I’m literally brand new to power and have read the literature and books but am hoping you can help me with a question regarding testing, as there seem to be different variations floating out there.
I haven’t done any training this year where I have been measuring performance in any way though I am training consistently and with quality. Went and did a 45’ warmup this morning followed by 2x20’ as hard as I could with a 2’ rest between on a flat to rolling course.
What is the best measure for my LT power–the second interval, second interval minus 5%, average of the two intervals, or average of the two intervals minus 5%?
Also, should it be absolute watts or normalized watts? Or is that irrelevant so long as I use one of them consistently?
FWIW the #'s if useful for the question were NP of 379 and then 368; Watts of 371 and then 359.
If you decide to use this method, use Average Power. The last 10min of your final 20’ interval is a good estimate of your CP30 power, or the power you are cabable of holding for 30min. Whatever test you use, stay consistent. Also make sure to record temp, wind, route, rest going into that day, bike set-up, etc. This will make it easier to see if you are making progress.
I’m with Blake on this one (sorry Mark:) … new to power and not having anything else to go on i’d use the lower of the two. (the AVG of the 42 or if you don’t have it the AVG of the 2 intervals) Just use the number as a starting point … be flexible and honest if you could hold that wattage for 1:00. Adjust as needed and don’t use it as a concrete reference # until you are solid with it.
BTW … i’d refer to what you just tested as “Functional Threshold” or “1hr Power”… AC is likely referring to fact the actual LT is MUCH lower as “LT” is often referred to incorrectly.
If you decide to use this method, use Average Power. The last 10min of your final 20’ interval is a good estimate of your CP30 power, or the power you are cabable of holding for 30min. Whatever test you use, stay consistent. Also make sure to record temp, wind, route, rest going into that day, bike set-up, etc. This will make it easier to see if you are making progress.
I’m literally brand new to power and have read the literature and books but am hoping you can help me with a question regarding testing, as there seem to be different variations floating out there.
I haven’t done any training this year where I have been measuring performance in any way though I am training consistently and with quality. Went and did a 45’ warmup this morning followed by 2x20’ as hard as I could with a 2’ rest between on a flat to rolling course.
What is the best measure for my LT power–the second interval, second interval minus 5%, average of the two intervals, or average of the two intervals minus 5%?
P.S. The power you maintained during those 20 min efforts was almost certainly well above your power at lactate threshold.
Hey I enjoyed your book very much and I don’t disagree with you that a one hour test probably tells it all but even in the book after some zippy short stuff you give out the 20 minute minus 5% test.
I’m not sure it matters too much in the end anyway since I’m really looking for a benchmark to juxtapose against “boy this really hurts” when I do intervals but of course it is relevant in that there are hard workouts where one if tired afterwards and there are hard workouts where one is SMOKED. Can’t do too many of the latter week in week out and carry the aggregrate training load without breakdown (speaking in regard to myself, YMMV).
So when you test do you rely on the one-hour test and if so how often would you typically do it (assuming no major races impacting on schedule).
I’m literally brand new to power and have read the literature and books but am hoping you can help me with a question regarding testing, as there seem to be different variations floating out there.
I haven’t done any training this year where I have been measuring performance in any way though I am training consistently and with quality. Went and did a 45’ warmup this morning followed by 2x20’ as hard as I could with a 2’ rest between on a flat to rolling course.
What is the best measure for my LT power–the second interval, second interval minus 5%, average of the two intervals, or average of the two intervals minus 5%?
Also, should it be absolute watts or normalized watts? Or is that irrelevant so long as I use one of them consistently?
FWIW the #'s if useful for the question were NP of 379 and then 368; Watts of 371 and then 359.
Thanks in advance for suggestions.
Fred
even in the book after some zippy short stuff you give out the 20 minute minus 5% test.
As has been discussed at length here before, that’s my co-authors approach, not one that I personally favor. In any case, however, you didn’t do an all-out 20 min effort, so the point is moot.
I’m not sure it matters too much in the end anyway since I’m really looking for a benchmark to juxtapose against “boy this really hurts” when I do intervals
That’s the right perspective!
when you test do you rely on the one-hour test and if so how often would you typically do it (assuming no major races impacting on schedule).
One of my pet sayings is “I hate it when testing gets in the way of my training”. IOW, I don’t advocate that people perform frequent formal tests to determine their functional threshold power (and my wife has yet to do one during her comeback to cycling). Instead, I prefer to rely on various informal methods as described in that topica post, verified by formal testing if necessary/desired.
I’m with Blake on this one (sorry Mark:) … new to power and not having anything else to go on i’d use the lower of the two. (the AVG of the 42 or if you don’t have it the AVG of the 2 intervals) Just use the number as a starting point … be flexible and honest if you could hold that wattage for 1:00. Adjust as needed and don’t use it as a concrete reference # until you are solid with it.
BTW … i’d refer to what you just tested as “Functional Threshold” or “1hr Power”… AC is likely referring to fact the actual LT is MUCH lower as “LT” is often referred to incorrectly.
Enjoy …
NP 42 was actually 369, about the same as the second interval. To hold that for an hour I’d have to find a room in the House of Pain I don’t think I’d be willing to go to. Sounds like a good conservative NP FTP would be 355. Thank you for your advice.
