Hi, I’ve just completed my first FASCAT plan, the 3-week Fall Foundation, and have done the first week of the 16-week Weights + Base. (My goal is to compete in a very hilly MTB Marathon in June 2021).
I’m looking for you to have a look at my PMC, to check that I’ve got off to the proper start in FTfP and to give me any pointers going forward.
I Found the low RPM sets hard as I am a spinner, but am getting used to them.
Still finding the warm-up times short and need to work hard to get into the effort zones at first. Ok once warmed.
After the best part 20 years of neglecting mobility and core strength, those sets were hard going, so I’m working up to Nino’s routine.
I guess that for the first 10 weeks at least, there is unlikely to be any need to adjust for my goal, as it is a generic strengthening phase?
I am using HR only at present, but aim to have a power meter and/or smart trainer, to give you something more to go on.
On the recording the mobility/ core sets, am I correct in uploading these to TP from my HRM, or should I just enter the time spent manually? I recall something in another post about not recording such TSS as it is not strictly relevant to the PMC.
Your training has been going great so far! You are turning the days green which is meaning compliance and FtFP’ing. Just keep that rolling!
So right now you are not looking at building CTL. Well maybe a little but that is secondary at the moment. It is more about maintenance in terms of fitness right now. The focus is strength! Building muscle that you will then transition onto the bike and build your base upon. But looking at your PMC chart you are having a nice increase in CTL and fitness! A nice increase and ramp up so far. Once you finish the first 10 weeks of the offseason plan that is the point we really want to focus on the PMC chart and watch the CTL build.
So for your muscle tension intervals add a longer warm up if you need! The duration of riding before the intervals is merely a suggestion. Some need more and some don’t. You just don’t want to be fatigued for these before you start. I will actually go into your TrainingPeaks and increase the length of warm up a bit for you in the workout builder. Feel free to do a 5 minute tempo during the zone 2 if it helps you warm up. It won’t fatigue you before muscle tension intervals.
Also remember since you are using heart rate your heart rate will be lower during muscle tension intervals than a typical zone 3 effort. With a lower cadence you are working the muscle system more and the heart rate stays lower. Also with heart rate remember it takes longer for the heart rate to come up with the effort. So feel it out. Though if on the peloton you have power so you know exactly what you are doing.
Thanks Jake.
I appreciate that CTL is not the goal in this phase, but it is steadily rising. Also, although my Form keeps projecting a positive score, in reality it is staying in negative: which is why I was querying my counting of TSS for yoga and core work: Should I be counting that type of TSS, or simply recording the hours?
On a similar vein, the Adaption sessions are shown as being an hour long, but in reality they take around 40 minutes, including the core work between sets. These sessions then show up on TP as amber as opposed to green. Am I missing something?
Yeah you don’t need to be counting TSS from yoga, lifting, core or any other workout. You can also just view your performance manager chart with only cycling workouts so you know the TSS that is coming from cycling activities.
No that is just an average time it takes to complete. Are you including your 15 minute warm up and cool down spins in? You can also just manually adjust the planned duration to 40 minutes so you can turn green, since you are completing the proper work.
Thanks Jake.
Yes, I’m recording my bike warm up and cool down as cycling workouts.
On the other workouts, I’m now recording time only and adjusting the planned duration.