WEEK 8 - FTP test thread
I'm starting this thread early because I ended up with an impromptu FTP test during my 2x20' bike workout today. It was a great result that put me very close to my last season-high and almost back to 4 w/kg.
It didn't start out as a test...in fact, I woke up thinking I'd bag the ride today, and of course decided to implement the "just do the warmup" protocol. The workout was 2x20'(4'). I already knew I'd have to postpone the brick run due to some conference calls.
My FTP going into today was 232 (tested), but I knew there was certainly some upside… I usually hammer out 2x12' and 2x15' at about 241-243 or so, maybe high 230's if I'm not feeling very good. Last week's 2x20'(4') was at about 235 or so.
After a 10' warmup and with "Extreme Alaska" on the National Geographic channel I hit the first 20' interval without any expectations. And in fact I started off averaging 236 watts for the first 5', so in other words not a stellar number.
Slowly but surely the power crept up and by 2/3 of the way through the first 20' I was sitting on low 240's lap average power and not feeling too bad. HR was in control, I was in the aerobars almost the entire time, and I knew that, at the least, the workout would finish well. By the end of the 20' I knew I had a good shot at holding low 240's for the next 20', so made the call to truncate the recovery to 2' and get a few watts FTP bump – assuming low 242-245 for the second 20' I figured I'd end up with about 239-241, which would be a nice bump and thus legitimately "count" as my week 8 test.
So into the next 20' I go, and I'm feeling okay and not looking at the dial too much…just trying to get into a groove and watch the show on TV. Pretty quickly I see I'm in the high 240's so I realize this could be a really good FTP bump. So I start pushing. By the end of the first 8' or 9' I'm sitting at 249 lap average power and decide I'm not going to let it go down. The number is flipping between 249 and 250 for a while and I'm starting to tire. Now it's gametime, and I'm coming out of the bars. I decide I'll let myself do 1' out of the bars for every 2' in the bars, and that pretty quickly becomes 2'/2'. Then for the last 5' it's time to rock, and I'm determined to get that lap average from 249 to 250 (boy that's hard when you're 15 mins in and trying to "average up"). The last 5' was probably 3.5' out of the bars just getting to the end. A great negative split!
Overall a new FTP of 244, which is significantly beyond my expectations of high 230s. It is my highest-ever indoor test by almost 10 watts, and only 4 watts below my best of 248 tested outdoors last spring (actually my FTP probably got higher than that last summer but I flatted during my only summer test). I'm up a bit weight-wise from last year…hovering in the 138-140lb range, so that puts me at 3.84-3.90 w/kg. Not bad at all for Week #8 of the outseason.
And the best part? My 2x20' next week won't be a test!!!!! (actually, I'm thinking about trying the 5/10/20 protocol and comparing results…we'll see).
Overall FTP calculated: 244
Interval #1: NP 242 (5-min segments: 236, 242, 244, 248), VI 1.00, HR 158/173, cad 92
Recovery: AP 136
Interval #2: NP 250 (5-min segments: 246, 251, 247, 257), VI 1.00, HR 174/184, cad 94
Oh, and warmup of 10' easy, and 6' remainder time @ 211 watts to finish it out for 60' total.
Comparison to my week #1 test…higher power at lower HR despite a warmer room…all good…
| Week #7 | Week #1 | |
| NP | 244 | 232 |
| AP | 242 | 230 |
| Avg HR | 164 | 171 |
| Max HR | 184 | 187 |
| Avg cad | 92 | 95 |
| Avg temp | 69.3 | 65.3 |
| Steady-state temp | 71.6 | 68 |
| * Note: no fan in the room | ||
0
Comments
Great Job.
Matt - Super test. You're gonna be really fast come Spring. Engaging,detailed report. Thanks for sharing.
I would have swapped bikes already, but since I tested on my Madone, I don't want to change the bike variable before I retest? Does that make sense, or am I over thinking?
Actually I'd do the opposite and test on your tri bike. You will lose comparability with the week 1 test, but -- more importantly -- your zones will be appropriate to the tri bike that you're training on.
@Matt - Great test results!!
@ Matt and Dino - I recently purchased my first tri bike and was holding off swapping it out until after I tested for the same reasons you mentioned Dino. But Matt, you have me rethinking...setting my zones for the tri bike makes perfect sense...
BTW- Great test Matt! Thats quite a nice FTP bump for the first 8 weeks of OS.
