Plateauing from L4 focus

[Quadsweep]

How long can "you" do an L4 focus before you plateau in power gain?

Then what do you do? Do you back off and do easier riding or do you increase intensity with L5 work and back off some on the L4 work?
A good friend told me that when this happens to him he drops his L4 volume a bit and does all L4 work at 98-102% FTP and he also adds L5 work.

 

[SolarEnergy]

How long can "you" do an L4 focus before you plateau in power gain?

Then what do you do? Do you back off and do easier riding or do you increase intensity with L5 work and back off some on the L4 work?
A good friend told me that when this happens to him he drops his L4 volume a bit and does all L4 work at 98-102% FTP and he also adds L5 work.

I can't answer your question, I was just dropping an answer to tell you that I run through the same questionning when planning.

And if it can give you a clue, when periodizing backward (working your way from the racing calendar and then backward), you try to make sure plateaus don't occur too early in the season.

The answer to your question of course will depend on the rider's past record. A newbie isn't likely to struggle against massive plateaus.

 

[objective]

A newbie isn't likely to struggle against massive plateaus.

What's a newbie? Less than 2 years racing/training? I think age matters as well.

 

[peterwright]

I did a long spell of L3/L4 - about 5 months, and then hit a pretty solid plateau. Once I introduced some L5 to the equation, after about 2-3 weeks I saw a breakthrough in improved L4 performance. I have kept one L4 per week in still.

 

[NomadVW]

If a percentage of VO2max is the limitation of FTP potential, then it makes sense that when you plateau at L4, you would transfer to VO2max efforts to "raise the ceiling" a little. Then you can return to L4 to fill in the new space created. Then repeat?

Is that over simplification?

 

[AndROOb]

If a percentage of VO2max is the limitation of FTP potential, then it makes sense that when you plateau at L4, you would transfer to VO2max efforts to "raise the ceiling" a little. Then you can return to L4 to fill in the new space created. Then repeat?

Is that over simplification?

Another option would be more SST.
I mention this because since last autumn(fall), I've done no VO2max work, other than climb the occasional hill, and with a diet containing mainly SST, I've already raised my FTP by 5 watts. Admittedly the occasional hill maybe enough in VO2max maintenance to allow my 'ceiling' to stay loose enough to allow my FTP to rise, but lowering the intensity and adding the volume has certainly made me consider more carefully, where to go with a L4 plateau.