Newbie here. Did a Ramp test which put me at an FTP of 183. Did my first workout today and died toward the end 
My question is for those who have been in my situation where you were a beginner, and the work outs are questionably not sustainable long term. By how much did you decrease your FTP manually? I was thinking bringing it down to 163 and continue on with the sweet spot training. Then reassess at the end. What did you do?
Thanks,
Damir
Need some more information. In general, I think you’re more likely to underestimate your FTP at the beginning than over estimate it. I wouldn’t suggest bumping it down.
What workouts have you done that you think are non sustainable long-term? Were the conditions the same between ramp test and the workouts you tried? Did you complete these workouts? What do you mean by “questionably not sustainable long term”?
I think it just takes time to get used to TR workouts if you’re new to them. I reckon it took me maybe 4 or 5 workouts to get used to the formats and also my direct drive trainer. Give it some time on the FTP you recorded.
Many of the rides are designed to push you to your physical limit - sometimes over and over again. If you are new to this sport or to structured training this might seem harder than you are used to. That doesn’t mean it is too hard. But if you physically can’t hold the prescribed effort try not to quit. Adjust the intensity down by 3-5 percent and keep going. Your body will reap incredible rewards. Over a period of a few weeks you will be able to tell whether your fatigue is burying you. If it is, then a lower FTP might be in order. If it’s just hard as hell in the moment and you are gasping and covered in sweat but you can hang on just barely… welcome to Trainer Road.
This.
Are you a beginner to cycling? A beginner to indoor riding? A beginner to TR?
Are you asking for yourself or someone else? When I look at your profile page I see an FTP of 240 and a few completed workouts.
Thanks for all the responses. No I’m not new to cycling per say I am just new to TR, and its intense structured workouts. I was trying to see if I was the only one who felt like these workouts are a lot harder then what I am used to. So my question was more of do I continue to push through it, or decreased FTP and reassess in 4 weeks.
Damir
Run whatever result the ramp test gave you. Suck it up and push as hard as you can to get through those last intervals. That’s where you get stronger.
Most workouts are hard and my brain tells me to quit. I have to be mentally strong to keep going and complete the workout, but when it’s done it’s obvious that it was by mind not my body that was weakest. You are more capable of digging deep and getting results than you think you are.
Most people hear about TR from the podcast, or a blog or a cycling friend. The refrain is the same “you won’t believe how much stronger and faster you will become on so little training time”. You don’t think that the gains come easily do you? They don’t. It’s hurts … a lot … every time. If it doesn’t, you’re leaving improvements on the table.
That’s up to you and your goals. I would say to push through. If you’re in dark place during a workout and just ignoring the pain won’t get you to the end 1) try to backpedal a few times (up to 10 secs, otherwise it’s a break not a rest) 2) decrease the workout by a few % (2-5%). You are better off getting to the end of a workout with additional rest or reducing intensity than trying to brute force it and blowing up half way.
I also struggled a lot with the first workout after the Ramp Test, so have reduced my FTP by 5w (about 3%) but will definitely be monitoring over the next couple of weeks. I still have to be able to go to work the next day!
When you’re newer you tend to not have the muscular endurance to even finish 8min sweetspot. But since you’re new it will be pretty quick for your body to react to it.
I would keep it the same, if anything dial your last set down by couple percents…
And you just did a ftp test, even if it’s a ramp test, that is a hard stress for newbie.
Even for me at new ftp I usually can’t finish it at threshold intervals, this is why ssb starts at low sweetspot and progress to near threshold workout.
Gradual progression, and consistency is your friend!
I’ve been doing TrainerRoad for almost 2 years and in at least one workout every week I still think to myself “oh my god… there’s no way I’ll be able to get through this!” and yet I do. As others have said, the only time you should reduce your FTP or your intensity is if you are physically unable to complete the workout or interval.