USING THE CYCLEOPS POWERCAL FOR A TSS BASED TRAINING PROGRAMME CycleOps’ new PowerCal is an intelligent heart rate sensor that calculates power based on the response of heart rate to effort during cycling. This relationship has been extensively studied and validated by CycleOps in conjunction with the University of Colorado in the US. PowerCal is a low-cost option for athletes entering the world of power-based training, but not quite ready to invest in a fully-fledged power meter. It is simple to set up and use and comes with a pre-loaded power algorithm derived from thousands of data files collected during the team’s research. The algorithm is robust enough for the device to be used with confidence without individual calibration. But since nobody exactly matches ‘Mr or Ms Average’, the indicated power and other metrics such as Intensity Factor (IF), Training Stress Score (TSS) and energy expenditure may vary between individuals and may also differ from the absolute measurement of these metrics on a true power meter like CycleOps’ Power Tap. For this reason PowerCal should not be used to compare the metrics between individuals since the tool is intended to be inwardly focused and to present data that allows you to compare you with you as you progress along your training programme – similar to a HR monitor, but more comprehensive and power-focussed ! PowerCal is tailor made for all those athletes who are discovering the huge advantages of TSS based training, because it is possible to benchmark the TSS calculation to ensure that the TSS readings are both consistent and pretty accurate as you get fitter. This derives from the definition of TSS itself, being that one hour of maximal effort will always score 100 TSS points ! Remember that by definition TSS allows a level playing field from athlete to athlete – so Bradley Wiggins at 100 % effort will score the same TSS as anybody else. Of course he’ll be able to go a bit further and a bit faster (because he can sustain a higher power output for longer), but the TSS score will be the same. Using this feature of TSS allows us to regularly benchmark PowerCal by manually adjusting the FTP value entered into your CycleOps Joule head-unit (if using one) or the Power Agent software. This will automatically adjust the TSS calculation. On a regular maximum effort test protocol the procedure is simple ! 1. Find a 20 min hill or indoor trainer that will allow you to work for 20 minutes at maximum effort. 2. Warm up thoroughly. 3. Begin a new ‘activity’ in PowerCal to commence your 20 minute max effort (or start an interval). 4. After the effort download the activity/interval data into Power Agent and open the activity. 5. Select the ‘Summary’ tab and thereafter the ‘Work’ tab. 6. In the ‘FTP’ field manually adjust the FTP value until the TSS calculates as 35. 7. Why 35 ? 35X3=105 per hour - 95 % of this is 100, which is the standard ‘rule of thumb’ for calculating FTP from a 20 minute test. 8. The FTP value so determined, even though it may not be an ‘absolute’ figure as measured on an ergometer, will allow PowerCal to generate consistent TSS and IF calculations based on your state of fitness at the time – much better than an arbitrarily entered value based on previous measurements or assumptions. If using PowerCal, use only this FTP value and don’t worry about comparisions – after all the device is intended for you versus you, not anybody else ! 9. Remember that as you get fitter your FTP should increase. If you don’t adjust for this your TSS readings will be too high, lulling you into a false sense of security ! For this reason do regular (say every 4 weeks) protocol tests as above and to adjust your PowerCal FTP to benchmark the TSS calculation to your current fitness level. 10. For those not yet familiar with the TSS regime, here are some typical TSS benchmarks: · 1 hour maximal effort : 100 · 94.7 Cycle Challenge at racing pace: 200-230 · Typical ABSA Cape Epic stage: 350-400 · 24 hour MTB race: 1000 · Max weekly training target - Elite cyclist : 1 500 · Typical ‘weekend warrior’ training week in season: 500 11. For further reading of TSS check out Hunter Allan and Dr Andrew Coggan’s pioneering work on this unique concept.
