Just finished Sweet spot base volume 2 and just did ramp test for the next phase of training on plan builder which is Sustained Power Build mid volume. At the start of my training my FTP came in at 276 on the first ramp test. Today I came in at 286 on the ramp test to start the sustained power build phase. Is this a substantial enough gain to proceed or should I retest? I was hoping to be closer to 300FTP but would that had been a stretch? I hear lots of folks making really large gains but it seems mine was small in comparison. Love your product especially when Amber is on. FYI on some of my stats. I’m 44 years old, muscular build at 208lbs but I have a weight loss goal to be at 185-190lbs by June. I have 2 A races scheduled and some B races on the calendar. My main A race takes place at the end of July
Depends on if you feel you gave it everything during the 2nd test? If you did, you’ll probably get the same result (providing there were no special circumstances reducing you performance). Just take the new value and move on.
Depending on your training history, 10W could be significant.
10W in 6 weeks from a level that is already reasonably high is a solid result. The people making bigger gains than that are usually either doing so from a low level of fitness and/or are getting back to levels they’ve already been at previously.
Would just crack on with the workouts, and if the first week seems comfortably manageable then you can manually bump up FTP by 5W and see how you get on.
These are 2 seperate questions.
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Improvements in FTP are not a pre-requisite for moving on to the next phase. Base phase isn’t about building FTP, it’s about building an aerobic base. You should hopefully have read something along these lines in the workout text.
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What makes you think that retesting is a good idea? If you underperformed then retesting is a possibility. But if you did a good test but just hoped for a higher number then retesting is pointless.
There are good test workouts at the end of SSB2 (not sure which volume you’re using), such as Mary Austin, Leconte and Lamark, that can tell you how far off your FTP estimate was at the time you did those. If all 3 were easy, don’t hesitate to accept that FTP bump you just tested; if these were near-death experiences (or plain fails), then you know cranking up the FTP would be a mistake. The objective is to set FTP accurately enough so that threshold is threshold, sweet spot is sweet spot, and VO2 is VO2.
10 watts is a lot
I had sore legs from a running session (trying to incorporate some running and just started that). I don’t know if that had impeded my performance.
With a space in there? An aerobic base?
If so, I agree 
- It’s prep so you can actually do the harder workouts in build.
Ok thanks, I just have to trust the process and follow the plans.
The process isn’t set in stone, and the folks at TR acknowledge that.
Definitely follow the plans, but feel free to adjust accordingly. It isn’t uncommon for people to adjust intensity from ride to ride and then manually adjust FTP up or down if a trend develops. Just keep the adjustments reasonable. The goal isn’t to kill yourself every ride. Instead, it’s to get the most out of your time on the bike, while saving enough for the next one.
I am now in the last week of Sustained Power Build MV. It’s tough. The extended high threshold intervals are very tough and if your FTP is artificially high then you will quickly feel the fatigue. I would definitely take the number from the test and move forward with that. If those workouts feel too easy then maybe it was a bad test and you could bump it up 5 or so watts. But I would wait a week or two to decide that.
Yeah, I think that’s sound advice. I better see if I can complete the workouts with the FTP that was given.
Well spotted. Edited