I agree that if you are not a pro/cat1-2 rider, that you don´t need to take FTP test so often. But 1-2x a year - I would still say min. 4-6x, so every 2-3 months at least. I also do think that since ramp test overestimates and is not great for anaerobic riders, then it is better to stick with the real 20min test. Just take it regularly and get used to it. Or race and get your FTP from there..
This is better than a coach. Thanks, David. Right now I am dealing with a performance plateau. More than two months with no improvement and sometimes even doing worse than before. My fitness chart is at an all-time high. What do you recommend?
do you have a fitness chart (via TP, intervals, or a tracking app) you could share? What are the goals you are targeting btw? higher VO2, higher FTP, endurance? Its hard to say without looking at the training data, but it could be something as simple as your body has adapted to the training stress. you may have increased to a better level and kept the training sessions more or less the same, and your body is just getting a maintenance level from it. increasing intervals intensity or time could help. Or it could be overtraining. If your body was used to being at a fitness level of 50 for the last 2 years, and youve increased in only a few weeks to a 90 fitness level, it could be a shock as your body isnt used to that level or training. Overtraining can be just as detrimental as undertraining.
The chances are reasonably high that you're as good as you're ever going to be. You know if you just continued getting better and better then eventually you'd be running 100m faster than Usain Bolt. Clearly even Usain Bolt reaches a peak. From there it's a cycle of on season getting as close to that peak as possible, and then dropping back off season - obviously in the case of a professional athlete timing this to match important events like world championships or the olympic games. Of course he dedicated his entire life to running as fast as possible combined with genetics etc. You have not. I would recommend enjoying your all-time high while it lasts and training to maintain it.
I did one r a.m.p test and halfway through it, I got fed up so I just stopped and started doing my usual free ride having said that I'm 70 years of age.
I think it highly depends how you’re riding. From my experience it makes sense to do a ftp test before you start a training plan. As in my case it was always a different result as the estimated one by zwift and felt ok during the training weeks
5% isn't terribly off (although not ideal). I do really like the ramp test though, because I'm able to still ride after words. I just add in some light riding after to get some more time on the bike 😁
it's probably better for a beginner to do some base training and lots of riding before they start fretting about training plans, ftp tests etc. Contrary to this video you don't need to know your FTP to ride at z2. You don't need any tech at all, not even a power meter or HR monitor. You can base it entirely off of RPE. Especially if, like many beginners, they can't really ride hard for an hour - some might not even be able to ride for an hour. There's no point measuring your ftp with these "I dont want to do a real FTP test because they're too hard" cut down tests, ramp tests or 8 minute tests. They exist because people want a number but aren't prepared to ride hard - well if you aren't prepared to ride hard for an hour then your FTP is ZERO - that's how many watts you can do for an hour - none - maybe you think "Nah, I could do it but I just don't want to because it hurts and...blah blah blah" that's the whole point, exercise at a hard pace is as much about being in the right head space as how physically fit you are - to ride hard you need to suffer - if you can't do that for an hour then you have a zero FTP. At that point you'd probably be best just riding your bike at z2 until you reach the point where you feel fit enough to do an FTP test - and if you never feel that, if a big extended effort and training makes you think 'eugh no, I don't want to do that' - then don't. Enjoy cycling instead.
Some time ago I heard Nathan Guerra say in a live broadcast that when taking a hairpin, no use push into the hairpin, relax and push when exiting the hairpin. Theory behind was that Zwift more or less adjusts all riders to same speed in the hairpin. Is this also your experience? Could this be tested somehow if the theory is correct? Thx 👌
I've haven't noticed that but also was thinking about it. I have found on turns the line your avatar is on can make a big impact. If I'm inside line I make up a few spots vs if I'm outside line I anticipate needing to up the power. I think I could probably pull some sort of data on this, but I would likely need some time to look into pulling the right data for it and then race a course such as one containing the Mall.
@@ZwiftAnalysisNetwork even more strangely, it only happens in one direction, on the Classique direction, where it’s a left hander. Search for any race there and you’ll see the speed go down.
Thanks for the info. I’m fairly new and I’ve noticed that erg mode feels much harder than free riding at the same power and so I suffer much more during the ramp test than when racing. My estimated ftp results are higher than I feel I can sustain in ERG mode workouts. I’m on a kickr snap. I don’t know if I need to keep practicing a full pedal stroke or if this is common for everyone. Anyone else?
I've never been a fan of erg mode. When you are riding there is a way to turn it off. If you pull up the options with blue icons in middle of the screen, there is one to toggle erg on and off. I always have issues with erg, either making rpms way to much or little, so I just keep it off.
Exactly. My FTP is so low, ramptest ends quickly. I learned that if I do a ramp test, I program the painlevel in my brain. Then rest for 10-15 minutes and then do a 2nd attempt, I get better result 2nd time, because the painlevel is familiar and know I can last just a little longer...
@@repmortskcab8483 honestly that sounds brilliant. I wonder what the experts at Trainer Road would say about that method. But to me it seems smart since you are tricking your brain into accepting the pain levels.
heh "on a stronger day I could have held on for another minute" - this what everyone thinks after they finish an FTP test - that they could have done better. Nope.
Excellent described! I only do FTP tests after summer vacation, or after major periods of none cycling.
Thanks! I could go for summer vacation right about now, 😂been stuck inside with below freezing temps for too long.
I agree that if you are not a pro/cat1-2 rider, that you don´t need to take FTP test so often. But 1-2x a year - I would still say min. 4-6x, so every 2-3 months at least. I also do think that since ramp test overestimates and is not great for anaerobic riders, then it is better to stick with the real 20min test. Just take it regularly and get used to it. Or race and get your FTP from there..
