Wondering if there is a downside to complete SSB1 again?
Long story short, I completed SSBLV1 on a bike that was to big for me and left me fatigued at the end. I have since purchased a new bike and have been doing some endurance rides to dial the fit in. When I came over to TR I had initially completed a 1 hour FTP test and used that number. Looking back through my workouts my heart rate was pretty pegged in some of them, 180-184 in the later intervals. I completed a ramp test yesterday and my FTP was lower, which I expected and honestly I am ok with. I do not have any plans to race, just want to get fitter and faster on my bike.
I typically hit the gym 3 days a week but I think I am going to dial that back to 2 days so I can focus more on my on the bike fitness.
If you do’t have any races/events lined up, I can’t see why you couldn’t do SSB1 again. On the other hand, why not just use the new number and move onto SSB2?
I think you’d be better going for SSBLV2. LV1 is basically all Sweet Spot until you get near the end with workouts like Warlow and Palisade. It seems that it’s as much about getting you used to trainer based training as improving FTP or whatever. LV2 targets Sweet Spot, Threshold and VO2 max so is a bit more varied.
That’s awesome! I wanted to give MV a try but 5 rides is a lot since I am in the gym 3 days a week right now. I typically added in an endurance ride to LV to get on the bike 4 days a week.
If this is the case, dial down the intensity of the workouts. Sounds like your most recent FTP test is lower vs your prior? This will help.
The workouts in SSB1 should not leave you feeling like you can barely finish them, or excessively fatigued. After all, it is the “base” phase.
There’s no harm in repeating SSB1, but a better approach is to plan backwards from an A event (if you have one), and use the TR plan builder to construct a plan.
No harm in repeating SSB1, but I’d move on to SSB2. Regardless of how well/poorly you think you did, the fact is that you completed SSB1, and that’s what matters.
Going through the entire Base/Build/Specialty progression keeps things interesting and also enlightens you as to where your strengths and weaknesses really lie. There isn’t enough variety in SSB1 and even SSB2 to accurately paint a picture of that.
Also, the fear of unpreparedness for the next phase is often overblown, and is fueled by the idea that one must hit an FTP target by the end of a training phase. The reality is that FTP gains are unpredictable, and best we can do is stay consistent in training and not overreach.
IMO the only really good reasons for repeating blocks is scheduling for a future event or significant interruption, e.g. injury or prolonged illness.