Today I opted for continuing on with Zwift’s 12 Week FTP Builder training program. I’m now up to week 4 day 4, which was a new one on me.
I found this workout to be quite enjoyable, in so much that it felt very varied and the time went by quickly.
There was quite a lot going on with this workout:
Essentially it’s two blocks of 5 minutes at 160w, and then two blocks of minute long ramp ups.
The hardest part about this workout was the usual complaint I have about ERG mode: cadence.
It’s too easy to spin like crazy. If the wattage requirement doesn’t get you, spinning perhaps too fast definitely will.
It’s really tricky to keep a lower cadence. It’s possible, but the impulse is to spin faster as it feels easier.
This leads to feeling thrashed by the end of some of the longer blocks, particularly in this case on the ramp up blocks.
I noticed my heart rate monitor dropped out a few times on this workout. Not quite sure why. I had tightened the Wahoo Tickr band before starting the ride, so possibly it was due to either that, or trying a slightly lower position on my chest.
Overall I enjoyed this workout. The variety of the 6 minute ramp ups was nicer than the consistent 6 minute at 140w that so many of these sessions have been.
One thing I did find a little dull was the overly long cool down.
Having finished the second ramp up block, I got hit with a 4 minute at 100w block, and then 10 minutes descending from ~130w to about 80w.
By the end of that I was incredibly bored. Not helped by my podcast finishing with 10 minutes left on the cool down.
Opting for Tempus Fugit route, I clocked up 26km on this workout. Not bad.
It’s looking good for this weeks 100km ride target anyway 🙂
Not sure what my next ride will be. Due to some existing commitments tomorrow, it doesn’t look like I’m going to get to ride any of the Off The MAAP catch up rides I had my eye on.
Probably just stick to another workout on the FTP Builder schedule.
I’m still really dubious how much these workouts are helping. Aside from the 1 minute blocks at or above FTP, I don’t feel like I’m truly pushing myself with these.
Maybe / hopefully the cumulative effect will kick in, but I’d rather feel like I’ve been doing something about holding higher wattage before taking on the FTP test again.
Interestingly, I signed up for the Zwift Academy earlier today and got an email prompting me to do a ramp test.
Not sure if I’m going to do that before starting the academy. Heck, I’m not even sure what the academy entails.
Pain and suffering, I imagine.
