Adjusting plan to address specific (perceived) weakness?

Training
1

Hiya,
I am new to TR and in the 3rd week of my plan established with Plan Builder. Base phase is based on SST.
Ramp test done, FTP set and confirmed the value I had on Zwift.
Here’s my issue: while all the SS intervals I can handle (relatively) easily, I fail to finish the O/U interval workouts (except the first). So looks I have a specific weakness in the anaerobic area…question is what possibilities do I have to address this weakness specifically when the plan progresses and O/U’s will become harder over time? Can I replace any SS workouts by specific sprint intervals (or other) or is this considered counter-productive?

thx and cheers
niko

2

Welcome!

The over/unders in the Sweet Spot Base plans are threshold workouts that build your muscular endurance and ability to clear lactate, so sprint workouts would not address the same goal. Depressingly, the only way to get better at over/unders is to keep doing over/unders.

Some possibilities for you going forward:

  1. Lots of the workouts have less intense variants, and there are lots of similar workouts in the catalog (search for ‘over-under’ and ‘criss-cross’). Find an over/under workout that looks more achievable – shorter intervals, fewer intervals, longer rests between intervals, lower power, etc. – so you can dial down whatever is making you struggle.
  2. Short backspins during “recovery” intervals can be life-saving, and it’s way better to take a 15-second backspin early than to completely bail later on.
  3. You can always drop the power during a workout using the “Intensity” controls. If you’re cracking at 100%, try 97%.

Remember that the power zones derived from FTP tests (of any kind, ramp or 8-minute or 20-minute or 40-minute or whatever) are an approximation. The training tools we use make everything seem precise and clinical, but really it’s a giant daisy chain of estimates. Maybe your FTP is spot on; maybe it’s set just too high enough that over/unders are unreasonable. Trust the process, but be flexible with the details.

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Look one person on a forum is just a pontificator; two people on a forum with the same opinion is basically a clinical study!

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LOL - so let’s apply for FDA certification then :wink:
Ok will continue to work my plan and possibly adjust level before I am completely toasted. And thanks for the backspining tip :+1:
Will know more Saturday after Palisade…

Cheers
Niko

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No problem! TR also has a support article on bailouts, might come in handy later: