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Just did my first FTP. What now?
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Hey, been off my bike since Whistler 70.3 due to injury.
Got a smart trainer and did my first FTP. It was 238W.
What does that mean? What do I do with this knowledge?
How do I use this to train?
I've never had a Power meter before.
Thanks for any info you can provide.

Etip
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Etip] [ In reply to ]
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If you use virtual training programs such as Trainer Road, Zwift, or The Sufferfest, enter that value into your profile, and your workouts will then be scaled according to your ability.

Less is more.
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Big Endian] [ In reply to ]
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Ok. Thanks. I use Rouvey. It gave the option to enter the FTP, so I guess that is what that was for. Thanks!
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Etip] [ In reply to ]
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Etip wrote:
Hey, been off my bike since Whistler 70.3 due to injury.

Got a smart trainer and did my first FTP. It was 238W.
What does that mean? What do I do with this knowledge?
How do I use this to train?
I've never had a Power meter before.
Thanks for any info you can provide.

Etip


If you want to understand why you're doing what you're doing read two of the following options:

Phil Skiba's Book (one of my favorites)
Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan's Book

If you want to just ride your bike and let the trainer do the work. Sign up for TrainerRoad, pick a plan, connect your smart trainer, and pedal. Their programs are amazing, affordable, and well thought out.

I personally think a smart trainer and TrainerRoad is the best thing that ever happened to my cycling.




Chris Thornham
Co-Founder And Previous Owner Of FLO Cycling
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Canadian] [ In reply to ]
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[/quote][/font]

If you want to understand why you're doing what you're doing read two of the following options:

Phil Skiba's Book (one of my favorites)
Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan's Book

If you want to just ride your bike and let the trainer do the work. Sign up for TrainerRoad, pick a plan, connect your smart trainer, and pedal. Their programs are amazing, affordable, and well thought out.

I personally think a smart trainer and TrainerRoad is the best thing that ever happened to my cycling.

[/quote]
Thanks Chris. I've already paid for a year of Rouvey. I'm guessing it has a similar functionality. I'll have to see.
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Etip] [ In reply to ]
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Buy, either book, do some testing. Not only FTP, but if doing shorter efforts you may be better suited to running at a percentage of those powers rather than a percentage of FTP. Like 5min efforts. I do intervals (incomplete recovery between reps) at 85% of my 5 min power and efforts (full recovery between reps) at 95%. At the end of a block I test 5min power again. Rouvy has various FTP and Ramp Tests which are an easy way to estimate both Max Aerobic Power (MAP) and Threshold Power. Don't get too hung up on the numbers and enjoy the ride. Except the Stelvio, that hurts.

Hamish Ferguson: Cycling Coach
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Etip] [ In reply to ]
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Etip wrote:
Hey, been off my bike since Whistler 70.3 due to injury.
Got a smart trainer and did my first FTP. It was 238W.
What does that mean? What do I do with this knowledge?
How do I use this to train?
I've never had a Power meter before.
Thanks for any info you can provide.

Etip

How did you do your FTP. Are you confident 238W is correct. There is a lot of discussion going around on how to measure FTP.
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Etip] [ In reply to ]
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You can use zones based on FTP as a starting power for your intervals, for example, 4 x 8 at 100% FTP and 4 x 4 at 120% FTP. You'll want to find, however, the maximum power that you can sustain for these intervals and work at that power. So if you do a 4 x 4 workout at 300W but are able to do 5 intervals then you need to increase power for your next workout such that you are just able to complete 4 intervals. Same thing for the 4 x 8 workout. It needs to be hard. Your "FTP" doesn't matter. Getting the right stimulus does. For sub-threshold work, you can use a percent of the power you are using for your 4 x 8 intervals as if that is your FTP. Now just increase the power of your 4 x 4 and 4 x 8 workouts as you get stronger and crush the competition or your PB.

Interval Design Studio
YouTube | SoundCloud
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Etip] [ In reply to ]
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Do yourself a massive favor and read “training and racing with a power meter” by Hunter Allen. Pretty cheap on amazon. Easy read and doesn’t take super long to get through. I promise you will get infinitely more from your new toy if you read this book. Trust me.
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Etip] [ In reply to ]
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Set your power/HR zones.
Get a training plan to maximize your ride time by power to improve and get ready for your races.

That's the simple answer...

The real answer is smartly incorporating power work into your overall training plan based on your race schedule to increase power and decrease the work that needs to go into creating more power.

Ryan
http://www.SetThePaceTriathlon.com
http://www.TriathlonTrainingDaddy.com
I got plans - https://www.trainingpeaks.com/...dotcom#trainingplans
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [triguy86] [ In reply to ]
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triguy86 wrote:
Do yourself a massive favor and read “training and racing with a power meter” by Hunter Allen. Pretty cheap on amazon. Easy read and doesn’t take super long to get through. I promise you will get infinitely more from your new toy if you read this book. Trust me.


