Started TR 6 weeks ago with 206 ftp on ramp test. Done 1st 4 weeks and all went well with the workouts getting a little easier as time went on. Done a ramp test at 4 weeks and got 213 ftp but I ran a 5 km a couple of hours before it so I just ignored it although was happy enough with it. So I’m just after week 6 now(rest week) done ramp test today and got 202 and was gutted. Week of rest seems to have got me out of focus in a way. I did have a late night taxiing last night but I just want to put my experience out there. I’m a little perplexed.
How did you feel when you were doing the workouts in week 5, compared to the workouts in week 1?
I had a similar set of results see this thread FTP loss during SSB1 - #26 by joeyfrench
FTP is only one measure of fitness.
Obviously it is important for scaling TR workouts but it does not report on maximum FTP, VO2, heart rate zones, or lactate thresholds. So I think you may not see an increase even though you feel like you are improving. The gross improvement may be other elements of your fitness.
I would say it’s important not to put too much emphasis on your FTP increasing with every plan.
I did my SSB ramp test after MTB season and my FTP recorded at 3w less than what my FTP was set to. (I am also on a new Kickr). I am almost done my SSB and will retest. The interval workouts are hard, but I am completing all of them which is one of my goals. I will increase my FTP for the next plan by 3-5w regardless of the next test result and feel how the next plan ramps up.
I’d suggest you try an increase and see how it feels. Can you do the intervals at target power? Can you (barely) compete the workouts? Can you stick to your schedule without extra rest due to blown out muscles? Are your joints feeling OK? Tweak your FTP as needed up or down.
I encourage my friends to train all winter on our little private FB group and I always suggest making adjustments towards success. Adjust your FTP down if it helps you complete workouts and plans. Use -1 (or +1!) workout variations to lighten the load if you feel tired before the workout in your calandar. Use a time shortened workout variation rather than skip a day. Space out the workouts more if that helps with fatigue or a busy family schedule. Or change programs, try the Zwift training instead if TR seems too intense. (It is intense.)
Don’t quit.
Don’t be discouraged.
Don’t expect to mimic what other people are doing 100%.
Adjust and be successful.
M
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Nico, was doing Wright Peak and other 2 hour SS interval and felt great. They were definitely getting easier.
There you go then. You definitely increased in fitness. Perhaps you just respond badly to a full week off, or other factors combined to give you an off day, but take the positives from the fast you were getting through the workouts and feeling stronger. If you had ramp tested on the last day of week 5 it may have been very different, but we need the rest weeks to make this sustainable in the long term! I would crack on with the previous FTP you had and see what happens in the next block…
The very least I’d do now is take that ramp test result from week 4 and use that for phase two of SSB. If it gets too much drop it down but it seems that from my own experience and response from queries I’ve made about my own test results, if you can get through the workouts you’re good to continue.
What volume are you doing? High/Medium/Low. If high volume maybe that extra week (week 5) was just too much to fully recover from in a week and could explain the result, maybe you just didn’t test great and put it down to experience. As Chad says in the workout text, every second makes a difference - if in erg mode that could simply be down to how quick the trainer responds to you stopping.
Sounds like maybe you had a bad test. I’ve definitely had this happen even with the ramp test. It could be that you were still fatigued, or that you could benefit from opening your legs up the day before the ramp or a small warmup before. I try not to do a ramp test first thing in the morning as I find once you get to the end it’s far too easy to give in, where if I save it for the evening I can go deep and just know that I have nothing else to do that day but eat and sleep.
Doing MV Plan. I definitely feel I don’t benefit from taking too long off. I didn’t do all the recovery workouts in week 6, I took more days off but it didn’t work as I planned. Will try a spin the day before the next ramp test. I plan on taking the 213 ftp for the next base plan. One thing I didn’t feel during the ramp test was that is was not as fluent as other workouts, nearly that it felt like it wasn’t in erg mode although it obviously was.
That is a super helpful post, thanks @Juarez
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I’ve had a similar experience. I finished my SS1 and did the ramp test to only improve my FTP from 229 to 232. However, I’m also gradually increasing my running volume each week and dieting to shed some extra pounds. I figure all this has an impact on the measured improvement. So, hang in there as I’m sure it takes experience and several rounds of testing to start to dial in the process. Cheers!
Late night partying?
If so, then no wonder you performed poorly on the ramp test.
Give it a couple of days and re-test, a few hours after you’ve had a meal.
Driving a taxi Stevemz. Looking after the party goers.
I’d still say give it a few days rest and retest. If I get a poor nights sleep, I don’t ride well the following day.
Start ssb2 and see how it goes. I think ssb2 is much harder than 1 so you may see that the base you built in 1 is put to use and you see ftp gains in 2. If 2 feels easy after week 2, retest and be rested, fed, and me mentally ready for the next one.
It’s too easy to freak out about this stuff, especially if you have an a race early season. If you are new to structured training, you will see big gains. Do what the plan says, real, a little and enjoy, a lot of change is happening and you will see it all come to fruition in the spring.
Done ebbetts today and used the higher ftp of 213 and was pretty comfortable so going to stick with that for now. Going back to an ftp of 202 would have been too easy to be honest. I might do ramp test at the start of next week with just a little rest and see how it works.
You don’t have to test - if you’re comfortable with 213, use 213. It usually isn’t worth it to add in a test just to ‘validate’ your FTP. Your ability (or inability) to complete the workouts will give you your answer
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Just a wee update. Done ramp test today and got 224 cause I thought it was higher than the 213 so happy with that. Thanks for the advice.
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