[Closed] TrainerRoad FTP and SSB question

Does this sound normal

Its not all about FTP. Sounds to me you've gained muscular and aerobic endurance - nice work.

No but...
Based on the ramp test?
My questions are.
Did you really go as long as you could before your legs gave in?
Did you complete all or the majority of the sessions prescribed or substitute a suitable outdoor?
Power meter or smart trainer or dumb trainer and calculated power?
Rested properly before the Ramp Test?
Where are you starting from? High FTP or average?
Did you do SSB1?
Age?
Illness during?

I've failed one ramp test when I really wasn't up for it.

From a recent podcast the suggestion is you won't see training gains for 6 weeks after a session so in reality at the end of SSB2 you are only seeing gains from SSB1

I would normally see some gains, but I usually start back on the trainer when I'm too unfit to go out with mates/ club, so you might expect that.
If you were fit when you started then I guess gains would be less.
If you did a dodgy test for any reason - fatigue etc then that might explain it.

If the sessions feel easier sounds like you are going in the right direction. If they feel too easy then you might need to do another test or empirically nudge it up yourself and see what happens.

When you say "more or less the same", is there an actual increase, even if it's only a handful of watts?

While ramp tests are easier to pace (because you don't!), they do require you to fully commit (as mentioned above).

Over SSB 1 and 2 I missed 4 sessions. Some weeks there were additional sessions when I had time.

I am pretty tired due to work so maybe that was an important factor. I had fallen asleep really early the day before and that rarely happens.

Maybe its worth postponing this evenings session to Saturday. Or just go for it and have an early night.

I hate the ramp test - I do far better on the 8 minute test. The ramp test estimated my FTP at lower than my *2* hour average for the chaingangs from last summer - I'm not that unfit! I just can't commit to them properly.

If you've not recovered during the rest week and are still tired you may need more time and in future rest more in rest weeks.
Retest when you are rested and push the Build phase back a week.

When you say “more or less the same”, is there an actual increase, even if it’s only a handful of watts?

The second test went up by 1, then the third test went down by 3.

I usually see the bigger gains during/after the build phases.

The base period will establish your strength endurance (as it appears to have) and prepares you for the anaerobic workouts which will raise the ceiling.

At least that's how I've always understood it.

Depends how trained you in general are I reckon, I'd expect fairly substantial gains if you're quite new to it all, just getting to grips with the testing protocols makes a big difference. If you're an old hand then more modest increases.

I did a TR ramp test recently after not doing one for a good while, and the apex of effort you hit is no joke - HR maxed out. It's not hard overall but that last step should feel like an absolutely wild effort to sustain.
Maybe try a 20 min test and see how that goes - it's a different measurement for the same variable, some people get quite divergent results depending on physiology.

Just finished SSB2 and to it got extended by a week and I've been off plan a bit doing some Zwift racing. I get quite tired after week 3/4 of the Base plans. Gained 6w after SSB1 and 4w after SSB2.
Neither test was done without some issues of recovery but I think overall it was a fair result. Hopefully if I can stick close to the Build plan hopefully I can see a decent jump before I end up outside a lot more and the Specialisation phase before my main targets.
Oh and also results in Zwift races and some specific efforts on segments have yielded PRs and an upgrade as I've finally broken the C limit on Zpower. So small FTP gain but overall I've got stronger all round with better recovery again as I saw last winter/spring.