Training question.

There's no question mark in your post.

Hehe,
I guess that I am asking what I will gain by short quite easy zone3 tempo intervals compared to the longer threshold intervals that I am already doing?

Looks like you got a question mark, but no comma`s...

fux said:

I have been looking at this months training block and the focus seems to be on endurance intervalls.

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Endurance Intervals seems like an oxymoron, like "healthy tan" or "civil war"

fux said:

The thing is that I have been doing 2x20`s indoors @ 290w when a group ride has been prescribed because of the cold weather here at the moment, so 4-5 x 8 between 225-265w feel pretty easy and non productive.

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My FTP is probably ~20 W lower than yours, and I wouldn't bother splitting up efforts at those wattages either (although there is a big difference between 225 and 265). I can see why you'd find them easy and non-productive.

Depending on your time to train, your trainer tolerance, and your other planned workouts, I'd just do more 2x 20s (or 2 x 25, 1 x45, 30 + 20, etc-do a search on SST, "Sweet Spot Training"), although not necessarily within 6 Watts of your FTP (you can achieve most if not all of the same training effect with better recovery a good 20 Watts lower than that).

fux said:

My hour threshold power is 296w, tested last week.

Any thoughts appreciated.

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8 minutes is also a weird choice of time. Most would say that it's longer than you need to train above FTP (for Vo2 max power), but not really long enough for a good FTP session.

When it comes time for above FTP work, you usually hear the 3-6 minute range, and about 110 % of your FTP.

fux said:

Am I wrong in thinking my sweet spot is situated somewhere in the 260-270w range?

This was proberbly one of my more uncontrolled 20 min. tests.

Easy first 5 mins. cocky between 5-10 minutes, suffering from 10-17, dropped a gear too much and about to die the last couple. I was realy hoping for 320w and pushed a bit to hard to keep it constant.

So basicly, you fella`s are saying I should keep up with the longer intervals, lower watt and some variation on the theme?

I wish I could afford a "propper" coach....

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Sweet spot wattages can even go a little lower than that, but it would imply a lengthy session (for instance 240 Watts, you could easily do for an hour or more). The whole idea is getting the most bang for limited time, whether the time is limited because of other commitments or a desire to not ride a trainer for over an hour at a time. Ride as hard as you can while still being able to recover well enough to do it again the next day. If you ride too hard, the next day's training is compromised. If you don't ride hard enough, today's training time was under-utilized.

Did you do a 20 minute test or a full hour when you tested your FTP? There's a lot of debate about how well you can estimate your FTP from a 20 minute test (you can't just assume that multiplying by .95 will be accurate).

fux said:

I wish I could afford a "propper" coach....

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I think these training plans are pretty dirt cheap........in the world of coached plans:

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/train...(remove)/training-plans/lynda-wallenfels.aspx

If you can afford a power meter, just a little more gets you a training plan. The trainingpeaks website training interface is pretty awesome (pretty sure you get access to that with these plans).

fux said:

Hehe,
I guess that I am asking what I will gain by short quite easy zone3 tempo intervals compared to the longer threshold intervals that I am already doing?

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stay out of zone 3 during base training, you'll actually be better off with backing it down to Z2 or up to Z4 if you can train say 10 or more hours a week....

fux said:

Am I wrong in thinking my sweet spot is situated somewhere in the 260-270w range?

This was proberbly one of my more uncontrolled 20 min. tests.

Easy first 5 mins. cocky between 5-10 minutes, suffering from 10-17, dropped a gear too much and about to die the last couple. I was realy hoping for 320w and pushed a bit to hard to keep it constant.

So basicly, you fella`s are saying I should keep up with the longer intervals, lower watt and some variation on the theme?

I wish I could afford a "propper" coach....

Click to expand...

I always start a few watts under what I expect I can do for 20 minute and longer intervals, if you have the reserves you'll know it by the time you're 50% in...then use them for the 2nd half