I actually strongly feel that just getting trainerroad and doing one of the plans is a lot more useful than that book.

You will learn by doing the workouts and feeling the difficulty and impact which I found 100x more useful than just reading about it.

Trainerroad literally does all the heavy lifting of planning and detailing a power based plan. You just have choose the goal and then do it.
Last edited by: lightheir: Dec 27, 18 8:56
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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lightheir wrote:
triguy86 wrote:
Do yourself a massive favor and read “training and racing with a power meter” by Hunter Allen. Pretty cheap on amazon. Easy read and doesn’t take super long to get through. I promise you will get infinitely more from your new toy if you read this book. Trust me.


I actually strongly feel that just getting trainerroad and doing one of the plans is a lot more useful than that book.

You will learn by doing the workouts and feeling the difficulty and impact which I found 100x more useful than just reading about it.

Trainerroad literally does all the heavy lifting of planning and detailing a power based plan. You just have choose the goal and then do it.

But reading the book + a trainer road plan = better than either individually.

For most people I'd probably recommend Skiba's books over TRWAPM for ease of understanding.

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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I agree, just start doing something and learn as you go.

TR or someone else's plan that is threshold or under is a good way to start. Starting off with 4 to 6 weeks of easy (~65%) before doing that is another.
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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I mean that may be true but if you spend all that money on a power meter why wouldn’t you want to actually understand how to use it? What about folks that actually train outside?
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [triguy86] [ In reply to ]
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triguy86 wrote:
I mean that may be true but if you spend all that money on a power meter why wouldn’t you want to actually understand how to use it? What about folks that actually train outside?

I read that Skiba book. Sure, it has good scientific content, but again, that's a world a difference between executing your self-made plan than writing it. I wrote myself a mini plan or two initially, and then was quite humbled when I found that it's harder to walk the walk than talk the talk.

Don't get me wrong - if you get the book, you also can't go wrong by learning the theory, but again, if I had to do it again, I'd just skip the book and do TR. Knowing full well what "300 TSS in a week" feels like, or how hard "120% FTP x 8" was way more useful as a solo athlete than the theory.

The TR plans are just so easy and diverse to just 'set it'. I def think this is the best way to start (and in my case continue using long-term) with true power-based training with a plan.

If you're dead set on writing your own plans, then sure, go crazy with Skiba etc but prepare for some work and questions about your plan.
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [triguy86] [ In reply to ]
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triguy86 wrote:
I mean that may be true but if you spend all that money on a power meter why wouldn’t you want to actually understand how to use it? What about folks that actually train outside?

Basically 99% true. Most athletes who own a pm or use one have zero understanding or desire on how to use a power meter.

People on ST are generally the exception in terms of wanting to learn asking questions etc.

No disrespect to OP as he’s asking questions.

Maybe I’m jaded or perhaps exaggerating,

Maurice
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Etip] [ In reply to ]
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Etip wrote:
Got a smart trainer and did my first FTP. It was 238W.
What does that mean?

Wait, you don't know what FTP means? It's time to hit the books or do some serious Googling. There are tons of useful videos on YouTube also.
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [mauricemaher] [ In reply to ]
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mauricemaher wrote:
Maybe I’m jaded


Welcome to the club, what took you so long?!!!!

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Etip] [ In reply to ]
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Etip wrote:

Thanks Chris. I've already paid for a year of Rouvey. I'm guessing it has a similar functionality. I'll have to see.

I've never used Rouvey, but it looks like you can either follow routes as movies or do structured workouts.
If you are simply riding along and watching a climb, your entered FTP may not be doing anything, since you are completely in control of the effort.
If you do a structured workout, then I bet it will scale it to your FTP.
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [desert dude] [ In reply to ]
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desert dude wrote:
mauricemaher wrote:
Maybe I’m jaded


Welcome to the club, what took you so long?!!!!

FTP is dead.

Just saying this to get AC back posting here😀

Cheers,
Maurice
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [longtrousers] [ In reply to ]
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longtrousers wrote:
Etip wrote:
Hey, been off my bike since Whistler 70.3 due to injury.
Got a smart trainer and did my first FTP. It was 238W.
What does that mean? What do I do with this knowledge?
How do I use this to train?
I've never had a Power meter before.
Thanks for any info you can provide.

Etip


How did you do your FTP. Are you confident 238W is correct. There is a lot of discussion going around on how to measure FTP.

