What's your "real" threshold? How to set your FTP
What's your "real" threshold?
How to set your FTP
Winter is here! Many of you are indoor riding at home on platforms like Zwift while some of you have made the switch back to in-person classes. Regardless of the venue, these workouts are based off your threshold or FTP. We routinely suggest that riders should drop your FTP by at least 10 watts in the fall. The decrease in volume and lack of intensity through the fall decreases our ability to hold "race-pace" power. It's OK to decrease as we can't hold the same fitness year-round. There has to be an off-season of rebuilding. So, what's the purpose of this article? Well, maybe 10 watts is not enough.
This year we changed our program to include more Zone 3 (sub threshold/FTP) in the first 8 week block. New research has demonstrated that learning to re-use lactate while riding is a trainable adaptation. While many endorsed this new direction, it required a rider's threshold to be dialled in. If it was set-up too high, your legs would explode and a 3-5 minute set at 90% would feel like 110%. So, was 10 watts enough?
Background, What is your FTP?
By definition, your threshold or Functional Threshold Power (FTP), is the power you can sustain for one hour. The true test is called the "Hour of Power." After this test, the power that you average for 60 min is your true FTP. There are some deviations in this field assessment such taking 95% of your best 20 min effort. Powerful and more fast-twitch riders can usually only hold their FTP for about 45 min. They are the sprinters! Elite endurance riders can hold their FTP up to 90 min or even longer due to their excellent buffering ability and lactate recycling. These are the riders and runners that win events such as marathons, 160+ km rides and multi-day stage races.
What Happened? The Reckoning
Well the 10 watt decrease was not enough! Many riders were having trouble holding 5 min at 90% of their FTP. Why is that? Here are a list of reasons:
-the last threshold test was several years ago.
-the FTP was set from last April after months of indoor interval training
-they have not ridden consistently since August
-they had a cold/flu a few times during the summer or fall
The Solution
The easy solution was to do the hour of power after the first class or a 20 min all-out effort. However, this is generally not received well by the participants! They are here to ride and feel good about themselves. So, no one wants to come to class and get tested especially after a sedentary fall. Secondly, how much to you drop it?
In-class Lactate Testing. We used the simplicity of a lactate test during the class to gauge if your FTP was set correctly. As noted in previous blog articles, a lactate around 2.0 mmol/L is associated with an aerobic effort and 4.0 mmol/L is associated with your FTP. Zone 3 should around 3.0 mmol/L. If you were above 4.0 mmol/L for a Zone 3 workout, your FTP is too high. A simple check.
10 watts or 10%?
The difference between training zones is more than 10 watts. If you look at a zone chart, zones are spread out by 10-15% on most scales. We instead went for the 10% correction factor when riders had lactates that were too high. This dialled in the effort and helped many riders complete the workouts without being exhausted.
The one-shot lactate sample is a quick way to see if you are training too hard or too easy. Your full training zones can be assessed if you want the big picture and more information. If you follow any of the Norwegian training articles, part of the secret to their athlete's success is testing often.
As we progress through our off-season training, we all need the reminder than we need to rebuild our cardio-respiratory fitness and our strength. The goal should be to get back to your previous form of last spring. Some of you may want to improve but as we age the idea is to simply hang-on! Let's rebuild all your metabolic processes and activate those muscles that tend to go dormant in the fall.
Look Strong, Feel strong and Ride Strong!
