I am a 21 year old male from Belgium who has been riding bikes his whole life, but I only started riding seriously 2 years ago.
I currently weigh 63 kg (@180 cm) and my 20 minute pb is 330 watt (5.23 w/kg)(10-15 hours/week on average at this point).
Here is my dream: I want to hit 6 w/kg for 20 minutes (380w).
Do you think this is possible and if so, how should I approach training for such a big goal?
What would be a realistic timespan? 6 months, 1 year, 5 years … ?
I am used to doing hard intervals, but I have never followed a real trainingplan.
I am currently not (yet) subscribed to Trainerroad, but I am doubting whether Trainerroad is the right platform for this.
I like TR. I think you should give it a shot. I would say you might be looking at a year, or less. BUT, I am not an expert. I am guessing with your youth on your side and a lack of specific training, that you will likely benefit from a specific plan.
Will you be doing the training indoors or outdoors? I feel that there is some benefit to doing indoor training as it makes it easier to focus on the goal. However, there is also the benefit of being out in the real world too for your workout.
It largely depends how committed you are and you’ve youth on your side. TR is probably good if you are really committed but a personal trainer would probably be better for such a lofty goal.
I think it largely depends on your genetics to reach the upper levels of wattage but definitely give it a shot! All the fun is in the trying.
The right platform for you is probably a really good coach if you have very ambitious goals otherwise you might spin your wheels for several seasons while you learn to train and self coach yourself.
Do you race? Nothing gets you in shape like racing IMO.
I can only suggest you focus less on the outcome, but rather your commitment to the process. Can you consistently do 10+ hrs of training, both indoors and outdoors per week. Can you change your diet to optimize for training? Can you sleep 10 hours a night? Are you willing to read and learn about training and diet optimizations to give yourself the best chance to reach those outcomes? Can you avoid being obsessed with every little change in weight and FTP and just stick to a process and only then check in on those things every couple of months?
A lot of the grind to reach your goals will be mental and how you deal with the every day process.
If I had that kind of starting point and that kind of goal I’d be hiring a fairly serious coach, assuming funds would allow.
6w/kg for 20 mins is getting into serious hitter territory. I think you need to be prepared to put in quite a lot of 15-20 hour weeks.
Who knows whether you will get there and how long, but if you commit to a serious program with proper supervision, I suspect you’ll have a good idea if it’s possible in 6 months to a year.
Yes it is possible. You are coming into your peak years and have already shown you are capable (at least ballpark) with just two years of structured training.
My recommendation… look into joining a team or training group. The training group will be hard, but you will find your limits. Even if it doesn’t workout at least you’ll know and not have that regret of wondering what could have been.
Other than that, as mentioned: up the volume, get sleep, add intensity.
Best of luck to you. It isn’t going to be easy but worth a try!
Keep in mind it might not just be a power issue as well. Not knowing anything about the rides you’ll most likely also need to perfect your nutrition and riding skills too.
Ambition is great, but I’d advise to temper it a bit: your numbers are excellent, but you are in very rarified air. The number of people with the ability to reach 6 W/kg is very, very, very small.
Instead of chasing numbers, if I were you, I’d do the following:
Subscribe to TR and start learning about structured training. Understand how the basic principles of structured training, chief among them periodization, progressive overload, specificity and individualization are put into practice.
Find a serious team and join it. Racing is more than numbers. Pack riding, race craft, cornering ability and race strategy are huge factors.
Prioritize sleep and recovery over other things in your life. When your mates are out drinking delicious Belgian beers (of which there are many), you need to be at home sleeping.
