What was YOUR greatest gain in your FTP (%) in a season? What do you attribute this to? (For example, were you new so increased power was easy to come by, high mileage, numerous interval sessions a week, longer intervals, shorter intervals, combination of all of the above??
Do YOU typically gain the same percentage of FTP every season or have some seasons been better than others. Examples a) 4%, 5%, 4%, 4%, vs. b) 4%, 4%, 8%, 4%
I went from 190 to 250 last season. Butt loads of hard intervels, new to that type of training, the 190 was tested after a 2 month lay off on the bike, more butt loads of hard intervels.
It gets harder and harder to make gains. I’d kill for 10 watts this season 
Like running2far, my first season of trainng with power was by far the biggest gain. I went from 209 to 270 (about 30%) in about 9 months. The gains were mostly steady for the first 4 months and then it seemed to take a while longer to see a gain.
Since then my biggest has been 14%. It takes a lot more work and a while longer to see a small gain now. But with hard work my FTP continues to slowly improve.
I have just started training with power…my first test gave me 190 FTP; I am having a hard time completing the workouts based on this FTP - this is to say that at 46 I am finally learning what a hard workout is…before I think most of my workouts just were not hard enough. So it will be interesting to see how much I can improve.
70% gain in 5 months. Every ride was a race… trying to beat my PR on a course. Ride one day, rest one day. After that maybe a 5% gain in 5 years.
Like running2far, my first season of trainng with power was by far the biggest gain. I went from 209 to 270 (about 30%) in about 9 months. The gains were mostly steady for the first 4 months and then it seemed to take a while longer to see a gain.
Since then my biggest has been 14%. It takes a lot more work and a while longer to see a small gain now. But with hard work my FTP continues to slowly improve.
I want to know more. Were you training for triathlon while attempting to boost your FTP? Also, what workouts were you doing to boost your FTP and what was the frequency? Asking because I have been stuck at 265 watts FTP for 3 years. I find it very challenging to do 2 X 20’ just once a week because of the damage and fatigue sustained from other (mostly running) workouts. I’d like to hear what your typical week is like, etc. Thanks.
Just tested yesterday actually.
From Feb. 2 - Jun. 22 I went from 191 FTP to 208 FTP. Not all that much, but I also went from 175lbs to 148-150 lbs. On 140.6 training, I think it was a pretty solid gain. (Not a lot of Hard interval stuff)
Drank a generous dose of roadie kool-aid this year and concentrated on the bike. Have seen my FTP go from 260 last year to around 300 this year. Went from 10-11hrs on the bike to 15-17 with a lot more intensity and better recovery (easy when you’re not running and hardly swimming).
This is my first season of what I’ll call real training and taking it seriously. Prior to that I had no clue and just kinda rode. Never did real intervals.
I started and my FTP test was 250-260. I don’t have it in front of me and can’t remember exactly. I was also 250-260 pounds. That was the fall of 2009.
Right now my FTP sits at about 325. so that’s about a 25% gain. Some of that was learning how to focus as opposed to strength gains…but I’ll take anything I can get. My weight is now 200…which is what really helped the w/kg numbers.
There are two caveats with this…
First that is power from a computrainer. My new quarq gives slightly different/lower numbers.
Second, I made what I’ll call a critical mistake training this off season. I trained on the CT sitting up straight as opposed to aero. This was mostly a comfort thing and very stupid. I had my riser in the wrong position and as a result was very uncomfortable on the bike. I didn’t realize it until late March or so…and then sitting up was habit. A bad habit at that.
So I can maintain 325 sitting up but not aero. Which really begs the question…is my ftp really 325. Personally I say no, I race aero…so I need to hold the power in that position. But I’ve been doing a lot more training on the CT since I discovered this mistake…all of it has been aero and my ability to hold higher powers in the aero tuck is getting better and better.
Does anyone else notice that if you lose focus for even 30 seconds your average watts drops by like 15? I swear that’s my biggest problem. It isn’t that I can’t hold the power…it’s that for some reason when I’m in my tuck I go into lala land and my cadence/power come down FAST. Next thing I know I have to push 400 watts for minutes to get back to where I was…which is enough to practically kill me.
Yoda: Control, Control…you must learn control.
Luke: You ask the impossible.
Yoda: That is why you fail.
You need to mix up your intervals as well, have you tried 5x5x1’s? Some say they are even better than 2x20’s
210 watts when I began training in March 2009 (no previous training on the bike)
285 watts in September 2009
I got a coach and trained consistently over that period. Havent had a test with the same methodology (blood) done since last Sept.
177 lbs, so w/kg isn’t all that impressive.