This is better than a coach. Thanks, David. Right now I am dealing with a performance plateau. More than two months with no improvement and sometimes even doing worse than before. My fitness chart is at an all-time high. What do you recommend?
do you have a fitness chart (via TP, intervals, or a tracking app) you could share? What are the goals you are targeting btw? higher VO2, higher FTP, endurance?
Its hard to say without looking at the training data, but it could be something as simple as your body has adapted to the training stress. you may have increased to a better level and kept the training sessions more or less the same, and your body is just getting a maintenance level from it. increasing intervals intensity or time could help.
Or it could be overtraining. If your body was used to being at a fitness level of 50 for the last 2 years, and youve increased in only a few weeks to a 90 fitness level, it could be a shock as your body isnt used to that level or training. Overtraining can be just as detrimental as undertraining.
The chances are reasonably high that you're as good as you're ever going to be. You know if you just continued getting better and better then eventually you'd be running 100m faster than Usain Bolt. Clearly even Usain Bolt reaches a peak. From there it's a cycle of on season getting as close to that peak as possible, and then dropping back off season - obviously in the case of a professional athlete timing this to match important events like world championships or the olympic games. Of course he dedicated his entire life to running as fast as possible combined with genetics etc. You have not. I would recommend enjoying your all-time high while it lasts and training to maintain it.
I did one r a.m.p test and halfway through it, I got fed up so I just stopped and started doing my usual free ride having said that I'm 70 years of age.
I think it highly depends how you’re riding. From my experience it makes sense to do a ftp test before you start a training plan. As in my case it was always a different result as the estimated one by zwift and felt ok during the training weeks
Was it very far off of your estimated? Also did you do the ramp test or 20 minute test?
As I have very similar results with the ramp and 20 minute test I only do the ramp because it’s much less body load.
It was maybe 5% only
5% isn't terribly off (although not ideal). I do really like the ramp test though, because I'm able to still ride after words. I just add in some light riding after to get some more time on the bike 😁
it's probably better for a beginner to do some base training and lots of riding before they start fretting about training plans, ftp tests etc. Contrary to this video you don't need to know your FTP to ride at z2. You don't need any tech at all, not even a power meter or HR monitor. You can base it entirely off of RPE.
Especially if, like many beginners, they can't really ride hard for an hour - some might not even be able to ride for an hour. There's no point measuring your ftp with these "I dont want to do a real FTP test because they're too hard" cut down tests, ramp tests or 8 minute tests. They exist because people want a number but aren't prepared to ride hard - well if you aren't prepared to ride hard for an hour then your FTP is ZERO - that's how many watts you can do for an hour - none - maybe you think "Nah, I could do it but I just don't want to because it hurts and...blah blah blah" that's the whole point, exercise at a hard pace is as much about being in the right head space as how physically fit you are - to ride hard you need to suffer - if you can't do that for an hour then you have a zero FTP.
At that point you'd probably be best just riding your bike at z2 until you reach the point where you feel fit enough to do an FTP test - and if you never feel that, if a big extended effort and training makes you think 'eugh no, I don't want to do that' - then don't. Enjoy cycling instead.
Some time ago I heard Nathan Guerra say in a live broadcast that when taking a hairpin, no use push into the hairpin, relax and push when exiting the hairpin. Theory behind was that Zwift more or less adjusts all riders to same speed in the hairpin. Is this also your experience? Could this be tested somehow if the theory is correct?
Thx 👌
Could that have been a specific hairpin. The one at the end of The Mall in London is the only place in Zwift at which enforced braking is applied.
@@ZwiftyZwifter no idea. Didn't hear Nathan say that, but you're probably right 🙂
I've haven't noticed that but also was thinking about it.
I have found on turns the line your avatar is on can make a big impact. If I'm inside line I make up a few spots vs if I'm outside line I anticipate needing to up the power.
I think I could probably pull some sort of data on this, but I would likely need some time to look into pulling the right data for it and then race a course such as one containing the Mall.
@@ZwiftAnalysisNetwork even more strangely, it only happens in one direction, on the Classique direction, where it’s a left hander. Search for any race there and you’ll see the speed go down.
Thanks for the info. I’m fairly new and I’ve noticed that erg mode feels much harder than free riding at the same power and so I suffer much more during the ramp test than when racing. My estimated ftp results are higher than I feel I can sustain in ERG mode workouts. I’m on a kickr snap. I don’t know if I need to keep practicing a full pedal stroke or if this is common for everyone. Anyone else?
I've never been a fan of erg mode. When you are riding there is a way to turn it off. If you pull up the options with blue icons in middle of the screen, there is one to toggle erg on and off.
I always have issues with erg, either making rpms way to much or little, so I just keep it off.
Ramp tests are hard.
Just absolute suffering for about 3 minutes! At least it doesn't last too long though 😂
Exactly. My FTP is so low, ramptest ends quickly. I learned that if I do a ramp test, I program the painlevel in my brain. Then rest for 10-15 minutes and then do a 2nd attempt, I get better result 2nd time, because the painlevel is familiar and know I can last just a little longer...
@@repmortskcab8483 honestly that sounds brilliant. I wonder what the experts at Trainer Road would say about that method. But to me it seems smart since you are tricking your brain into accepting the pain levels.
heh "on a stronger day I could have held on for another minute" - this what everyone thinks after they finish an FTP test - that they could have done better. Nope.