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FTP in cycling is the measure of your power output. Here’s everything you need to know about FTP testing, training, and how to improve yours.
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What is FTP in Cycling?
Cycling is a sport that’s growing rapidly in popularity. Part of the appeal is the plethora of data that’s now available to track your progress. One metric that’s often used in cycling is FTP, or Functional Threshold Power.
So, what is FTP in cycling? FTP is the maximal power that you can sustain for an hour and it’s a good predictor of race performance. Your FTP can be affected by a variety of factors, including genetics, training history, and even recovery status.
There are a few different ways to test your FTP. The most common is the 20-minute power test, where you ride as hard as you can for 20 minutes and then calculate your average power output for the duration of the test.
You can also do an incremental test, which starts at a low intensity and then increases every 3-5 minutes until you can no longer hold the required power output. This method is more accurate but also more challenging both mentally and physically.
Once you have your FTP number, you can use it to structure your training rides. For example, if your goal is to improve sprinting power, you would want to do intervals that are at or above your FTP. On the other hand, if your goal is endurance, you would want to ride at a lower intensity (but not too low!) that’s closer to 50-60% of your FTP.
There are a number of apps and software programs that will help you track and monitor your cycling progress, including Strava, TrainingPeaks, and Golden Cheetah. These tools can be extremely helpful in monitoring your progress and setting new goals.
How can You Improve Your FTP?
There are a variety of ways you can go about improving your FTP. One popular method is to do structured workouts that are specific to increasing your FTP. These workouts typically involve riding at or near your FTP for extended periods of time followed by short rests. Doing these types of workouts on a regular basis will gradually help to increase your FTP.
In addition to structured workouts, another way to improve your FTP is to simply ride more. The more time you spend on the bike, the better your body will become at handling and recovering from high intensity efforts. This means that over time, you will be able to ride at a higher intensity for longer periods of time before fatigue sets in.
Last but not least, another way to help improve your FTP is to make sure that you are eating and sleeping well. Eating a nutritious diet and getting adequate rest will help ensure that your body has the energy and recovery resources it needs to adapt to the stresses of hard training rides.
The Benefits of a Higher FTP
There are many benefits to having a higher FTP, or Functional Threshold Power. First, you’ll be able to ride at a higher intensity for longer periods of time. This can help you improve your endurance and stamina, meaning you’ll be able to ride harder and longer during races and training rides.
In addition, a high FTP will help you better handle high-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT is a type of workouts that alternates between short bursts of very high-intensity effort and recovery periods. It’s an extremely effective way to improve your cycling performance, but it’s also very demanding on your body. Having a high FTP will help you recover more quickly from these types of workouts so that you can do them more often and see even greater gains in your fitness.
Finally, a strong FTP can make you a more powerful rider overall. That’s because FTP is directly related to watts per kilogram (W/kg). This measures how much power you can produce relative to your body weight. The higher your W/kg, the less resistance you’ll encounter when riding and the faster you’ll be able to go.
If you’re looking to improve your FTP, there are a few things you can do. First, make sure you’re including some HIIT in your training rides. This will help increase the amount of power your mitochondria can produce and improve your ability to use oxygen efficiently. You should also focus on gradually increasing the length and intensity of your endurance rides so that your body gets used to riding at higher intensities for extended periods of time.
How to Train for a Higher FTP
Functional Threshold Power, or FTP, is the average power output you can maintain for a one-hour effort. Most cyclists find that they can ride at about 95 percent of their FTP for one hour, so it’s also a good measure of your one-hour power output.
FTP is usually tested by riding as hard as you can for 20 minutes and then multiplying that number by 0.95. The average power output from that 20-minute effort is your FTP.
There are a few different ways to train for a higher FTP. One is to do threshold intervals, which are slightly longer and harder than your regular intervals. For example, if you normally do 5-minute intervals at 90 percent of your FTP, you would do 6-minute intervals at 95 percent of your FTP for threshold intervals.
Another way to train for a higher FTP is to do sweet spot intervals. These are done at 88-93 percent of your FTP and are shorter than threshold intervals, but still quite challenging.
You can also do tempo efforts, which are ridden at about 85-90 percent of your FTP. Tempo efforts are a good way to increase your endurance without going into the red zone and overtraining.
Finally, you can do VO2 max intervals, which are short (1-3 minutes), very hard efforts done at 104-108 percent of your FTP. VO2 max intervals help to improve your anaerobic capacity and increase your FTP.
The Science Behind FTP
Cycling is a sport that relies heavily on aerobic endurance. A key metric that cyclists use to gauge their aerobic endurance is their functional threshold power, or FTP.
FTP is the highest average power that a rider can sustain for an hour, and it is a good predictor of a rider’s potential for longer endurance events. Because of this, cyclists often use FTP tests to track their progress and see if they are on track to reach their goals.
