Post by Ed Slovenkay on Feb 16, 2013 15:10:39 GMT -5
Now that you have a good understanding of your power meter and completed your FTP test, it is time to train more effectively. Power zones are fixed percentages based off of your FTP. These zones are a lot like HR zones only they are specific to output on the bike. Using them along with a HR monitor is the most effective way to train. The table below lists the various power levels.
Level % of FTP RPE
1. Active Recovery <55 <2
2. Endurance 56-75 2-3
3. Tempo 76-90 4-5
4. Lactate Threshold 91-105 6-7
5. VO2 Max 106-120 7-8
6. Anaerobic Capacity 121-150 >8
7. Sprint Power N/A max
Again, the power meter takes the guesswork out of training and is a more accurate measure of intensity than heart rate. For example, if today’s workout is lactate threshold intervals and your FTP is 200 watts, your power meter should read between 182- 210 watts during the interval, and it will assuming you are in the correct gear and pushing the right cadence. Heart rate will take a minute or so to catch up. If you were not using a power meter and basing off of HR or RPE, you might be pushing VO2 max wattage, going too hard, and not be able to complete the workout correctly.
Another example is an active recovery day. Using the same FTP of 200 watts, your active recovery day is average power below 110 watts. If you were spinning at 150 watts on an active recovery day, you are wasting your time and not going to get the benefit of the workout. The biggest mistake triathletes (myself included) make is to go too hard on their easy days and too easy on their hard days. Many times this is because they are not recovered from the hard day as a result of exceeding the active recovery zone. With the power meter you can feel better about spinning in the small ring on that day because the numbers are right there to tell you where you are at.
The biggest bang for your training buck as a triathlete is doing sweetspot intervals. Many of you have heard the old 2 x 20 minutes at sweetspot (with 5’ easy zone 1 between) workout I presume. The power range for this type of workout is between 88-94% of FTP, upper zone 3 / lower zone 4, also known as muscular endurance (ME if you’re a Friel fan) work. According to Joe Friel, muscular endurance work “is an advanced ability as it is closely tied to race performance in all endurance events.” The purpose of such training is to improve the muscles’ ability to process lactate. This workout is one of the best ways to increase your FTP. Increasing your FTP should be the primary focus during the season. Increasing your FTP is how you go faster on race day.
Too much zone 4 training and you’re likely to burn out and feel over trained. Zone 2 work is perfect for the long ride days but too much zone 2 and your likely to be stuck in a rut of similar race outcomes. So if you have a power meter, find your FTP and begin training in the correct zones now. The winter months are the perfect time to get these things figured out.
Level % of FTP RPE
1. Active Recovery <55 <2
2. Endurance 56-75 2-3
3. Tempo 76-90 4-5
4. Lactate Threshold 91-105 6-7
5. VO2 Max 106-120 7-8
6. Anaerobic Capacity 121-150 >8
7. Sprint Power N/A max
Again, the power meter takes the guesswork out of training and is a more accurate measure of intensity than heart rate. For example, if today’s workout is lactate threshold intervals and your FTP is 200 watts, your power meter should read between 182- 210 watts during the interval, and it will assuming you are in the correct gear and pushing the right cadence. Heart rate will take a minute or so to catch up. If you were not using a power meter and basing off of HR or RPE, you might be pushing VO2 max wattage, going too hard, and not be able to complete the workout correctly.
Another example is an active recovery day. Using the same FTP of 200 watts, your active recovery day is average power below 110 watts. If you were spinning at 150 watts on an active recovery day, you are wasting your time and not going to get the benefit of the workout. The biggest mistake triathletes (myself included) make is to go too hard on their easy days and too easy on their hard days. Many times this is because they are not recovered from the hard day as a result of exceeding the active recovery zone. With the power meter you can feel better about spinning in the small ring on that day because the numbers are right there to tell you where you are at.
The biggest bang for your training buck as a triathlete is doing sweetspot intervals. Many of you have heard the old 2 x 20 minutes at sweetspot (with 5’ easy zone 1 between) workout I presume. The power range for this type of workout is between 88-94% of FTP, upper zone 3 / lower zone 4, also known as muscular endurance (ME if you’re a Friel fan) work. According to Joe Friel, muscular endurance work “is an advanced ability as it is closely tied to race performance in all endurance events.” The purpose of such training is to improve the muscles’ ability to process lactate. This workout is one of the best ways to increase your FTP. Increasing your FTP should be the primary focus during the season. Increasing your FTP is how you go faster on race day.
Too much zone 4 training and you’re likely to burn out and feel over trained. Zone 2 work is perfect for the long ride days but too much zone 2 and your likely to be stuck in a rut of similar race outcomes. So if you have a power meter, find your FTP and begin training in the correct zones now. The winter months are the perfect time to get these things figured out.