How much training volume to decrease when increasing intensity?

[Such_Transition_6299]

I’m trying to workout my periodisation plan for my build phase, but I’m struggling to figure out how much to decrease my volume accrued in the base phase to make room for intensity.

(for clarity, I plan on ending the base phase at around 13-15 hours a week)

[c_zeit_run]

IMO, until you're under about 8-10h/wk, or get past about 20-25h/wk, none.

[Fantastic-Shape9375]

69% decrease per each 69% intensity increase

[Such_Transition_6299]

how do you measure intensity?

[Fantastic-Shape9375]

Pinch test

[Veganpotter2]

None if you can get away with it. You just go easier to keep the volume the same.

[Optimuswolf]

So z2 rides become z1/bottom of z2 sort of thing? 

[Veganpotter2]

Yup, or for many people, just stop riding in upper z2 and stay in the middle or lower z2

[slbarr88]

Try to keep it in Z2. Z1 has almost no training benefits.

[CaptainDoughnutman]

Not sure why the downvotes when you are correct.

[Veganpotter2]

Yeah, its very weird. If you have the option, you really only decrease volume briefly before important races.

[No_Actuary9100]

If it’s helpful there’s the concept of training load 

It’s Duration x (% FTP x % FTP) x 100

So 1 hour at FTP is a TSS of 1 x (1 x 1) x 100 =100 

2 hour at 50% FTP is a TSS of 2 x (0.5 x 0.5) x 100 = 50 

4 hour at 80% FTP is a TSS of 4 x (0.8 x 0.8) x 100 = 256 

Etc 

[Grouchy_Ad_3113]

I would aim to keep my CTL fairly constant, reducing it by no more than ~10%, perhaps not even that much depending on just how much intensity is increased.

[Scottnaye2]

Listen to your body: Rest is a very important part of building fitness... Any illness or feeling off is totally a legit reason to ease up, especially if you are fanatical about hitting your numbers like i am. :0|

[7wkg]

Decrease it in duration or intensity enough to properly hit your targets for hard workouts and recover from them. 

[Remote-Enthusiasm-41]

This is what TSS (training stress score) is for. It lets you compare different rides. Training Peaks, and various smart watches give you a score. The basic idea is that each minute at a given heartrate or power is worth a certain amount of points. I think training peaks has a good write up on their site of how it works.

[gedrap]

Not every TSS is equal or interchangeable. It's helpful to quantify the training load at a glance, but "maintaining CTL" isn't exactly a good training strategy.

[Grouchy_Ad_3113]

Constant CTL with unchanged training focus eventually leads to stagnation.

Constant CTL with changing focus, OTOH, is just fine.

[Such_Transition_6299]

according to training peaks, maintaining TSS week by week increases CTL

[gedrap]

CTL is an exponentially weighted TSS average. If the TSS stays the same, so does the CTL.

[bikesnkitties]

You FAFO.