Boost your cycling performance this season with these essential FTP tests
If your FTP isn't accurate you could be falling short of your full potential
Photo by:
Kevin Mackinnon
You’ve spent a winter grinding it out on the bike trainer, building your overall strength and endurance. It’s likely you’ve made some improvement in your functional threshold power (FTP) in that time. Before you dig in and start ramping up the intensity and duration for another season, it’s probably time to update your FTP so your training targets are in line with your new fitness level.
It’s time to take the (dreaded) FTP test. If you haven’t already done so, you want to buckle down for the tough test soon so that you aren’t short changing yourself with your power zones. Setting the appropriate power targets in training will ensure you are pushing to the best of your ability and getting the most out of your training time. There are several indoor trainer sessions used to test your FTP. You can follow one built by your coach or found online, or tap into the tests already loaded into some virtual cycling apps.
Understanding threshold power
To understand the tests and how they capture your FTP it’s important to understand exactly what you are attempting to measure. Your FTP refers to your threshold for the best power you can hold consistently for one hour. That is how it is defined, but generally not how it is executed either in testing, training or racing. Most FTP tests are hacks to avoid putting you through an hour of hell. Once measured, your FTP is used to calculate all your power zones. Each zone can be determined by calculating a specific percentage of that holy grail of numbers.
The term FTP is interchangeable with threshold power and lactate threshold. It’s easy to get confused, but they are all referring to the same thing. There are several ways to determine if you are working at your threshold power. One is through performing the on-bike test and crunching the numbers, or you can opt to take a blood sample to determine your blood lactate concentration. A third way is to simply get familiar with what it feels like to be working at this effort. Threshold being the line that divides working at an effort that does not initiate lactate build up and an effort that does.
Threshold does not feel like an all-out sprint because it has to be sustainable for one hour, in theory. Generally, if you are working “hard,” it is taking much concentration to maintain that effort, and you are struggling to breathe easy or hold a conversation, you are likely there. If you feel the telltale burn, that’s a good indication you’ve hit the line.
Which test is right for you?
One of the most common FTP tests involves 20 minutes at the hardest, consistent effort you can hold. This is usually done after an even harder five minutes to crush your soul just a little bit before going into the main set. The test is usually done on an indoor trainer, and 95 per cent of the average power produced during the hard 20 minutes is calculated to be your FTP. The first hard five minutes, and the 95 per cent, is to offset the fact that you are only performing 20 minutes instead of the full hour.
20 Minutes Test
Warm up: 10 minutes easy
Spin ups: 5 x 20 seconds on 40 seconds easy. Spin ups are done with low resistance at high cadence you get the legs and heart primed for the work ahead.
5 minute pre-test: ride hard for 5 minutes at the best power you can sustain consistently for the entire duration
10 minutes recovery: ride easy and get mentally prepared for the main test
20 minute main test: ride hard for 20 minutes at the best power you can sustain consistently for the entire duration
Cool down: 10 minutes easy
*Calculate your FTP by taking 95 per cent of the average power you produced during the 20 minute main test. Alternately, you can perform 2 x 8 minutes at the best power you can sustain, with 10 minutes easy in between. If you choose this method, calculate the average power by 90 per cent to arrive at your FTP.
Zwift offers a ramp test, which is an alternative to the 20 minutes flat out test. This option is shorter than the classic 20 minute test, which Zwift also offers. The ramp test uses one minute intervals which get progressively harder until you reach your max aerobic power (MAP). Your MAP is used to determine your FTP by multiplying it by 75 per cent. Ramp tests can be easier as they do not require the skill of pacing the 20 hard effort test, which can take several attempts to perfect.
Zwift’s Ramp test
Warm up: 10 minutes easy
Main test: repeat 1 minute intervals starting at 100 watts and increasing by 20 watts on each 1 minute interval. Continue with as many 1 minute intervals as necessary until you reach failure (you may want to start above 100 watts if you know you have a high FTP and you are short on time).
Cool down: 10 minutes easy
*The app will use its algorithm to calculate your FTP based on the watts you achieve on the final interval and how long you held on for.
Wahoo’s SYSTM’s 4DP Full Frontal test
This test seeks to determine not only your FTP, but also your MAP, max anaerobic power and max neuromuscular power.
Warm up: 10 minutes easy
Main test: 2 x 5 second all out sprints on 5 minutes recovery
1 x 5 minute max power intervals on 5 minutes recovery
20 minute max power interval on 5 minutes recovery
1 minute max power interval on 5 minutes recovery
*The app will use its algorithm to calculate all the values.
Classic threshold test
Another trainer or outdoor method is to ride as hard as you can for an hour. This is not a popular method for obvious reasons, unless you are particularly savage.
This test can be accomplished through other means though. If you happen to be racing and holding your best effort for one hour you’ve got your data without putting yourself through a gruelling test. The same is true with criterium style racing.
Whichever test is most appropriate for you in terms of time, equipment and previous testing experience, there are a few key things to remember. Wear a heart rate (HR) monitor strap, if possible, to collect data for setting HR zones also. Make sure you are rested and ready to perform the test on the day or the results will be less accurate. And always be conscious of the fact that your FTP is slightly different on any given day, depending on current training volume, sleep, nutrition and other life stressors.
Most of all, try to have fun doing any one of these challenging but rewarding test of physical and mental strength.