login
Losing FTP fitness
-
No new posts
 2014-03-23 12:05 AM |
 643   |  Subject: Losing FTP fitnessI did my 5th FTP test tonight. So far I've been seeing 2-4% monthly gained but this time I went down 10 watts (~3.5%), so I'm a little concerned. I don't feel like I want to adjust my FTP settings yet (I'll keep my zones at previous month levels). My FTP test is from training with a PM Meter book: 20 min Z2 3x1 100+RPM (1 min spin) 5 min Z2 5 min All out 10 min Z2 20 min all out (take this *.95 for FTP) 15 min cd @ Z2 With this test I get a "free" CP5 test as well. This tends to go up 10-15 watts/month and this month it went up 9 watts, so at least that improved, even though I hardly do any workouts above FTP. What do you guys do when your FTP test shows lower numbers? Ignore it or readjust zones? Last week I took off about 5 days since I felt as if there was fluid in my lungs and I also skipped my main bike workout this week because I was lazy. I can see that hurting but 3% fitness loss seems like a bit much. |
| 2014-03-23 12:15 AM in reply to: Blastman |
New user 230 penticton | Subject: RE: Losing FTP fitness what powermeter do you use? how often do you ride and how often to you test? There is so much variability with all those elements, most likely, 3 % lost isnt enough to even consider it a lost. you need more than 1 test to confirm a gain or lost. |
| 2014-03-23 1:14 AM in reply to: jonnyo |
| 643 | Subject: RE: Losing FTP fitness I'm using a Power2Max PM and I test every 4 week (rest week). I ride 3-4x/ week but only one workout of a hard workout and one is a long one. The other ones are drills/Z2-3 workout before a run or an easy spin session after my long run. I'm thinking this could just be a bad test or the effects from being sick last week got to me. These are the tests I've done so far. The 2nd test is way down since the first one was outside and I definitely noticed this test is much harder on the trainer.
|
| 2014-03-23 1:23 AM in reply to: 0 |
| Subject: RE: Losing FTP fitness You're over thinking it. FTP tests are maximal efforts. It's not realistic to think that you can actually hit your true maximal effort each time you perform a FTP test. If you could, you're likely not shooting for your true maximum. Also, I think you hinted at part of the problem with you taking some days off because of fluid in your lungs. Again...if you can hit your maximum after you were not 100%...then it's not really your maximum. Furthermore, your experience of constantly seeing FTP improvements, and then hitting a wall is not uncommon. Likely, it may have more to do with learning more about your true abilities and pacing the test better. For example, your "real" FTP for your first four tests may have been 200, 206, 210, and 212. But when you actually tested, you hit 180, 190, 200, 210. So while it may seem that your FTP is increasing 10 watts between every test, you're real FTP is moving only about 2 watts between your latest tests. The difference is that you're getting better at testing...not that your actual FTP is rising 10 watts, or roughly 5%...it's actually only improving 1%. Once you get close to testing to your true potential...gains become harder to see...and testing failure becomes more likely. In reality, unless you're very untrained, a 4% gain in actual FTP is pretty hard to accomplish in 1 month, month after month. Again...likely you are simply getting better at the testing protocol than your true FTP actually rising. Edited by Jason N 2014-03-23 1:23 AM |
| 2014-03-23 6:49 AM in reply to: Blastman |
Champion 9407  Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia | Subject: RE: Losing FTP fitness In addition to the points raised by the others, another question I would have is what are your training goals right now? If you are primarily focused on the bike, then I would suggest doing more hard work on the bike. While lots of easy riding can be beneficial, you are probably better off spending most rides riding at intensities that are closer to FTP than easy. Shane |
| 2014-03-23 3:31 PM in reply to: gsmacleod |
| 643 | Subject: RE: Losing FTP fitness I'm sort of equal right now in what I'm doing. Each sport 4x/week. I agree that I need to up my intensity. I changed my long ride to be a lot harder ride now. I used to ride at 75% FTP for a few hours (sometimes I'd do 20 min SS + 20 min Z2 internals) but I switched it a suggested workout from Training with a PM where I do 10 intervals for 2-3 mins at 115% FTP, some 20 min tempo intervals and then a 45 min SS interval at the end. I missed my goal wattage both times I tried. This workout is perfect for my goal though: increase FTP and get better endurance. I just thought doing the harder workouts would help already but I think the sick thing hurt me. Looking at the charts, I see world class bikers have almost 2x higher w/kg than me. Not like I think I'm anywhere remotely near world class or anything but it shows it's possible so I don't believe that I should be hitting a wall quite yet. |
| 2014-03-24 8:09 AM in reply to: Blastman |
Extreme Veteran 933 Connecticut | Subject: RE: Losing FTP fitness There's a basic fact you should understand when it comes to comparing yourself against world class athletes, and that is that you're not one. You can't train yourself to be one, either, they are in another world. If you work really hard, you're not going to play like Lebron, swim like Phelps, run like Bolt, or anything else. The worst athlete in the bigs is still a freak of nature. Don't feel bad about that! But don't use that as a yardstick, either. You can train yourself to get better, you can train yourself to be string, and you can enjoy an occasional podium finish if you work and race smart. That should be plenty. The first batch of gains in this sport are huge, but you can't extrapolate those results forward. At a certain point, you won't be picking up 5% a month! or even 1%. |
|
|
|
| ||||
|
| |||
|
| |||
|
|
View profile
Add to friends
Go to training log
Go to race log
Send a message
View album
CONNECT WITH FACEBOOK