before i start, Thankyou to anyone that helps and reads this and also I’m very grateful for the great price of this app!
I have not done any regular training for many years, this is due to being a carer for a dear loved one who has been through some very hard times, but is a lot better now so have time to train again. The last time i trained regularly was 10 years ago but i am very active in my day to day life and walk a lot, i am 35 year old woman.
I done the ftp test and it says 103, however my training plan looks incredibly easy at 40 watts for endurance. I can easily cycle for an hour at 80 watts, so I’m quite confused by this and don’t want to waste training time. However cycling 100-120 watts of cycling for 20 min would be extremely hard for me. I can do 800 watts for a few seconds to speed. My heart rate when sleeping is 42-45bpm and quite low in the day. I am wondering if the 40 watts endurance rides in my training plan would be effective? I’m willing to follow the plan if it will get me fitter.
Also I’m really liking the idea of the zone 2 heart rate training too. If this would be more effective or accurate than the training plan. how many times a week for how long? I also enjoy Tabata and hiit workouts so wondering if putting one of them in once a week would be good? I like the sound of polarized training.
I can’t cycle more than 1 hour due to my caring responsibilities but can cycle quite regularly, more so if they are 30 minutes, i would always be able to fit them in. I like the trainer day calendar much better than trainer road as much more flexible.
I have never done any base training or structured cycling training at all. I have chosen cycling as my smart bike is a small enough equipment for my bedroom and i love the whole smart training features and i get to sit down!! I never intend to cycle outdoors, i would just like to get a lot fitter.
Welcome. If you can easily do 80watts for 1 hour, it seems possible your FTP is too low for some reason. But if you think 103w is really the max you could do for 40-60 minutes then your FTP is about right. Zone 2 for people that are not in top cycling shape is a very easy feeling, it barely feels like exercise… That said something very important is being inspired… so most people feel they should be working hard to improve. Now in reality because you are very active, you are likely aerobically strong, you are just not a strong cyclist yet. So if you have any worries about being consistent do what is fun. It sounds like you might be doing a base plan. You could do a base ++ plan for example that gives you some intensity or you could move right to a build plan. Really it’s up to you. But just know that taking it easy and slow in the beginning is the safest route and only helps build your foundation.
My HR is also 42-45 when sleeping, this is good indicator of good heart stroke volume which is connected with aerobic fitness. I am not that strong but still this is a good night time HR
Oh my god, outdoor is so fun. Especially if you do something like gravel cycling where there are minimal to no cars around… But indoor only is great as well. Ask as many questions as you want. If you are in a hurry to train hard I can help you increase the intensity… First need to verify if your FTP sounds reasonable.
Welome to the world of cycling. Like Alex said: take it easy. You haven’t been active for 10 years. That is something you likely want to change. Taking it easy is the first step in doing so.
If you feel bored, take it up a notch. Otherwise…enjoy.
Do put in that tabata or hiit workout. It will make you better. Just remember to start slowly. A lot of my clients are always sceptical about how little my workouts are, but consistency is so much more valuable than an extra set of high intensity intervals.
I think your ftp is about right. the difference between 80 and 103 seems small, but is actually 25% extra. Even if it should be higher… for your first weeks it doens’t matter that much. You did the test, your next test will be better anyway, because testing is a skill too.
So, start building some muscle and get into your routine and repeat the test in a couple of weeks (4).
