hi, everyone!
what do you guys think about sweetspot workouts like white+3? (60 minutes broken into 6x10 minute segments ranging form 85-95% FTP, with no rests)
is there some advantage over more traditional sweetspot workouts, with steady long intervals and rest periods in between?
would love to read your thoughts/opinions and experiences
Psychological reasons I imagine, seems most of the TR library is variation for variations sake, even the endurance rides. Sweetspot is high tempo/low threshold, having a few minutes rest in a block will be of little consequence IMO.
I use these types of workouts closer to long events where I’ll need to hold consistent power for long periods of time. I like the steps as it breaks up an otherwise long interval into more manageable chunks which helps mentally. I did White -1 yesterday, which is a 50 minute block of SS. I’d rather do the steps than one single 50 minute interval.
I feel like breaking up sweetspot in shorter intervals (<15min) is only necessary indoors. Outdoors, tempo could be done for much longer continuously. Those ladder workouts are basically a simulation of variable outdoor riding.
I’m pretty sure all these workouts are just designed to be more interesting. I don’t think there’s any hard ‘science’ into why doing it this way is more effective than riding the same duration at the average power in that range.
If it’s more interesting, you’re more likely to do it. If you’re more likely to do it, then you’re ire likely to improve fitness.
I just recently listened to a podcast where they interviewed Coggan and he basically said this