Zwift training plans

barongreenback

Hi all

Now they’ve been established for a few months I was wondering if anyone had any experiences of the Zwift training plans. I followed the TrainerRoad base plans last winter but would prefer to avoid subscribing to two different services if Zwift is now catching up. One attraction of the Zwift plans is the greater flexibility ie completing hours per week rather than set days. Thanks.

dannbodge

I've been following Academy ones this last month and I find them very good.

Don't know if I've improved at all but they have allowed me to get actual figures for my power durations (as they are part of the academy) (I'll do a FTP or Ramp test once I've finished it)

However, I've been told Zwift is for fun. Real gains are made with TR and Sufferfest.

kingstongraham

Dannbodge wrote:

However, I've been told Zwift is for fun. Real gains are made with TR and Sufferfest.

Whichever one you'll actually do is the one that will give you real gains. Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks.

Typical Analytical

Why use a plan? Just do fixed power interval repeats in ERG mode using whatever software came with your trainer? For longer stuff just fix the power at 70% and watch a movie.

bigmitch41

Nearly completed the Zwift Academy 2018 which has been a challenge! Workouts 9 & 10 and the 2 races left to do over the coming week.

Will have a look at the training plans over the winter

cookeeemonster

The thing that pushed me to Trainerroad training plans from Zwift last year was that they all seem to be 5 days a week minimum plans. I also like to ride on the road during the winter (commute plus the odd weekend ride) and this was too much.

I might try sufferfest as this seems like a halfway house between TR and Zwift.

StillGoing

CookeeeMonster wrote:

The thing that pushed me to Trainerroad training plans from Zwift last year was that they all seem to be 5 days a week minimum plans. I also like to ride on the road during the winter (commute plus the odd weekend ride) and this was too much.

I might try sufferfest as this seems like a halfway house between TR and Zwift.

Sufferfest is excellent, but nothing like Zwift (thankfully for me). Its similar to TrainerRoad but has video footage from races and music on most of their workouts to keep you occupied/distracted during sessions. They aren't interactive videos. The closest thing to Zwift would be Rouvy, but infinitely better.

dannbodge

BigMitch41 wrote:

Nearly completed the Zwift Academy 2018 which has been a challenge! Workouts 9 & 10 and the 2 races left to do over the coming week.

Will have a look at the training plans over the winter

Same here, although I did the races first

cookeeemonster

philthy3 wrote:

CookeeeMonster wrote:

The thing that pushed me to Trainerroad training plans from Zwift last year was that they all seem to be 5 days a week minimum plans. I also like to ride on the road during the winter (commute plus the odd weekend ride) and this was too much.

I might try sufferfest as this seems like a halfway house between TR and Zwift.

Sufferfest is excellent, but nothing like Zwift (thankfully for me). Its similar to TrainerRoad but has video footage from races and music on most of their workouts to keep you occupied/distracted during sessions. They aren't interactive videos. The closest thing to Zwift would be Rouvy, but infinitely better.

Cheers. I'll do the one week trial to see how I get on

MiddleRinger

philthy3 wrote:

Sufferfest is excellent, but nothing like Zwift (thankfully for me). Its similar to TrainerRoad but has video footage from races and music on most of their workouts to keep you occupied/distracted during sessions. They aren't interactive videos.

Basically that.

Zwift for general leg spinning, some fun racing or virtual group rides. The Sufferfest for actual training that will hands down make you a faster rider. Do their 4DP power profile test, pick from one of about a hundred targeted training plans, pedal hard, stick with it, get stronger. The Sufferfest is like Trainer Road, but so much better (and no blue bars of boredom).

barongreenback

Thanks all. Just catching up with responses. Might see if I can look at a Sufferfest trial.

@Typical Analytical - the variety and the progression are motivating to me rather than setting my own plan.

stevewj

some of the Zwift interval sessions are great as, whatever your W/kg, you stay in the group which is very motivating.

barongreenback

I decided to go with the ‘Build me up’ plan in the end. The flexibility seems to be good and I’ve managed to fit it around work travel over the past couple of weeks although it can end up with me doing 4 days in a row. Not so fussed about the virtual world as the effort doesn’t match the terrain. But we’ll find out in another 10 weeks if my FTP has gone up from 254.

napoleond

The most I ever improved over a winter was using Zwift with a smart trainer. The virtual racing meant I went harder than I could during an interval session (if it was a top end session).
Price rise is imminent though and I may be making the switch back to sufferfest. I used to hammer the sufferfest videos of old but you’re going back a few years here. Things have come in a lot.
It’ll be also good to see how the new sufferfest features will work for the people I coach, as in Zwift they can import the sessions I set in TrainingPeaks directly in to Zwift.

green_mark

There are currently more flexibility on TR than on Zwift to build a training programme with the correct stress for you. Each person can cope with a different amount of TSS per week. The amount you can cope with will depend on how much you’ve trained before and your age and physiology.

