My Xert LTP is 216 and my zone 2 is 137-185 . My FTP is 244 whereas Xert has my threshold at 260. The real number is somewhere in between. However in my case the LTP workout will feel much harder because it is much harder.
One other question regarding Zone 2 if I may. How much is a Z2 ride ruined by spending time in Z3. I am thinking of the times outside when you are on a hilly route and you cannot really avoid working harder.
Barely at all, if any. Head over to the âPro/Elite Trainingâ thread, plenty of examples of pro riders doing long Z2/3 rides. But then again, pro zones donât really translate to joe zones. Conclusion: donât worry too much about it and enjoy the ride.
The way I look at it is that by staying in zone 2 you can obtain the aerobic benefits with minimal hormonal stress response. Aerobic adaptation will certainly occur in zone 3, but there will be a higher stress response. Iâm planning a zone 2 ish ride tomorrow, but there are nothing but hills here (my driveway is 8% uphill to the road), so I will be trying to go slow.
No science to back it up, but from all the low HR training researching (and practice) I did last year, Iâm going to say the stress response may be dependent upon HR. That might be a reason enough to keep your Z2 rides strictly Z2âŚuntil your aerobic capacity allows for Z3 power.
Full post:
There are a lot of benefits to z3 on long rides. The issue is if you are doing lots of intensity on other days, most will struggle to adequately recover from those long 2/3 rides and it comes at the cost of their real quality workouts.
Pros can do it more; they have better recovery strategies and are professionals. Many of us can do it in a traditional base period as well, but when youâre doing plans like SSB or a Build plan, you have to really be cautious with long Z2:z3 crossover efforts. I do them, but usually going into a recovery week so as not to trash my quality workouts.
ruined? Odd choice of words. These two posts lay it out pretty well:
and
Iâm looking at giving a custom TBHV plan a go this winter.
I plan on doing:
Mon - Rest
Tue - 2hr Z2
Wed - 2hr Z2
Thu - 2hr Z2
Fri - 2hr Z2
Sat - 3hr Z2
Sun - 3hr Z2
I have now finished my first year of TR and have been using a MV+ program for a while now, so I feel I would be ok with the volume of this approach.
What are your thoughts on this type of program? Or, with this amount of time, am I better served, doing SSBHV instead? My strengths are definitely my short power numbers, so I would like to build my 20mim+ power to make me a better all rounder.
Looks pretty similar to my last week:
Mon - Rest
Tue - 2hr Z2 (including 45min z3)
Wed - 2hr Z2
Thu - 2hr Z2 (including 45min z3)
Fri - 2hr Z2
Sat - 3hr Z2
Sun - 3hr Z2 (including 30min z3)
I would follow the stock TB HV plan since it has a nice progression starting from only Z2, then Z2+Z3 and in the end there are SS and even over threshold intervals.
Doing only Z2 for months wonât be too much beneficial IMHO.
Have you been doing those types of weeks for long now? How is you body feeling compared to doing SSB and is it manageable in terms of load?
Thatâs would I would preferably do however, in can only train for a maximum of 2hrs per session during the weekdays as I train early before I go to work (5am).
Depends where you start 
If you see more than 5% aerobic decoupling over 2hr Z2 (those are number from another post, not sure whether it is bro science or not), then youâre still getting adaptations. True, with SSB maybe even more so but at the expense of more stress to your body.
I donât use trainerroad so i canât really answer to that, but i started like 5 weeks ago doing just z2 (like you) and then started adding z3 to my rides. My Plan is to increase volume of z2 and after that add more z3.
I know that a lot of people here are road riders but how about everyone in the MTB/CX-sphere?
Iâm an XC-racer so I train on my MTB, last year I did SSBMVx3(full) and burned out completely. Iâve since Covid abandoned all racing this year and have done much more polarized, doing Z2 road rides and even pushing the pedals harder than just noodling around when out on my long slow distance-rides during the weekend. However itâs pretty impossible keeping in Z2 on the MTB but Iâm a approx. 40% Z1 distribution and the rest at Z2 (Talking Coggan Z7-model). Image illustrates a pretty usual LSD-distribution Z1 being coasting as well. MTB is so much more than just keeping power on the pedals.
I feel like this is pretty OK. How are you others fairing in the same situation? Are you all riding indoors or is anyone doing MTB-distance rides outdoors?
I agree, but he wants to start with 14 hours of Z2 per week which is quite a lot. If he can already sustain this volume it means that in some weeks he would have to increase it by some degree, or add intensity.
I understand, unfortunately the weekly workouts in TBHV are quite long, I had the same issue in the past and I ended up doing SSB.
However, you could still follow the TB plan and take the weekly workouts from MV and the weekend ones from HV. Or you could shorten/modify the workouts.
Nonetheless, the main issue with your plan is a lack of progression and, if you plan to do this all winter, there is too much focus on Z2 in my opinion.
True, modifying/shortening the workouts would be a viable option. Maybe the Z2 that I have to lose during the week, I just add to the weekend rides, if it works that way? Part 1 of TBHV just seems the biggest hurdle to overcome with the workout duration.
True. I actually do have same dilemma: iâd like to do full TBHV but thanks to lot of long rides over summer TBHV1 feels too easy so far (1st week currently). So I âpolarizedâ it slightly:
Tue/Thu - follow progression from short FTP boost plan,
Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun - use rides from TBHV1 (2:15+ Z2, sprinkled with 20sec sprints every 20min to keep it interesting)
Yes, if you have time, going longer in the weekends is the best idea since you could also get more adaptations from long rides.
Make sure to not do too much though, especially at the beginning if you are not used to this kind of work. 3 hours Z2 workouts are though both mentally and physically, particularly on the trainer.
Part 1 is definitely the most repetitive of the three phases, but if Iâm not mistaken coach Chad has said that is more an off-season plan where you lay the basic foundations after a end of the season break or injury. You could also integrate strength work and treat those sessions as âhigh-intensityâ, I guess thatâs also why there are only two weekly workouts.
There is also a lot of useful information in the plan description and weekly tips, give them a look when you have time.
Thatâs a good approach too, however TBHV1 is made easy on purpose to get back into training after some kind of break or to lay the foundations (also integrating strength training if possible) before doing some higher intensity stuff (see phase 2 and 3).
Itâs indeed a very traditional approach, but it can produce great results if followed with consistency.
