Just started Traditional Base Mid Volume 1 today (November 28) and it runs through Xmas (12/25). I am wondering why there is no progression in this block on my calendar in either weekly training duration or TSS. For the 4 weeks of the plan I have 4 workouts weekly and the following hours/TSS per week
My assumption is that the plan has adapted more heavily for week 1 based on your progression levels and that week 2 will adjust more significantly next week, week 3 the week after, etc.
The ‘stock’ plan with no adaptations has fairly normal week over week progressions for week 1->2->3
Actually when i look at traditional base mid volume 1 and TB high volume 1 there does not appear to be a build in time or intensity over the 4 weeks (weeks 2-4 are pretty much same time and TSS/week).
example here for mid volume 1
when you open the low volume plan there is some progression…
just trying to think and i can’t see why progressive overload would not be included in a traditional base plan?
Keep in mind, that what you see likely differs from others since the plans viewed are based upon each person’s current Progression Levels. As such, your link will be different for each person.
For reference, here is what I get from TB MV 1, with a 5.3 Endurance PL.
It has a very counter-intuitive step down in Week 3 for me, and ramps back up in Week 4.
Thanks for the responses. From the look of things it seems that there is not the distinct progressive overload during traditional base 1. I accept that that is the case. What I don’t understand is physiologically why not progressing things over a month in base training is the right thing? If I don’t continually stress the system in a different way how can we expect a good outcome as a result of that block? To me all the rides are pretty much identical over a course of 1 month. Won’t my body just get lazy, settle in, and not develop over 4 weeks?
I spoke with TR Support about this and it basically comes down to there is more to progression than simply time and TSS (think TR Progression Levels). So even though you exercise the same hours/week and TSS is roughly the same/week you may still be getting good training effects (progressive overload) as a result of increases in workouts TR progression levels. So that does provide a way to overload the system without clear increases in hours or TSS. However, in looking closely at the progression levels in my plan (I provided a snapshot above several posts) my endurance progression level was 5.6 before starting TB Mid 1 and that is roughly the weekly mean (average) PL for the 4 workouts provided each week (weeks 1-3) before the mean PL decreases in week for (week 4; recovery week). So I guess I am still a bit puzzled why there is not clearly more progression.
Was looking into this and found the same…
I’m currently in Trad Base LV Block II with a Endurance PL of 6.0, with Walker 6.3 scheduled for this week.
If I look at Trad Base MV Block I the highest PL workout is Polar Bear -3 (5.6), however, while none of the workouts would give me a PR in PL or duration, the weekly TSS for each week would be higher than what I am doing now in the LV plan.
Another interesting thing is if I view Trad Base LV II (which I’m currently in) it shows easier Endurance workouts but harder Sweet Spot and Tempo workouts, it seems to burn up whatever the TSS is through maximizing the Sweet Spot and Tempo progression rather than Endurance progression, based on what I see viewing Trad Base LV I, II and III. If I redid all 3 blocks starting after this week my Endurance PL would drop from 6.3 (If I am successful with Walker this week) to 5.9.
Trad Base MV II would progress my Endurance level but I don’t think I want 4.5 hours of Tempo each week.
