How to Measure your Progress
This past week I got a question from a Mission Multisport athlete regarding how to measure their FTP (functional threshold power or the power you can hold for one hour). The athlete isn’t new to cycling, in fact I would consider her to be pretty experienced and well versed as a cyclist but the thing is, there is an enormous amount of information out there regarding FTP! So while normally my blog posts are essentially me ranting about something I like or dislike about triathlons I decided that this week we could tackle some common ways to measure progress as an athlete as well as some common misconceptions about testing methods. For the sake of simplicity (and I try to keep these under 2,000 words) we will focus on progressing in cycling.
How to test: There are at least a half dozen or more ways to test your FTP at this point and it would be bold of me to make a case for one being the “be all, end all” test. In fact depending on the kind of athlete you are, a certain test may not work as well for as another. A logical example is a track sprinter vs an ironman athlete. Should they be using the same measurement to test their power output? Of course not, the two sports only have one thing in common; they take place on a bicycle. That being said here are four examples of FTP tests, who should use them, and why it’s beneficial...or not.
“The 1 hour test: Ouch. ”
The 1 hour test: Ouch. This one is going to hurt and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re a professional time trialist, which you’re not. Obviously when you’re looking for your FTP (which is your max output for 1 hour) this is going to be the most accurate but you’re going to be pretty wrecked afterwards and need some recovery. You’re also not capable of doing this test physically because it’s not your full time job to race a bike, so your pacing would be way off thus throwing off the accuracy.
The 20 minute test: This is the most common test among most triathletes and cyclists. After a long warm up consisting of some maximum effort “openers” you will ride as hard as possible for 20 minutes. I hesitate saying ride this 20 minutes “all out” because you simply can’t start out too hard during this test; pacing is key. Once you get your output for 20 minutes you take 95% of that number and that’s your FTP. I’ll say it again, pacing is key during this test. Go out too hard and you are really going to be regretting it about 13 minutes into the test. Go out too easy and you’ll leave some energy in the tank and won’t be able to achieve your true FTP. My recommendation would be to break this up into 5 minute segments and increase your output after each segment. Also, most importantly, this test is going to take some practice but once you get it right it’s going to give you the most accurate FTP number.
The 8x8 minute test: As the name implies this test is two rounds of 8 minute efforts with 10 minutes rest in between. Average the two 8 minute outputs, take off 10% and that is your FTP. This is a good option for athletes who are new to cycling or triathlon and need a large amount of rest between tests or for whom the 20 minute test may be too difficult.
The Ramp test: The ramp test has become wildly popular over the last year or so and for good reason. It doesn’t take as long as the 20 minute test, it doesn’t require a significant amount of rest afterwards and it still gives you a relatively accurate FTP. It won't be as accurate as the 1 hour or 20 minute test but for most athletes it’s going to be close enough. This test is structured so your power increases 20 watts or so every minute until you simply can’t turn the pedals anymore. At that point you will take roughly 75% of your last 1 minute effort and that becomes your FTP. One thing to consider is that your FTP is actually going to be anywhere from 72%-77%, does that matter? Not really for most of us who are just looking to have structured power zones without being too specific.
At the end of the day you need to have a conversation with your coach and find out what the best test is for you. It’s likely the 20 minute test or the Ramp but as long as you stick to one you can rely on your numbers. As stated above these tests all use different percentages of output to calculate FTP so the tests are not interchangeable. Having an FTP based on an 8x8 minute test then moving to a Ramp test isn’t good data and it will throw off your power zones and your training.
“So you’ve got your FTP..now what? Now comes the fun part, the hard work!”
When to test: You can test at varying times in your training cycle as most of these efforts are fairly hard and you should be somewhat fresh going into the test. Most importantly stay consistent. Test and retest at the same points in your training cycle so you can have accurate data. A good time to test would be right in the beginning of a training cycle to have a number to create training zones. Subsequent tests can be administered at the end or beginning of every other mesocycle or a specific training block. This will allow you to re-test about every other month which should be enough time to see real improvement, not just margin of error in the test. If you want more information about structured training and how it will improve your performances click here...one of these coaches should be able to help...it’s us.
Interpreting your data: So you’ve got your FTP..now what? Now comes the fun part, the hard work! Chances are you either have a coach or are using an online training platform such; Zwift, Trainerroad, Sufferfest, etc. If you have a coach almost every workout you are given should be based around your FTP with some rides being just easy spinning. If you are using an online platform I would advise some caution. A lot of those “FTP builder” programs are pretty intense and rarely build in rest and recovery. A few tried and true time trial workouts are…
Sample FTP building workouts
1. 3x10 minute FTP intervals: Warm up, and then target ~95% of your FTP for 10 minutes with 5 minutes rest between intervals.
2. 3x15 minute FTP intervals: Warm up, and then target ~95% of your FTP for 15 minutes with 8 minutes rest between intervals.
3. 2x20 minute FTP intervals: Warm up, and then target ~90% of your FTP for 20 minutes with 5 minutes rest between intervals.
Bonus Workout: Sweetspot training. You may have heard this term and wondered what are sweetspot intervals. Sweetspot is 88%-93% of your FTP. It stresses your body enough to reap some solid physiological benefits but does not require a large amount of rest. The 2x20 minute workout is a sweetspot workout.
“For more workouts and information about building a successful training plan reach out to us! We will be happy to help.”
Common misconceptions:
Having a higher FTP means you’re faster: FTP is just a number. If your FTP is 300 but you’re 200 pounds, you’re still slow (sorry not sorry). What you really need to improve is your watts per kilo. This is your power to weight ratio. There are 3 ways to change your power to weight ratio. Gain watts, weight stays the same. Watts stay the same, weight decreases. Lastly and ideally, gain watts, weight decreases. Also keep in mind that aerodynamics matter. Higher output athletes will be faster on flatter courses because aero drag matters more than weight while lighter athletes who may not have a high FTP will be better suited to hilly courses.
Using the same tools for measuring: Yes- at this point you have a trainer that gives you a power output BUT you don’t race on that trainer (unless it’s virtual). Therefore you should be taking the reading from your power meter on your bike, if you have one. Give a triathlete two sets of data from their bike power meter and trainer power meter and I’d bet any amount of money they’ll take the one that gives them a higher FTP. Take the number from the tool you use to race...always.
Your FTP will increase as fast as a pure cyclist: Ah lucky cyclists, they never have to run. Running in no way improves your cycling, in fact it’s a detriment. This is why triathlon is hard. Don’t compare yourself to a cyclist and wonder why their FTP is increasing much faster than yours, because all they do is ride. Keep in mind that if you have a hard ride or an FTP test as well as a run on the same day (which you should because you’re a triathlete) you should be on the bike first to get the most out of your legs. Running first will tax your aerobic system but more importantly it will tax your muscles making the ride or test less than optimal.
A coach once told me “your FTP can never be high enough” and truer words have never been spoken. No matter where you are in your triathlon journey there is always room for improvement and there is always work to be done! Working with a coach or using some training tools to track your progress is key for athletes at all levels. A miscalculation can mean you’re literally just spinning the wheels and not getting the most out of your training. Having an accurate FTP and a coach to properly create specific workouts for you will yield massive benefits.
“A coach once told me “your FTP can never be high enough””
Ben Rotherham
Head Coach, Mission Multisport