Measuring FTP is easy, estimating it is where the quagmire sets in.
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Etip] [ In reply to ]
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Training is a highly personal matter which is why load management is so important. Fortunately, the precision and repeatability of training with fixed power under controlled conditions indoors makes it possible to monitor training status with a high degree of accuracy and confidence because changes in performance are more likely to be caused by actual changes in status vs changes in terrain, conditions, etc.

Repeats are also very effective because (1) of their direct alignment with time at intensity, which is how training is organized and (2) they can help you to ensure proper stimulus and diagnose problems. For example, if you set out to perform a 4 x 4 VO2 max workout but are actually able to do 5 x 4, then you are working below VO2 max and should increase power for the next 4 x 4 session. On the flip side, if you are unable to perform a 2 x 20 workout at threshold then your threshold is overestimated, you are ill, or you are carrying much fatigue.

Manual control also helps to ensure proper stimulus and preserve workout quality through adding, extending and splitting intervals as needed.

The ability to measure and control external load indoors on a smart trainer makes the internal-to-external load ratio (I:E) an effective method of load monitoring. If I:E decreases, then fitness is improving. If it increases, then fitness is declining or fatigue is high. If RPE or cardiac drift is up but HR is down then fatigue is more likely than fitness improvement. The precision and repeatability of smart trainer workouts makes I:E more precise and sensitive than it would be outdoors where you need consistent improvement over a long period of time to be confident in improvements.

Workout progression can be "forced" or responsive based on improvements. If "forced" then load monitoring can be used to ensure the body is coping/adapting adequately.

Work can be progressed by either time or power. Most training plans I've see are simply increasing combined interval duration to a practical limit, usually available training time, and then increasing intensity. MSI, or Maximum Sustainable Intensity, is a self-regulating technique in which a fixed set of interval workouts are repeated while increasing power such that the power used is the maximum power that can be sustained for all intervals. RPE is king with MSI but can also be confirmed via average work interval heart rate and cardiac drift as discussed above.

Cardiac drift can also help to set proper endurance workout duration because there is a rule of thumb that these workouts should have a cardiac drift (the indoor equivalent of aerobic decoupling) between 5-10%. And when duration reaches target event duration (or target training duration) and cardiac drift is 5-7% then the athlete is ready for higher intensity work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX9R8Kh10KM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GszrIXnVgCw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFyvZXbhXqk

A training log is an essential part of training to find what works and what doesn't, identify patterns, for reference, to help those who help you, etc.


Etip wrote:
Hey, been off my bike since Whistler 70.3 due to injury.
Got a smart trainer and did my first FTP. It was 238W.
What does that mean? What do I do with this knowledge?
How do I use this to train?
I've never had a Power meter before.
Thanks for any info you can provide.

Etip

Interval Design Studio
YouTube | SoundCloud
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [fstrnu] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for all that information. Pretty much cements the fact that I need to get one of the books listed and read up, because I didn't understand almost ANYTHING you just said!!
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [desert dude] [ In reply to ]
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desert dude wrote:
lightheir wrote:
triguy86 wrote:
Do yourself a massive favor and read “training and racing with a power meter” by Hunter Allen. Pretty cheap on amazon. Easy read and doesn’t take super long to get through. I promise you will get infinitely more from your new toy if you read this book. Trust me.


I actually strongly feel that just getting trainerroad and doing one of the plans is a lot more useful than that book.

You will learn by doing the workouts and feeling the difficulty and impact which I found 100x more useful than just reading about it.

Trainerroad literally does all the heavy lifting of planning and detailing a power based plan. You just have choose the goal and then do it.


But reading the book + a trainer road plan = better than either individually.

For most people I'd probably recommend Skiba's books over TRWAPM for ease of understanding.

One should note that these books are great and full of meaningful information, but do not include training plans. They do, however, give you the tools to understand whatever training plan you land on and make informed decisions regarding benefits, changes to the plans, and bore any other non-athlete to death at cocktail parties.
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Re: Just did my first FTP. What now? [Etip] [ In reply to ]
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Etip wrote:
Thanks for all that information. Pretty much cements the fact that I need to get one of the books listed and read up, because I didn't understand almost ANYTHING you just said!!

Sorry 'bout that! I just re-read what I wrote and agree with you! Let me try to be more practical.

Question = What do I do with FTP?

Answer:

1) Use it as a starting place for 4 x 8 intervals with the goal of finding and working at the maximum power that you can produce for all four intervals.

2) Use 115% of it as as a starting place for 4 x 4 intervals with the goal of finding and working at the maximum power that you can produce for all four intervals.

3) Use 75% of it as a starting place for a once-weekly 1 x 90 endurance workout with the goal of finding and working at the power which will produce a cardiac drift of 5-10%.

Interval Design Studio
YouTube | SoundCloud
Last edited by: fstrnu: Jan 8, 19 13:44
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