How much to increase your training load each week
Ramp rate measures how fast your fitness rises per week. Which values are safe and when you are progressing too fast.
Getting better requires more load, but increasing it too fast is the classic recipe for injury and overtraining. The ramp rate tells you how fast you're progressing.
What the ramp rate is
It's how many points your fitness (CTL) rises from one week to the next. If last Monday you were at 50 and today at 55, your ramp rate is 5.
Rough guidelines
- 2 to 5 per week: calm, sustainable progression.
- 5 to 8: a demanding block; manageable for a few weeks if you rest well.
- More than 8: too fast for most people. High risk of burning out.
These are general references: an athlete with years of base tolerates more than a beginner.
Why it matters
Muscles and the cardiovascular system adapt quickly; tendons, bones and joints adapt slowly. The ramp rate protects the latter.
How to control it
Build load for two or three weeks and take a recovery week. If the ramp shoots up one week, balance it the next. Traincontrol shows the ramp rate next to your load chart so you can see it without doing the maths.