first outdoor FTP test was a comedy failure. I’m thinking, “WTF, my indoor 20 minute power is 270 watts and I can’t even push 230 watts today”. “This Stages piece of crap must be broken!”
Ive pushed harder outdoors on marshalled TTs in perfect conditions compared to indoors, or at least similar, but in general I push harder when I only have to worry about falling 3ft from a stationary object and not have to worry about traffic, sidewinds and potholes etc.
