The definitive off-season base block. This 16 Week Winter Base builds a deep, durable aerobic engine for riders training 7 to 9 hours a week, layering high volume Zone 2 with progressive sweet spot and threshold support so you come out of winter fitter, stronger and more durable than you went in. Every session is Zwift and indoor trainer friendly with varied, engaging structures and power targets in percent of FTP so it scales exactly to you.
WHO IT IS FOR. Committed cyclists using the winter to build a proper aerobic foundation, riders who want more than random trainer rides, and anyone chasing a big, durable engine for the season ahead. It suits indoor and Zwift training through the cold months.
HOW IT PROGRESSES. Base 1 in weeks 1 to 4 lays deep aerobic volume with skill and torque work. Base 2 in weeks 5 to 8 adds longer sweet spot blocks. Base 3 in weeks 9 to 12 layers in threshold support. A peak-base push in weeks 13 to 15 combines the highest volume with sustained sweet spot and threshold, before a taper and retest in week 16. Recovery weeks fall on weeks 4, 8 and 12.
WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT. This is winter-specific, built for the indoor trainer with undulating long rides, cadence and torque skill work, over-unders, ladders and varied ERG-friendly structures so no two sessions feel the same. Every ride carries a full coaching guide and one link to the sports science behind it, drawing on more than sixty distinct studies across the plan.
WHAT TO EXPECT EACH WEEK. Five rides a week on loading weeks, from short recovery spins to three hour indoor long rides, with two full rest days. A day one FTP test sets your numbers and a final day retest measures a full winter of gains. Expect a deeper aerobic engine, higher sustainable power, and the durability to hold it all season.