From you experience (or using published data) is there any way to roughly approximate possible realistic FTP improvement over let’s say 30 weeks of Ironman training (three times a week biking) for a novice Ironman Athlete (have done my first Ironman this year with the main focus to just finish and to establlish the baseline). I just got the power meter.
Depends. Depends. Depends. If you want to raise your FTP, “Ironman” type bike workouts 3x a week is not the optimum method. You might be better off spending 8-12 weeks doing hard cycling workouts to raise the FTP and then go into the more specific ironman bike work. Hard cycling workouts = 2x20m at 95-100%FTP, 5x3-5min at 105%-120%FTP.
I think my workouts during the build period will have that. Take a look at this one for example: http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/workouts/1797-acrodectes
With what you are proposing what could be FTP improvement?
Wild ass guess. 5-20% increase depending on your background, natural strength, and current fitness. Depends. Depends. Depends.
for a 20 week 70.3 plan…my ftp gain was 13.9%.
as said above it wasn’t the most optimal way to gain hence the increase wasn’t as substantial as one would expect. if i spent the first 10 weeks doing 2x20 twice a week and riding at 85% i would guesstimate being closer to 20%…you live and learn.
It depends where you are starting with your FTP. I have a decent FTP for an AG athlete, so my goal at this point is to maintain what I’ve got and try to get my run and swim up to snuff. I’m doing one trainer ride a week to maintain what I’ve got.
If you’re more on the new side to riding then you may gain more but 10% would be considered a good improvement. When you think about how much work that 10% entails, it’s a bit discouraging but that’s reality.
I went 11% in my first year of training with a coach + power meter. 320 to 355.
Thanks. Before you started were you already an advanced cyclist?
I raised FTP >60% in a few months. Then very slow going for decades after that. What I did in those few months was lots of hard efforts… in the 20 min to 3 hr range usually… trying to set PRs on various courses I’d laid out. Usually 3 days a week was all.
I have no idea what your fitness is now, so no idea how you will progress.
You might be better off spending 8-12 weeks doing hard cycling workouts to raise the FTP and then go into the more specific ironman bike work. Hard cycling workouts = 2x20m at 95-100%FTP, 5x3-5min at 105%-120%FTP.
Really any kind of hard cycling workouts will do it. I prefer trying to set PRs on courses and segments… or racing guys who are better than me.
Doing intervals at some % FTP target is lame IMO… especially when you don’t even know what FTP is. It’s too easy to not go as hard as you could. Better to just try and maximize NP… like set a NP PR for your 5x5.
I’m not advocating that he max out all the time… maybe two sessions a week would be plenty, and only after a good base has been set. Always allow time for recovery.
You might be better off spending 8-12 weeks doing hard cycling workouts to raise the FTP and then go into the more specific ironman bike work. Hard cycling workouts = 2x20m at 95-100%FTP, 5x3-5min at 105%-120%FTP.
Really any kind of hard cycling workouts will do it. I prefer trying to set PRs on courses and segments… or racing guys who are better than me.
Doing intervals at some % FTP target is lame IMO… especially when you don’t even know what FTP is. It’s too easy to not go as hard as you could. Better to just try and maximize NP… like set a NP PR for your 5x5.
I’m not advocating that he max out all the time… maybe two sessions a week would be plenty, and only after a good base has been set. Always allow time for recovery.
Doing his trainer workouts at a % of FTP will build his base. And I think you mean AP for 5x5 as NP is not a useful metric for an interval that short.
I have gone from 260W to 300W in 6 weeks doing hard or moderately hard intervals (2/3x20min@85-95%FTP) on rollers 3-4 times per week. I have been focusing on cycling.
From you experience (or using published data) is there any way to roughly approximate possible realistic FTP improvement
No. Well, it depends on what you mean by roughly I suppose. I’ve seen improvements from 5% to over 100% in less than six months.
Just follow good process and the gains will be what they are.
I think he means NP for the whole workout, not one of the 5 minute intervals…ie from the beginning of the first interval to the end of the last rest period as described in Training and Racing with a powermeter.
Ah good point. Reading it again I see that now.
It’s too easy to not go as hard as you could. Better to just try and maximize NP… like set a NP PR for your 5x5.
Care to explain why you use NP for the 5x5 set over an examination of AP of each interval? Are these not steady state efforts?
i just got my first powermeter 6 weeks ago, other than computrainer, and gone from 265 to 290 doing 2-3 tempo rides at 85-90% and intervals at >100% each week, plus one longish ride at 75%. actually using the computrainer 20 week PIG plan if anyone’s used it. always doing my intervals on strava segments to try for pr’s at the same time for added motivation.
And I think you mean AP for 5x5 as NP is not a useful metric for an interval that short.
NP for the whole session.
I’ve seen improvements from 5% to over 100% in less than six months.
Negative numbers are also possible… but highly unlikely for a noob who is trying to improve… unless he gets into over-training mode.