Dieting, meds, different programs and power.
StillGoing
Posts: 5,209
Has anyone any similar experiences of a greatly differing FTP using different programs? I'm on a high protein, low carb diet at the moment and appreciate that low carbs isn't ideal for prolonged high end efforts, but didn't expect a drop of 14 watts! My previous FTPs have been with TTS4 and their CP20 and the Zwift CP20 test, both with similar results. The last test was about 6 weeks ago and have been pushing hard in between. A drop in power was not expected, especially when combined with the weight loss. I'm on statins for a left subclavian occlusion, so my heart rate rises rapidly and stays there, but my legs don't suffer as a consequence.
I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
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FTP can vary quite a bit with fatigue, I can usually only achieve about 90% of fresh test numbers when at end of hard block, so make sure your other variables are as similar as possible.
No experience with lo carb dieting, I think it's likely to have a negative impact based on the studies I have seen.
Various vids including many Trail Centres
I mean if you wanted to improve that much would it be a difficult thing to do ?
It's hard to say as it could be a factor of things that course the different figure, either way it could be fatigue related or perhaps the calibration of the PM wasn't spot on that day or in fact, the day of the higher test numbers.
As you get fitter the gains are harder to come by that's for sure, if you're a newbie then a gain like that shouldn't be a problem but of course it does depend on current fitness levels and training time.
Various vids including many Trail Centres
Power meter is calibrated (Elite Kura internal and matched against P2M Type S).
its easily rectified though .... eat carbs for a couple of days prior to your FTP test, your muscles swell back up you put on a couple of lbs in water/glycogen weight .... you do your test and get decent results, then you go back to your normal diet and in a couple of days look drier and weigh a couple of lbs less.
Its manageable .... OR you can do what I now do and just reset your FTP expectations .. if you ride constantly in a low carb state then your FTP IS 14 less than it would normally be and that is the true measure of your power considering your nutrition ... its just a number if you want to use it to impress people then eat carbs ... if you want to use it as a training metric then use the number that represents what is actually is ... and it is actually 14 less than you want as you are restricting nutrients
for me it would be a lot. not perhaps in terms of speed at threshold, but in terms of sustainability. when doing an ftp test its hard to put out even 2 or 3 watts extra on average over the course of the test. if i rode at threshold (for an hour) and then on another day tried to ride 14 watts higher, i'd last about 20 - 25 mins at best, maybe.
On a day where you are doing less intensity or a recovery day you aren't burning carbs = low carb day.
On a day where you want to stretch your fat burning energy = low carb day
On a day where you want to optimise high-intensity training (inc FTP test day) = high carb day, eat some carbs ~2 hours before and within 30 mins after.
Ok thanks that's easier to understand, mine would be all over the place then, some days are just plain hard going then other days I ride like a differant person.
I'm not dieting for the FTP test. Tests are always done on the turbo for simplicity, i.e. Level, no traffic, junctions or variable weather conditions. It also means I automatically get my numbers at the end using a program. This last time I did try a different format using he 2x8 min test instead of the usual 20 min one.
My current weight is on the heavy side for a sprinter, but I'm more comfortable with hills, so need to lose some unwanted lard. Low carb high protein and fats together with exercise are a quick solution I find.
As I see it, there are main two reasons for finding your FTP, is to 1) test to see if you've got more or less powerful, 2) set your zones.
It sounds like you are quite likely introducing a big variable in the form of your diet, so you can't tell if the 'engine' is better or not, only that the fuel is different. But, this is your FTP at the moment. While you are on the diet you should probably use this to set your zones. Otherwise, you won't be able to complete your workouts.
I wonder if you'll see your FTP rise back to previous "carbed" levels?
I have to agree. It seems like such a bizarre compromise.
The post question was merely to inquire whether a low carb high protein and fats diet could have such a drastic effect on high energy output. I find from the responses that it does/can. In the meantime, the program and diet are working for me. It wasn't about boosting my FTP whilst dieting.
Otherwise the hard efforts hit and you have no glycogen stores ready to utilize for your ftp test OR really hard efforts.
Last night I rode 53 miles at tempo pace non-stop with just water and a banana after no-real effort to eat much different than a non-riding day. I was down about 10-15w most everywhere after I used up what little stores I had for the day.
You don't need to eat MORE to cover some training. Some training you do. You have to just plan accordingly.
For a 60 to 75 min session of EM or tempo, nothing. For 3 hrs of EM/tempo and some threshold efforts........yeah, you need carbs.
I'm not surprised.
It could just be because you changed from the 20 minute to 2x8. In fact quite likely.
You get used to the demands of the test (mentally as much as anything). FTP is generally calculated as 0.9 x 8 minute power and 0.95 x 20 minute power. I would suspect you went about as hard for the 8 minute as the 20 minute...