Where do you do your FTP?

[rouxtjie]

Oh and to the OP....any place that has a wattbike is where I do mine...every 6 - 8 weeks. It has a built in FTP and MMP test

['Dale]

Why?

 

I dont even wear my HR belt anymore...

 

It is one way to track progress, rouxtjie.

 

Forcing more power through the pedals over time with the same HR

(moving to another power zone while remaining in the same HR zone)

 

If you can, read some on 'decoupling'

Edited April 23, 2014 by ' Dale

[rouxtjie]

It is one way to track progress, rouxtjie.

 

Forcing more power through the pedals over time with the same HR

(moving to another power zone while remaining in the same HR zone)

 

If you can, read some on 'decoupling'

Ta thanks Dale, I understand why now...for me though, and this is why I do the test every 8 weeks or so is to measure my FTP. Plain and simple. Can I sustain more "hurt" for the same set parameters(time / environment / trainer). Hence HR not being in the equation. If my FTP number goes up...happy days.

 

The other side of the equation is of course weight.... And to be honest those are the only two things I worry about.

['Dale]

Ta thanks Dale, I understand why now...for me though, and this is why I do the test every 8 weeks or so is to measure my FTP. Plain and simple. Can I sustain more "hurt" for the same set parameters(time / environment / trainer). Hence HR not being in the equation. If my FTP number goes up...happy days.

 

The other side of the equation is of course weight.... And to be honest those are the only two things I worry about.

 

Yeah, that's another way to measure improvement.

The simplest.

 

(how deep does the power training rabbit hole go?)

[rouxtjie]

Yeah, that's another way to measure improvement.

The simplest.

 

(how deep does the power training rabbit hole go?)

sure...and also maybe a trap in the sense that you get caught up in too many numbers. I have seen huge gains since I moved away from HR training and focused on FTP power to weight ratio. Simple and easy to measure. You train / eat less / *** more.....measure. Works for me.

 

The power number's accuracy itself is meaningless....it might as well say 10000000 jigawatts. As long as its constant...

Edited April 23, 2014 by rouxtjie

['Dale]

sure...and also maybe a trap in the sense that you get caught up in too many numbers. I have seen huge gains since I moved away from HR training and focused on FTP power to weight ratio. Simple and easy to measure. You train / eat less / *** more.....measure. Works for me.

 

Yes, it can get highly technical.

Some like it. They're called power geeks.

 

Something like:

Studying past power files of your races.

Look at peak power, IF of the race, etc.

Then set the measurement unit up and simulate the race, match or exceed the IF, and so on and so on.

Interesting stuff.

[rouxtjie]

Yes, it can get highly technical.

Some like it. They're called power geeks.

 

Something like:

Studying past power files of your races.

Look at peak power, IF of the race, etc.

Then set the measurement unit up and simulate the race, match or exceed the IF, and so on and so on.

Interesting stuff.

Yea lots and lots of interesting and technical stuff around the subject....gotta love max power....means jack. Sure you can kick out 1600 Watts at a 1sec peak...but what can you sustain for 20min and 1 hour and you weigh 100kg...so that is why you are sucking the girl in front of you's wheel

 

Cycling is a wordsum.

Edited April 23, 2014 by rouxtjie

[NotSoBigBen]

Yea lots and lots of interesting and technical stuff around the subject....gotta love max power....means jack. Sure you can kick out 1600 Watts at a 1sec peak...but what can you sustain for 20min and 1 hour and you weigh 100kg...so that is why you are sucking the girl in front of you's wheel

 

Cycling is a wordsum.

 

In my limited experience that 'fatness' number is the most important - the rest only matters once you have that under control .......

['Dale]

Check this out, Rouxtjie... For the power geek deep inside you.

After George Hincapie's power data was studied from Paris-Roubaix I think.

He came in at 6th some year.

 

***

 

Workouts to prepare you for the Spring Classics.

 

(If you want to really simulate the races… do these after about 5 hours in your legs….)

 

Hill repeats:

• Warm-up: 15 minutes, just getting the muscles loosened up.
  
• Main Set: Let's make this ride a very hilly one, or simulating hills, by riding into the wind.
  
• Let's shoot for 20 hills; they can range from 30 seconds to 2 minutes in length. Do these as part of your ride, not necessarily repeating the same hill over and over (although, that's fine if want). Set a goal to average over 150% of your FTP over each one. The legs should be burning at the top of each!
  
• Rest for 2-3 minutes between each…. and ride easy afterward.
  
• Cool -down: 15 minutes easy.
  

Anaerobic Repeats:

• Warm-Up: 20 minutes warm-up
  
• Main Set: Then do (6) x 2 minutes striving for 135% of your FTP with 1 minute rest between each,
  
• Then 5 minutes easy,
  
• Then 6 x 1 minute, striving for 150% of your FTP with 1 minute rest,
  
• Then 5 minutes easy
  
• and finish with 6 x 30 seconds ALL out with 1 minute rest…..
  
