Garmin FTP Test

[Jehosefat]

Probably better to hit it as hard as you could for 20mins.

 

A pretty good ftp test is as follows on an idt:

Make sure you are well rested 3-4 days off before trying it

 

warm up thoroughly

start the interval at your current ftp setting (100%) effort and hold it there for 10 minutes (in theory you should be able to keep this up for 60mins if your FTP number is correct, so not that hard to do)

then increase your resistance by 5watts every 30 seconds for the next 10 minutes. try keep it up, it does get HARD.

 

Your average power for the 20min will give you your FTP . Reduce the total by 5% if done on an indoor trainer that produces realistic resistance, eg Direct drive trainer

Doing an outdoor FTP test is fine if you have a hill climb that lasts more than 20 mins and you can keep your power steady and increase it, but flats and downhills usually mess up your ability to keep your power at 100% or above if you are to improve your result.

 

Edit: as per Velouria comment below, reducing result is really based on a Direct Drive indoor trainer that produces realistic resistance and power wattages.

 

FTP is defined as your max 1 hour power output not 20 minutes... You subtract 5% from your 20 minute number to approximate your 1 hour output because that is the average difference. Using any 20 minute number as your FTP is an overestimate

[Bateleur1]

Thanks for all the input.  Sorry for only responding now but I am on leave this week and spend very little time on the internet.

 

WRT to the IDT.  I have a very old IDT and although I do use it in winter on occasion, I hate the thing and the worst of it is that it is not a smooth movement of the wheel on it.  I must buy a new one at some time but that will still be a while before I get to that point.  So I am stuck with a outdoor FTP test.

 

Although I did have an improvement on my FTP I also feel that there is room for improvement.  I will investigate to get a longer piece of road to try and get a good FTP test area. 

[Jehosefat]

If you only have shorter roads, you could do the 8 minute FTP test:

Warm up

8 minutes flat out

10 minute easy recovery

8 minutes flat out

 

FTP = ((average power in first 8 minutes + average power in second 8 minutes)  /  2) * 0.9

[Li Mu Bai]

If you only have shorter roads, you could do the 8 minute FTP test:

Warm up

8 minutes flat out

10 minute easy recovery

8 minutes flat out

 

FTP = ((average power in first 8 minutes + average power in second 8 minutes)  /  2) * 0.9

yup this works too.

Watch out on going completely flat out from the start (ie over 400w) , because after 2 minutes in, the burn and leg meltdown will be complete and your power output curve will be tracking steadily down, not rising

[rudi-h]

To answer your question:

The test I described  was suggested to me through a professional cycling coach.

It was done on a Cycleops Phantom 3 indoor power trainer. It is based on a fitness value (my current FTP) that was previously established (can even be through Garmins basic test) a starting point if you wish. Holding your max power for 20 minutes steady for will also give this value.

Mentally riding at your hardest for 20minutes is difficult. If you start out too hard, after 2 minutes you will have muscle burn and 4 minutes you will be jelly and unable to keep it steady for the remainder and the test is a fail.

If you go at what you think you can manage and reach 20minute, you may well have (and most likely will have) underestimated what your actual ability is. It is easy to CHEAT such as slow down half way through to recover for a bit and then go hard again towards the end.

 

Starting out hard but steady for 10minutes, allows your mind to settle into a steady rhythm, clear all those negative thoughts of pain and suffering, stop over thinking (go meditative).

Then by raising your effort level in a sustained manner slowly for the next 10 minutes, this allows you to get beyond the point you would have assumed was your max (people hate pain - the bodys reaction to pushing the limits). There will be a point before you reach the end of the second 10minutes that you feel you absolutely cannot go harder - hold it there then and complete the test. Your end average power value is your best max value, and a pretty true reflection of what you can achieve.

 

Your heart rate will sky rocket steadily throughout the test so isnt a suitable value to consider.

 

What do you now do with this FTP value?

