Original episode & show notes | Raw transcript
The podcast embarks on a detailed critique of how Functional Threshold Power (FTP) is commonly tested and understood in the cycling community. The central thesis is that prevalent testing methods often lead to an overestimation of an athlete’s true FTP, resulting in poorly prescribed training zones and suboptimal physiological adaptation. The hosts, Kolie Moore and Kyle Helson, advocate for a more nuanced, physiologically-grounded approach to determining this critical training metric.
The most widely recognized method for FTP testing is the protocol outlined by Hunter Allen and Dr. Andrew Coggan in “Training and Racing with a Power Meter.”
The Standard Protocol:
Warm-up: A standard warm-up routine.
“Blowout” Effort: A short, high-intensity effort (typically 1 or 5 minutes) designed to deplete anaerobic energy reserves. The idea is to reduce the anaerobic contribution to the subsequent 20-minute effort, thereby making it a more “aerobic” test.
Rest: A short recovery period.
20-Minute Test: An all-out, maximal effort for 20 minutes.
Calculation: FTP is estimated as 95% of the average power sustained during the 20-minute test.
The Primary Flaw: Overestimation The podcast’s main contention is that even with a blowout effort, this protocol frequently overestimates FTP, particularly for anaerobically-inclined athletes (riders who excel at short, powerful efforts like sprinting or short climbs).
Anaerobic Contribution: These athletes can sustain a power output for 20 minutes that is significantly higher than their true aerobic threshold. Their FTP might be as low as 88-91% of their 20-minute power, not the standard 95%.
Consequences of Overestimation: If an athlete’s FTP is set too high, their entire training zone structure is shifted upwards.
Threshold Intervals (e.g., 2x20 minutes at 100% FTP): These become soul-crushing, unsustainable efforts that generate excessive fatigue.
“Sweet Spot” Work (e.g., 88-94% FTP): The hosts hypothesize that the popularity of “sweet spot” training may be an accidental consequence of this overestimation. For an athlete with an inflated FTP, what they think is sweet spot work is actually their true threshold intensity. This is why it feels “right” and produces results, but it’s based on a flawed premise.
A key misconception, according to the hosts, is what riding at FTP should actually feel like. It is not meant to be a maximal, agonizing effort from the start.
The True Sensation:
A “Slow Burn”: A proper FTP effort should feel sustainable for a long duration. The first 15-20 minutes should feel controlled and “comfortably hard.”
Breathing as a Guide: Breathing should be deep and controlled, not ragged and uncontrolled. If an athlete’s breathing becomes erratic, they are likely working above their FTP. The limitation should be felt in the legs, not the lungs.
The Gold Standard: Longer Duration Efforts To get a more accurate and reliable FTP, the hosts advocate for longer tests.
Protocol: After a warm-up, an athlete should aim to hold the highest possible power they believe they can sustain for 40 to 70 minutes. Pacing is critical; it’s better to start conservatively and increase the power slightly than to go out too hard and fade.
The “Approximately One Hour” Rule: The podcast clarifies the definition of FTP from Coggan: “the highest power that a rider can maintain in a quasi-steady state for approximately one hour without fatiguing.” The word “approximately” is crucial.
Practicality: For all practical purposes, the average power from a well-paced 45-minute test is a highly accurate and usable FTP value. Worrying about a few watts is less important than having a reliable, repeatable baseline.
1. The 2x8-Minute Test
Protocol: Two 8-minute maximal efforts separated by a full recovery (e.g., 10 minutes). FTP is estimated as 90% of the higher of the two efforts.
The Flaw: This test is even more heavily influenced by anaerobic capacity than the 20-minute test. For an anaerobic rider, the result can be a “vanity FTP”—a number that is dramatically higher than their actual sustainable power. The hosts provide a personal anecdote where this test overestimated FTP by over 50 watts (324 vs. 270 watts).
2. The Ramp Test
Protocol: The test begins at a low wattage, and the power requirement “ramps up” at a set rate (e.g., +5 watts every minute) until the rider can no longer continue. FTP is estimated as a percentage (e.g., 75-85%) of the power from the final completed minute.
The Flaw: This is a short-duration test that primarily measures a rider’s ability to handle progressively harder, short efforts.
The true physiological underpinning of FTP is the Maximal Lactate Steady State (MLSS). This is the highest intensity at which the body can clear lactate from the blood at the same rate it is being produced.
Below FTP: Lactate levels remain stable.
At FTP: Lactate levels remain stable (this is the “steady state”).
Above FTP: Lactate production exceeds clearance, and levels rise continuously, leading to fatigue.
A ramp test in a lab can help identify the inflection point where lactate begins to accumulate, but longer, steady-state efforts are required to confirm that the lactate level is truly stable at that intensity. This is why the hosts argue that longer tests on the road or trainer are more representative of this physiological reality than short, graded exercise tests.
Be Skeptical of Short Tests: The shorter the FTP test (8-min, 20-min, ramp), the more it is influenced by anaerobic capacity and the more likely it is to overestimate your true aerobic threshold.
Embrace Longer Tests: The most reliable way to determine your FTP without lab equipment is to perform a long-duration effort (40-70 minutes). The average power from a well-paced 45-minute test is an excellent and practical estimate.
Understand the “Feel”: Riding at FTP should feel like a “slow burn,” not a desperate struggle. Your breathing should be deep and controlled.
Use Training to Verify: If your prescribed threshold intervals feel impossibly hard, your FTP is likely set too high. Conversely, if you see the power you can hold for long intervals (e.g., 3x20 min sweet spot) increasing, your FTP is also likely increasing, which can be a less stressful way to track progress than formal testing.
Context Over Numbers: An FTP number is a tool, not a final judgment of your ability. Understanding the physiological principles behind it and how different testing methods can produce different results is key to effective training.