Increasing power threshold over the winter (Page 2)

I'm not looking forward to my I suck FTP test but it will be in about a month. It is amazing how quickly you lose it when not riding or in my case off to recover from surgery. I actually started losing it about 3 weeks before my HIM...I could tell my cycling was going downhill...it wasn't to fun.

I'm just hoping to improve 20 watts from my high this year to next..hope it is doable. That plus losing weight will make my power/weight ratio a lot better. 

Hey thanks Lauren. But I'm not so sure about me looking so good, but my Dual looks mighty fine in a pair of Zipp 909's

Sorry Jorge - Hijack off!

Count me here too.  I've been using the Ergometer for a year now.  I'm setting up a training plan based on power and aiming at IMAZ next November.  I know what my wattage is at my threshold now, it'll be interesting to see what it is next year!

I've been training with power for more than a year now, and have made some decent gains during that period.  I'm doing quite a bit of interval work, but I need to structure it better.  I'd like to see a 10-20% increase over the next 6 months; at 41 years of age, we'll see if it's do-able. 

nice to see so many training with power

I know some of you have coaches or following plans but maybe we can contribute to those who don't and bounce suggestions to further improve or just share our gains. I probably won't start working on my cycling until January although I will ride some for the next few weeks to be ready to tackle some work as of Jan 1st.

Anyway, share your main focus for next season (distance) and your current FTP (if you know it) and what sort of gains would you like to see. I'll start; focus HIM, FTP was around 265-270 watts at the end of the season (weight 138 pounds) but will see where it is by Jan 1st. I would like to increase 10-12% for my 1st HIM in May, that gives me around 18 weeks to do so.

do you have suggestions to keep this moving? If anything we could just use this thread...

I'm currently at 230 watts @ 141 HR for my threshold.  I weigh 175 lbs and will be 60 yrs old in 2008 (new age group!).  I'd like to see an increase to at least 250 watts.  I do have a training plan and a coach who is also doing Ironman Arizona with me next November.

The biggest change I've noticed lately is the fact that my lactate threshold heart rate has dropped dramatically in the last 12-18 months.  I'm not talking about a couple beats, but it has gone from 149 down to 141 since July 2006.  I know things like this slow down as you get older, and your performance ability decreases, but it still surprised me to see how much!

As far as I know, my current FTP is 173. I weight like 131-132 right now. I think someone said that 198 is a reasonable goal for me, but I don't know. I just do what my coach says. Maybe I should get to know this power stuff a little better, huh?

We'll be testing again soon, but I have some "injury" issues going on, so testing's been put on the back burner.

Main focus is the IM distance .

Dam# Skippy I am in (but I think you know that)

I hear you there. Found out the exact same thing

going for a powertap - but of course now I want it on the tri bike (race wheels) and road bike....since I have not yet gotten race wheels will likely get the Zipps with powertap - LBS thinks I can get away with using them in trainer class t/th jan-march (opinions?)

waiting to hear if one of the other sponsors will pay which will determine whether I am doing it....

meanwhile borrowed the rental powertap wheel and unit from LBS to try. have power showing etc but when I plug it into computer to download NOTHING HAPPENS.....

I am betting there is some upgrade that I have to go find but have not had time to go look.... 

Current FTP 230 (way to low)

Current weight 207 (way to high)

Goal IMCDA

So I think my work is cut out for me

I will soon be in the "Cool Kid" club.  I just pulled the trigger on an 07 SRM Pro which I will be using on the Slice for next season. 

I figure if I'm going to try and make it, might as well go for it.  Plus I got a "Dan Deal".  :P

Focus:  IM Moo
Weight: 152ish

Question:  Anyone have a link to the Training with power book.  I'm getting bugged by my MIL for Christmas present ideas.

Send some of that cash flow my way!!!  J-sus H. those things are expensive!

Enjoy the new toy.

Is it that hard to go to Amazon? 

http://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1931382794/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197560812&sr=8-1

Not sure about my focus for next season yet, but likely an oly or HIM.  FTP was ~310w this past season and weight ~86kg. (3.6 w/kg).  Goal is to move power up and weight down and get closer to 4.0 (intermediate goal ~3.75-3.8).

I did a bike test and after a good warm up I did 20 min at all out pace and used the avg power for that plus some funky math with my weight and a little dabble with smoke and mirrors and Jorge came up with my FTP. I am sure he will chime in on how you get that #.

My fingers only type www.beginnertriathlete.com!!!

THANKS.

Yes FTP = max sustainable power for around 60 min or 40kTT. When doing a FTP test forget about HR. just put your head down and push hard enough that you give it all, but not to hard that you don't finish the effort. Although it might be the best way to measure your current FTP, this test is VERY hard for most and it takes a few attempts to get it right.

For that reason you could do two alternatives: after a thorough warm up 1) 20 min TT all out (better if you are out of shape, getting back to training or newbie) or 2) 2x20min TT all out with 2 min rest in between. If you do the 1st you can take the avg watts and * by .95 to get an approximate FTP. If you do the 2nd then calculate avg watts for both efforts and * by .97 - This might not be 100% ideal for some but close enough for many (there are other methods to calculate FTP btw)

I also like to do on a separate day a best 5 min effort to get my VO2 range.  Same as the previous efforts you basically just go out as hard as you can for 5 min. once I have that number I compared both: if my FT is too close to my 5 min power it means I need to work on increasing my VO2 1^st. OTOH if my VO2 and FT are 10% or more apart then I should focus on FT 1^st.

The above will give me the blue print to follow and with my current goals I will do 2 quality sessions a week + one long ride if weather allows me to done either Z2 or Z3 depending on distance for 6 weeks. After that I’ll retest and modify training. As the weather changes and the race gets closer then the focus will change and more race specific sessions will take place. (Longer rides for more total weekly volume)

As we get to do testing and we move forward we can discuss in which ways we can structured the weekly sessions to achieve our goals! if your coach already give you the plan, share some sessions, maybe we can all learn or find ways to train more efficient.

BTW, increasing your FTP should be one of your main goals regardless of your racing distance. If you have a solid FT then you just need to do specific training to have the necessary fitness to race at your best.

I'd be curious how much folk FTP drop after their off season? Anyone want to share?

My high was 193, and I'm sure if I tested now it would be 160's maybe. I'm hoping to get to 213 for IMLP. My power ratio this year was 2.7 and I hope by losing about 12 pounds and increasing my FTP to 213 to get to 3.1 or over 3.

The other thing I'm curious is what is a reasonable goal for improvement as either a % or as a straight number over the course of a season?

I think first season training smart with PM you probably make bigger gains that following seasons.

Do you use normalized power or average power for FTP? I see both terms being used.