Confession: I don't follow SYSTM and Coaches 100%

I can’t see you going against any training wisdom, whether offered by a Coach or highligthed on the screen.

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Have you put these studies forward to our SYSTM scientists for their opionions? Can you put these studies forward to us so we ca nalso have insight to unnecassry pedaling in circles?

35%! Okay, I am slightly at least double up on you for strength, always seem to have issues when I ‘stop’ my strength work. Relaxing to Recover is a weekly 35 percenter for me sadly, I tend to forget rather than choose not to do.

How often do you Zwift? And why?
Do you also race IRL?

Yeah, it is, I just can’t find it currently. :smiley:

I have the same saddle across all my bikes and IDT, and must confess, I built my own rocker plate and do find the long 3-4 hour indoor rides ‘easier’ with that extra bit of motion. One doesn’t have to force movement but that slight rocking motion does aide in easing the sitting sensation.

The rocker plate project was fairly satisfying doing it myself. and I could personalise it too.

Show us pictures when you complete yours.

I have yet to complete a training plan. But I always resolve to do better during indoor season, November to TOS. So I load up a plan which usually prevails until Thanksgiving (last week of November), then a week of penance to lose the holiday weight, followed by couches, then the way out or tgttos and a new plan or badge hunting which usually culminates in the TOS. Pretty much exclusively outside mid March to November. Then repeat.

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Hehe. Confession:

  • I’m not sure I’ve ever completed a training plan, ever.
  • I’ve given up on a training plan at the halfway mark to just go for a SAG (and succeeded)
  • I’ve quit workouts at the halfway mark or sooner despite the coaches advice to dial it down and continue
  • I’m not sure I’ll ever do Full Frontal again (I’m lucky to have HM predict my MAP and FTP within a few watts)
  • I’ve added Strength training to my plans but have never kept up with it
  • my diet, for what it is, is far from ideal
  • I really, REALLY, like donuts.
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Mid March to November, do you take your training outside of just free riding? Will it change if/when SYSTM ever launch their ‘push workouts to head unit’ feature we all crave?
I admire your tenacity not to use the IDT during the week for your outdoor season.

1000 Hail Mary’s please once you lick the sugar from your fingers. Then go find some meaning and purpose at the nearest flogging station.

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It depends on the time of year.

If it is riding outdoors season, I only do Rouvy if there is a string of bad weather, or I want to plan out a strategy for a particularly difficult ride. My SYSTM riding would be a drill or one workout, the remainder would be outdoors riding.

If it is not riding outdoors season, any endurance or active recovery ride would be done on Rouvy, the rest would be SYSTM (sometimes on a plan, sometimes not). While I have done, and enjoy the On Location rides, riding on Rouvy enables me to develop a feel for RPE. The would result in about 75% SYSTM, 25% Rouvy.

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Have you ever done the MTP?

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Another confession:

I have difficulty understanding the reasoning behind the plans. Yes, there are some obvious ones - longer and longer rides on a century plan. The order of most of the rides, how they contribute to the overall goal of the plan is very often unclear. The contrast with the explanation of the purpose of the workouts is very blatant. I imagine people would find it easier to follow the plans if they understood them better.

What to you determines when either platform is used?

Taking your example, why do endurance and active recovery rides on Rouvy and not SYSTM?
How or what ‘feel for RPE’ is lacking/missing/different on SYSTM compared to Rouvy?

With your limited use of SYSTM, what keeps you subscribed? Or differently put, what is lacking in Rouvy that keeps you at SYSTM?

Have you asked any of the Coaches for clarification reagding the reasoning behind the plans?

You are aware of (many) more people who find the same issues with the plans as yourself?

I love riding outdoors, but need to do so safely, so 40F+, to avoid icy tarmac. I have done some limited outdoor rides with workouts pushed from Training Peaks, but not likely to use that feature much.

I don’t race, so I ride for fitness, PRs and badges (to do something I’ve never done before, farther, higher, faster).

My commutes are 35 minutes one-way and I’m usually running late, either to or from work, so they turn into mini time trials. But that’s not long enough for most workouts. It’s also why I take so many days off. Then a mid-week and weekend group ride with a bunch of cyclists from my church. Yes, my church has a cycling club. What a cool church! I love riding with those guys. So much fun, and they don’t flip off drivers or curse at them. They’re very well mannered, which helps avoid escalating incidents with drivers.

Don’t get me wrong, I love IDT with SUF/SYSTM. But all the workouts are of cyclists riding and racing outdoors, which is where I want to be when I’m forced inside by the weather.

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I have done and followed several plans quite faithfully (with reschedules and adjustments to accommodate travel and life). While I don’t fully understand exactly how they are put together, they seem to generally make sense.

I come at this with a view that while there is some amount of science driving them, that the science only provides general guidelines (roughly how many hard efforts per week, time to recover in between, what each workout is targeting, etc) and art and arbitrariness drives much of the detail. So I follow them for the discipline of it more than a belief in the infallibility of the plan.

Ahh! Got me there. I have indeed completed the MTP, at least twice and have used elements of it ever since! I credit the MTP with helping me to achieve both my Knighthood and my first virtual Everesting. Well, the MTP and a LOT of donuts :wink:

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Wow, such a shocking thread! Have you no fear of the laser goats?

My confession is that I don’t enjoy yoga. I’m doing it because it’s good for me, but I really don’t enjoy it. I’m continuosly reminded of my lack of flexibility.

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#relatable

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@Heretic This subject is probably a good topic for one or more podcasts. I think I understand the general idea but it would be helpful to get some further insight.

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I doff my hat to you. I wouldn’t ride IDT if I didn’t race, or prep for multi day bikepacking adventures.

But I couldn’t see myself as just being a social outing type of cyclist. I do look for competition whether it’s me against myself and the weather/distance, or against others.