Gaining back fit after a one-month break

Training
1

Hello,

Sorry for my english since I am a french TrainerRoad user.

I broke my collarbone a month ago and I am just beginning training again.
I was wondering how long it takes in average to get back the FTP I had prior to my injury.

For instance, a year ago, I had been cycling for 6 months when I engaged in HT training with TrainerRoad. My first FTP test with TrainerRoad gave a result of 230. It took me about 9 months of indoor and outdoor training (around 10-15 hours per week) to level my FTP to 280. And after a one-month break, I have just done a ramp test which gave a result of 230. So my FTP level is about the same as it was a year ago.

Do you think that if I do the same kind of training (in intensity and duration) as the one I engaged in a year ago, it will take the same amount of time as it took the past season to level up my FTP at 280 ?

In other words, do you really lose the fit gained in a year in only one month or do you think that I can get my level back more quickly than the time it took to get it initially ?

Thanks very much for your answers.

Emmanuel

2

Here is some related info on fitness decline over time:

Training Residuals:

  • Aerobic Endurance – Establishment: 25-35 days; Residuals: 25-35 days
  • Anaerobic Power – Establishment: 14-22 days; Residuals 14-22 days
  • Muscle Endurance/Threshold – Establishment: 10-20 days; Residuals: 10-20 days
  • Sprint Power – Establishment: 2-8 days; Residuals: 2-8 days

Declines in Aerobic Capacity:

  • 1-7 days: negligible decrease
  • 10-14 days: 6% decrease
  • 14-30 days: 12% decrease
  • 30-63 days: 19% decrease
  • >63 days: 26% decrease

Minimum we can do to stay fast:

  • Aerobic Endurance – Once every 2 weeks, do a long, low-intensity ride. Ride long enough that the fatigue comes as a product of the ride’s duration, not its intensity. Example:Laurentian
  • Anaerobic Power – Once a week. Something along the lines of 30- to 60-second repeats upwards of 130% FTP should suffice. Example: Bird -1
  • Muscle Endurance/Threshold – Once a week. Try a 2×20-minute Threshold or even Sweet Spot workout. Example: Eichorn
  • Sprint Power – Once a week. Perform 4-6 all-out efforts somewhere between 20-30 seconds long. Example: Bays

Here is some discussion on regaining fitness:

12 Likes
3

Thanks very much Chad.

1 Like
4

This is excellent info, especially for those of us on a sickness-induced (sickness-forced?) training break.

Thanks for posting it.

1 Like
5

Chad, what guidance can you give me for my situation coming back from a month off due to respiratory illness, where I also lost 4kg?

I adjusted my FTP and weight to keep the same W/kg. After two light tempo workouts where I really felt it in the legs and HR, I can see that was unrealistic. I was a little over 3W/kg from about 6 weeks of training back on the bike - should I adjust the FTP further to reflect a drop in W/kg? What would you suggest? Based on the above it seems sensible to drop it by 10%-20% to be safe?

6

I’m no coach, and am not the best one to give advice based on what I read from your experience. The only thing I can really suggest it to take it slower than you think you need to, when coming back from something that sounds like a serious illness.

1 Like