Planner Inputs
Example Data Table
This example shows how a 12-week plan can progress from base work into build, recovery, and taper structure.
| Week | Phase | Hours | Long Ride | Est. TSS | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Base | 6.4 h | 2.3 h | 345 | Set routine and build consistency. |
| 4 | Recovery | 5.0 h | 1.8 h | 244 | Absorb work and reduce fatigue. |
| 8 | Build | 8.0 h | 3.0 h | 465 | Raise quality and event-specific fitness. |
| 12 | Taper | 4.8 h | 1.8 h | 273 | Maintain freshness for key riding. |
Formula Used
Starting volume: Starting weekly hours = available weekly hours × starting factor. The factor depends on experience so beginners ramp more carefully than advanced riders.
Build progression: Next build week hours = current week hours × (1 + ramp rate). Ramp rate changes with experience and intensity profile.
Recovery week: Recovery week hours = last build week hours × recovery factor. This drops stress while keeping some training rhythm.
Long ride target: Long ride hours = weekly hours × phase share, capped by your weekend availability and maximum long ride limit.
Estimated training load: TSS = weekly hours × 100 × composite IF². Composite intensity factor is blended from low and high intensity time shares.
Power zones: Zone ranges use FTP percentages, such as endurance at 56% to 75% of FTP and threshold at 91% to 105%.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter how many weeks you want in the plan and your realistic weekly training hours.
- Choose how many days you can train and how much time you usually have on weekdays and weekends.
- Set your maximum safe long ride and your current long ride so the planner respects your present workload.
- Select your goal, experience level, intensity profile, recovery rhythm, and key weekend day.
- Optionally enter FTP to generate practical power zones for endurance, tempo, threshold, and VO2 sessions.
- Click Create Training Plan to show the result section above the form, including the graph, tables, and exports.
- Use the CSV button for spreadsheets and the PDF button for shareable summaries.
- Review the representative week to check that the plan fits your actual schedule before following it.
FAQs
1. What does this planner actually optimize?
It balances training time, workout distribution, recovery timing, and long-ride progression so your weekly schedule stays realistic while fitness improves steadily.
2. Is the plan useful without FTP?
Yes. The planner still builds weekly hours, intensity balance, recovery weeks, and a schedule template. FTP only adds a more precise zone guide.
3. Why are recovery weeks important?
Recovery weeks lower accumulated fatigue, improve adaptation, and make later build weeks more productive. Skipping them often leads to poor consistency.
4. Which intensity profile should I choose?
Polarized favors more easy volume, balanced suits most riders, and time-crunched raises intensity when available hours are limited.
5. Can I use this for commuting cyclists?
Yes. Enter realistic weekly hours and training days, then treat some endurance rides as structured commutes if they match the intended duration.
6. Does the plan replace coaching?
No. It is a planning tool, not medical or coaching advice. Adjust for health, fatigue, terrain, race demands, and recovery response.
7. How should I interpret estimated TSS?
TSS is a workload estimate. Use it to compare weeks and watch trend direction, not as an absolute measure of performance or readiness.
8. Can I regenerate the plan often?
Yes. Rebuild the plan whenever your available hours, long-ride tolerance, goal, or event timing changes so the schedule stays practical.