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Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work?
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Ive been using trainer road for a year now and I went from 190w to 300w in a year.
I averaged 3-4rides a week for the whole year.

Can I get to 400w FTP in another year or so if I continue to put in the work?
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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How much do you weigh?

Likely answer is "no". 400W is TdF pro territory.

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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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I am 163lbs
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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Good job - but unfortunatley this is when you experience the diminishing return of training time vs gains. Also - 400w ftp would require not only 3/4/5x the workload, but having chosen your parents wisely..

As points out - 400w would be a pro(fairly good one too)- at your weight its 5.4w/kg..

Aim lower- even from 300 to 320 is a huge improvement
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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No.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Grill] [ In reply to ]
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Grill wrote:
No.
No^No

Great job going from 190 to 300, but now the best OP can probably hope for is <10% improvement without reversing time and changing parents.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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only one way to find out ...
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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Iwant2gofast wrote:
Ive been using trainer road for a year now and I went from 190w to 300w in a year.
I averaged 3-4rides a week for the whole year.

Can I get to 400w FTP in another year or so if I continue to put in the work?

Maybe...most probably not. It doesn't matter. Do the work, enjoy the journey and you'll get your answer.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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If you shoot for the stars you might only make it to the moon. But that will still be further than 99% of your peers. Never let anyone tell you that a goal is impossible. That's for you to find out. Give it 100% and come back in two years and tell us far you made it.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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One thing is your first test could have been under estimated. 400w is another level, it took me 3 yrs to go from 210 to 294. This yr i have not seen my FTP go up that much but endurance seems to be better so a high FTP is not everything. But hell man keep doing those FTP builders and see how high you can get it!

2024: Bevoman, Galveston, Alcatraz, Marble Falls, Santa Cruz
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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Iwant2gofast wrote:
Ive been using trainer road for a year now and I went from 190w to 300w in a year.
I averaged 3-4rides a week for the whole year.

I'm 163 lbs. I went from off the couch to 300 watts in about 3 months. Taken 3.5 years to crack 340 averaging about 10k miles a year. 400 is not possible for me.

Very likely not possible for you, either.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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I tested 400 at sea level when I was fully trained. Closer to 370 where I live at elevation, but I weigh 30 lbs more.

If you can get to 400 at your size, you can win the elite nationals TT.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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Iwant2gofast wrote:
Ive been using trainer road for a year now and I went from 190w to 300w in a year.
I averaged 3-4rides a week for the whole year.

Can I get to 400w FTP in another year or so if I continue to put in the work?

How many hours a week does that 3-4 rides add up to?

What are you using to measure power?

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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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It's really easy - just buy a kickr
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Orbilius] [ In reply to ]
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Orbilius wrote:
It's really easy - just buy a kickr

That was really cruel. Kick's only read high by 40 watts.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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Part of the question is also if you are a pure cyclist or a triathlete, and of course also how old you are. But as others have said, now comes the real work and genetics will play a role. 400 Watts is pro level and not many make it there so statistically it will be difficult. Now don't let that stop you - go for it and see where you end up.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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Iwant2gofast wrote:
Ive been using trainer road for a year now and I went from 190w to 300w in a year.
I averaged 3-4rides a week for the whole year.

Can I get to 400w FTP in another year or so if I continue to put in the work?

That's excellent progress and you should be very happy (assuming your numbers are accurate, that is). If you learn to pace yourself well and really work on your aerodynamics you can achieve very good results in triathlon on 300 watts at your weight, and you can certainly consider bike racing as well. Whether through lack of proper training or genetics a majority of triathletes will never reach your level. You likely can improve more and even modest improvements at this point will have significant impact on your results. By all means keep working at it and see where you can get but the likelihood of reaching 400 watts is very, very low.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Nolegs] [ In reply to ]
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Nolegs wrote:
Orbilius wrote:
It's really easy - just buy a kickr

That was really cruel. Kick's only read high by 40 watts.

First year of bike training my kickr-ftp went from 200W to 300W.

This year I installed a power2max and found my kickr 300 was more like 270. Months of hard training to close that kickr-delta.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Nolegs] [ In reply to ]
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Nolegs wrote:
If you shoot for the stars you might only make it to the moon. But that will still be further than 99% of your peers.

At present he is only just above the 50th percentile (of those who actually train).
Last edited by: Andrew Coggan: Mar 18, 17 9:54
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [buzz] [ In reply to ]
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buzz wrote:
only one way to find out ...

Exactly! Sounds like some killer motivation. Maybe your the guy who proves everyone wrong.

GET AFTER IT. :)
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Andrew Coggan] [ In reply to ]
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Andrew Coggan wrote:
Nolegs wrote:
If you shoot for the stars you might only make it to the moon. But that will still be further than 99% of your peers.


At present he only just above the 50th percentile (of those who actually train).

Well, if 300 watts only gets you to the 50th percentile of this sport then I'm probably at the bottom 10th percentile. That's interesting since I usually finish top 3 in the bike leg of most local duathlons/triathlons. Looks like the top 50th percentile are at the bottom 10th percentile when it comes to having a good aero position. Raw power, as you obviously know, isn't everything.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Andrew Coggan] [ In reply to ]
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Andrew Coggan wrote:
Nolegs wrote:
If you shoot for the stars you might only make it to the moon. But that will still be further than 99% of your peers.


At present he only just above the 50th percentile (of those who actually train).

What's the data set? I'd believe that number if it's licensed male USA Cycling competitors of say age 18-40, which is a very self-selecting group, but not those that actually do cycling training of some sort or another. It certainly isn't representative of triathlon competitors based on everything I see, not just myself but triathletes I follow on Strava that have actual PMs.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [lovegoat] [ In reply to ]
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lovegoat wrote:
As points out - 400w would be a pro(fairly good one too)
Didn't Jensie post 418w for his hour record?

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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [philly1x] [ In reply to ]
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philly1x wrote:
lovegoat wrote:
As points out - 400w would be a pro(fairly good one too)

Didn't Jensie post 418w for his hour record?

That might be Zirbel? I think Jens was a bit lower for some reason. But I can't easily find either # with my Google-fu.

Cancellara/Wiggins were in the 430-440 range, and represent the known upper bound for non-weight-scaled power.
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Re: Can I get to 400w FTP with just pure hard work? [Iwant2gofast] [ In reply to ]
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You should go read the stuff Dave Luscan posted on how he went from something like 58 to 52 min for 40k in < 1yr

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