There are a few different ways to measure FTP, but the most common method is to use a power meter to track your output over the course of an all-out effort that lasts around an hour. This can be done by riding alone or in a group, and it is generally best to do it on a flat or rolling course.
Once you have your FTP number, you can use it to set training zones and goal wattages for future rides and races. Most importantly, racing or riding at or near your FTP will help you become a better and more efficient cyclist.
The Importance of FTP
FTP, or Functional Threshold Power, is a measure of a cyclists’ aerobic capacity and endurance. It’s the highest average power that a rider can maintain for an extended period of time, and is expressed in watts.
The power output of world-class professional cyclists is truly astounding. For example, Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali averaged 430 watts during his winning ride in stage 12 of the 2014 Tour. That’s almost 6 watts/kg of bodyweight!
FTP is an important metric for any cyclist, from amateur to professional, because it provides a benchmark to measure improvements in aerobic fitness. By tracking changes in FTP over time, cyclists can gauge their progress and set training goals accordingly.
There are a number of ways to improve FTP. The most effective method is to participate in structured training rides and races that are specifically designed to increase FTP. These rides typically involve sustaining a high level of intensity for an extended period of time (45 minutes to 2 hours or more). By doing this on a regular basis, cyclists can gradually increase their FTP over time.
Other methods of improving FTP include weight training, cross-training (e.g., swimming), and taking advantage of technological aids such as power meters and heart rate monitors.
The Different Types of FTP Training
There are different types of FTP training that can help you to improve your results on the bike. Here is a look at some of the most popular methods:
Intervals: This type of training involves riding at a high intensity for a set period of time, followed by a period of rest. This type of training helps to improve your anaerobic capacity and can be very effective for improving your FTP.
Tempo rides: These are rides that are performed at a moderate intensity for a longer period of time. Tempo rides help to improve your endurance and can be a great way to build up your base level of fitness.
VO2 max intervals: These intervals involve riding at a very high intensity for a short period of time. They are designed to help improve your VO2 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen that your body can utilize during exercise.
The Pros and Cons of FTP Training
FTP, or functional threshold power, is the highest average power you can maintain for one hour. It’s a common benchmark that cyclists use to measure their endurance and performance.
There are a few different ways to train for FTP. Some people use a power meter to track their wattage and make sure they’re working at the right intensity. Others use heart rate monitors or perceived exertion to gauge their level of effort.
There are pros and cons to each method of training, but the bottom line is that FTP training can be beneficial for both beginner and experienced cyclists. If you’re new to the world of cycling, FTP training can help you build up your endurance and improve your overall performance. If you’re more experienced, FTP training can be a great way to push yourself and break through plateaus.
One of the biggest benefits of FTP training is that it forces you to ride at a consistent pace. This is important because it allows you to better gauge your efforts and track your progress over time. It also makes it easier to compare your performance with other cyclists who are using the same method of training.
However, there are some drawbacks to FTP training as well. One of the biggest complaints is that it can be monotonous riding at the same pace for an extended period of time. It can also be difficult to find the motivation to keep pushing yourself when you’re not seeing any immediate results.
If you’re considering FTP training, it’s important to talk with your coach or trainer to see if it’s right for you. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to cycling, so what works for someone else might not work for you. The most important thing is that you find a method oftraining that helps you reach your goals and makes you happy in the process.
The Best FTP Training Programs
The fastest way to improve your FTP is to focus on specific workouts that are designed to increase your power output. Here are three of the best FTP training programs:
1. The Sufferfest
2. Trainerroad
3. Zwift
The Worst FTP Training Programs
There are a few terrible FTP training programs out there. Here’s a list of the worst ones:
1. The “Just pedal harder” program: This is the program where you just go out and pedal as hard as you can, regardless of how you feel. This is a surefire way to not only not improve your FTP, but also to burn yourself out and possibly get injured.
2. The “Go as long as you can” program: This is the program where you try to ride for as long as possible, regardless of intensity. This might help you increase your endurance, but it won’t do anything for your FTP.
3. The “Spin until you puke” program: This is the program where you go out and spin at a very high cadence until you can’t spin anymore, then collapse in a heap of exhausted puking. Again, this might help you increase your endurance, but it’s not going to help your FTP. In fact, it could actually hurt it.
4. The “Go anaerobic every day” program: This is the program where you go out and ride at such a high intensity that you’re constantly in anaerobic territory. This might help you raise your lactate threshold, but it’s not going to help your FTP. In fact, it could actually hurt it.
5. The “Crosstrain until you’re injured” program: This is the program where you crosstrain so much that you eventually get injured. This doesn’t help your FTP at all, and can actually set back your training significantly.
