Answer: FTP increases and applying different forms of training stress require small planned decreases in TSS to maximize training benefits. Reduce TSS Between Training Phases to Get Faster Within a progressively structured training plan, each new week sees a slight increase in the overall amount of stress (TSS), while each workout sees a similar bump…
How Do Outside Rides With Higher TSS Affect My Plan?
Answer: Riding outside generally means a higher intensity and higher TSS than a plan’s prescribed structured workout. Depending on a rider’s goals, their outside ride could hamper later workouts. It’s really a question of what you want to get out of your rides and how much time you’re willing to dedicate … If you’re looking…
Is My FTP Representative of My Maximal “Hour Power”?
Answer: For most athletes, no. Depending on the familiarity and experience with an FTP value, athletes can realistically sustain the power level of FTP in a range from about 40-70 minutes. ** Our default testing format to estimate an athlete’s FTP was changed to the TrainerRoad Ramp Test since this post was published Why Your…
How to Follow a TrainerRoad Training Plan
Answer: TrainerRoad training plans are built upon a science-backed training process. This process consists of three consecutive training phases: Base, Build and Specialty. Riders follow this process to reach peak fitness and get faster. What are the phases of a TrainerRoad training plan? The three phases of a TrainerRoad plan are Base, Build and Speciality.…
Recovery Intervals: The Important Role They Play In Making Cyclists Faster
Ever wonder about recovery intervals? The purpose they serve, the durations they last, even the intensities they’re prescribed at? You’re not alone… We had the same question, and so we talked about it in depth on episode of 114 of the Ask a Cycling Coach podcast. Here’s an expansion of that discussion. Furthering performance capabilities…
Plans Update: Get Faster for Cyclocross
All Cyclocross Specialty training plans are improved to be more specific to your riding and racing goals. What’s New All Cyclocross plans include even TSS weeks to allow riders to easily integrate training races and higher-priority races into their training. To prepare riders for rapid-fire repeats seen in ‘cross racing, these plans put an emphasis…
Singletrack 6 Race Review and Lessons Learned
Singletrack 6 presented by Transrockies was epic in more ways than one. Here’s a compilation of lessons learned. Singletrack 6 Preview To help get you faster for your next XC stage race and/or MTB adventure, the hosts of the Ask a Cycling Coach podcast signed up to race Singletrack 6, the epic six-day MTB stage race…
Get Faster for Time Trials with the 40k TT Plan
40k TT Specialty training plans have been improved to be more specific to your riding and racing goals. What’s New All 40k TT Specialty plans have a dedicated weekly Time Trial workout. These workouts will help athletes create time trial power, in a time trial position, at roughly time trial durations. TSS has also been…
The Science Behind Getting Faster and Breaking Through a Fitness Plateau
The infamous fitness plateau is a state no athlete wishes to face. We’re going to make sure you never find yourself there. Throughout this discussion, we will introduce two foundational theories to understand what happens to our bodies when we train. By doing so, we aim to illuminate why certain practices yield results, while others achieve…
24-Hour World Champion Sonya Looney Trains Indoors and Wins
Sonya Looney is no stranger to being on the bike for long hours, but the 2015 WEMBO 24-Hour World Champion admits she could barely get through an hour-long indoor workout in the past. Structured training with TrainerRoad and the Wahoo KICKR changed that. “I can now ride my bike inside and it doesn’t feel like…