• Cool Down: Cool down for 15 minutes of easy spinning.
  

(from Hunter Allen)

Edited April 23, 2014 by ' Dale

[rouxtjie]

Check this out, Rouxtjie

After George Hincapie's power data was studied from Paris-Roubaix I think.

He came in at 6th some year.

 

***

 

Workouts to prepare you for the Spring Classics.

 

(If you want to really simulate the races… do these after about 5 hours in your legs….)

Hill repeats:

• Warm-up: 15 minutes, just getting the muscles loosened up.
  
• Main Set: Let's make this ride a very hilly one, or simulating hills, by riding into the wind.
  
• Let's shoot for 20 hills; they can range from 30 seconds to 2 minutes in length. Do these as part of your ride, not necessarily repeating the same hill over and over (although, that's fine if want). Set a goal to average over 150% of your FTP over each one. The legs should be burning at the top of each!
  
• Rest for 2-3 minutes between each…. and ride easy afterward.
  
• Cool -down: 15 minutes easy.
  

Anaerobic Repeats:

• Warm-Up: 20 minutes warm-up
  
• Main Set: Then do (6) x 2 minutes striving for 135% of your FTP with 1 minute rest between each,
  
• Then 5 minutes easy,
  
• Then 6 x 1 minute, striving for 150% of your FTP with 1 minute rest,
  
• Then 5 minutes easy
  
• and finish with 6 x 30 seconds ALL out with 1 minute rest…..
  
• Cool Down: Cool down for 15 minutes of easy spinning.
  
• Inject 20cc of EPO
  

Are they smoking tik?

 

PS they forgot the last part, I fixed it

['Dale]

Are they smoking tik?

 

PS they forgot the last part, I fixed it

 

 

:lol:

[BarHugger]

...even more simple.....

 

Power is the rate at which work is done (work/time). In physics, a force is said to do work when it acts on a body, and there is a displacement of the point of application in the direction of the force. The SI unit of work is newton-metre or joule (J). A joule is equal to the energy expended (or work done) in applying a force of one newton through a distance of one metre (1 newton metre or N·m). The SI unit of power is the watt (W), which is equal to one joule per second. The same amount of work is done when carrying a load up a flight of stairs whether the person carrying it walks or runs, but more power is needed for running because the work is done in a shorter amount of time.

 

So what does this boil down to in practice:

Identify a very steep hill....something like 100m climb in 1km (there is a nice one in Waterkloof - 70m in 1km). Ride it as hard as you can and measure your time to complete it. That is your benchmark (maximum capacity). Take the time and calculate various intensities (70%, 80%, 90%, etc. of time) to train at riding the hill. Follow training program and do re-test every three to four weeks. IF YOU CAN DO THE HILL (same distance and elevation gain) IN A SHORTER TIME, YOU HAVE INCREASED YOUR POWER CAPACITY.

 

Also, to increase power you can do more work in the same time.....in other words get stronger (muscle strength) by riding a heavy load (heavy bike with loaded camelbak with girlfriend on handle bars) up same hill equalling best time.

 

The shorter the ride the more the anaerobic power, the longer the ride the more the aerobic power.

 

Now that is worth a 1000! (I ASSume)

[rouxtjie]

One problem hugger....is measurement. If you work backwards with time, you have to keep weight and conditions constant....remember its a wordsum

 

Conditions might change between when you do said hill, windy, not windy, hot or not...weight difference because you are eating more or less pies...upgrades to your bike etc so how do you accurately know your improving by just going on time....watts are constant no matter the bike, conditions or incline.

 

Its also hard to do proper power intervals outdoors because your program changes constantly so you would need to find different gradients flats and descents based in your program for the day...which is going to be a nearly impossible task

 

As a quick and dirty, I agree...ride something(a hill as in your example) and see how much faster you are riding the same hill after a couple of weeks of training...but its not the most accurate.

[rouxtjie]

PS that is why accuracy of power doesn't really mean much to me....250W, 12321312 jigawatts...whatever...as long as its consistent...that is key

[Jakkals.]

 

Anaerobic Repeats:

• Warm-Up: 20 minutes warm-up
  
• Main Set: Then do (6) x 2 minutes striving for 135% of your FTP with 1 minute rest between each,
  
• Then 5 minutes easy,
  
• Then 6 x 1 minute, striving for 150% of your FTP with 1 minute rest,
  
• Then 5 minutes easy
  
• and finish with 6 x 30 seconds ALL out with 1 minute rest…..
  
• Cool Down: Cool down for 15 minutes of easy spinning.
  

(from Hunter Allen)

 

did this about 3weeks ago.

 

I could barely turn the pedals for the last 30sec sessions.

[rouxtjie]

did this about 3weeks ago.

 

I could barely turn the pedals for the last 30sec sessions.

kotsies pappie...kotsies.