Raising my FTP to 415 watts
aspiring_squalo
Posts: 6
I can hold 365 watts for 20 minutes-375 out of the saddle. I currently weigh 72 kg.
I usually do intervals every day (@ 2x20min @ 95-100% or 4x8min @110%). Can someone more experienced share what it took you to reach a threshold (or normalized threshold, given your weight) of 415 Watts?
Serious responses only please
I usually do intervals every day (@ 2x20min @ 95-100% or 4x8min @110%). Can someone more experienced share what it took you to reach a threshold (or normalized threshold, given your weight) of 415 Watts?
Serious responses only please
0
Posts
You are winning races.
You will progress through the categories.
Your races will thus become harder.
You will either become fitter and harder or lose hope and give up racing.
Or you 17 year old self will find other attractions.
edited 19 times in total.
So out of those 3 things, riding more is the only thing you can control at the moment probably (I didn't see your unedited post so I have no idea what you said about yourself in terms of racing, etc.) If you're only doing an hour or so a day on the bike riding those intervals, that's not enough. Add in another 12hrs/week of riding along with the intervals you're already doing. Once you're doing 15-20hrs/week regularly for a few months, you'll know whether you can get to 400w+ or not. A good coach will help you do this properly and not burn out, get injured, get ill.
Hoping an Internet forum is going to provide any specific help is far too optimistic. And, TBH, hoping not to get some of the responses you have was equally optimistic.
Just be careful, as I said. Overtraining, illness, injury, etc. are quick ways back down the hole so do it right and ramp up the mileage slowly, get enough rest, eat well, limit other life stresses and just go at it with an open mind and see where you go rather than focussing on some pie in the sky number which may or may not be achievable.
Fwiw I have hovered at the high end of Coggan's w/kg scale for 5 and 20 min for most of my racing career but that doesn't mean I'm a very good racer... I'm a strong rider but I can't sprint very well and that means middle/back of the pack for most of the amateur racing I do unless the course is very very hard. So numbers are nowhere near the whole story in cycle racing.
True. At least I got lucky with good advice from you and mayika
Right on man! Thanks for the optimistic insight! Just curious, what were your 20 minute power & race weight when you saw yourself excelling on only super difficult courses? What race tactics have you found difficult to master throughout your cycling career?
ABCC Cycling Coach
The problem is I'm fairly light (51-54kg over the season) and my anaerobic is only average so courses with a lot of very short sharp out of the saddle sprinty climbs aren't my bag. Longer sustained climbs or just tough courses that are windy or technical are more for me. And longer races, nearly 3hrs or more.
I've found the slower the average speed of the race, the better my result will be unless there's some defining feature of the course like a big hill in the middle. Down here in the SE the courses are just too flat. I'm not big or aero enough to go off for a solo break, so my best bet is a small break with hopefully a small hill at the finish line.
But that's part of training, learning what your strengths and weaknesses are and finding races and tactics that maximise strengths and minimise weaknesses. I have nearly 10 years of power data so I know a lot about what I can and can't do now, that doesn't stop me from trying to get better at the stuff I'm not good at.
Don't forget that positioning, race craft, etc. also plays a big role. Knowing the course, the competition, and just paying attention as the race unfolds are things that a surprising number of people are completely useless at doing.
Training can obviously help you get closer to you your potential and no one likes to set limits on what's possible, but there are limits and gains diminish and take far longer to attain the closer you are to your genetic potential.
That said, I've no idea what your goals are and whether a focus on FTP development is warranted. What makes sense training wise and what is needed for success (whatever that is defined as) for any individual is a complex equation and balance of many factors, of which your FTP is but one.
You can really only ever expect general responses here. Specific advice is not really sensible to provide without a detailed understanding of the individual.
This is very good advice. I know of 2 people who took up cycling with a history of depression, got too involved, over-trained, obsessive and in the end it made them worse. One even went to Belgium to try and turn pro, got a kicking every week and came back in a right state.
Both of them don't ride anymore, even socially.
Kinesis 4s Di2
Good post
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What % of people who approach an ftp test of 400 make their first 5 posts on an internet chat forum about bikes in terms of asking advice to get to above 400?
That's like golfer who shoots under par already joining golfchat.com to ask how they can shave another couple shots off their score with a simple post.
This isn't the forum for a serious inquiry.
I'll just say that at that level I would expect an aspiring pro or talented amateur that is that serious to be seeking serious help.
I'd hate to offer some bonehead advice on a chat forum and ruin a person's goals that are at such an elevated level.
If so, then cheers.
I haven't posted above?......
I'll be happy making it to 350w let alone over 400w!
Seriously though, if you're at that level, I would suggest getting a team around you who know their s**t, and then don't forget us when you become a pro
From my small amount of training knowledge coming from a weight lifting background: I would suggest training out your preferred comfort level / preferred zones and push for efforts you know you will fail on. Sounds stupid, but those zones will soon become familiar ground and will be surpassed in due course. Commitment is the key.
IG: RhinosWorkshop
FTP of over 400W is pretty rare for a normal sized rider.