Hello all,
I have currently an FTP in the region 250w that has risen by 50w over last 24 months. I am 6ft/183cm 170lbs/77kgs. I do 12 hours week cycling. I have started to do weight lifting with hex bar and my plan is 2 X week and once I have passed the stage where I am getting the correct form I intend to do with heavier weights 5 sets of say 3 to 4 reps. Is it reasonable to aim at 300w ftp given my âge? Thanks
Achieving an FTP of 300 relative to your size and weight is certainly an attainable goal. However, you didn’t mention your current age, which is an important factor given your question specifically relates to age and performance.
There are plenty of examples of older athletes maintaining remarkable performance levels. Personally, I’ve witnessed cyclists aged 50 and above overtaking me on mountain roads in Switzerland, demonstrating that a 300+ FTP is achievable even as one gets older.
That said, it’s essential to recognize that factors like maximum heart rate and muscle mass naturally decline with age, which can influence overall performance. To counteract this, incorporating weightlifting into your routine as you age is highly recommended, as it helps slow the decline in muscle mass.
For more detailed insights, you might find this discussion helpful: Why does one's FTP go down as we get older? - #17 by Craig_G
Or another one: FTP at age of 40s - Training - Intervals.icu Forum
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In the title
The only way to answer that question is to do the work and see how far it takes you. Every additional watt of improvement gets harder to achieve as you get closer to your genetic potential, so improvement isn’t linear with the increase in training. Some weight work might give you a bump, you might also consider a volume increase if time allows and you have the desire.
I’m in my mid 50’s and still improving a bit every year, but only by training much more. FTP has been peaking a bit over 300 for the last ~5 years, but not materially increasing. My ability to hold a high percentage of ftp continues to improve and its translated to much better race results. At some point, you have to train more to stay the same (or slowly decline) as age takes its piece.
Your post implies that all this weight lifting is going to get you that extra 50 watts. It’s probably not and heavy lifting will probably impede your progress for maximum summer fitness through a spring build cycle.
Hello @AJS914
That’s not what I intended to say. I wanted to emphasize on the fact, that it becomes harder and harder to stay fit or become even fitter as we get older naturally, due to the loss in muscle mass. One way to “prevent” or at least to slow down this process is the recommendation to do some gym work to counter this natural development.
@Otium I hope you achieve your goals and wish you all the best on your journey.
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