2x20s, % of FTP, and FTP increase

neeb

This bloke seems to be saying that if you just do a couple of 2x20 sessions at 85% of FTP twice a week you will continuously improve your FTP (presumably not linearly...)

http://www.flammerouge.je/content/3_fac ... thresh.htm

That just seems implausible to me, 85% FTP just seems too easy if you are only doing them twice a week. Surely if you can do them at a higher intensity and recover OK you will get more benefit?

Alex_Simmons/RST

It's just another way of doing sweetspot training that works for him.

Whether it's optimal is another matter. It's multifactoral.

amaferanga

2x20mins at 85% FTP should be an easy session. Even an hour at 85% FTP shouldn't be too taxing so there'd be no need to split it up into 2x20. I know that wouldn't do much for me.

neeb

Yes, that's what I was thinking. I'm new to the power meter and being able to accurately measure my efforts so I'm trying to find optimal levels for regular FTP intervals to keep me going through the winter (I'm in Finland so most training will be indoors once the snow comes). For me there is a massive difference in difficulty even between 95% and 100%, I did a continuous 40 minutes last night at about 94% and it felt productive, but not hugely taxing. However 2x20 at 99% feels much harder. 85% would be a walk in the park relatively speaking, although maybe an hour at that level would indeed be a useful session, especially if combined with a hard 2x20 on a different day.

barry_kellett99

I think the point of doing it at this level is as Alex says, its sweetspot training.
It gives you the optimal workout benefits to recovery balance meaning you can do it a lot.

Perhaps going harder may bring more benefits but you couldnt do it as repetitively as you will need more recovery.

That's the way I read it anyway.

bigpikle

if you are riding them more frequently, then lower the intensity a little. 85% is an effort that should be reasonably comfortable to sustain if you're used to doing 2x20 type efforts. If you're doing them several times a week then that might be the ideal level to do them, but if you are only doing them twice without too much other riding during the week, then maybe push it to 90-95%. If you're indoors then you might find it more challenging anyway - some people struggle to sustain efforts of >90% for very long indoors anyway.

neeb

Thanks, makes sense. Actually I don't have a problem with indoors, as long as it's no longer than an hour. The tacx RLVs help to mix it up a bit. I reckon I could manage 2x20 at 95% 2 or 3 times a week, or 85% at least 4 times a week. What I'm wondering is if it would be better to vary the intensity in different sessions, say one 2x20 at 95-100%, one continuous hour at 85%, one day when I do 1min or 5min intervals or whatver - or if I should just do 4 days of 85-90%.

MarkAshton

Trial and error. What works for one person may not work for you.

Personally, I wouldn't impose a cap on the sessions, that makes no sense in my mind, but like I say, whatever works for you.