8 weeks training, I got slower?

Training
1

I’ve just completed 8 weeks of trainer road base training (low volume + a few sessions thrown in) in addition to weekend coffee rides + weight lifting 2x a week. Probably averaged 8-12 hours a week of fitness training. I followed the training to a T, completed work outs that previously would have to stop, or take breaks during. I feeeeeel stronger.

Before that I was just doing a casual ride once or twice a week. Averaged 3-5 hours a week.

Finished up the training block this week, put about 5 hours of low intensity endurance rides in the past 4 days, then did a ramp test after a moderate warm up this morning.
Ftp dropped 15 points and it huuurrrrt.

What gives? Just an off day?

2

What you see on the road is more important than that one metric. My FTP is lower than my first ramp test but my Time to Exhaustion is longer and last season (this season hasn’t started here) I was scoring significant pbs on TTs. You feel stronger so I wouldn’t worry about it.

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3

It’s hard to say - there are so many variables.

I’d check my recovery and nutrition but carry on.

This is a very positive sign:
“completed work outs that previously would have to stop, or take breaks during. I feeeeeel stronger”
:+1:

Also I’d be tempted to see what the FTP estimator says, if you’re willing to faff around a bit.

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4

If I’m able to complete 1.5hour threshold workouts @ .91 intensity one week ago (with my higher ftp #), should I start the new block of training next week at my “new” ftp, or just keep the old?

5

Recovery and nutrition is on point as well…plenty of sleep, I eat extremely healthy, and only drink a couple of times a year. :person_shrugging:

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6

I’m somewhat dogmatic in accepting any test result I get. If I didnt think the test was good I wouldn’t use it at all, and a dip in FTP just makes the training a bit easier.

Usually though I just test again the next weekend after an easy day of rest day. It’s only 25mins or so :wink:

7

I would set it to the new one or use AI FTP prediction but although with the old TR plans if you didn’t you ran the risk of overtraining, I don’t think it really matters if your using Adaptive Training; it’ll adjust work outs relative to your performance at any FTP level.

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8

I agree with HLab, I would use the AI FTP.

for example, I started my BASE, mid-volume and my FTP dropped a few points. that same week as I was doing the workouts I felt they were too easy so for every single workout I adjusted the intensity back to where my FTP was.

I don’t know what it is but when I did my FTP test, the result wasn’t an accurate representation of my Current FTP. Like many said, there are so many variables, maybe I was having a bad day when I tested

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9

there’s a tradeoff between steady SST efforts and high power. So perhaps you tilted the balance to one side.