yes, this is dependent on tte being good already
One thing that āpuzzledā me is the % on SST. Itās such a large range - 84-97% if Iām not mistaken.
So, 2x20 at 84% itās ok, but at 97%, for me itās threshold, and not SST - at least my legs feel this way.
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Yeah, this is what I had in mind to be honest.
Realistically speaking I wonāt be able to push TTE that further out indoor and I might take an opposite approach to the classic TR base - build. Also, volume indoor would be limited as well soā¦Iām more and more inclined to changing approach this winter.
Meh. I just aim for 90% +/- 5 watts and call it good.
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Yes, vo2 max block is great but the gains are usually way better if your tte is long. And tte is long because of volume and all aerobic training. Not to mention that with lot of volume you will tolerate vo2 max better and be able to do more work. So vo2 max block itself will brin gains but they will be more substantial with all tte work beforehand.
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Which is why most of us are quoting the intensity we do them and the most common is bang in the middle 90 - 92% (I do mine 90 - 93%)
I dont call 95+ SST I call it Threshold and anything below 87% I call Tempo.
Too me SST is 87 - 94% but people definitions do vary.
Infact outside this forum I dont really use the term SST at all, its either tempo or threshold.
Iām doing my SST progression just in the Threshold range (where tempo edges into threshold) of course it is all just Aerobic training and the distinction is only for communication.
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That makes sense. I guess low SST would be a āreplacementā for shortening long z2 endurance rides, which I agree is more tempo. Below 95% is FTP for me as well.
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Yeah I kind of feel like that as well.
84, 85, 86, Tempo
95, 96, 97% Threshold are a way off where Im working in the progressions.
In the middle, as you say 90% +/- a few watts, all good.
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Both these imo, less burn out, more TiZ.
Plus on a bad day it can end up being threshold anyway. No failed sessions unless ill and shouldnt be training anyway.
i like to settle on 90%,and with it being consistent itās easier to spot any trends like improving efficiency and whatever. However this past block Iāve been less strict with this, partially due to not using erg and going with what feels good in the 280ish region and partially because I donāt know for certain what my ftp is at the moment, so while something like this on paper is 93% based on my set ftp of 305, it could be slightly lower if my ftp is 310. Gonna get a better idea tomorrow
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My normal progression for me and my athletes is:
TTE extension at SST/Tempo ā VO2max ā Threshold work
If youāre doing true FTP work year round, a lot of people wonāt love doing that month after month after month. SST is training essentially the same thing, at higher TiZ and it feels quite a bit more managable, so itās better for base periods IMO. I also use tempo quite a bit, usually in 30 min block doses.
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A tempo/SST progression is a key part of base training, IMO. Get volume up with endurance riding first, then tempo/SST progression into VO2max. People get way to wrapped up in dogmatic definitions of base/build, etc.
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Is there a problem doing threshold and SS during the same block? Thatās what Iām currently doing, Iām
Basically following the blueprint of TRs master plans but choosing my own progression. This was I can get longer intervals and more TIZ than what they offer.
Before starting the TR masters base plan, I had 3 months of mostly endurance and a couple intervals a week. The weeks were usually 2 āhard daysā a mix of tempo, SS or threshold. Which was their offering of a ābaseā plan.
Iām mainly wondering am I doing too much now for an event in March? 
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Thanks for your input! And I get what you say. And at my 8-10hr/wks I get about 120-180min at tempo/sweetspot TiZ.
My question was more: is it not a bit early to include Treshold in that progression as well, as mentioned by @jarsson .
The quesion is then - to early for what? If you can recover from harder workouts they are more beneficial - simple as that. You have two sliders to manipulate - volume and intensity and you have to find balance between those two.
For example with 6h/wk I have seen big gains with 3x threshold per week but with volume around 10h I had a problem with nutrition and recovery, lowered to 2x week but overall stimulus was enough to provide more gains (if I had to choose I always will choose volume, but then there is a thing called lifeā¦). For me 2x week and rest is z2 is good, sustaniable amount that does not require rest weeks in traditional meaning.
In my opinion, everything that builds aerobic engine is good to do all year round. And then you have specificity that you can introduce closer to events or mainipulating density of workouts to make the ābuildā push.
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Thanks for the insight. I will keep it at tempo/SS for now, I feel like Iām still improving. And Iām a bit anxious for burn-out or illness with two small kids at home. But I do hear what youāre saying and it makes sense.
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This. If you are improving, do what works for you and require the least amount of work with eliciting improvements.
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Thank you guys for the advice, I really do appreciate it.
Looking to get back into structured training over the winter for the first time in two years & playing around with something like this versus following Jem Arnolds āSustainable Trainingā outline.
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Not really a problem, per se, itās just a lot easier to get more time in that threshold zone doing it at sweet spot, and thatās what I would aim for during base, personally. Is it too early if youāre aiming for March? Depends on your overall periodization. If youāre planning to push threshold intervals from now until March, then yeah, too early IMO.
Depends on the goal timeline. For me, Iām aiming for first peak in late March/early April, so yeah, a little early IMO.
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