Swapping Planned Workouts

Training
1

Question :

I’m doing SSBLV1 so I don’t overdo things with the running I do. Going into week 3 and I’ve been using train now on the plan off days to typical do an endurance ride to supplement the planned days and my running. Adaptive training made a number of changes in the first week but has settled down last week. That said, I’ve been feeling pretty strong and wondering what people do to swap out the planned workout using the workout alternatives feature?

I guess my question is ;

  1. should I leave it alone and just do the planned workouts?
  2. where I’ve more time choose a longer alternative?
  3. where I’m feeling strong choose a higher valued PL rating within the same difficulty range?

Or, even a combination of 2 & 3 if have more time and feeling good?

How are you all approaching this with adaptive training? Part of me thinks I should leave the intensity as is even if I’m feeling good and just add the extra time on bike. The other side of me says, yep I’m feeling good, let’s hit a slightly higher progression level workout….

2

I’ve recently finished SSBLV1 and 2.

I think I changed just a couple of workouts, soon after it had dialled back the PLs in response to an FTP increase, became it had knocked them back a bit further than felt necessary given how my body was responding.

Other than that, I pretty much left the workouts alone and let TR progress me as it saw fit in response to my survey responses.

My FTP went from 179 to 210 over the 12 weeks. I’m 53 but pretty much a newbie to cycling and structured training.

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3

Thanks for the informative feedback.

I can 100% see a use case for selecting higher PLs in the same difficult range after an FTP boost if you feel the PLs have been dialled back too much. I’m sure TR have a throttle on how aggressive the PLs are dialled back depending on the % FTP increase, however if that ends up being too conservative the workout alternatives feels like a really good option.

My gut feel is to keep the plan as is and not tinker with it i.e. trust AT - maybe I’m letting my ego get the better of me into thinking I can hit much higher PLs than I can.
I suspect I can hit some of the higher PLs right now if I’m honest (well, I know I could), however looking at the training plan more holistically, I suspect going too deep and trying to ramp my PL’s more quickly will only have a (potential) detriment on future workouts in the future.

Thanks again for the reply - appreciated.

4

My pleasure. Sounds like our thought processes are pretty much aligned. :+1:

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