I just did the ramp test in view of starting the SSB LV1. And it was dismal. Gave me a FTP of 110. There are obiously a couple of issues in my testing.
After several months of inactivity on the trainer I forgot to calibrate it prior to the test.
I’m at day 7 of a 10 days anti-biotics round after getting a strep.
My heart rate was very very high even at the start I finished the warm-up 140.
I failed at a very low HR 175, while in previous testing I could go up to 185.
All this being considered i was planning to go on with week 1 of SSB lv 1 with the low FTP and then retest monday next week prior to starting the real work to see if there is any difference.
Is it a sensible approach or should I just suck it up and do the full 6 weeks at 110? The thing is I really don’t know what to expect as percieved work level for SSB1. I have no reference. All I know is past numbers from Goddard at FTP 138. And I dont remember it to be particularly difficult.
I’m obviously detrained compared to that point but by that much it doesn’t seem reasonnable.
Obviously you need to re-test when you are feeling better. I would never attempt a ramp test while on antibiotics so use this all as a learning moment. Any assessment test needs to be treated with 100% effort/focus and with as little fatigue as possible.
And I bet other will agree here as it’s a standard question/response - use your old FTP and if the work seems too hard dial it down a percent or 3. (I know you mention you don’t have a great frame of reference for this type of work/training plan, but neither do we with the info you gave). When you’re feeling better, re-test. You’re not married to testing only on weeks 1, and 5 you can re-test when ever you feel like your FTP has changed and it warrants a check.
Thanks for the reply. I knew those where not ideal conditions. And wanted to have some kind of benchmark to start the training. I’ll retest next week after some light work with the first week of SSB1 lv.
It’s reasonable to train for a week at 110, but if your trainer wasn’t calibrated and you’re on antibiotics, you should retest as soon as you feel 100% with a calibrated trainer/power meter.
Oh man, don’t train when you’re sick (or recovering). Your body can heal itself or get strong, not both at the same time. Easy (really easy) spinning if just sitting around is driving you nuts, but I wouldn’t do any more than that.
Forget about testing or following a plan for now.
You’re sick and antibiotics can kill your fitness up to 2 weeks after you stop taking them. Trying to push now will just make that recovery take longer and set you back further.
Personally I would do some free rides for the next 1 to 1.5 week.
Starting at heartrate zone 1, slowly building up the duration and intensity.
Maybe a 30 minute spin on day 1 ,next day 45 min. Then up the intesity a bit on day 3 and try to build up to a 1.5hr zone 2 workout.
If at any point a workout feels too taxing, abort and try again the next day.
Then test and start SSB I properly once you’re feeling good.
Full story be told. I’m in completely new territory now as I lived my entire life with a nasty genetic disease that’s crippled my energy levels because of inflammation bursts. Long story short 6 months ago I started a medication that stops the inflammation.
So now even when sick I have energy levels at par or above what I used to have when I was feeling good before. So when the symtoms of he sickness vanished I just felt good. So Sunday I did a relaxed 45 km ride. Felt good during and for the full day after, a little low on the energy yesterday, though but nothing to be concerned about, or so I thought. It didn’t occur to me the anti-biotics would cripple me that much so I planned on starting the plan this week.
But i’ll follow your advice and delay the start of the plan to next week.
Last week I did some riding Sunday 2:30 ride outside in the endurance territory with some tempo and very little sweet spot couple of short hills.
Then Thuesday I did a dismal ramp test.
Thursday I did Mount Field with all the drills at my probably bogus low FTP. Felt good again.
Friday a short 2 times 20 minutes commute.
Yesterday I did Baxter with the tempo parts at cadence between 100-110 RPM some work at low cadence at the low end of the power spectrum. And every cadence in between finished the ride at 89 RPM average and hr decoupling below .5%. Felt realy easy. My legs were a little bit tIred but I felt like I could continue.
Now the antibiotics course is over.
I wonder what to do.
Test ftp tomorrow to have make it reflect better what it really is and continue with week 2 of SSB LV1 on Tuesday. at new FTP.
Retest tuesday and restart the plan at new FTP.
Don’t retest now and just go on with the plan at the low FTP.
As and update after spending last week with the first week of SSBlv1 at 110 FTP + a 2:30 endurance with some tempo riding on sunday I tested today at 127 FTP. I’m happy with that even if it’s 11 watts short what it was in April. After a summer of erratic riding and 3 weeks of illness recovery i’m still at an initial FTP over what it was at the beginning of last season.
I guess I’ll have a newbie watts bump over the next few weeks as I restart at week 1 of SSB1LV.
Set your estimated FTP lower so that you don’t burn out before the ramp even starts. Light spinny rides (or even just straight rest) until you’re clear of the anti-biotics. Then do it again the right way.
It was set at 110. The anti-biotics course was over a bit less than a week ago. I think today’s test better reflect my FTP. While I may have some of the medication remaining on my system. So I’ll go with that. At least for two weeks and if it gets too easy for the first week of real sweet spot I’ll either retest or bump up a couple of percent.