Going to try a new training plan

After 30 years of training and basically always being at the same level I thought I'd do it differently this year. I've had coaches, followed Joe Friel et al and last year the Black Book but they all basically prescribe the same easy start building to intervals as the season approaches but there is so much stuff out there on what to and not to do, not all of it agreeing.
I was shocked to find how much form I'd lost after a easy 5 weeks of only riding Sunday so probably tried a bit hard to regain any fitness and now I have a Sufferfest video as well I thought why not just go for it? So I've upped the effort and I've already done 9 sets of 2x20 and a couple of Sufferfests.
I'll tell you if I'm burnt out by March
I was shocked to find how much form I'd lost after a easy 5 weeks of only riding Sunday so probably tried a bit hard to regain any fitness and now I have a Sufferfest video as well I thought why not just go for it? So I've upped the effort and I've already done 9 sets of 2x20 and a couple of Sufferfests.
I'll tell you if I'm burnt out by March

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Make sure you have a rest day though!
Carbon 456
456 lefty
Pompino
White Inbred
No wonder I've been doing so poorly. I've been doing them above threshold! :oops:
Good luck with the training. One thing I'm finding - consistency is key. So riding once a week won't help much. But daily (if shorter) efforts on a daily basis seem to work better (for me!).
I'm doing [email protected] 2-3 times a week as well as some longer endurance rides(when the weather allows)at the moment.From Beginning Feb i'll start to do [email protected] pace twice a week.
+1
Probably not as good for you, but I don't have the mental strength to do them at threshold in December.
When I ramp it up I'll probably be doing 2 x 10 minute efforts as hard as I can once a week.
Just some suggestions inseine.
Also, have a look at the turbo training workout menu thread for a bit of variety....
http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=16607436
I'd suggest 2 interval sessions first week, 3 sessions week 2 and 3 and keep the long ride on Sundays, Then have an easy week (still do long ride...)
Solely based on what I'm being told to do!!
Well thats me screwed!
PB's
10m 20:21 2014
25m 53:18 20:13
50m 1:57:12 2013
100m Yeah right.
Oooh, it's highlighted FTP.
erm.... FTP
Didn't work that time
Gunna try something like that.
I think it is quite easy for an amateur to suffer from over training. It isn't just the training that creates stress in the body, other things in life cause stress. The body doesn't know what the cause of the stress is however.
If you have a very stressful home and work life, and training very hard as well, and don't get enough recovery the body will rebel eventually.
Alot of amateur's race at a very high level, maybe not pro level, but certainly they stress their bodies enormously. I have had club mates overtrain, and thinking it isn't possible for a part time rider to overtrain. IT is most certainly possible.
I have heard of other riders doing lots of intensity in the winter, getting their FTP up, and then come the race season feeling worn out, and suffering as a result.
As long as you get enough recovery from the stress you put the body under, and you build up progressively, I think it is harder to overtrain, but it is still possible.
I came very close when I was building up to my 12 Hour TT this year, and that was just on pure volume and not alot of intensity
2 x 20 @ 95% FTP is lower intensity than 1 x 60 @ 100% FTP.
I know what would happen to me if I neglected 110% FTP for 20.
What are you on about now?
If you do 2x20 @ 110% FTP then I suggest you retest your FTP.
Ask a civil question, get a rude answer,
Take note Newbies and Lurkers.
The 60 minute ergometer test is nothing new.
All he's done is embellished it with a lot of science and renamed everything so his disciples can form an 'old boys club'.
I'm pretty sure he hasn't claimed to have invented it.
Why? (Seriously)
Is it just because 20 mins at 110% FTP (twice) is too much? Certainly 105% is achievable....
Response. ( Seriously ).
I did a 60 minute session in March using my polar strap for feedback to the ergometer. I aimed for 155 BPM which was 85% of my Max.
After 45 mins or so, there was a noticable reduction in load due to my HR drifting up. It waved around for the rest of the hour.
Total kCals display on the machine was equivalent to 225 W.
That's where I base my FTP. Will do another soon, but use 'constant mode' at 240 because I reckon I could do that.
I could do 2 x 20 @ 110% which is 265 ish. I regularly do 40 mins straight off with a 235 result.
Spending several days only performing 2 x 20 @ 95% of 240 would, in my mind, result in a loss of performance.
I will give it a test. I will spend two weeks in Jan riding 2 x 20 @ 95%. Then I will try a 2 x 20 @ 110% and see how it feels.
My first big 200 Audax of 2011 isn't until April, so I've two months to get any lost fitness back.
Thanks.
Then follow a recognized testing protocol.
Then, and only then, will you realize the error in what you are saying.
If you can do 2x20 at 110% of your *actual* FTP, then you haven't set your FTP correctly.
Furthermore, you'll find that doing sub-threshold efforts is the common practice for increasing threshold effectively. (Driving it up from below).
Working above threshold trains you in a different way and isn't as effective.
(This is my understanding)
Trying to base power figures and effort on HR is pointless, first of all the ergo machine is likely to be very inaccurate, and may not even be repeatable. Even if is repeatable, the best way to work out your FTP, is go all out for 60 mins, and forget what your HR is. Obviously this is a very tough session, and alot of people will not be able to do it, so devise the estimated FTP from a 20 min test, again go as hard as you can for 20 mins, and this gives you a CP20, you can get a estimated FTP by taking 95% of this figure.
Even if you do train at just below FTP, you still get the adaptions from doing it, as well as being able to recover to do training on subsequent days. If you do a 2 x 20 min session, and then have to take a rest day afterwards you are probably doing them too hard, or you are not getting your recovery correct.
Even sessions in the sweetspot area will increase FTP, just not as much and as quick.
and your contribution to the knowledge of training includes.....
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<sound of crickets chirping>