Power interval question (FTP vs Avg Power)

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William Browne

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Dec 31, 2009, 10:44:22 AM12/31/09
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Is there a 20 minute interval and equasion to figure one's functional
threshold power? Is FTP what I want to base power zones off of or
should I use my average power output for said interval (similar to the
CTS field test)? Thanks for any input. Bill

wcus...@aol.com

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Dec 31, 2009, 11:35:56 AM12/31/09
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different coaches can't agree on this stuff, so I wouldn't expect unanimity here, but most authorities seem to accept the definition of FTP as the amount of power you can sustain for twenty minutes.  so -- not positive of your question -- but I would say that they are the same thing.
 
coming at the question from another direction -- so long as you use values consistently, it really doesn't matter what you call them.  perceived effort remains one of the best training tools out there (although I do use power). 
 
William M. Cusmano, Esq.
William M. Cusmano, P.C.
2000 N 14th Street, #210
Arlington, VA 22201
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703-524-7610 (fax)
wcus...@aol.com
 
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john

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Dec 31, 2009, 11:49:10 AM12/31/09
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Your FTP is what you can do for a hour not 20 minutes. Hunter Allen
suggests using 95% of your 20 minute time to try and determine your
FTP, although the only real way is too do a 40k TT which is what this
is all based on. The 95% mark is just something close, it's more than
likely the % will be around 90% of the 20 minute effort.

John M.

On Dec 31, 11:35 am, wcusm...@aol.com wrote:
> different coaches can't agree on this stuff, so I wouldn't expect  
> unanimity here, but most authorities seem to accept the definition of FTP as the  
> amount of power you can sustain for twenty minutes.  so -- not  positive of
> your question -- but I would say that they  are the same thing.
>
> coming at the question from another direction -- so long as you use values  
> consistently, it really doesn't matter what you call them.  perceived  
> effort remains one of the best training tools out there (although I do use  
> power).
>
> William M.  Cusmano, Esq.
> William M. Cusmano, P.C.
> 2000 N 14th Street,  #210
> Arlington, VA 22201
> 703-527-1775
> 703-524-7610  (fax)

> wcusm...@aol.com


>
> In a message dated 12/31/2009 10:44:37 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
>

> william.l.bro...@gmail.com writes:
>
> Is there  a 20 minute interval and equasion to figure one's functional
> threshold  power?  Is FTP what I want to base power zones off of or
> should I use  my average power output for said interval (similar to the
> CTS field  test)?  Thanks for any input.  Bill
>
> --
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Chris Mayhew

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Dec 31, 2009, 11:59:39 AM12/31/09
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On Thu, Dec 31, 2009 at 11:49 AM, john <jjms...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Your FTP is what you can do for a hour not 20 minutes. Hunter Allen
> suggests using 95% of your 20 minute time to try and determine your
> FTP, although the only real way is too do a 40k TT which is what this
> is all based on. The 95% mark is just something close, it's more than
> likely the % will be around 90% of the 20 minute effort.

I wouldn't say it quite the only real way.
http://alex-cycle.blogspot.com/2008/05/seven-deadly-sins.html

95% of 20 min power is the typical test. Hunter agrees with that,
Coggan does not.

As Bill points out, consistency is the key. As Coggan says "testing is
training and training is testing". I typically have my clients test
but then look at what values they're actually putting out to make sure
that number is realistic.

--
Chris Mayhew
www.jbvcoaching.com

William Browne

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Dec 31, 2009, 12:08:10 PM12/31/09
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Thanks everyone. I've got lots of great info now to calculate what I
need. Now I have to go suffer a bit. Thanks again. Bill

Luke Majewski

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Dec 31, 2009, 12:40:40 PM12/31/09
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Two more methods.


Just pick one of any method and stick to it, like already said.  Enjoy the suffering.


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john

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Dec 31, 2009, 12:48:58 PM12/31/09
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It's not suffering if you enjoy it ;-)

On Dec 31, 12:40 pm, Luke Majewski <luke.majew...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Two more methods.
>
> http://www.cyclecoach.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i...http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2008/01/ftp-and-power.html


>
> Just pick one of any method and stick to it, like already said.  Enjoy the
> suffering.

> <http://www.cyclecoach.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i...>
>
> On Thu, Dec 31, 2009 at 12:08 PM, William Browne <william.l.bro...@gmail.com


>
>
>
> > wrote:
> > Thanks everyone.  I've got lots of great info now to calculate what I
> > need.  Now I have to go suffer a bit.  Thanks again.  Bill
>
> > On Thu, Dec 31, 2009 at 10:44 AM, William Browne
> > <william.l.bro...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Is there a 20 minute interval and equasion to figure one's functional
> > > threshold power?  Is FTP what I want to base power zones off of or
> > > should I use my average power output for said interval (similar to the
> > > CTS field test)?  Thanks for any input.  Bill
>
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> > "MABRA-USCF" group.
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> >http://groups.google.com/group/mabra-uscf?hl=en

> > For general MABRA information, go tohttp://www.mabra.org- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Flanagan

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Dec 31, 2009, 2:20:59 PM12/31/09
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20 minute power is definitely NOT FTP, at least not as the term FTP is
generally used on the "wattage forum" or in Training Peaks WKO. 20
minute power is generally between 88-96% of a given rider's FTP. I
often hear people estimate their FTP from taking 95% of their CP20 (20
minute average power); however, this is a fairly flawed test,
especially if you have pretty good 1-5 minute power. The protocol
Hunter Allen references has a 5 minute all-out blowout effort after
warm-up, prior to the 20 minute test. If you don't perform the
blowout beforehand, then your estimate will likely be high. A 40-60
minute test is really the best way to test. I find I can get a pretty
good feel for FTP by doing a 45 minute long interval. I just make
sure I don't dig too deep, and I leave some room for that if I really
had to go another 15 minutes, and this makes it easier to recover from
the test. If one doesn't perform long intervals on a regular basis,
then his FTP will likely be 92% (or less) than his 20 minute power.
The best way to get a really good feel for your FTP is to perform sets
like 2x 20-30 minutes on a regular basis. I think most people fail
miserably on their first attempts at 2x20 with a power meter, because
they have grossly overestimated FTP. I was there 18 months ago. Also,
using Normalized Power (NP) from non-steady state efforts is another
great way to overestimate.

Another good test I like to perform is to do 2x20 minutes on the
rollers with 3:00 easy between. First is @ or just above FTP, and the
Second is essentially a TT effort. Take the NP for the 43 minutes
(including the 3 minutes super easy) and you will likely be pretty
close to your FTP. I find the 43 minute NP is also about 95% of the
2nd interval as well.

On Dec 31, 10:44 am, William Browne <william.l.bro...@gmail.com>
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