Bridging with a zwift week

Hi all

I am finishing the 10 week strength plan next week and the plan was to jump straight into base plans. However I am tempted to take a week racing / riding on zwift to introduce a little bit of intensity before I start the base plan.

Aware this is not ftfp ing, although it’s introducing a week between plans rather than straying from a plan. I should add my aim would be to ensure I am not over cooked to start base.

What are peoples thoughts?

Thanks

I’ll state the obvious which you basically did, its no where near FtFP’ing. Important to put in a base period before adding any intensity. What is there to gain by doing a week of intensity before the base period. Nothing really. If you do that you will also be fatiguing yourself before you starting a 3 week base build.

However if you feel the need to have fun, race and ride more like a training camp by all means you do that. It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for an early season training camp. However most likely the intensity would be lower. But I would recommend a regeneration week after that before starting the base period.

On your weekend group rides during the base period add some Zwift group rides / races (in a lower category) to help with your motivation and get out some of that energy you have burning right now. Just don’t try not to over do it and stick with the objective of the plan. Building an aerobic engine. ’

And I’ll be the first to admit that I myself have gone harder than plan by joining a Zwift race or two. It’s fun and a great way to break up the boredom of winter training. So to say you can’t is wrong. Just don’t get caught up in doing it day after day.

2 Likes

Thanks for the quick reply. I’ll give it some thought. I am already planning to replace a week of structured SSB base mid Dec with a 4 day training camp of longer hours at Z2 ahead of a recovery week.

I may stick with what I did last week and race a category lower, as apart from the last minute I was Z2/z3 throughout and still had fun.

Thanks.

Continuing along the lines of what Coach @Jake is saying about not FtFP’ing, I’ll one up him and ask you what and when are you training for?

If its a serious goal later on in the Spring Summer, :100:do. not. race on Zwift. Use Zwift as a training tool to FtFP but not as a distraction from your higher priority goal.

1 Like

:thinking:

Different audiences different views.

I have no goal at present but am thinking of slotting an A race into June 2021.

Current plan set up is as follows:
10 week FasCat strength plan
Trainer road base plans (will jump between MV to HV if needed)
FasCat hill climb plan

Looking forward to seeing how it goes given it’s my first year of this much structure.

You have two quality coaches giving an answer here.

My (unqualified) opinion would be there’s no real reason I can think of to do this at the start of base training. A week of screwing around on Zwift is something I’d do at the end of the season when I might be lacking motivation but I’m not quite ready for 2 weeks off the bike. Also, being the first year of structured training I’d just stick to the plans, in succession, that you choose to see how your body handles it then add/subtract things as you learn more about yourself.

2 Likes

Thanks.

I am following the advice and looking forward to going through with the annual training plan I set up 12 weeks ago and am currently 9 weeks into.

1 Like