Historically I’ve had good gains from medium volume plans but the accumulative stress always built up to the point I would register symptoms of over training.
So this year I have embarked on low volume, a modest 7% ftp increase whilst dropping 5lbs during SSB 1 (6 weeks) with 1 week of build. I was hoping for a 15% increase and added some ad hoc base work outs using the train now function. I’ve subscribed to the AT function. At this moment I’m unsure if the functionality of train now and AT provide the overarching view for my A event in May. TrainerRoad offers great structure but as I’m 54 I feel I’m in between low and medium volume plans which means any informed advice as to the best focus to apply in the way of additional work outs would be gratefully received as I need to bump the weekly TSS load to help max my improvements or do I trust the processes and follow the existing functions?
I was aiming for a weekly build off TSS from about 300 building to 350 and dialing this down if this proves unsustainable
So the next few weeks ( SSB 2LW) I have Vo2 (1hr) , sweet spot (1hr) and threshold (1:5hr).
Zone 2, I’m younger than you but also on the same boat of in between plans. So far I’ve had great results with low volume plan plus I add about 5 hours zone 2. There are numerous benefits with zone two training and like stated above; less stress. I also don’t feel bad if I move workouts around because if I hit the main 3 workouts it keeps my ego fed!
I’m in a similar situation as well. 52 and mid volume is too much but low is not enough. I’ve been doing AT low volume and supplementing with Train Now which is mostly recommending zone 2 endurance on days with nothing on the plan. I really wish the training plans would allow you to enter the time per day available to train and build a plan around that rather than choose between low, mid or high. #featurerequest
Another vote for endurance/Z2 work: in my team we have some gentlemen your age and endurance-wise they are tough as nails. You are bound to lose some of your kick, but you can still lay the hurt on others by persisting. Plus, they are easy on your body.
My recommendation is to start with easier Z2 work with IFs around 0.60–0.63 or so, they tend to be very easy on your and you should stay below your ventilatory threshold 1 (i. e. your breathing is slow and you can talk in complete sentences without any issues).
If you look at the LV vs MV plans, generally speaking the LV ones keep 3 hard days a week and drop all the extra stuff (the specific workouts in the generic plans are different, but the principle more or less holds).
So as above, Z2/endurance.
I’m “only” 33 but last year in peak COVID I was trying to do 3-4 TR workouts, 2 Zwift races and a Zwift group ride every week. I ended up getting very ill and having to take 2 weeks completely off… This year has been much better as I’ve followed LV using AT and deliberately tried to keep the intensity down outside of the TR workouts.