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WKO4 is giving me a figure based on a variety of short to medium duration tests. Everything from 5 seconds to 8 minutes.
I watched a presentation that was discussing the analogy of growing ftp until it hits the vo2 ceiling. Then raising that ceiling and growing ftp a bit more. As we discussed before, my ceiling is high compared to ftp. But it got me thinking about how will I know I've hit it? Simply when ftp gains are no more?
With regards to the 4x8's, I've been grabbing workouts from one of TrainerRoad's plans. It's a mix of long sustained sweet spot and threshold workouts (2 hours) and shorter threshold/low vo2 (1 hour). I would struggle to do a 2 hour session in the evening after work, but can do 60'. So these 4x8's give me 32' work of above threshold work, with very little recovery. My question is, will I likely see more gains doing a 45' block of work at 1.0?
TTM-
Who knows, depends how your body reacts. Only time and experience will tell you.
And that answers both questions. There is no answer. Think about your objectives and goals, and use those to plan training sessions. That way the work you do is related to the goal.
But I'd aim to get as much 'work' in as you can. So if you can do more real work by upping recovery and maybe dropping intensity and making the efforts longer. Or up recovery and intensity and keep duration the same.
So many options. But yeah, 4x8 with 1 seems pointless. Unless you goal is to be good at 8 min efforts of little recovery!?
Think about your goal, and prescribe training that suits that!!!
skinny
How are you measuring Vo2?
There is not defined limit, but if FTP stops increasing then maybe it's time to do raw Vo2 work more. But then again, FTP work may well push up Vo2.
Nothing is a waste of time, if it has purpose. Ask yourself what you want to achive from a session, and if it matches that objective then it's got purpose.
Personally that workout would have no purpose for me. I'd rather stretch out the recovery and hit each effort harder. Or not murder my legs.
If you only need 1 min recovery, you really need not stop at all. 1 min isn't really recovery.