I have completed 2 weeks of the 6 weeks in Sweet Spot Base II. I decided to use AI to check my FTP because, well, now I can with a click of a button.
It said my FTP has increased from 330 to 339.
Last year, my FTP topped our at 345. I had a vitamin D deficiency last summer that caused severe muscle weakness. I was useless until January 2022 when I started to ramp back up. My FTP was 315 after all of this on January 1.
This year, I am far more consistent and have incorporated strength training. I have also prioritized my nutrition and am making sure to eat ~2g of protein/kg. One thing I am trying to do is listen to my body and make sure that I don’t push it too hard too soon.
I will take the replies with a grain of salt but am curious what people think and if there’s a consensus to my options? I believe that there are 3 options:
Stay at 330 and finish the block. Pros: Less stress + fatigue accumulation. Cons: Potentially won’t hit as high of an FTP as I can get to.
Accept the 339 and continue the block. Pros: My FTP is 339 which is higher than 330. More watts = more speed. Cons: Potentially going to a higher FTP before I have had a chance to refine my abilities at 330 will just cause greater fatigue as I fight to finish workouts my body may not be ready for.
There are 3 weeks of work left. Possibly do this week at 330, if it feels great, revaluate my AI predicted FTP and perform the last 2 weeks at 339+ so I can have as high of an FTP as possible going into build where I will undoubtedly end up with a 400W FTP like the rest of you.
If you’re on Adaptive Training, it kinda doesn’t matter. If you keep your current FTP, it’ll give you harder workouts (higher workout levels). If you increase your FTP, it’ll give you easier workouts but scaled to the higher FTP.
You’re not looking at a totally radical change, so I would be it’s well within what AT can handle.
@pkwell You response makes so much sense that I going to delete my post LOL
I was looking forward to the 2x20 sweet spot this week so I’ll go with option 3… Let this week run it’s course and start allowing my body to adapt to the higher FTP with workouts at levels that I can handle next week… I made my post kind of forgetting that when I accept the new FTP my subsequent work is adjusted. Oops!
There was a post that Nate made in another thread about pushing ftp higher if not near genetic limit instead of pushing PLs higher (paraphrasing from what I remember).
So I did this - raising 5% using AI FTP with 2 weeks of work left in SSB1. Dropped my PLs a little bit, but in the two weeks of work left I was able to get them back to where they were for both Threshold and SS. Worked well for me. I then saw another 4% gain as I start SSB2.
My instinct is stick with the 330W. Obviously it’s up to you and what you feel like you get the most gains from, but I think getting a bit further up in the SS PL will provide a better launching point for Build.
Longer intervals, also aligns more closely with the planned progression.
Thanks Chad - I was hoping to see something along those lines to make sure that we make best use of the new tech we have available to us.
I know this is an N=1 type thing but my VO2 max workout last night felt incredibly easy. I will let this week run it’s course but if it all feels like it’s just as easy then I will change to whatever the estimate is on Monday. I LOVE that I don’t have to guess my FTP increase nor test mid block, as I can just click a button and have confidence that I will be training at numbers that should align with my adaptations. What a time to be alive.