L2 or SST?
milton50
Posts: 3,856
Hi,
My single goal over the winter is to build a really solid aerobic capacity. That's all I'm going to be concentrating on, probably until February. Now I had thought that the generally accepted optimal way to build an aerobic base is to spend most of your training in the L2 zone, i.e. ~70 %MHR. But then I saw this table;
The table seems to suggest that SST is by far superior to L2 even on the aerobic measures. So what is the value of L2? Is the perceived advantage that you can train at L2 day after day whereas SST may need rest days?
My single goal over the winter is to build a really solid aerobic capacity. That's all I'm going to be concentrating on, probably until February. Now I had thought that the generally accepted optimal way to build an aerobic base is to spend most of your training in the L2 zone, i.e. ~70 %MHR. But then I saw this table;
The table seems to suggest that SST is by far superior to L2 even on the aerobic measures. So what is the value of L2? Is the perceived advantage that you can train at L2 day after day whereas SST may need rest days?
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The zones get 'better' as you move along but the thing to remember is who much recovery you require. Zone 2 helps build a level of base fitness that can support your harder efforts. SST is just somewhere in between 3 and 4, but introducing some Tempo efforts alongside your Zone 2 stuff will help you improve too.Legs, lungs and lycra.
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.0 -
damage36 wrote:The zones get 'better' as you move along but the thing to remember is who much recovery you require. Zone 2 helps build a level of base fitness that can support your harder efforts. SST is just somewhere in between 3 and 4, but introducing some Tempo efforts alongside your Zone 2 stuff will help you improve too.
From where SST is in the table I would presume that this is a reasonable effort but not enough to distress your breathing too much.17 Stone down to 12.5 now raring to get back on the bike!0 -
The zones get 'better' as you move along but the thing to remember is who much recovery you require
Yes, but surely 6 hrs a week of sweet spot training is manageable and looking at the table this amount of SST would be better than lets say 10hrs a week of L2.From where SST is in the table I would presume that this is a reasonable effort but not enough to distress your breathing too much.
Well it's a bit heavier than that I think. It should be hard to hold a conversation without frequent pauses.0 -
conversation is not a problem i have on the bike. I am usually on my own! Fuzzy no mates:)17 Stone down to 12.5 now raring to get back on the bike!0
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SST is a pretty broad range, from upper Level 2 to threshold, so lots of scope within that range.
Physiological adaptations occur as a continuum along the intensity range. Here's another view of essentially the same thing with the sweet spot range shown:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_62BKFFp-ZQ8/R ... ison-2.bmp
There is a trade off within the workload we can sustain and that is primarily dictated by the duration and intensity of what we do. So if you have 10 hours, use them well and include L2 time. If you have limited time however, then the proportion of L2 can diminish as the need to increase overall workload kicks in. But if just starting, then I wouldn't recommend launching into hard stuff straight away.
There is a lot of gold to be mined at those levels. Just make sure you mix it up.0 -
Ok, thanks Alex. I think I'll continue to ride mostly at L2 but throw in a few tempo or higher rides. Once I get rid of this damn cold that is :evil:0
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I thought the sweet-spot was 88-94% of FTP? Is this different from SST?Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:SST is a pretty broad range, from upper Level 2 to threshold, so lots of scope within that range.--
Obsessed is just a word elephants use to describe the dedicated. http://markliversedge.blogspot.com0 -
Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:SST is a pretty broad range, from upper Level 2 to threshold, so lots of scope within that range.
Physiological adaptations occur as a continuum along the intensity range. Here's another view of essentially the same thing with the sweet spot range shown:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_62BKFFp-ZQ8/R ... ison-2.bmp
There is a trade off within the workload we can sustain and that is primarily dictated by the duration and intensity of what we do. So if you have 10 hours, use them well and include L2 time. If you have limited time however, then the proportion of L2 can diminish as the need to increase overall workload kicks in. But if just starting, then I wouldn't recommend launching into hard stuff straight away.
There is a lot of gold to be mined at those levels. Just make sure you mix it up.
Can't get that link to work, is it just me?Legs, lungs and lycra.
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.0 -
Hmmm will check later and see (can't do it from where I am right now). In meantime, if you click on my blog link below and then use the seach box, search for "sweetspot" it should show relevant posts, one will have the graphic.damage36 wrote:Can't get that link to work, is it just me?liversedge wrote:
I thought the sweet-spot was 88-94% of FTP? Is this different from SST?Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:SST is a pretty broad range, from upper Level 2 to threshold, so lots of scope within that range.
See Frank Overton's original article on it:
http://www.fascatcoaching.com/sweetspot.html
However most consider sweetspot to be tempo/sub threshold, so you aren't wrong either.
he did a follow up item:
http://www.fascatcoaching.com/training_ ... tdeux.html0
