A training plan doesn't need to be complicated. It needs to match the week you actually have, not the week you'd have if you were a sponsored athlete with no job.
Step 1: How many hours do you really have?
Be honest. If you can consistently ride 7 hours per week, plan for 7. Don't plan for 10 and hit 6. Underpromising and overdelivering beats the alternative every time.
Include warmup and cooldown time. Factor in driving to a ride start. Be realistic about which days work and which don't.
Step 2: Place your key sessions
You need 2-3 quality sessions per week. These are the workouts that drive adaptation: intervals, structured efforts, and the long ride. Everything else supports these.
Rules:
- Never two hard days back-to-back
- Put them on days when you're likely to be rested and motivated
- Protect these above everything else. If something has to give, cut an easy day, not an interval day.
Step 3: Fill with easy rides and rest
Once key sessions are placed, fill remaining days with Zone 2 and at least one complete rest day.
7-hour week (5 days riding):
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 75 min, threshold intervals
- Wednesday: 60 min easy Zone 2
- Thursday: 75 min, VO2max intervals
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 2.5 hours endurance
- Sunday: 60 min easy Zone 2
5-hour week (4 days riding):
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 75 min, sweet spot intervals
- Wednesday: Rest
- Thursday: 75 min, threshold intervals
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 90 min endurance
- Sunday: 45 min easy spin
Step 4: Recovery weeks
Every 3rd or 4th week, cut volume by 40-50%. Keep 1-2 key sessions but make them shorter. Add an extra rest day. Don't skip this.
When life disrupts the plan
Missed a workout: Don't try to make it up. Just do the next scheduled session. Cramming two hard days together to "catch up" creates more problems than it solves.
Busy week: Protect your 2 key sessions and cut the easy rides. Two quality sessions plus rest beats 5 mediocre ones.
Illness: Complete rest until symptoms are gone. Return at 50% volume for a week. Your body needs more time than your ego wants to admit.
Travel: If you can find a bike or bring a trainer, do one short intense session. If not, bodyweight strength and rest. A few days off won't ruin your fitness.
The most important rule
The best training plan is the one you actually follow. A good plan executed 90% of the time beats a perfect plan executed 60%. Build around the week you have, not the week you wish you had.
Nivvy automates this. Tell the app your schedule, and it builds around the days and hours you have available. When your schedule changes, the plan adjusts. No spreadsheets required.