Zwift plans tend to be mostly very easy or very difficult (Academy). There isn’t much room in the middle.

There is a lot more flexibility in the TR plans that people take credit for. With their new calendar feature you can start with a low, mid or high level plan and then tailor it for what you can cope by adding or removing planned rides or even replacing scheduled rides with outdoor rides. The TR forum and podcasts are really good to get feedback about designing the ideal plan for you.

The big negative of TR is that it is pretty dull. I would not be able to do those workouts without a separate Zwift subscription.

barongreenback

green_mark wrote:

There are currently more flexibility on TR than on Zwift to build a training programme with the correct stress for you. Each person can cope with a different amount of TSS per week. The amount you can cope with will depend on how much you’ve trained before and your age and physiology.

Zwift plans tend to be mostly very easy or very difficult (Academy). There isn’t much room in the middle.

There is a lot more flexibility in the TR plans that people take credit for. With their new calendar feature you can start with a low, mid or high level plan and then tailor it for what you can cope by adding or removing planned rides or even replacing scheduled rides with outdoor rides. The TR forum and podcasts are really good to get feedback about designing the ideal plan for you.

The big negative of TR is that it is pretty dull. I would not be able to do those workouts without a separate Zwift subscription.

I didn't mind the dullness (podcasts or running video in the corner of the iPad helped) but sounds like the calendar was a what I was looking for. The one benefit though as a non-training expert of the Zwift plan is the ability to not have to schedule anything and just complete 3/4 sessions in a week. I can then just fit in extra training around it if I have the time although when I'm away, this will usually be a simple intervals session on whatever gym bike is in the anonymous business hotel I happen to find myself in.

I can never guarantee more than a week ahead which days I'll be at home (appreciate I'm an edge case for this!). Will see how this 12 week block goes and report back on the FTP improvement. May switch back to TR after this if results aren't as expected. So far after 2 weeks the stress seems about right but then again, I'm running 3 sessions on consecutive days so 2 90 minute sessions can be a little tough.

Typical Analytical

barongreenback wrote:

The one benefit though as a non-training expert of the Zwift plan is the ability to not have to schedule anything and just complete 3/4 sessions in a week.

This sounds gimmicky. Why couldn't you just do this with any plan? Just ignore the specific day of the week and do the workouts?

On another note, if people are really looking for flexibility they can just progress their workouts on time at intensity until they run out of available time and then increase power or retest ==> increase power? The simpler you make it the more flexible it is.

bvduck

NapoleonD wrote:

I used to hammer the sufferfest videos of old but you’re going back a few years here. Things have come in a lot. It’ll be also good to see how the new sufferfest features will work for the people I coach, as in Zwift they can import the sessions I set in TrainingPeaks directly in to Zwift.

Hey NapD - David from The SUF here. You'll find that we've changed A LOT from those old videos days. I think you'll really find our new 4DP methodology far more effective than those old FTP-based workouts you've been doing on other platforms. You'll also be keen to know that we'll soon (from November) have all our cycling, yoga, mental toughness and our (soon to launch) strength training workouts in TrainingPeaks as objects so you can import them into any training plans you design for your athletes.

barongreenback

Typical Analytical wrote:

barongreenback wrote:

The one benefit though as a non-training expert of the Zwift plan is the ability to not have to schedule anything and just complete 3/4 sessions in a week.

This sounds gimmicky. Why couldn't you just do this with any plan? Just ignore the specific day of the week and do the workouts?

On another note, if people are really looking for flexibility they can just progress their workouts on time at intensity until they run out of available time and then increase power or retest ==> increase power? The simpler you make it the more flexible it is.

It may be gimmicky but it takes some of the hassle out of choosing e.g. today I did a one hour sweet spot session. There are 2 training sessions left in this week's block that I need to complete by Monday. One is blocked out for 7 hours to give me sufficient recovery time and one is blocked out for 21 hours as the TSS score is higher. Remember: I'm not a training expert, I'm relatively new to this and being spoon fed a flexible training plan is extremely helpful. Maybe next year I'll want something a bit more sophisticated.

One thing that TR and Zwift need to do is an option to read out the instructions - if I'm suffering during a hard interval my attention is sometimes not on the iPad and I forget to read it!!!

w00dster

Hi Barongreenback,
Off Topic, but like you I travel with work a lot (3 days per week), mine is UK based travel. I ended up either missing out on training or using a generic bike in the hotel gym (most were almost useless as it was almost a standing up position!)
After a bit of investigation, I joined David Lloyd gyms so I can use either a Wattbike or a Stages Bike, can still train to power and upload each ride to your preferred platform. The wattbike syncs with my iPad so works really well.
Not sure if you've had a look to see if this was an option for you?
I either stay in a hotel near to where the gym is located or I can plan my drive home to pass one of the gyms. Timewise its not 100% ideal, but it works so much better than using the hotel bikes.

https://www.davidlloyd.co.uk/clubs

barongreenback

HI W00dster - thanks for the suggestion. I used to do this with Bannatyne's when I was travelling around the UK but now I'm usually out of the UK a 2-3 times a month so not a cost effective option any more. Good to know they have Wattbikes - if my next job keeps me in the country that would be good to do. At the moment I am depressingly familiar with the GCN HIIT videos...could probably recite them from memory

.CooperS.

