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FTP Test strategies

Joe MatchetteJoe Matchette
in General Training Discussions

Quick question -- what are some of the strategies you use to really nail the FTP test?  When I am doing my intervals, I set power zones on my 310XT so that it beeps when I am under/over-achieving.  That got me to thinking about my upcoming final test of the OS.  Should I:

- set the lower limit to my current FTP so that I at least hit that on the 2x20s?  Or lower +1% to account for the 2 min rest?

- set the lower limit to my desired FTP so that I am geting feedback if I am not hitting that power level?

- use no limits and just go for it.....which is how I did my first FTP test.... *and* do not look at the 3/30s power numbers

- some other strategy ?

Just wondering what other folks are doing.  Thanks,

Joe

Comments

  • Dave CampbellDave Campbell
    Had my best result with this approach. 1st 10 min@ 95% of old FTP number, 2nd 10 @ 100%, 2 min rest, 3rd 10 @ 100%, 4th 10 targeted 105% for the first half, then ramp it up each min by 5-10 watts. Last min just buried myself! Whatever you decide, I found it very helpful to go conservative early!! I used my Ipod with some motivating tunes and watch some TDF race Dvd's too. I think this thing has a BIG Mental aspect to it. Good Luck!
  • deleshdelesh
    I agree about not crushing yourself at the beginning. I used the strategy that was suggested by other ENers of trying to go at your current FTP for the first 20min and then trying to hold what you think your new FTP should be for the second interval with an all out effort for as long and hard as you can the last part of the second interval. And I definitely agree with Dave about the need to be mentally prepared.
  • GSmith821GSmith821

    This is from Matt Ancona back in December....



    Here is my n=1 results over the last 3 years and easily over 15 tests on the trainer. It may not work for some, but does for me.



    All of my best tests where I have exceeded my expectations or seen the best results have been paced with a "negative split" strategy.



    1st 20 - stay steady and don't do anything dumb. I stay as close to my current FTP as possible and do not exceed it during the first 15' ever. If I am really feeling great or my last FTT was not a good one, I go a little harder in the last 5'. This of course is dependent on a accurate current FTP and not a good startegy for folks new to power or the OS plan.



    For the rest I just spin super easy, no reason to try and hold any watts here



    2nd 20 - this is where the work is done. Whatever number I think my new FTP should be I now try to hold for the first 10'. This is hard but not horrible, if it is too hard then my expectations were off. I then re-assess at 10' - if feeling ok I kick it up a little, if I'm already starting to suffer I stay steady. At 15' I do the same re-assessment again and typically no matter how bad I suffered I can suck it up for the last 5' and go harder. By about 17' into the 2nd interval of a good test I'm at the point were I litterally feel like I'm about to blow up any second but somehow I usually can manage to just hold it together. The clock definitely goes backwards here and each second feels like 30.



    FWIW, I have never had a great test where the 2nd interval was lower than the first. Everytime I went even just a little to hard in the first 20', I gave back much more in the 2nd.

  • jhbinscjhbinsc

    Thx for posting this George. I agree you will never have a good test where 2nd 20 min is lower than 1st 20 min. Steady or negative split is way to go here.

  • Joe MatchetteJoe Matchette
    Thanks for the words. I hope we can get some more folks to offer up their strategies.
    @George -- can you please post the link to that thread? I searched but didn't find anything .... hence my new thread.
  • Paul ScholzPaul Scholz

    So I did my first outside FP test and am 3.5 weeks oout from my first HIM.

    I also got my new kestrel airfoil (crash replacement) last night and so put it together and went out for my test.

    Didn't really think through my strategy outside, nor had I read through much in terms of outside pacing.

    My last indoor FTP was 284.

    After 30 minute warm-up

    First 20 minutes 291 VI 1.01

    Second 20 minutes 271 VI 1.02 (had to stop at two stop lights during the second 20 minutes)

    Norm P 278 for the 42 minutes

    I really felt like it should be over 300, but I know I punched it too hard right at the start.

    On the upside the airfoil floats and is way easy to  keep steady on.

     

  • Chris GChris G

    Because I am not as smart as Matt I almost always have had a first 20 stronger than the second one.  Goes something like first 10 minutes feels hard but like it is sustainable, second 10 minutes death seems near, go into the 2 minutes thinking that there is no possible way to continue the test, hack up a lung, lots of snot etc. Start the second 20 as the thought of retesting is too painful to contemplate and it is half over, first 5 pathetic watts but hold on for the rebound, gets steadily harder but numbers get better, last 5 minutes the clock goes backward with weird mental state, finish near death.  

    Wow writing that made me realize why I have not tested on the trainer for a while.  That last few I have done have been for more of an awesome workout and/or for a sense of being part of the OS community rather than to actually collect the data.  Big fan of the 28 day chart drop off method.  The nice thing about having a bunch of experience training with power is that I could tell you my FTP within a few watts at any given time based on the numbers i have been seeing on the dial recently.

  • GSmith821GSmith821

    Here is the whole thread...

    http://members.endurancenation.us/Training/TrainingForum/tabid/215/aft/4456/Default.aspx

     

  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    All good tips!

    As most of you know...I don't do formal testing on the bike and I don't do formal intervals. I do "courses," hard climbs, etc. My venues, local to me:

    • Chantry Flats: 3.2mi @ 6%. I've been climbing this weekly, as 2-3x up the hill for probably 5yrs. First repeat I ride at an IF of 1.0. 2nd one I go as hard as I can. If I go over 1.05 IF, then I take 5% off the watts for the climb and call that my FTP. Yesterday I was 19:25, 304w, and 1.045 IF. I've had my FTP set a little too highly for the past month, as my fitness has tread water in March and I've been punishing myself. Lately I've been doing a 3rd repeat up the hill as 30/30's all the way up, though they're actually more like 35"/45": 35" so the Pnorm and IF show up on my Joule (takes at least a 30sec interval for them to show) and 45" cuz I'm recovering on a hill and this is after 40' of >1.0 IF interval work = I'm fookin' shelled.
    • Glendora Mtn Road: 8.7mi @5-6%. Takes me 38-44' to climb, depending on weight and fitness. When I finish, I ask myself "if you had to go for another 20', what do you think you would have finished with?" I usually end up subtracting about 5w.
    • "Top of Lake TT:" an urban climbing route from my house to the top of Lake Ave in Pasadena. Fun route, with both steep/punchy climbs and long climbs. 47-52' depending on weight and fitness. I do the same as with GMR, maybe subtracting about 3w.

    The worse part is because I have so much historical...history...on these climbs that anytime I get on them there's a skinnier, fitter Rich disappointed in himself. I hate that guy, hoping to kick is ass by mid June...

  • Joe MatchetteJoe Matchette

    @Chris - I can't really use the 28day chart right now.  Since 99% of my rides have been my EN workouts on the trainer, my chart has four distinct hills (if I could figure out how to paste it into this I would show you):  you can clearly see the Z1/Z2 warmup area, the Z3 'extra work' (3 bars at ~4%), Z4 intervals (3 bars at ~4%), and then my Z5 2.5/2.5s (3 bars at <1%).  I am very much looking forward to getting it done outside so I can see the chart change over time.</p>

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