Thread for any/all questions related to training with TrainingPeaks.
Trainingpeaks has suggested a change to my threshold power after completing a spirited (i.e. race-like) ride. The increase is about 15W. Should I heed the advice? It might be worth mentioning that TP recommended a similar increase after a similar ride last week (I did not change it though).
Thanks,
Rob
Yes. You should adjust it, especially if it has happened twice. You can leak at your peak 60 minute normalized power. Should be close to what TrainingPeaks is suggesting.
Can listen to this podcast on the subject.
https://fascatcoaching.com/tips/how-to-measure-ftp-improvement-with-normalized-power/
Hi Robin - sounds like you are getting faster. What TrainingPeaks is doing is using your peak 60 minute power to auto-calculate your new FTP minus 5% (I believe).
We podcasted about using Normalized Power from your āspiritedā ride, have a listen:
https://fascatcoaching.com/tips/how-to-measure-ftp-improvement-with-normalized-power/
Analyze the section of which you were going really hard and see what the normalized power was for that section. If the section is 60 minutes then you can get really close to your new and improved FTP from the normalized power.
Let us know what you find from your analysis!
Having a Coach analyze your file will be a part of our new subscription coaching service coming to this forum in 2-3 weeks. Stay tuned, $29/month for power file analysis and training plan revisions from the FasCat Coaches!
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My Garmin seems to suggest adjustments to FTP pretty frequently, TP not so much. TP does seem to peg it on actual test rides whereas the Garmin will sometimes suggest on a regular weekday interval ride.
Looking forward to membership plans, great idea.
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Good afternoon. I recently purchased the Evans training plans and sweet spot 1 with the intent of combing them into one pre-Evans plan. However, I purchased the basic of both and do not see my CTL rising enough before Evans. The plans are a little less intense than what I have been doing. I was hoping you could replace the Evans basic with the intermediate. Also, now that I have watched or listened to a bunch of your podcasts, I wonder if sweet spot 2 or 3 might make a better precursor to the Evans plan than sweet 1. If you agree could you swap that one too, in the intermediate level? Which ever you think is better. I am 42, train about 10 hours a week and currently have an FTP of 190 and a fitness score of 35
Thank you so much for your help,
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Just traded out that Evans plan for you so you should have gotten that email. I do think SS 2 will give you a better run in for the Evans plan as long as you have some good foundation already built up. I can trade out that Sweet Spot plan as well.
Cheers!
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Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
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Sorry, one other thing. It looks like the plan ends on 7/25 but the ride is 7/27 and the plan wonāt let me modify the date. Could you correct the end date? Thank you again
Would there be any advantage to updating the plans to utilize TrainingPeaks workout builder ranges rather than static middle-of-zone watt targets? Iāve edited a few workouts manually to specific upper/lower SST ranges but was curious if this was actually very beneficial when translating to the Garmin workout functions, with the idea to have the zones specified correctly rather than ballparked?
Sorry about that. Just sent that out to you again corrected.
the ranges are useful for sure. The workout builder is a great tool but at the end of the day its important to not let it be a limiter, and still know your entire zone and what the specific workout is trying to train.
As for the specific % listed in the workout builder, we do choose which % to help the athlete target one end of the zone or the other.
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Thanks @Isaiah thatās what I wanted to verify, that the use of ātargetā rather than ārangeā was intentional and not just the persisting result of prior feature limitations in TP.
The training is the same and the training plan is the same - this is a feature in training peaks that drives me nuts. Focus on #FtFPāing
The biggest āconstantā to adjust is your ATL. Per our podcast on Masterās CTL, the range in the literature is 3-7. Three for younger riders < 25 years old and 7 for masters cyclists > 60/65 years old.
From the TSTWKT training tip: āThe ATL constants to set your Performance Manager Chart to in TrainingPeaks is between 3 - 7. Lower for younger athletes that recover faster and higher for older athletes that need more time to recover.ā
Iām 48 and have my ATL constant set at 5. I had it at 4 when I was 35 
Keep Fitness CTL at 42 (also in the literature) and thatās all you need to worry about scientifically.
For your CTL fitness start - this is your seed value. If you go back and have the chart display CTL more that 42 days (CTL Constant) the chart will seed naturally. If you are new to TSS and training with power select say 40 if youāve been riding 4-6 hours per week.
Since the 1/2 of ATL is so short I donāt really mess with the ATL fatigue āstartā.
Hope that helps! For more reading on the Performance Manager chart, here is the history and story behind its development https://fascatcoaching.com/tips/realtstwkt/
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So maybe Iām a n00b but I bought the 6 week intermediate fondo plan and loaded it into TP. Havenāt started it yet (July 14th event date) but have been looking over some things.
I thought the plan was able to be based off power or HR, but all the workout files are going off of my suggested FTP in TrainingPeaks. I donāt currently have a power meter (did previously) and wanted to do the intervals etc off of HR. I believe in the description of the workouts there is a range for % of threshold HR, but how I have that be the metric in the workout file to be downloaded to my garmin (vs % FTP)?
Thanks in advance!
Welcome @dpaeth - the training plan and workouts are the same whether you use heart rate, power or perceived exertion. You have your heart rates zones in your account settings of your trainingpeaks + the FasCat Zones worksheet included in the Field Test workout (look for the little paperclip icon in the workout description)
Good luck #FtFPāing!