Focusing On What Matters In The Outseason Training Cycle

by Mike Graffeo (2010)

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Or, how not to get yourself focused on the wrong things for the next 5 months.

So, there’s a big group starting the OS this week (wish I could join you!!!).  I wanted to relay a thought process we discussed around these parts last year, in hopes of keeping a few people from making the same mistakes.

First off, understand that all Training Stress Score (TSS) points are not created equal.  Take three workouts, each 100 points

  1. a 1-hour, all-out Time Trial at Functional Threshold Power (FTP)
  2. a 1 hour, 23 minute Always Be Pushing (ABP) ride…working hard at 85% of FTP the whole time.
  3. a 2 hour, 3 minute easy ride (pedaling along at Ironman (IM) intensity or 70% of FTP)

Each of these has the same TSS, but I know that I could do #3 daily (if life permitted), where I’d need a day or two of recovery from #1.  So, in terms of predicting the recovery needed from working out, TSS points have limited value. (not to say no value, but limited)

Second, understand that TSS is flawed for OS-style training

  1. If you go much harder in a workout, you only get 5-10 more TSS points, which is roughly what you get going much easier but a little longer. Therefore, in each workout, the TSS you get doesn’t really reflect if you ‘worked hard enough’ in the main set.  That would only change the number by a few points.
  2. There’s only so much TSS one can accumulate if you’re training OS-style.  TSS is driven up by time.  We’ve made the decision to limit time, so therefore TSS is only of moderate value.  It’s hard to train OS-style and accumulate more than about 400-450 points in a given week.  In fact, when we switch over to VO2 blocks, the weekly TSS often goes down for some athletes.

Third, understand that Chronic Training Load (CTL), Acute Training Load (ATL), and Training Stress Balance (TSB) are all based on TSS.  If it’s flawed, then so are they.  And they are.  CTL is not a good indicator of “fitness” (in the OS), and chasing improvements in that blue line can drive you to do stupid things, like not listen to your body when it’s tired.

So, what is one to do?  We’re taught that these numbers are everything!

In the OutSeason Training Cycle, remember that the goal is to get faster.  So, focus on the following:

  • Get the main sets done.  The rest is great, but the main set is what makes you faster
  • Focus on your Perceived Exertion at FTP and Zone 4 efforts.  If this is getting easier, that’s good.  If it’s getting tougher, ask yourself if you’re just a bit tired, or if it’s been getting tougher for days (this is when it’s time for a day off).
  • Get some rest.  It’s hard to get “overtrained” on 6-7 hours a week, but it’s easy to get “under-rested” when doing so much FTP and Zone 4 work.  Two rest days a week help, but if you’re shoveling out of 18″ of snow on each of them, it’s not really “rest”
  • Watch your FTP and your vDOT for signs that your ‘fitness’ is improving.  Forget CTL.  After about 6 weeks in, it won’t move much at all.  But, believe me, you are getting fitter during the next 14 weeks of the OS!!!

~ Mike Graffeo