Indoor · Beginner

Zwift Base (Beginner) training plan

Name: Zwift Base (Beginner)
Brand: GC Coaching
SKU: Z.B.1
Price: 59.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Build a full off-season of aerobic base in Zwift, in 12 structured weeks

For riders new to structured training, coming back from injury, or racing Cat 5.

Written by Shayne Gaffney — if you have ridden a structured workout in Zwift, there is a good chance you have already ridden his.

Length: 12 wk
Load: 4.2 hrs/wk
Level: Beginner
Discipline: Indoor
Price: $59 one-time

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Checkout happens on TrainingPeaks · one-time payment · their refund policy applies

Buy once on TrainingPeaks
The plan lands on your calendar, from any start date
Every workout syncs to Zwift, Garmin or Wahoo

What you get

By the end of 12 weeks

A repeatable aerobic base you can rebuild every off-season
Workouts that export straight to Zwift, Garmin or Wahoo
A load that climbs from 200 to 350 TSS a week, so you build without burying yourself
Short weekday sessions and longer weekend rides, built around a working week
Core and hip strength routines that make the power you build usable

Base season is where fast riders are made — but only if the work is structured. Z.B.1 is twelve weeks of progressive aerobic training written for riders who are new to training with structure and want a foundation they can build on for years.

Who this plan is for

This is the beginner tier of the Zwift Base line. It suits the Cat 5 racer, the rider coming back from injury, anyone new to cycling, or anyone with limited structured training behind them.

You need a smart trainer and a Zwift account. You do not need a power meter on your outdoor bike, and you do not need to ride every day — the plan runs four to five sessions a week at around 4.2 hours total.

If you already train with structure and want more load, Z.B.2 starts where this one finishes. If you would rather not be tied to Zwift, SS.B.1 covers the same ground and can be ridden anywhere.

Undecided between the two? sweet spot vs zone 2 for aerobic capacity explains what each approach builds, so you can pick on the training rather than on the platform.

How the load builds

The plan opens at roughly 200 TSS a week and finishes at 350, stepping up in blocks with a recovery week every fourth week so the work actually sticks.

Weekday sessions are kept short to respect a working week; the longer rides sit on the weekend. Interval duration and intensity change regularly through the twelve weeks — partly for the training effect, partly because the fastest way to abandon a trainer plan is to make every session feel the same.

Alongside the bike work, the plan includes core and hip strength and stability routines. That is what turns the aerobic fitness you build into force you can actually put through the pedals.

What you get

Every session as a structured workout file, exportable to Zwift, Garmin or Wahoo
Daily email workout reminders
The plan on your TrainingPeaks calendar, on desktop and in the mobile app
Core and hip strength / stability routines

Training guides

New training guides, as they go up

Shayne writes about how training actually works — thresholds, intervals, fuelling, strength. Get each new guide when it is published.

Who wrote this plan

Shayne Gaffney

If you have ridden a structured workout in Zwift, there is a good chance Shayne wrote it. He authored around 85% of Zwift's workout library, along with the "Build Me Up", "Pebble Pounder", "Zwift Racing" and "201: Your First 5K" plans — and he wrote every session in this one.

USA Cycling Level 1 · Precision Nutrition L1 · Published in Bicycling, Triathlete, TrainingPeaks and Zwift Insider

More about Shayne

Results

What riders say about the programming

I came to Shayne and GCC with lots of enthusiasm and willingness to work, but without knowing how to take my riding to the next level. I also had a bucket list goal: California's "Death Ride"… Several (hard!) months later, I crushed the Death Ride and went on to several other challenging rides later in the season. After that, I even took up racing, something I'd never thought I'd do, and had a blast competing in our local cyclocross series.
Paul D.Death Ride · Coached athlete
The A group, the fast ones on the Saturday ride. A sub 5 hour century. These were my goals and they had eluded me for years because, I now see, I didn't really have a plan for achieving them… I achieved my original goals, grew to set new ones and achieved those as well. There is only one way to say this and that is that 2015 was the most fun I've ever had on a bike.
Dan S.Sub-5 hour century · Coached athlete · 2015

Read all reviews

The thinking behind this plan

Indoor training and hyperthermiaWhy you overheat on the trainer, what it does to your power, and how to set up an indoor space so heat stops limiting the session.
What is TSS, and why do I have a problem with it?Training Stress Score explained — how TSS is calculated, how the Performance Management Chart uses it, and where the metric misleads riders.
Ramp testing: yea or nay?Ramp tests are quick and repeatable, but they suit some riders far better than others. When a ramp test gives you a usable FTP.

FAQ

Questions about this plan

Is this plan the right level for me?

It is written for riders new to structured training, coming back from injury, or racing Cat 5. If you are between two plans, the plan finder will place you in under a minute — or email us your goal and weekly hours before you buy and we will point you at the right one.

Do I need a power meter for this plan?

No. A smart trainer supplies the power for every session in this plan. If you ride outdoors without a power meter, each workout also carries a perceived-effort target.

Does it sync with Zwift, Garmin and Wahoo?

Yes. Every workout is a structured file. Connect TrainingPeaks to Zwift and the day's session appears in your workout list; connect Garmin or Wahoo and it pushes to your head unit.

Do I need TrainingPeaks Premium?

No. A free TrainingPeaks account is enough to buy this plan and follow every workout. Premium adds deeper analysis but nothing this plan depends on.

What if I miss a session or a week?

Shift the remaining plan forward on your TrainingPeaks calendar and carry on. The plan is built in blocks, so a missed session will not break the progression.

Is this coaching?

No. This is a self-guided plan: you get the full structure and every workout, but no ongoing coaching relationship. That is what keeps it a one-time price instead of a monthly retainer.

What if the plan turns out to be wrong for me?

Plans are covered by the TrainingPeaks refund policy. With the author's approval, a plan can be exchanged for another of equal value from the same author. Refund requests must be made in writing to TrainingPeaks within 24 hours of purchase with a detailed explanation, and are assessed case by case. If you are unsure this plan fits, get in touch before you buy and we will point you at the right one.

Not the right fit?