Once and for All - Stand / Don't Stand for FTP Test?

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naavt
Posts: 577
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2018 6:58 pm

by naavt

FTP tests are a way for you to have a notion on what's the best power numbers you can achieve and adjust your training accordingly.

I'm not seeing any cyclist who's better at putting power by standing up (like Alberto Contador for instance), doing an FTP test that doesn't quite relate to his/her way of pedaling.

So go with your own and best way of putting down the most watts that you can, the way you naturally do it. If you climb 30 minute climbs all the way standing up, just go ahead and do your 20 minute FTP all the way standing up. For what it matters that's the way you naturally make the effort any way!

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RDY
Posts: 2721
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:31 pm

by RDY

MagicShite wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2023 9:10 am
Andrew69 wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2023 7:32 am
MagicShite wrote:
Mon Oct 09, 2023 4:14 am
"maybe", if you did a blow out 5 minute effort before hand.

Also stop doing 20 minute tests?

Just do the full thing.

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/the- ... protocols/
Yeah, very few people do the full monty simply because it is hard, and the number is often lower than what a 20 minute test produces, so how are they supposed to brag?

And as far as the 5 mintue blow out before a 20 min test......NO ONE.

So many people are more interested in the FTP number rather than actually training to get fitter/faster.
Err, the full thing is actually WAY easier than the 5 min + 20 min test/solo 20mint test
Depends on how and where you ride. A lot of people do a huge amount of volume at low intensity and / or some shorter intervals. If you're not used to regularly riding at sweet spot or threshold for 40-60 minutes or longer, your 40 minute or 60 minute test result is likely to be much worse than a 20 minute effort. Also depends on how hard your power falls off after 12-20mins. Some people it barely budges until 40+ minutes, others it drops off more rapidly.

MagicShite
Posts: 491
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2016 3:33 pm

by MagicShite

RDY wrote:
Sat Nov 25, 2023 4:24 pm
MagicShite wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2023 9:10 am
Andrew69 wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2023 7:32 am
MagicShite wrote:
Mon Oct 09, 2023 4:14 am
"maybe", if you did a blow out 5 minute effort before hand.

Also stop doing 20 minute tests?

Just do the full thing.

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/the- ... protocols/
Yeah, very few people do the full monty simply because it is hard, and the number is often lower than what a 20 minute test produces, so how are they supposed to brag?

And as far as the 5 mintue blow out before a 20 min test......NO ONE.

So many people are more interested in the FTP number rather than actually training to get fitter/faster.
Err, the full thing is actually WAY easier than the 5 min + 20 min test/solo 20mint test
Depends on how and where you ride. A lot of people do a huge amount of volume at low intensity and / or some shorter intervals. If you're not used to regularly riding at sweet spot or threshold for 40-60 minutes or longer, your 40 minute or 60 minute test result is likely to be much worse than a 20 minute effort. Also depends on how hard your power falls off after 12-20mins. Some people it barely budges until 40+ minutes, others it drops off more rapidly.
https://www.jsams.org/article/S1440-2440(22)00178-5/pdf

1. The newbies (less than 1 year) I coach (I coach people for monies from where I'm from...) can put out their FTP for >30-35 minutes most of the time (given the correct mental coaching). This will be sufficient to setup your FTP for a proper progression.

2. "your 40 minute or 60 minute test result is likely to be much worse than a 20 minute effort."

And therefore I'd argue that most people's FTP are set too high because of the 20 minute effort's anaerobic content polluting the actual number. Most people I coach eventually gets their FTP towards 1hour+ with ease.

As a certain OG once said, the best predictor of performance is performance itself. If you cannot do that number at that time, is it really your FTP?

3. The link I posted is a good start to understand that FTP is not 1 hour power. It was never the point of the original post I posted to begin with.

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