Hoping folk on here A) can remember a time when they weren't superfit happy to suggest those finding their way back to riding through Zwift.

I've been on Zwift using a Tacx Flux for the past 3 weeks. I ride a couple times a week (due to work commitments) and having fun (think I've ridden 80 miles so far).

Today jumped onto the beginners training plan for FTP. Started the one hour session not really reading first what it was asking for.... Well after a small warm up of 180 watts for 10 mins the thing which got me was the second 4 minute blast of 330 watts and I was done!

I'm riding for 30 /45 mins a session at average of 185watts and keen to get up to 250 so I can group ride. But is there plans for real newbies those who no longer commute or rise regular and so have a basic foundation fitness (my old job meant I had a lovely ride out of Edinburgh c. 40 miles a day but this was 4 years ago... Now I have a drive towards London of a hour or more a day)

I'm thinking of using GCN hit videos or making my own plan which mimics what I tried today but at a lower level.

What's people's thoughts anyone been in the same boat as me.

Tom

barongreenback

It sounds like your FTP may be set wrong - 330 watts for 4 minutes is hard going if you've not trained recently. FTP tests are bloody awful though so your other option may be to wait until Watopia is available on Zwift, then ride up the mountain as quickly as possible. Zwift should automatically update your FTP. Failing that, if you do the 'Build Me Up' plan, there is an initial session that tries to work out if you've benchmarked your FTP ok by putting you through a range of different training zones.

barongreenback

Or - take out a Trainerroad trial, do their ramp test and get an FTP from there. I understand it's slightly more bearable - still tough but not the 20 minutes of pain.

.CooperS.

Sorry guys to be clear Zwift told last told me my FTP was 174. This was when Innsbruck was still in rotation after doing the big hill a couple of times.

This training course is the FTP builder (beginner) and goes over 6 weeks. But I do agree 330 watts @ couple of times over was bloody hard lol.

barongreenback

Which session was it? If your FTP is 174 then you shouldn’t be doing 330w for 4 minutes!

azzurri78

.CooperS. wrote:

Sorry guys to be clear Zwift told last told me my FTP was 174. This was when Innsbruck was still in rotation after doing the big hill a couple of times.

This training course is the FTP builder (beginner) and goes over 6 weeks. But I do agree 330 watts @ couple of times over was bloody hard lol.

Was this the Day 1 Foundation ride? A quick check shows it as 10 mins warm-up at 55% and then 4 mins at 73% (so you should be around 96 and 126 watts).

Asking you to do 330 watts for the 4 mins means Zwift thinks you have an FTP of about 455W. No wonder it was tough! You need to go into your Zwift settings and update it.

.CooperS.

azzurri78 wrote:

.CooperS. wrote:

Sorry guys to be clear Zwift told last told me my FTP was 174. This was when Innsbruck was still in rotation after doing the big hill a couple of times.

This training course is the FTP builder (beginner) and goes over 6 weeks. But I do agree 330 watts @ couple of times over was bloody hard lol.

Was this the Day 1 Foundation ride? A quick check shows it as 10 mins warm-up at 55% and then 4 mins at 73% (so you should be around 96 and 126 watts).

Asking you to do 330 watts for the 4 mins means Zwift thinks you have an FTP of about 455W. No wonder it was tough! You need to go into your Zwift settings and update it.

Ah thank you!

I wonder if I've done something whilst I've signed up to the training plan. I noted from a GCN guide video you can select up or down on the number of weeks (and maybe intensity) you wish to take the plan over.

Having to put up with the Apple TV 4k controller is an absolute pain in the backside frankly. I wonder if I've managed to do something silly?

I'll have a look and up date later.

alex222

If you have an Apple phone you can download an Apple TV controller app, enabling you to use your phone rather than the Apple TV controller. It is marginally better.

Typical Analytical

barongreenback wrote:

It may be gimmicky but it takes some of the hassle out of choosing e.g. today I did a one hour sweet spot session. There are 2 training sessions left in this week's block that I need to complete by Monday. One is blocked out for 7 hours to give me sufficient recovery time and one is blocked out for 21 hours as the TSS score is higher. Remember: I'm not a training expert, I'm relatively new to this and being spoon fed a flexible training plan is extremely helpful. Maybe next year I'll want something a bit more sophisticated.

Interesting. There's appears to be more to it than I realized.

penski

Hey OP - Any updates? How did you fare with the 'Build Me Up?