Agreed, you really should do the 5 min blow out.

Well then he seems to be changing his tune. When FTP was first created Coggan and Allen got to define it, and it was defined as an absolute objective max 1hr power. That's one thing I find appealing - though there are many methods commonly used to estimate FTP, they are all shooting for the same exact thing. From a coaching perspective I like that it provides me a common reference for all levels of athlete. Take the 40k TT as an example. if you use 40k TT power as FTP a simple 2X20' @ FTP workout would be a drastically different training stimulus for someone who rides a 52min 40k vs 75min FTP. It's kind of unfortunate that the definition of FTP has become a subjective moving target.

You're in luck- DCRainmaker just released his roundup of indoor trainer apps and your Tacx trainer is likely compatible (Tacx Vortex Smart?) with quite a few of them, and they may even have free trials. Zwift currently runs on Windows and Mac and an iOS iPad version is due out before Christmas, and it will let you ride in a virtual environment and also has some workouts programmed in. There's a 14day free trial, but if you're a Strava Premium member (or even a 30-day free trial Strava Premium) you get up to 60 days free (or until Dec 31st now?) with Zwift when you link your accounts.

Trainer Road is another popular app to control your trainer and automatically vary the "hardness" of the workout, and they also have a free trial and run on iOS. I think it's 14 days? You set your FTP in the app, and then it puts you through a workout and the trainer makes sure you output the prescribed watts (if you slow your cadence, it will get harder and if you increase your cadence, the trainer will get easier. This is called "ERG mode".

To read about more apps, and check compatibility with your trainer, here's his link: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/...html#comment-1745189

No, average.

FTP is frequently estimated as 95% of 20 min average power (e.g., via Hunter Allen's test protocol).

Yes ... thanks for the clarification. I do own and use your book :)

Negatory, Batman.


No, it would not, as the difference in power would, e.g., be less than the normal day-to-day variability in performance.


It has always been, and always will be, a "moving target." I can understand the desire of many to pin it down to a specific duration/to the nearest Nth of a watt, but that only provides a false sense of precision.

are you intentionally responding to one item at a time? :)

going to have to check your ftp on that.....finger typing performance

Note that Golden Cheetah now uses longer test durations to calculate CP (as I have always recommended), such that the overestimation that I described in that thread no longer exists.

Just how my mind works.