Does anyone else notice that if you lose focus for even 30 seconds your average watts drops by like 15?
Your average drops by 15W if you lose focus for 30 seconds? If you are 5 minutes into a 20 minute interval at 300W, that means your power for the 30 seconds would of been around 150 watts. I don’t lose focus going from 300->150 watts But I will say my instantaneous watts do drop about 5-25W depending on the loss of concentration. I think this is what being a “good time trialist” as a pro is all about. Their FTP’s are so similar so to make up time they need to make sure they don’t lose focus, keep to their power plan, not ease up for bumps/potholes/etc and maintain their position and focus on each pedal stroke.
Like some others have mentioned I jumped from an initial test at 252 to 311 in the first 4 months of training with power. Granted some of that has to do with learning how to test and getting used to the concept of riding hard. That was done while training for an IM.
Since then I have stayed within 20 watts or so of that number but reduced the KG side a bit.
Initial gains are the easy ones.
Does anyone else notice that if you lose focus for even 30 seconds your average watts drops by like 15?
Your average drops by 15W if you lose focus for 30 seconds? If you are 5 minutes into a 20 minute interval at 300W, that means your power for the 30 seconds would of been around 150 watts. I don’t lose focus going from 300->150 watts But I will say my instantaneous watts do drop about 5-25W depending on the loss of concentration. I think this is what being a “good time trialist” as a pro is all about. Their FTP’s are so similar so to make up time they need to make sure they don’t lose focus, keep to their power plan, not ease up for bumps/potholes/etc and maintain their position and focus on each pedal stroke.
I may have been exaggerating a bit for effect. But staying with that thought…I’d have to check the charts from last night to be sure, but I was doing a 5 minute interval and the goal was to hold 300 watts or above. I was doing fine and holding strong…next thing I know some shiny thing grabs my attention. What seems like seconds later I look down and my average watts is like 285-290.
Granted it is a short duration interval and so even a small slowdown has a big impact…but still. I find it alarming that when I lose focus everything drops by that much. Perhaps I can hook up some electrodes to the CT. Any time my watts drop to a certain level I get a quick shock to the taint.
Like running2far, my first season of trainng with power was by far the biggest gain. I went from 209 to 270 (about 30%) in about 9 months. The gains were mostly steady for the first 4 months and then it seemed to take a while longer to see a gain.
Since then my biggest has been 14%. It takes a lot more work and a while longer to see a small gain now. But with hard work my FTP continues to slowly improve.
I want to know more. Were you training for triathlon while attempting to boost your FTP? Also, what workouts were you doing to boost your FTP and what was the frequency? Asking because I have been stuck at 265 watts FTP for 3 years. I find it very challenging to do 2 X 20’ just once a week because of the damage and fatigue sustained from other (mostly running) workouts. I’d like to hear what your typical week is like, etc. Thanks.
This has all been while training for ironman distance races with heavy run training as well. I’ve been consistanly following the Endurance Nation Out Season, HIM and IM plans for over 2 years now and have followed their bike workouts exactly. Mostly just a lot of different intervals at FTP and a lot of hard work at 85% on longer rides. I have done countless 2 x 20 at FTP workouts and ran right after and even done a long run the next day as well. At certain times in the season there is some shorter intervals at 110%+ as well. Check the EN plans (or team) and you will see exactly the workouts I do.
My typcial week is 3-4 rides, 3-4 swims, and 6 runs (with some just being short bricks).
I don’t think it is fair for me to post the details of the plans that Rich and Patrick have created to a public forum, but I’m glad to respond to other questions you have.
Or you could just run your CT in erg mode…
When I got my PT in 2006 I think I was near 195 watts and got up near 205
2007 210 watts
2008 214 watts
2009 222 watts
2010 I was at 214 last Feb and I’m quite a bit stronger right now, although I have not tested I’m most likely over 220 now. Realistically I may be near 230 by the end of the season.
jaretj
I have, and do.
But at the higher wattages I feel like i stuggle to maintain an even pedal stroke in erg mode. Plus…erg mode lets you lose focus and maintain power.
Although as I think about it now…erg mode might be really helpful. As I lose focus my watts drop…the CT has to adjust and add resistance to increase the power to match my lower cadence resulting in pretty quick feedback.
I’ll think on that. Perhaps I have gotten away from it too much.
I don’t have a CT, but I’d imagine a mix of erg - and normal would be the best for interals/testing.
What was YOUR greatest gain in your FTP (%) in a season?
Not mine, but the greatest increase I’ve seen in 3 mo studies of untrained subjects has been 100%. This was in a former collegiate swimmer (i.e., someone with presumably above-average natural talent for endurance sports) who had not been training for about a year prior to the study.