

Multiply the 20 minute effort by 0.95, to give you the number you'd get over an hour*.

It's much easier to get your best number when there's another one pinned on your back.
Trainerroad strength training calculator trial#
The best option is to complete a time trial that will take about an hour – for example a 25-mile time trial.

Indoor training apps such as Zwift, TrainerRoad, and Wattbike Hub include FTP tests, which can be used to set intervals for training, while The Sufferfest (now Wahoo X) has its own selection of comprehensive fitness tests, to give you an accurate measure. When testing FTP, therefore, it's worth bearing in mind what you've been working on of late, and perhaps testing in conjunction with shorter efforts such as an all-out max five-second assessment. If you're focusing on improving your sprinting, then it's possible you might even lose a little fitness on the endurance side – but a dropped FTP would not represent a failure. The result is that if FTP is used as the only measure of fitness, then the tester will probably appear to be the 'stronger' rider on paper, but the sprinter has their own set of skills which certainly can't be overlooked. A sprinter focuses on short, sharp accelerations. Whilst FTP is an effective measure of fitness, it lacks specificity.Ī time trial rider trains their body to cope well with long, sustained efforts. Of course, if shorter efforts are more important to your goals, you may wish to focus your attentions there, instead. The ideal situation is that FTP has gone up, weight has gone down and heart rate to produce the same power is lower – but unless you're starting from a fairly low level of fitness it would be incredibly hard to manage all three.Ĭoaches and athletes will usually focus on a range of power figures - for example, five-second, one minute, and five minute, as well as FTP numbers when determining a rider's programme - however, FTP still holds a very strong significance. If the number goes up without your weight also increasing, you should have become fitter. If you're training for an event, you can measure FTP every four weeks to track progress. FTP is often used as the most accessible measure of fitness – when combined with weight and ideally heart rate data.
