What is the best to encompass in your training in order to give you the best idea of your FTP, which tests do you use? Here are a few to get started.
1 hr TT - avg power=FTP
Friel method - 5 min all out, 10 min soft pedal, 20 min TT, 95% of 20 min TT= FTP
20min TT, 2 min softpedal, 20min TT - avg power over 42 min = FTP
25min TT - 97%= FTP
20 min TT (differs from friel method with no 5 min all out first) -95%avg pwr= FTP
So which methods do you use? Which are best? Did I miss any others?
I realize that a 1 hr TT is absolutely the best, but I would like us to consider the cost/benefit when evaluating these FTP tests, and I would argue that a 1hr TT has too high a cost to effectively implement into a training plan.
Obviously the 1hr TT would give you the best data. Problem is that few people can really do this in a test. I would vote for none of the above and suggest sub-threshold testing.
Obviously the 1hr TT would give you the best data. Problem is that few people can really do this in a test. I would vote for none of the above and suggest sub-threshold testing.
Total BS.
Everyone CAN do it… not many people WANT to do it…
I did the 1hr indoor test before Kona. Yeah, that sucked.
I did the 20min (95%) two weeks ago, that sucked too. They were both pretty close, though the 20min put my FTP about 12w higher than my pre-Kona FTP. It seemed a little high-but YMMV.
I use 95% of 20min just because it’s the ‘easiest’. I do this on the trainer, so 60 min will likely kill me. 60 min outside without stopping is impossible where I live. I’ve gotten my best numbers after doing 20min @ ~85%, 5min soft, 20min TT
if this is about im training i doubt very much people are doing ft-level intensity for long durations. so i could see how jumping to that level and length might put the hurt on a training schedule.
What is the best to encompass in your training in order to give you the best idea of your FTP, which tests do you use? Here are a few to get started.
1 hr TT - avg power=FTP
Friel method - 5 min all out, 10 min soft pedal, 20 min TT, 95% of 20 min TT= FTP
20min TT, 2 min softpedal, 20min TT - avg power over 42 min = FTP
25min TT - 97%= FTP
20 min TT (differs from friel method with no 5 min all out first) -95%avg pwr= FTP
So which methods do you use? Which are best? Did I miss any others?
I realize that a 1 hr TT is absolutely the best, but I would like us to consider the cost/benefit when evaluating these FTP tests, and I would argue that a 1hr TT has too high a cost to effectively implement into a training plan.
Do a search on “Monod critical power testing”…short of doing the actual 1 hour test, I find that to be the best substitute.
I’ve been testing myself w/ 95% of a 20 minute TT, on a trainer (I live in New England, rolling hills no matter where I go). Been using a spinervals ‘threshold test’ for it (which has some intensity before the 20 minutes, although not 5 minutes all out).
The numbers I get out of it probably run a little bit on the high side, but done repeatedly I use it to track fitness.
I think the best test depends on where you live and where you have access to the right place to test. The numbers will be skewed if you do a hilly course. And even small downhills where you can’t really apply full power or stopping at stop signs can turn a 20 min TT into 4 x 5 min efforts which can skew the numbers slightly (perhaps even more than slightly). What you need is a flat stretch of road with no stops, turns etc where you can go all out for 20 minutes. I personally do a protocol that is 2 x 20 min with a 2 min rest in between. I take the normalized power for the 42 min section.
It is hard to focus outside of racing to push yourself hard enough for a 60 min TT. Also a lot harder to find a stretch of road suitable for this kind of long test but if you have it a 60 min TT isn’t going to hurt your training as long as you have time to recover before an event.
I like using SWAG estimates rather than actually testing. 2 I like:
Look at your Power Duration 28 day chart in WKO. Make the bins small, like 6-8w. Look for the pronounced drop-off.
I do a hillclimb TT, which happens to take ~18-19 mins or so. I’ll take .93-.94 of that NP/AP (which are generally one and the same for that ride), as another SWAG of my FTP.
But honestly, the “best” way I’ve found, is to do a hard 2-2.5 hr ride, at HIM or higher intensity. When you get the NP and IF for that, you can reverse-engineer whether the IF and your RPE for those rides seem to jive:
If you felt pretty good, but your IF was like .88, well then - happy problem, your FTP is likely a bit low.
If you finish up feeling pretty worked, and your IF was .82, well then - might wanna bump the FTP down a tad.
I agree with ML that all of those tests kinda suck. IMO Doing a 60 min TT on a regular basis would have a big positive impact on your training if you could mentally do it. For short rides I am looking to be above .90 IF anyway.
I also like looking at the drop offs in the 28 day graph. That is a pretty good way to see trends based on all of your rides. That way I am not putting too much empahsis on any one days effort. Some days you are just stronger than others. Unless based on an hour TT FTP is kinda a theoretical number depending on how you use it.
If the point is to use the FTP to set training zones and abuse yourself to get stronger than it does not really matter. You will know if you are not working hard enough. If you explode and pass out on the side of the road after 20 minutes you are working too hard. If you are using FTP to pace IM or Half bike rides, that is a whole different story. If so you should use whatever test or method whoever came up with the pacing stratedgy used to base the theory around and then do race rehearsals at that intensity to make sure that you can run after. Good luck.
if this is about im training i doubt very much people are doing ft-level intensity for long durations. so i could see how jumping to that level and length might put the hurt on a training schedule.
Really?
I mean an hour @ FTP is really only 100TSS, or add in 5-10 mins of warm up and cool down maybe 110-115TSS… I am sure if you are doing an IM distance event, then you have training days that are 2-3hrs of hard tempo or IM pace speed… Those days are easily 100+TSS days. Just swap one of them.
And honestly, if you are doing IM length events (and not planning to draft!), you really should be doing quite a bit of FTP level work (IMHO).
here is another question: who in the heck cares what one’s FTP is? do you realize that it is a totally arbitrary made-up number?
do you ever wonder why FTP is one’s 60 min. average (max.) power? ever wonder why it is not one’s 90 min. average power? or, why it is not one’s 45 min. average power? or, why it is not one’s 53 min. average power? or, why it is not one’s 67 min. average power? or, why it is not one’s 58 min. average power? or, why it is not one’s 62 min. average power?
there is no reason.
(well, maybe there is one reason: people really like nice round numbers.)
Do a search on “Monod critical power testing”…short of doing the actual 1 hour test, I find that to be the best substitute.
A lot more painful, though!
Hmmm…I sort of look at it as analogous to the pain of removing a bandage. What is worse, the quick, sharp pain of yanking it off, or the looong, drawwwn out pain of removing it slowly?