I'm going to test next Sunday at my Computrainer class. It is the end of an 8 week class and we do a test. We do 2 x 20' (5') then take 95% of the best 20' effort. Slightly different than either method Steve mentions. Who knows which method is better. But since I've tested twice before using the Computrainer method (and seen results go from 236 to 260) I'll stick with it for now. I simply trust the reslut more than the readings I got off the Lemond trainer at my gym that I've been doing my OS rides on.
old - 235
new - 247
nothing fancy, just started above old FTP, held it, then hit the breakaway hammer too soon (with 10' to go), but held on and the finish line showed up before the nuts and bolts really started flying!
last test was a real sufferfest. this one i may have left a couple of watts out on. Last' year's race watts was 220, aiming for 225
40min broken down into 10min blocks:
1. zone 4.3
2. zone 5.0
3. zone 6.0
4. zone 6.0
Average heart rate 162, maximum 169 compared to Test Week 1, average HR 161 with max of 172 (road bike)
No real significant bump or decline in HR to speak of, but given I was able to maintain the higher zones with a consistent cadence and even bumped into bigger gear for last 10min block, I definitely noted an improvement in my overall bike fitness!!
Bring on the VO2 work... *gulp*
Using 20, 2, 20 protocol. Week 1 test was 182. This week @ 196 so not bad jump. The test went much better that the first with a negative split. first 20 averaged 187 and the last 20 avg was 216.
Enrique
I totally messed mine up this morning. Jumped on the bike, not really into it, and warmed up. This is my first test alone this season and I've been really digging suffering with others around but the legs started to respond pretty quick. 10min into the warm up and I was at 70% with no effort. Ok, test time. I put on the Sufferfest Extra Shot, 20min workout, with the plan of taking the 2min recovery to reset the vid. After the first time through the workout I hit LAP on the watch and nothing happened. I changed screens and realized that I didn't record the first 20min!! Nooooo! OK, tried to shake it off and started the 2nd 20min video but couldn't think of a good way to rectify the situation. Got 5min into the workout and decided to stretch and hit the foam roller.
I've been in compression all day and am planning on stretching and rolling again this evening and taking another shot at the test tomorrow night. Based on how the workouts have been lately I'm not expecting much of a bump but it will likely be more of a validation of my current numbers. Oh well.
Also saw a bump in my 3' power from 303 to 314. Still plenty of room in that attic!
This was just our first step to our 'A' race. Let's re-focus for the next phase.
Conducted my bike FTP test today. I'm currently using Trainerroad (virtual power) and I had previously done one other bike test 6 weeks ago but I used their 5/10/20min test (I also used my roadbike)...today...I should have chosen their FreeRide program but selected the Eichorn which is a 2x20 but with a 5min. recovery segment....I figured I would just start my second interval after 2min recovery and end the segment 3 min. early...in theory this work fine as far as the work goes...but it somewhat messes up the NP/FTP calculation because TrainerRoad give you the Avg. for their prescribed 20min. segments...so by starting the second one early and ending early I mess up the avg. data for the second workset......also you get an NP for the warm up and cooldown segments as well... Not a total wash...but just something I need to not do again.... My FTP for this test ended up probably close/few points higher (4-5) than my first test 6 weeks ago (my first power test ever)...but I am pleased by the result for the following reasons: 1.) I rode my tri bike v road bike...and my understanding is that you tend to push lower watts with a tri bike on trainer than road bike...and 2.) this test was the full 2x20 v my first was the 5/10/20 protocol...
Very cool ...I was able to download the tcx file from Trainerroad into Training Peaks WKO then slice out the test minutes...to get the Normalized FTP for the test...240..which as I noted was slightly belwo the 242 of my first test ...but because this was the full blown 20/2/20 I feel it is a better representation...I could have pushed much harder knowing I only had 1x20 segment as in the 5/10/20 protocol (which I might repeat for fun on my Tribike just to see how it goes)...all in all pleased with the week so far...can't wait to do the run!
Question - with the weather improving i could do the run test on local track....my first test was on the TM....should I stick with the TM or move it outside?
The answer is where I'd do the test.
Joe that's a confusing way to get there but nice work.
Did FTP test today. Outside on Tri bike 20/2/20 format. Not the bump I was hoping for only riding but here at the numbers
1/2/2012 2/21/2012 Dif
First 20' NP 219 224 5
2' Rest 147 115 -32
Second 20' 227 238 11
AP 218 224 6
NP 221 229 8
So FTP is up 8 W for an increase of ~ 6%. Was hoping for a double digit rise but will take any increase I can get.