trainingpeaks is it worth

[kjiu]

Hi,

Did you use cycling plans on http://home.trainingpeaks.com/ ?

Is it worth to buy a plan ( example plans Joe Friel )

Kjiu

[Martin.F]

I was also concidering buying one of these plans 2 months ago. I asked around, and what I ended up doing was to take a look at the programs, find similarities and workouts that seems fun and improves what I'm bad at. I then copied some of the work-outs and created my own training plan. What I got out of it?

An increase from 310w to 335w in threshold power, an increase of 710w-720w in 1-minute max and an increase in 5-minute max from 390w-410w. That's in 10 weeks time. My goal was to improve threshold power, so I did a lot of the work-outs from Hunter Allens plans. Elite 4-day and threshold improvement plan was the ones I used the most.

If you use a powermeter, create a powerprofile based on the charts you find at trainingpeaks.com, and base your training around improving your weaknesses.

If you're new to training or haven't bothered learning much about it, I would highly recommend Hunter Allens plans. However, there are no one-size-fits-all in training, and people respond different to different training. I do think however, that 100$ for a training program makes you faster than 100$ on a lighter set of cables and housing

[Tinea Pedis]

I've been using Golden Cheetah but seriously looking at TP.

Martin, where did you get some copies of training plans from?

[KWalker]

I use it and only do so because I have a Mac. If you have a PC go with WKO- it has a lot of really great features that the others don't have. I hated GC for a ton of reasons and will never use it again.

As for the plans I have a friend that has many of them from attending a few of Hunter's seminars. They're nothing you can't figure out from his book if you read it correctly. If you're getting those kinds of elite numbers you must either weigh quite a bit thus lowering the p/w ratio, have responded well to structured training and/or had a great base to start with, or are some kind of budding continental pro!

[Martin.F]

I've seen one that a friend of mine bought (I think that was the 3-day block elite), and I've been looking at the preview of the plans.

I weigh 150 lbs, so the numbers are decent enough - the 1min is the only one thats very good. Would like to start next season with a 350 w threshold power @ 145 lbs though...

And just like KWalker said, you should get the WKO+. I like it much better than trainingpeaks online and golden cheetah. I use WKO+ on my dell windows pc, and poweragent on my macbook air. You should invest in a good software program like WKO+ and read the "training and racing with a power meter" by Hunter Allen. Lots of useful info on how to build your own training plan. I feel this would give the most value pr $.

[KWalker]

A 5 w/kg threshold and 10 w/kg 1 minute is definitely more than enough to be a competitive domestic pro in the US- good job.

[devinci]

Martin

Do you define your threshold power as ftp or as the result of a 20 min test?

Good numbers there

[Martin.F]

I define it as the result of a 20 min test x0.95. My last 20min test had 354 w average @ a 6% avg climb. I haven't bothered going 1 hr all-out, never seems to fit my schedule lol. If only I had a nice TT bike to race on. Oh well

I've never seen such good results and progress as I have seen since I got a powermeter and a good analyzing program. It's sooo much easier to find the weak spots, work on them smart and efficiently, progress, retest and repeat. Also, reading a lot of articles and books about training with a power meter has done a lot for me as well. But the analyzing of TSS, ATL, TSB, W/kg in different intervals is golden.

Edit: Oh, and btw kjiu, you should read up on http://www.training4cyclists.com/ as well. He provides a lot of useful free info on the site. He used to be a friend of mines coach last year, giving great results. I share the same philosophy as him, you need to train at high intensities in order to improve yourself once you've reached a certain level. Combining this with FTP intervals and sweetspotintervals + LSD (long slow distance, not the drug ) will give you great result. Remember to periodize and do bulks.

I guess you have some reading to do, best of luck!

[devinci]

Wish I had a 20min 6% climb to test. Im stuck with shitty roads, corners, turn arround and descending parts.
Sucks

[KWalker]

I find that its much easier to get a higher FTP test on a climb- my best was done on a 7% grade and was 10 watts higher than a test on the flats.

[devinci]

Yeah of course it is. But it would make conditions much more controlable on a steady climb VS corners, descents, etc.

I used to test indoors, really not the same thing as outside.

[Tinea Pedis]

I find that its much easier to get a higher FTP test on a climb- my best was done on a 7% grade and was 10 watts higher than a test on the flats.

Same here.

Although I'm now with Vince and prefer the repeatability of flat road tests. Which yield me around 25w less than what I can seem to hit on a climb...

[KWalker]

I'm with you both on that notion, but I also like doing an indoor MAP test as well.

[Tinea Pedis]

Indoors I seem to be shocking.

I'm back to being able to hold 350-360w 20 min's in a race or proper 20min test outdoors but try and get me to do that on a trainer and I'm no chance

[CoachFergie]

WKO+ yes because I can set it up pretty much how I want it and I can create excel charts for what I can't.

TrainingPeaks.com no for the complete opposite reasons.