5.78 w/kg is very very high.
If it’s accurate, you should easily be one of the fastest people (if not the fastest) on your local climbs.
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I’ll give that a go and see. I’m ok with the gains I’ve made, so I’ll be happy to try if it means more.
I’m not sure I would say they got much easier as such. I had a coach a couple of years ago who did a great job with my training but in the winter season he had me doing lots of Z2 later introducing some higher intensity kicks etc and my initial impression of Trainerroad plan was that it seemed very intensive for this time of year (now on wk 2 General Build Medium). I do like to push myself and feel the need for some painful sessions.
SSB1 Med wasn’t too bad and quite doable. SS Base2 Med seemed like quite a jump once I started doing the Vo2max sessions and overs/unders. On one weekend I subsidised the two sessions for two road sessions 3-4 hrs each day (1 quite intense) and this led to excess fatigue the following week. By the end of SSB2 I did become more used to the workouts and felt more confident that I could do them but knew they were going to hurt.
I am stronger at the steady state efforts and weaker at the 5s -5m vo2max and higher intensity efforts so these workouts should make me stronger at those efforts I hope. Any here’s hoping for some ftp improvements in the build plan for motivation if nothing else.
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If you have a climb nearby you could time yourself riding it (or let Strava do it) and then input your time, weight and the climb’s details in an online tool like this one Climbing Power Calculation and it’ll give you a pretty good estimation of the average watts you did on the climb. You can then compare that number with the average watts your power meter gave you for that same segment and see if there’s any significant difference between the 2 numbers, if there isn’t then your 5.78 w/kg is real and you’re a monster! 
Started at 282w at the start of SS Base 1 mid, just did the ramp test again and got 330w!
Now I think that my first ramp test was a bit low, as I started creeping up my FTP almost immediately. At the end of the plan I was using 301w as my FTP.
I also think that 330w is too high! I did McAide a few days ago and found it tough. I can’t imagine doing that 30w higher and managing to finish it. Still happy with my progress though.
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Hi all,
I started cycling again in 2015 after almost 15 years of inactivity (I was competing at high level was I was junior and U23).
Since then, I’ve gone from 225W FTP and 80kg (2,8W/kg) to 310W FTP and 69kg (4,5W/kg) but I think I’ve reached a plateau there (basically it hasn’t improved in the last year). For example, after the 6 weeks of SSB High Volume I the Ramp Test is practically identical to the previous one.
I understand the progression rate cannot be the same than it was at the beginning (otherwise I would be winning the Tour de France at my 40) but I wonder if this the best I can get with the time I can commit (I train 1,5-2h late at night during the week and 3-4hours on weekends).
My goals for 2019 are reaching 5W/kg and winning a local race so I’ll keep training!
Best regards,
Jose Luis
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I took a look at your profile, and based on what I could see, I think you just need to focus on consistency. There is a lot of starting and stopping with your build cycles at least for the TR workout side.
I think if you focus on workout quality, and nailing that first (over volume), you’ll see some improvement.
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An alternative, along the same lines, is to use best bike split to estimate your time.
Thanks Steve,
Probably you are right and I need to focus on consistency. I always have periods when I struggle to find the motivation to jump into the trainer after a long day of work. Anyway, TR is just a part of the equation, for example from May to September days are long and weather is warm in Spain so most of my training is outdoors with no structured plan. So usually I follow the base plans but not build or speciality. I’ll try to change that this year and see if I can keep progressing
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December; End of SSBLV2/Start GBLV:
305, 80KG and 3.81w/KG
Improvement of 3,7% on FTP and 6,4% on w/KG.
Since I started using TR that’s an improvement 9.3% on FTP and 14.8% on w/KG
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Just turned 51 in Dec and finished Sweet Spot Base LV II. After the 12 weeks of SSB I’ve gone from 167 -> 202 -> 246 (today’s ramp test) to hit 3.5W/kg. I am guessing that this is the last of the early gains from untrained to structured training.
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Probably more accurate is the last of the “big gains”. I wouldn’t expect to keep getting 40 watt jumps! Nice work so far though 
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Frankly I was stunned to see that much. I was expecting (hoping?) for something closer to 15-20 so this big a jump was totally unexpected.
Let us know how those first few workouts at the new ftp go. I found it difficult at first to psychologically get used to seeing a target that was previously threshold to be SS.
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I just want to say thanks to TR.
My first ride on a road bike EVER was May 29, 2018.
I found TR in July and completed my first ramp test on July 15th with an FTP of 190.
All in all, I have finished 55 TR workouts and 31 outdoor rides.
I just finished a ramp test with an FTP of 262 and I am completely blown away!
I’m really looking forward to my first racing season and working my way through an entire year of training.
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@dmartinjr518 We’ have had almost the exact same progression. I started TR in June 2018 at 193 and ramp test this week was 265. First to 300 wins!
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It kind of frightens me with that big of a jump, but I am game to give it a shot.
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November 7. - 230FTP 2,02w/kg Ramp Test: Log In to TrainerRoad
December 19. - 249FTP 2,2w/kg Ramp test: Log In to TrainerRoad
After the new FTP Test I have not completed any workout without failing massively, so I think my FTP increase is not that much. I did Sweetspot Base Low Volume 1, now on SSB2. Adjusted my FTP back to 235.
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I’ve been following SSB low volume for past 13 weeks and have seen nothing but reductions in ftp, not increases.
As I was completing workouts I skipped dropping my ftp but just switched from using kickr as a power source to fitting my Garmin Vector pedals and done a ramp test this morning to give me a new baseline for my Build phase. Will see how the next few weeks go.
I’m brand new to TR, and structured training in general. I’m starting SSB LVII this week and I saw a 10 watt increase in today’s ramp test, 175 to 185. Not huge numbers but I’m happy to see improvement! 
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