Thanks all for the comments and the follow on discussions. I am here to learn and take advice so these differing approaches and opinions on how to progress is great. I will try and address some of the queries etc in a logical way!
For the 2x30 at 90% average HR was around 84% of MaxHR - I have seen the figure in the comments on this thread to aim for being around 85% MaxHR so feel like I am in a good spot.
The reasons for targeting 90% FTP for the SS block is based again on this forum thread and my desire to push out to a 1x90 SS interval. 90% might be low but the primary purpose of this block is to push my curve to the right somewhat and provide confidence in riding continuously at a good % of my FTP.
Riding 90m at circa 4.5w/kg feels pretty enticing and aligns with a lot of the type of more competitive riding I do. I also want to improve my fatigue resistance.
This is correct. My FTP TTE based on my KM Baseline Test at the start of the SST block was around this. Pretty poor I know (but a baseline and a starting point to take forwards) and one of the reasons I want to build confidence at doing a SST progression at 90% in the first instance.
That is my current thinking. At this stage I want to cement and build by aerobic base. At the end of this SST block I will assess and see what I need to do next; this might be another SST block with less progression but higher %, a short VO2 block to raise the ceiling (my fractional utilisaton is pretty high at the moment), or working on extending TiZ at Threshold.
My completely unqualified comment is that I think it would train something slightly different, maybe more a form of fatigue resistance, without doing as much for you TTE.
Also think it might make it more likely to create a lot of fatigue without much additional benefit.
Also agree with Splash, I think youād build some great fitness (and accumulate a decent amount of fatigue to recover from Friday etc), but you wouldnāt achieve the same adaptations as long SS Intervals/Sessions depending on where you are in terms of progression and how much is required to provide some overload.
Classical block training. You increase training density to introduce new stimulus. It can create great results but itās hardly sustainable in a long term:
I would use it sparsly but it has itās place and can yield great benefits - like with vo2 max work.
Depends what outcome youāre looking for and how stretching those 2 workouts are for you I guess.
Only 2 SST interval sessions would generally feel a little unfocused/easy for me, as Iām a diesel. However if they were both 120 min sessions then thatās another matterā¦
just knocked out a 3x25 today and it was dead easy, HR didnāt even crack 145bpm. Certainly time for a proper test to see where the FTP now sits. The one nice thing about doing these long SST blocks is they mentally prepare you for doing a proper long (25-35min) test as a lot of that is mental and chunking a long interval into smaller bite size pieces.
Happy to report that I just completed the 1x60 @ 90% without a hitch.
As others pointed out it was definitely a mental thing I was facing in terms of doubting my ability - thanks for the vote of confidence everyone HR was stable throughout, averaging 83% of MaxHR across the interval. Legs started to feel a little heavy in the last few minutes but I think that was due to the anticipation of finishing and not remaining as relaxed as the previous 58 mins!
Another 1x60 @ 90% later this week and then on to 2x45 @ 90% next weekā¦
Is anyone here doing their sweetspot blocks at lower cadences? I have been reading some compelling info on this and started doing it at the start of this seasons base sweetspot efforts.
The theory behind this is that, by riding at a higher intensity, and at a low cadence, a greater number of muscle fibres will be recruited as compared to riding at higher cadences, due to the high force demands placed on the muscles (remember force demands go up as cadence drops and/or as power increases). In particular, this type of workout will recruit muscle fibres that would not ordinarily be recruited in a Zone 2 aerobic development ride until the later stages of riding when muscle fibres begin to fatigue and pass over workload to other fibres (Altenberg et al., 2007; VĆøllestad et al., 1984).
Basically - if you want to do them, do them. But you do not get any additional aerobic or strenght benefits other than being accusotmed to the effort and have bigger āarsenalā of cadences to use during your riding.
To get the benefit youāre looking for, IMO youād be better off doing bursts at low cadence. e.g. ride steady at 75-85% for 60-120 minutes, every 5 minutes put in a 15-30sec burst to your 5-min power and do it at low cadence.
I was just about to start this kind of work in my training until COVID sidetracked me.
Good point Kurt, doing 5-sec bursts every two minutes is also a good way to increase muscle recruitment during sweet spot rides.
FWIW Iāve found a lot of gains doing low cadence work at low to mid tempo (75-85%), mostly by riding in the mountains as us 2.8-3W/kg riders that comes with the territory LOL. Seriously I do most of that work on flat terrain, and beyond the benefit I find from training at different cadences, for me the higher torque work has one of the highest returns on training time investment. N=1 and all that. @kurt.braeckel training derailment is hard for all us Type A athletes, but youāll be back on track in no time! In September C19 forced me to take almost a month off, and I came back stronger than before!
dude i was doing the same, i plugged in a 2x20 FTP ride and just threw it up there as a āi will get this doneā workout. Wasnt sure how i was feeling, and motivation was pretty low - i think i ran too large of a calorie deficit the last few days being overly ambitious to start my new years clean eating 60 day a little early.
Surprisingly worked out well and felt like SST. Gave me motivation to go knock out a quick workout in the gym of some heavy deadlifts. Xmas break back on track haha
I did my 12 min foundation workout today. Didnāt feel fatigued after any more than normal. Maybe Iāll try a really easy spin tomorrow. First day without symptoms since booster/positive test this weekendā¦ and Iāve been salty all dayā¦ so thatās probably a good indication Iām feeling better!
HR was stable throughout, averaging 83% of MaxHR across the interval. Legs started to feel a little heavy in the last few minutes but I think that was due to the anticipation of finishing and not remaining as relaxed as the previous 58 mins!
