M 60-64 making my return after a 3yr layoff. What’s the best way to build up bike power? I’m familiar with the 2 x 20’ format. Did a test yesterday and 20’ power was a mere shadow of previous levels. 10’ power was better and then dropped a fair bit. I’m thinking that shorter intervals 8 - 10’ at that level then build into 20’ sets. Any other geezers out there who’ve made a successful comeback? Thanks for your tips and help.
I’m in your AG. Zwift races help me bump my numbers. I’ll also do some structured workouts on Zwift and some longer steady state rides.
I’m 51…so, not young. I’ve had a lot of good success with 10’ reps. A progression of 2, 3, 4x is a good way to start while you build. Once you can do 4x, you can extend to rep length to 12’,15’, then 20’.
That depends on your goals and prior fitness. As an introductory/bridge workout for proper threshold work, starting at 90%, and increasing a 2-5 percent each week can be effective. How quick you can build up the intensity depends on how you recover.
As I’ve gotten older, I find I’m more able to dig too deep on any one workout. Ie, I can do it ONCE, and be sore for days. But, if I build into the full intensity and duration over a few weeks, I can avoid most of those ill effects.
Its better to progress a little less aggressively, and sustainably…than to crush it and spend half the week recovering. I always try to finish with one rep left in the tank. So, no you shouldn’t struggle.
Another way to finish is to ask yourself if you could do it again tomorrow. If the answer is already “no”, you probably over cooked it.
A true 4x10 workout after a build up could be at 100%.
if you have access to Zwift they have a good 12 week ftp build program that you can follow–requires 3-4 1 hour or so workouts a week…my memory might be a bit off, but its something like that
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So I’m not your age group but I’ve come back after long layoffs a couple times and my view is that in the beginning, it doesn’t matter that much: when you start from pretty much zero, any training that is consistent will lead you to improve. The only way you can f*ck it up (at least in the beginning) is doing too much / too hard. Rather, you can’t go so hard that it’s not repeatable (ie, the consistency part). But pretty much doing anything you’ll improve, and intervals, %FTP, whatever, doesn’t really matter.
After a few weeks or month or whatever, you’ll eventually hit the point where you can’t improve from that anymore. THEN you either get a canned masters training plan (really, any canned plan that you follow consistently will have you improve vs unstructured training, even if not the perfect plan), or make up your own along the lines of what Tom suggested. Ie, one or two days a week start doing a harder day such as intervals, erring on the side of leaving more in the tank vs less. And then gradually build.
THEN start thinking about stuff like Zwift racing.
I’m in a similar situation. 62, 10 year layoff. Decided signing up for a 1/2 IM was the best way to knock the rust off.
The weird thing is I can go long, I’m just a lot slower.
I dragged up an old IM training plan hoping that will get me fitter quicker.
Just subscribe to TrainerRoad and obey. It will build you up, regardless of age.
Just subscribe to TrainerRoad and obey. It will build you up, regardless of age.
this. if you’re purely focused on building up your FTP get ready to drain yourself on trainerroad.
i personally use 80/20 endurance which is a completely plan for all 3 disciplines. it does build your FTP at the front end of the plan, then towards the end it focuses on your endurance.
+2…
trainerroad knows me better than i know myself. their structured workouts are dialed into FTP very well. my FTP is up 20% and i’ve dropped 10lbs since I started 9 months ago. i’m now training at power levels I was racing at last year. i don’t have to worry about creating plans or planning, i just make sure I put in the work.
Use Xert, just go ride for a few weeks and then use the breakthrough workout to see if you are better and once it learns your signature it will recommend the proper workouts for you…you have to trust the math (which I admit was hard for me to do in the beginning). You will also pay 5 dollars a month versus 20 so then you can use Xert and Zwift…you’re welcome 😉
Pick of Joe Friel’s book ‘Fast After 50’. Got it about 3 years ago and really changed my approached to training. Now I re-read it every winter, before ramping-up training for the next season.
The advice so far is good on this post but don’t neglect the gym and weights. Lots of studies have shown the FTP benefits for us “more mature” folks out there with weight training.