I’m really trying hard to start testing religously on the computrainer for the bike and the track for the run… However, in the past it’s been sporadic at best and not a consistant test. I perfomed my CP30 combined with a LTHR test this morning and will use that as my benchmark for the rest of the year to chart improvement…
Just wondering how many of you actually PERFORM MONTHLY TESTS, CHART and ANALYZE data?
good on ya for that. we use testing for ourselves and our athletes regularly. we do 400-1000 swim tests, CP30,40 tests in the field and on the CT, and mile run tests. we retest every 6-8 weeks and program in recovery weeks beofre the test with a spatter of surges to keep intensity up. 4 weeks is too little to see really good changes.
you’re on the right track and good luck to you in the future.
I do a 1000yd TT for the swim and run TT on the track, but never test on the bike. If I had a better bike trainer I probably would. Testing outdoors always seems too variable for biking.
I am not great about swim testing, even though it is the easiest to control conditions. I do a Monod protocol CP test every 6 weeks or so on the bike. I tend to use a running race as my run indicator as I like the extra “bump” i get from adrenaline.
Kurt
I do a test consisting of 2 10km time trials with a 10 minute recovery every 4 weeks during my base and early preparation periods. With the use of a power meter, I definitely believe one needs to evaluate the changes in power output at MAP to ensure things are going well, and to adjust training markers based on the results.
In my competitive season I do a test involving a long 30 plus minute climb which is more applicable to my road and MTB races.
Jack
To quote Andy C., “Training is testing; testing is training.” I am always testing. I do it as part of routine training. If I have done my 3x2.5mile threshold workout for two weeks at 248 watts, I want to do the next one at 253.
But I think that an all-out 30 minute TT is not a good test because it’s not a good workout. Too stressful and too hard to come into it rested. If you’re rested for it, you’re probably not keeping your training volume up. A proper threshold workout will involve some steady riding before and after, which is not all that conducive to an all-out 30 minute effort. A more appropriate effort level for threshold workouts is 60-minute power, not 30-minute power. The next step up in effort would be VO2max efforts, or 6-minute power. 30-minute power is sort of a middle ground that is too hard for one purpose and too easy for another.
I prefer tracking the watts on workouts that I can do week in and week out. Every 3 weeks or so, go for a PR.
This sort of test when running is a bit trickier, since any all-out effort on a run long enough to be a proper test can be very stressful and push you to the brink of a couple days of recovery. For the run, I follow Daniels’ rule: “If you think you’re ready to train faster, prove it by racing faster.” In other words, enter the occasional 5k or 10k or half marathon and have a proper test. But don’t go out and try to train faster every few weeks.
You really can’t hurt yourself by pushing really hard on the bike in training once in a while. The worst that happens is you need an easy day. But push hard on a fast run once too often and you can end up on crutches.
I do a test consisting of 2 10km time trials with a 10 minute recovery every 4 weeks during my base and early preparation periods.
That’s what I would consider an excellent test. It’s long enough to mean something, and short enough that it isn’t a giant effort that requires a few days of downtime. It also doubles as a terrific threshold workout at an appropriate intensity.
I do, can’t picture coaching without regular testing.
I’m with the 6-8 week test cycle crowd. Its hard to really go hard for tests if you are going more often. Less often leaves a lot of lag between tests, particularly in the heart of your season where you’ve probably made the biggest gains. I typically do a full testing week 4 times per year, beginning with the end of my second base month just before I start to really add the harder stuff.
Without testing you might as well sell all the high zoot stuff you’ve got because it isn’t doing you any good. You have to keep the values relevant…the CP30 test you just did will not likely be relevant in July and August…do the tests every 8 weeks, on the down week of your periodization…and use the test sessions as your quality sessions in each sport for the week.
Some people like to use races like 10ks or 40k bike TTs for tests…the problem with doing that is the tests are not repeatable in terms of conditions…so its really hard to compare test values from one cycle to the next. I do all of my run and bike tests on trainers and treadmills to minimize variance in the conditions. 10ks on at treadmill suck…but they suck THE SAME every time.
If you plan on using your test results for the whole season your cheating yourself and helping your competitors. Re test every 6-8 weeks. keep the variables the same. ie test your running on the same track, your cycling over the same out n back course to help eliminate wind or ideally on the same CT course and the swimming in the same pool.
Training with out testing is training without direction.
Yeah, I do it on my recovery week, usually on the Saturday. I usually follow it with a moderately long (3-4 hours) endurance ride on Sunday. It has never derailed my progression and my recovery weeks are still 5 days of quality recovery activities.
Jack
I am a bit of a throwback and old-school about this, but my testing was racing( Running races, Bike ITT’s and triathlons). There were a number of races that I did everey year that gave me a good indication of where I was at. The clock does not lie. I also had some benchmark workouts that based on how I performed in them, how I felt during them and how I recovered after them, again, gave me a very good sense of where I was at.
Fleck