Intensive training: base period?

Hi,

after a lot of reading on the internet, it looks like there is a tendency to do more intensive training and less LSD training.

Even triatlete Andy Potts rides 5-6 times on an indoortrainer doing intensive trainings of 45 minutes, and only a once a week a longer ride outside (see: point 4 Minimalist Ironman Training )

I believe triatletes are the atletes with the most sophisticated training programs, as they should have maximum result with a minimum on effort: they have 3 sports to train for!

So now I was wondering what about the "traditional" base period with lots of LSD and extensive rides? Should this rides be skipped and replaced by intensive rides, doing more 2x20 or SST in the base, and then for the build and peak periods more 5x5 and higher intesity?

 

Do you typically build your base indoor or outdoor.

As for triathletes, I am not surprise to see that some of them, especially mature athletes, would do everything possible to be time-efficient. Besides, Andy is a Olympic distance specialist.

 

As I build my base during the winter, and I live in a wet country, I build my base mostly indoor.
Besides this, I saw some articles which advise to train 3 times a week on a stationary trainer, regardless of the outside conditions.

Bart

 

Yes, a lot of folks have moved away from LSD for building winter base. But the example of 3 sessions of 2x20 per week is probably on the more extreme side.

I'm not a triathlete and not trying to fit in running (other than this time of year prepping for cyclocross) and swimming workouts but I'll ride five or six days a week during winter build cycles with typically 2 days dedicated to pure L4 work like you describe and the other days various forms of Tempo/SST work in the 80-90% of FTP range.

The idea is still to accumulate a lot of steady endurance exercise throughout the week and throughout the winter to lay a base, but at higher levels and much shorter durations than classic LSD work. Nearly all my Tempo/SST/L4 base building in the last three seasons has been indoors due to very cold winters but I'll supplement the trainer work with cross country ski skating to break up the monotony and to get some longer workouts in when I can.

I agree with SolarEnergy, a lot of masters athletes with busy jobs and families have moved to higher end base building and less time on the bike but I'd think that would go double for many triathletes who have to find time to work three sports and still recover from each workout.

You've probably already seen a lot of this, but search for SST (Sweet Spot Training) here and on the internet in general and you'll find a lot of folks are doing higher end base building work but it doesn't have to be limited to pure 2x20 L4 sessions nor three days per week.

Good luck,
-Dave