You use this best max value (your FTP) to train at the correct intensity, doing endurance rides, Tempo intervals, Threshold intervals, and even VO2max Intervals, to make yourself fitter (in effect if done properly, you are raising the point at which your body can clear lactic acid build up in your muscles).

You should be testing FTP every once in a while to see if your training sessions are in fact working or not. And to note improvements

 

It is important to do the test in a fresh recovered state, not after a weekend of long hard riding, as your body wont have recovered enough for the test to be accurate. Make sure you have had enough sleep too, have fueled throughout the day properly too, are not dehydrated either etc, as this will mess up your test.

 

The nice thing about using FTP is that it is YOUR PERSONAL value allowing you to train at your OWN specific level or ability, not following other peoples workout that apply only to them.

 

pm me your email address if you would like some reading info.

 

Thanks for the reply

[rudi-h]

So I just bought an edge 520+ after using a fenix 3 for the last 2 years... Did the ftp test on the edge (the fenix does not have this option) and I completed the prompted sessions, but it "could not determine ftp".

 

I set my FTP om 285 (from a precious 20 min test) and then the garmin ftp test auto-prompted me to do 4 minutes on 250W, 275W and 305W and that's where it stopped...

 

I expected at least another step-up, but it just stopped... Anyone else experienced the same "bug"?

Edited March 24, 2019 by rudi-h

[Frosty]

So I just bought an edge 520+ after using a fenix 3 for the last 2 years... Did the ftp test on the edge (the fenix does not have this option) and I completed the prompted sessions, but it "could not determine ftp".

 

I set my FTP om 285 (from a precious 20 min test) and then the garmin ftp test auto-prompted me to do 4 minutes on 250W, 275W and 305W and that's where it stopped...

 

I expected at least another step-up, but it just stopped... Anyone else experienced the same "bug"?

Also didn't work for me, but that was more than 2 years ago (FR 735XT). I haven't bothered since.

[Olivier Leclaire]

Ok, I'll bite. Why reduce the total for the indoor test?

 

There is plenty of research to indicate that doing an indoor test results in a lower value.

 

"There could be a number of reasons for this, but a good one to look to first is thermoregulation. About 75% of your body’s energy consumption when cycling goes to cooling, or maintaining your body’s temperature. When you’re outdoors this is better achieved thanks to wind and sometimes temperature. But indoors you’re reliant on a fan or another cooling mechanism to keep your body from having to work so hard to stay cool."

 

http://blog.trainerroad.com/ftp-testing-outdoors-vs-indoors/

 

Moral of the story - use an indoor FTP for indoor riding, and an outdoor FTP for riding outdoors:

 

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/adjusting-your-functional-threshold-power-for-indoor-riding/

 

If you need a video:

 

https://youtu.be/wX8zhOrsOpg

 

You ll reduce the average power simply because you compare a 20min effort test to an effort that suppose to last 1 hour. Even with the deficit in oxygen indoor, it is unlikely to keep the same power outdoor for 1 hour. I would even take 8-10% on your 20min indoor average to calculate your FTP. Most of the guys out there over-estimate it, maybe well-trained cyclists would have the capacity to maintain a higher percentage.

[Quagga]

Has anyone tried to do the Garmin FTP Test to determine their FTP?

 

I tried it this morning and felt that it was actually "difficult" in keeping the power readings between certain limits as you work through the test.  I somehow wonder if it would not have been better for a good warmup and then just hammer it flatout for 20 minutes.  I was expecting to be properly stuffed after the test.  Although I did get a new FTP value I somehow think I could do better.

 

Oh and I did it on the open road as I don't think my IDT is "smooth" enough to do a proper FTP.  I got a circuit that is fairly open and has almost no traffic to do the test.

I like the 20min FTP more. 

 

Also, set your Garmin power value to 3sec av or even 5sec as it is impossible to get the number smooth with 1sec readings