Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

So, Zwift is about to move to a subscription model, and has a range of training programs.

A full summary of the programs is here:

http://www.pdf-archive.com/2015/10/29/z ... on-1-1.pdf

I'm not here to sell Zwift subscriptions - what I'd like to know is, people's opinion as to whether the Marco Pinotti 12 week ftp program will actually increase ftp? It looks a bit light on, with plenty of work well below ftp, and relatively short durations at or above ftp. Certainly, there are no sets of several minutes at 105-110% of ftp.

Any thoughts appreciated...

It does seem a bit light.

Curious as well about the workout done in a fasted state (coffee allowed beforehand).

Off the shelf plans are always a compromise.

I was on zwift the other day and couldn't see how to access the training plans... Can't be that hard!
Indian Summer is too lovely to ride indoors yet ... And only 20 days till I head back to real summer!. But come Jan I will be Zwifting my little ( read big! ) butt off. Zwift is cheap compared to buying the clothes to stay warm outside!!!

toolonglegs wrote:I was on zwift the other day and couldn't see how to access the training plans... Can't be that hard!
Indian Summer is too lovely to ride indoors yet ... And only 20 days till I head back to real summer!. But come Jan I will be Zwifting my little ( read big! ) butt off. Zwift is cheap compared to buying the clothes to stay warm outside!!!

I love ergos but would much prefer to read my power numbers and listen to music then watch imaginary riders on a screen.

I would only use Zift if doing a virtue race.

toolonglegs wrote:I was on zwift the other day and couldn't see how to access the training plans... Can't be that hard!
Indian Summer is too lovely to ride indoors yet ... And only 20 days till I head back to real summer!. But come Jan I will be Zwifting my little ( read big! ) butt off. Zwift is cheap compared to buying the clothes to stay warm outside!!!

You select the training plan you wish to ride after the login screen - i.e. the screen where you can select another rider to ride with or to "Just Ride". It's the button near the top, easily missed.

zill wrote:

toolonglegs wrote:I was on zwift the other day and couldn't see how to access the training plans... Can't be that hard! [emoji38]
Indian Summer is too lovely to ride indoors yet ... And only 20 days till I head back to real summer!. But come Jan I will be Zwifting my little ( read big! ) butt off. Zwift is cheap compared to buying the clothes to stay warm outside!!!

I love ergos but would much prefer to read my power numbers and listen to music then watch imaginary riders on a screen.

I would only use Zift if doing a virtue race.

Not really mutually exclusive. You can look at your power numbers and listen to music on Zwift. That said, I much prefer TR workouts, which you can also do concurrently with Zwift.

Bluejay87 wrote:

zill wrote:

toolonglegs wrote:I was on zwift the other day and couldn't see how to access the training plans... Can't be that hard! [emoji38]
Indian Summer is too lovely to ride indoors yet ... And only 20 days till I head back to real summer!. But come Jan I will be Zwifting my little ( read big! ) butt off. Zwift is cheap compared to buying the clothes to stay warm outside!!!

I love ergos but would much prefer to read my power numbers and listen to music then watch imaginary riders on a screen.

I would only use Zift if doing a virtue race.

Not really mutually exclusive. You can look at your power numbers and listen to music on Zwift. That said, I much prefer TR workouts, which you can also do concurrently with Zwift.

But if you are training to power, it's better not to have other riders distracting you. For example, if you were in a velodrome, would you prefer to be the only person there or have others there training with you, each doing their own program, or worse still, some trying to race you while you do your own program?

The other riders don't really distract you if you are just holding a number. Plenty of people are doing that, plenty of others are in an organized race or just cruising round.
I find it much easy to do one or two lap intervals of the zwift island than to stare at a power meter counting down 10 or 20 minutes.

If you've never tried it don't knock it... For those of us who have real winters it really will make the time pass quickly. Those races are as hard or harder than some I do on the road... And a lot longer than most club races in oz
You really have to bury yourself. Plus I can't get much over 7-800w on my HT with a powertap so I can't wait for the sprint

toolonglegs wrote:I was on zwift the other day and couldn't see how to access the training plans... Can't be that hard!
Indian Summer is too lovely to ride indoors yet ... And only 20 days till I head back to real summer!. But come Jan I will be Zwifting my little ( read big! ) butt off. Zwift is cheap compared to buying the clothes to stay warm outside!!!

Hit "E" on your keyboard at any time to take you to the training menu.

zill wrote:

Bluejay87 wrote:

zill wrote: I love ergos but would much prefer to read my power numbers and listen to music then watch imaginary riders on a screen.

I would only use Zift if doing a virtue race.

Not really mutually exclusive. You can look at your power numbers and listen to music on Zwift. That said, I much prefer TR workouts, which you can also do concurrently with Zwift.

But if you are training to power, it's better not to have other riders distracting you. For example, if you were in a velodrome, would you prefer to be the only person there or have others there training with you, each doing their own program, or worse still, some trying to race you while you do your own program?

Distractions are good. Anything to take your mind off the pain. If using a smart trainer you have to hit your targets regardless, so nothing lost.

how does a smart trainer work? You have to hit your targets? How does it force you to?

Smart trainer simulates the terrain by varying the load in relation to the terrain. But if you just want to hit 250w for 20 minutes then you just run it in the "dumb" mode.

toolonglegs wrote:Smart trainer simulates the terrain by varying the load in relation to the terrain. But if you just want to hit 250w for 20 minutes then you just run it in the "dumb" mode.

What happens if you don't hit your target?

zill wrote:

toolonglegs wrote:Smart trainer simulates the terrain by varying the load in relation to the terrain. But if you just want to hit 250w for 20 minutes then you just run it in the "dumb" mode.

What happens if you don't hit your target?

When a smart trainer is in ergo mode it controls the resistance so that no matter what cadence you do the power output is the same. So if you slow your pedalling it will get harder to compensate for decrease in speed. So once you get down to say 60rpm it becomes incredibly hard to turn pedals and you will just stop.

Bluejay87 wrote:

zill wrote:

toolonglegs wrote:Smart trainer simulates the terrain by varying the load in relation to the terrain. But if you just want to hit 250w for 20 minutes then you just run it in the "dumb" mode.

What happens if you don't hit your target?

When a smart trainer is in ergo mode it controls the resistance so that no matter what cadence you do the power output is the same. So if you slow your pedalling it will get harder to compensate for decrease in speed. So once you get down to say 60rpm it becomes incredibly hard to turn pedals and you will just stop.

So if I was pedalling at 100rpm, it will adjust the resistance so that I can hit my power target at that rpm?

How realistic is it though to real riding? By using a trainer that isn't 'smart' you will have to adjust the gearing to hit your target which is what goes on when riding outside.

zill wrote:

Bluejay87 wrote:

zill wrote: What happens if you don't hit your target?

When a smart trainer is in ergo mode it controls the resistance so that no matter what cadence you do the power output is the same. So if you slow your pedalling it will get harder to compensate for decrease in speed. So once you get down to say 60rpm it becomes incredibly hard to turn pedals and you will just stop.

So if I was pedalling at 100rpm, it will adjust the resistance so that I can hit my power target at that rpm?

How realistic is it though to real riding? By using a trainer that isn't 'smart' you will have to adjust the gearing to hit your target which is what goes on when riding outside.

What does it matter what gear you are in when you are riding at a certain wattage?