Andrew Block: Training With A Plan

Andrew Block likes training with a target. A goal to smash. A carrot to chase.

“Without a program or a plan, I don’t train,” Block says. “I mean, I do, but it’s very lazy… I’ll turn around and say, ‘That’ll do.’ But if I’ve got numbers to hit, I’m going to hit them, or I’m going to do my best.”

Block joined Zwift in 2016 when he had only been cycling a little while. He saw someone upload some Zwift beta test rides to Strava, so he looked up Zwift and gave it a try.

“I fell in love with it straight away,” he says.

He dove right in to free riding, social rides, and races, having fun with all of it. But one of the most useful parts of Zwift for Block has been its structured workout mode, including the flexible training plans. It helps him make the most of his time and motivates him to hit his targets – turning riding into training.

Block started using a coach a few years ago to try to improve his fitness for criterium racing. By 2018, he was importing the workouts his coach assigned him from TrainingPeaks to Zwift.

When his coach became unavailable, he decided to look at Zwift’s Flexible Training Plans to see if he could be his own coach for a while. His goal was to increase his sustained power, so he targeted his Functional Threshold Power (FTP).

“I knew Build Me Up had a lot of ‘sweet spot’ training in it, and so I looked at the overall program and what it involved, and it was very similar to what my coach had been giving me when I put that as a goal to him,” Block says. “At the end, I think I gained about 25 watts out of it, so it certainly worked!”

Here’s how to train using Zwift’s structured training plans:

• When you log on to Zwift, click “Training” to view a library of workouts. They’ll be grouped into folders, and some folders will include basic training plans. You can pick and choose workouts from these plans or follow each week closely.
• Make sure your FTP is correct, select your workout, and start your ride or run.
• If you want to commit to a Flexible Training Plan, select “Plans” at the training screen and browse your options. Click “Enroll” to start. You’ll be given a few days to do each assigned workout, and future workouts will become available as you progress through the plan.
• Zwift’s workout mode helps you stay on track during your workout. You don’t have to use it, though. You can take note of the format of your next training session, then try to follow it on a ride outside. Block has even finished some of his workouts during races! (Just stick to the plan and don’t get carried away.) Log into Zwift when you’re done and click “I Did It” to record that session as completed.

Finding Focus

Since Block became a father two years ago, his riding time is more limited. He’s spending more time at home taking care of his daughter. A lot of parents and other busy Zwifters can relate!

“You can’t really say to your wife, ‘I’m going to go out on the weekend all day, every weekend,’” Block says.

Structured training helps riders get the most out of their time on the bike by focusing on what matters most. Workouts usually aim to improve a certain intensity level or skill. They might also prepare riders for key moments in a race or challenging ride, like race starts or steep climbs.

Now, Block is starting to use a program called Xert, which has a library of customized workouts that can be exported to Zwift. Here’s how he brings in those custom workouts:

• Block downloads a compatible .zwo file from an outside source and adds it to his workout library. Read more here about how to find, import, and share workout files on your Zwift device.
• When he opens Zwift and looks in the training menu, he clicks the “Custom Workouts” heading, where the new workout is stored.
• If he works with another coach who prescribes certain training sessions, Block can create his own custom workouts to match them.
• These custom workouts can be shared by finding the workout file, copying it, and sending it to a friend or coaching client.

Faster and Stronger

When Block first started cycling, he didn’t even have a road bike. He pedaled a mountain bike on the rolling roads of Rochester in the southeast of England. It wasn’t long before that changed.

“I stopped off at a pub to have a drink and there was a guy who stopped off on a road bike,” Block recalls. “He was telling me about (his road bike), and I said, ‘Yeah, but you can’t go as fast as me downhill.’ He ended up going faster than me downhill.”

While the sleeker shape and smoother road tires did help Block’s speed, he still needed to train to get faster. He started riding with a local cycling club, and one of the members started racing criteriums. Block wanted to join in. That’s when he decided to hire a coach to help with his fitness.

Want to train effectively on Zwift? Block’s advice, of course, is to work toward a goal.

“Know what you want to improve,” he says. “Is it 5-minute power? Hill climbing? Do you want to be a good time trialist? Know what sort of cyclist you would prefer to be and work on that.”

Zwift’s Flexible Training Plans are created with a goal in mind. Whether it’s raising your FTP, crushing a criterium, finishing a Gran Fondo, or building base fitness over the winter, knowing your goal can help you get there.

If you’re not sure of your goal, think about what you naturally like to do on the bike, or what comes most easily to you. Different people are good at different things, Block says. And when you’re just starting out, simply riding more can do a lot of good!

“I actually remember going up a hill, and at the top of it, I had to stop,” Block says. “I must have leaned on the bike for 5 minutes, and I remember somebody coming up to me and asking if I was okay. Now, that hill – it’s not even a hill to me. It’s nothing!”