Working on the high volume sweetspot base and programmed to do Hunter-2 today.
I’m questioning the value of this being a 2 hour session when the mental side of indoor training will be my biggest barrier through the winter.
The workout only contains 60 mins of actual ‘work’ with the rest periods at such a low level I don’t feel they are adding anything other than junk time? Don’t get me wrong, rest intervals of say 5 mins at this level are welcome in between 4 or 5 - 20 min intervals for example.
However, it feels like the workouts are sometimes longer than they need to be, and it doesn’t feel like a productive 2 hours, with these lengthy rest periods and a lengthy warm up. My interpretation of sweetspot is extended periods of intervals within a closer watt margin rather than some work then just soft pedaling? Am I missing the point?
Curious about this as well. I have Hunter scheduled tomorrow @ 2 hours and comparing to Galena @ 90 mins from last week it’s a 33% increase in time for a 13% increase in TSS. The intervals are more or less the same 3x20 min SS (Hunter is actually a couple points easier on each interval). The extra 20 mins of noodling at 40% FTP seems expensive time wise. I was going “trust the process” but interested in any additional knowledge/insight here.
I posed the same question 2 seasons ago when I did this plan. You may be able to search for the results of that thread. I don’t really recall what people said, but I did the shorter version with the same amount of time in zone.
Are they not designed so that the body can work through the amount of lactate “rinse and repeat” and in doing so making the body more efficient at processing lactate to energy and not go overboard with it.
I think there are true benefits during the “rest” period which should not be neglected
I kind of felt the same as I was to do Hunter -2 today as well but after yesterday’s Wright Peak -2 @ 2 hours and nearly killing me, I replaced Hunter -2 with -4. I figure still have 3x 20 @ 88% and cut back a bit on some of the long recovery segments and I wasn’t that psyched about another 2 hour session… on a Sunday.
There was discussion of this in the Sweet Spot Progression thread fairly recently:
I don’t really see the value of those extra long recovery periods either, if you’re ready to do the next interval then just get on with it eh.
However if I was doing the workouts outside I normally do have longer Z2 recovery periods between intervals. Just to make the workout longer.
I’m at the end of wk4 SSBHV Part 1 and tend to limit recovery periods to 3 or 4 mins max even for 25+minute intervals
Interesting to read the replies and views. Seems I’m not alone questioning this. Also researched the suggestions but can’t find anything definitive. That said I agree recovery is important, even more so when the intensity level is high. However, the Hunter workouts seem to target the lower end of my sweetspot level. I think I’ll be reducing the recovery intervals or switching down to high level 1 where the workout is shorter but contains the same amount of sweetspot. I see being consistency as my biggest opportunity for improvement and reducing the mental fatigue of indoor training through extended time soft pedaling will help.
As some of the workouts are blocky in shape I have rebuilt them in Zwift for variety of visual stimulus. If doing a workout in TR is there any way to skip forward a couple of minutes?
In general, yes workout length is an extremely significant contributor to it’s aerobic adaptations. However, I always look at Hunter and question the long 40% recoveries. I would probably do the workout but ride those valleys at 60-70% as long as I can still complete the work intervals without suffering too much. I think last time I did that workout I rode the valleys at 60-70% except for 1-2 min before and after each interval to recover a bit and to prepare for the work.
But, as you mentioned, the mental side of things is important. Especially if you know you are going to struggle with motivation through the winter. With that in mind I would probably just err toward the 90min workout with similar work. You’ll get most of the benefit without burning out on the trainer before winter truly comes.