VO2 / FTP testing question

David Leventhal

Once we are out of the OS portion of an IM Training plan, I am not seeing any VO2 / z6 intervals on the bike.  why do we still do the 5 min. VO2 test?  Is it just to tire my legs for the 20 minute FTP test to keep all things equal?  Is there a reason we don't always do the 20 minute test 1st and then the 5 minute can be dropped in season?  just curious...

 

Darren Freeman

Sean, below is the wiki page for the 5/20 FTP test. Prior to the 5/20 test being created the method to determine FTP was to grind at your FTP for 1 hour (there wasn't a VO2 part to the test). The 1 hour test is more mentally and physically taxing if you have ever done an FTP test that way. The 5/20 test produces a very close approximation of the 1 hour test with nearly half the effort plus it is less taxing on the body and requires less recovery time. Yes, you are right. The 5 min VO2 is always done before the 20 min FTP interval and is to tire the legs for preparation going into the 20 minute test and is also a reference point to estimate your FTP. The 5 min VO2 part of the test does not pertain to what takes place in the training plan but is just part of the test.

When calculating your FTP, just remember to subtract 5% from your 20 min FTP value (or multiply it by 0.95) to get your approximate 1 hour FTP value. If you have done the 5/20 test correctly, your 5 min VO2 value should be about 120% of your 1 hour FTP or somewhere close to that.

The reason you aren't seeing as many VO2s in the IM plan is because the focus of the plan changes from the out season. The out season is about increasing your FTP though high intensity, low volume sessions while the IM training plans are about maintaining your FTP with lower intensity, high volume sessions. You can have FTP gains while in the IM plan however the focus is high volume at that point by increasing the mileage.

http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Wiki/tabid/91/Default.aspx?topic=Testing+for+Power+Athletes

I hope that help!

jaleslie

Yes...the idea is that a true "gold standard" FTP test is one hour as hard as you can (Coach R always says, "like a dude on a motorcycle is riding alongside you with a gun to your head if you slow down)....which SUCKS and takes a long time and therefore requires more recovery.  There are other shorter tests, which have been proven to be pretty accurate, that don't take as much time.  

You can do 2 x 20min with 2min rest/spinning in between the two sets, and take your Pnorm from that as your FTP.  Or, you can do the 5/10/20 test, that the coaches recommend.  The 5 min all out gives you your VO2 (which should ideally be ~20% higher than your FTP) and also serves to "fatigue" you so that the 20min FTP test is not too high (you certainly would have a higher number if you started with the 20' FTP test and it would definitely be higher than a 60' FTP effort, right?).  During that 5min VO2 all out session, you supposedly "burn out" your fast twitch fibers, etc.  So, you do NOT want to do it in reverse order...you would overestimate your FTP....and then not be able to run!  

I have done the 5/10/20 and then 20/2/20 and found them to be pretty similar in results.  I prefer the 20/2/20 when testing outside, but on the trainer I do the 5/10/20....just my $0.02 though. 

Don't forget if you do the 5/10/20 to subtract 5% from your 20min Pnorm 

gopetego

Not much to add. The posts below cover it.

I just wanted to add that I prefer the 20/2/20 test for outdoor testing (following the OS) vs the 5/10/20 test (good for OS on trainer) since it is hard to find a road where I can go all out for 5 minutes without having to stop (traffic, lights, etc.) or worry about potholes, etc. Its just a safer outdoor test IMHO. And once I'm "in-season" I prefer an outdoor test anyway since it better mimics race day environment.

MattAaronson

Personally I use the 20/2/20 protocol for all FTP testing other than the first test of the OS where my endurance isn't good enough to do long intervals.