have you run into “athletes” that are weaker than the weakest coach jack plan? what should one do then? do zone 2 until your vo2 max improves?
just as an example, im unable to complete any plan my garmin recommends.
Should I start with the fitness plan?
please advice.
What makes you think you are week ?
How are you getting you FTP ?
It sounds like you are stuggling with the V02 stuff, are you doing them in ERG mode and feeling disappointed when you can’t manage the 120%, you have to rememmber that a) A FTP test is a guess at your function threshold b) all the zones, especially VO2 is a guess from the FTP (which is a guess), so just view the 120% as a guide, and aim to ride as long as you can at the interval, so for example, if I am doing 5min V02’s I will aim for 110%, not the 120% that is recommended, for 1mins, I will probabably aim more for 125 / 130%, everything over 106% is V02
Sorry if I am miles off, just trying to help
I agree with PedalMonkey. You are not weaker than the weekest plan. 
If you are just starting it is a good idea to just stay in zone 2 for a while and watch netflix and listen to music. You can add small amounts of intensity as you feel like it. You could do Base+ or Base++ for example. Also if things feel too hard lower your FTP. Press the - button when it is feeling too hard and as he pointed out if you are doing stuff over 100% then make sure you use + - or switch to slope mode to go at what feels right. If it is over 100% it should feel hard but you don’t need to kill yourself.
I agree with Alex and PedalMonkey.
About a year ago I was training well with a 227 FTP but then I got sick and lost about a month of good training, came back, and road a century. For the next couple of months, I was failing at every hard workout and many of the easy ones. I did an FTP test and dropped to 209.
Now I’m having fun again on my rides and feel fit and ready to ride every time. I also feel like I’m getting stronger again whereas before I think I was just getting weaker and weaker because I was abusing my body.
thanks everyone for your replies.
just to clarify on some points you’ve brougt up
erg - im using ERG, but i dont know anything about it. should i take any special considerations? shouldnt i use it?
ftp - i got my ftp from the garmin estimation, not even an ftp test. ive been riding for just 2 months and it gave me a 207. is this a crazy number?
plans - is there anywhere i can check what each plan is suppossed to do?it would be really helpful.
bonus points: is time crunched inspired by the book the time crunched cyclist? i read it and right now i cannot even complete the test they recommend
i am time crunched by the way.
207 would be high for most guys at 2 months. If you have not been doing any other endurance training it would seem unlikely to be that high. Because you are using ERG, I assume you have a smart trainer so Garmin should be semi-accurate. So sounds strange. Maybe you are bigger and in your 20s or 30s? Or maybe Garmin just made a mistake. Or you are not weak at all!!!
All plans do the same thing Make you stronger and faster… How many hours a week does time-crunched mean to you? Really any of the coach jack plans are fine. We like Serious Italian the best for anyone doing 6+ hours a week.
im 1.82m high, 75 kg. 39 years old, i havent been doing any other form of cardio for the past 6 months. im betting on the mistake, i’ll take your test.
thanks!
just fyi in your test i got 120. im training with those numbers and its going well. thanks!
Great to hear. Yes that sounds reasonable. Thanks for the update.