If you had just over half an hour 3 days a week Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and wanted Max Gainz in Minimum time, what would you plan? Maybe one day eek out to ±40mins?
I know Systm is designed for time starved athletes, but how low can you go time wise and what would be most effective? Assuming 2:1 Hard:Recovery weeks 'cos I’m north of 50.
I know Systm has a road plan for 3-5 hours a week, but they all have about 1 hours sessions in the week 2x. I would ride at the weekends on the road where possible.
What would the main focus be on each Day? E.g. AC/FT/MAP or vice versa or AC/MAP/FTP?
Would the focus change second week? Indeed would it be possible to do 3x hard sessions back to back or Hard/Moderate/Hard, albeit short?
Tuesday: A/C+MAP Half is Easy 36min
Wednesday FTP Easier - Getting Away With It 44min
Thursday MAP Joyride 30min
Tuesday A/C&MAP The Cure 30mins
Wednesday FTP French Pyrenees: Les Baronnies 42mins
Thursday P. Gaimon 3 35mins
Maybe that is a new one for the Systm Coaching Team to plan into the training plans for athletes who might have a bit more time to ride at the weekends, but are very time poor in the week.
I can usually squeeze in a Cure even when everything seems to conspire against me, but mentally and physically trying to do an hour when it is late and all you want to do is shower and eat and sleep is just not possible. That is probably why I’ve done The Cure so much just to have done something!
Any suggestions?
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There is a really wide variety of under 35 min workouts that you could probably mix up quite a bit to stay interested and, I imagine, still quite fit.
Filter cycling by <35 mins and you get a great mix targeting EVERYTHING! Even if you filter out Active Recovery, Cool Down, Fitness Tests, Overview and Warmup you still have over 30 workouts.
It’s a pretty specific request though. I’d love to be able to tailor the plans a bit more. So in addition to what exists already in the plan selector, I’d like to be able to select things like:
- How many days a week can you train? 1-7
- What days can you train? M-T-W-Th-F-Sat-Sun
- How much time do you have on each of those days? <35 mins - >4 hours
- On what days can you train outdoors? Indoors?
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Yes, I agree with all of those for the plan selector. The old All Purpose Road on Sffrfst used to just have road sessions outside which were basically endurance rides, but the new one doesn’t. It would be good to have those features.
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I‘m currently on the 100 mile Gravel Plan, not because I want to do such an event, but it seemed most compatible with my time slots for cycling while working on Endurance.
Looking at it the workouts are a smidge long for you, but you could use it as inspiration. At first glance it seems it’s usually NM/AC on Tuesday, MAP on Wednesday and FTP on Thursday.
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Well, the really cool thing is that now ALL the workouts can be done outdoors 
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But not so easy without Power, which I have only on the indoor trainer 
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Ahh. Well, it sounds like someone needs to get themselves an early birthday, valentines, Easter, St Patrick’s, etc present.
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Gulp, step too far!! I think that would end in an early demise. I have a considerate and supportive wife but… Bought new race bikes a year and a half ago for myself and son. My son is racing U17 and gets first dabs on equipment. Race wheels, spare set of wheels, spare tyres, kit etc. If he continues maybe as a Junior I may have to stump up for a coach and power meter so saving up for that! Love the indoor sessions on power, just don’t think I could train on power outside with the very variable terrain and traffic where I live in Belgium.
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Get him some power pedals and when he is not looking stick them on your bike for your indoor sessions
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@FatSprinter RPE for an outside endurance ride would be a good alternative. I don’t have a power meter either and find RPE works and frankly it is good to get in tune with your effort levels anyway whether or not you have a power meter.
I do a lot of switching around with the new plans based on schedule, focus, etc and it seems to work. The drag and drop works well for that sort of thing along with deleting and replacing.
If you are sticking to 30 minute workouts I would suggest 2 and maybe 3 times a week as those shorter rides are generally are more intense and then you long rides on the weekend. Also check out the NoVids. There are some good short ones in there - just add your own music with the option of exporting to RGT as well.
Hope that helps.
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