“Even if your weakness isn’t something that’s directly related to your goals, addressing it with one of our weakness-based training plans is still the best approach.” Firstly, these plans are not designed just to address your primary weakness. What they do is shift the emphasis slightly to take your weakness into account. Each plan is designed to help you improve across all four key metrics—Neuromuscular Power, Maximal Aerobic Power, Functional Threshold Power and Anaerobic Capacity—so you can become the most complete, well-rounded cyclist possible.
So if my weakness is NM / AC - which plan should I look at? Building Blocks AC / NM? Speed Demon? Its not very clear…
The training plans were adapted since that post. Every plan is now tailored to your rider type. Instead of training for a strength or weakness, you now train for a goal. And your strengths or weaknesses are considered as your starting point.
Sir @Coach.Mac.C has discussed the changes at length elsewhere.
Going back a while, you used to select the plans in Training Peaks or Final Surge, each plan would have variations eg General Road Plan could be selected with Sustained Weakness, etc. That’s been replaced now, all the plans are failed* to your numbers and rider type.
Thanks for that. Is there much of a difference between “speed demon” vs the MAP block build (4 week version)? I’m just looking for something to provide focused sessions Monday - Friday, with Saturday as a rest and Sunday as outdoor ride day?
It generates different workouts for me when I go in to the app and select both of those, but the focus looks pretty similar. Plenty VO2 (MAP) work.
The main difference is the speed demon has you working c.6hrs a week vs 4hrs a week.
So tolerance to that extra load will be the thing.
To see what it looks like for you, you can select each plan in the app, without applying them, and see what the workout list looks like.
Speed demon looks pretty full on with a lot of 100% workouts. The MAP building block looks more balanced and, as @Martin said, a lower training load. I think the idea is that the blocks could be used as part of an overall plan, with this block having a MAP focus, whereas the speed demon is a short intense plan with the specific focus on speed/MAP.