Kolie Moore's FTP test protocol

Not only the same workouts but also using the same FTP. But also, on the Gray’s that he seemingly ‘fails’ (almost all of them) his HR barely cracks 145 most of the time. It’s definitely interesting.

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very wierd training going on over there on the chris21 career…

I did this for a few months last summer/fall before I mentally needed a break from the same routine. Physically, I was fine. You will get stronger both physically and mentally. 20min power will go up. But, bike racing is much more than 20min power. After the first month or so, instead of the second 2x20 day I would do something longer like Lola, do a free ride effort of 1x40, or a race on Zwift. I needed to break up the monotony.

YMMV

I have said I didn’t like the podcast of Kolie Moore very much in the other thread. However, to give credit where it’s due - I did enjoy the FTP test protocol (as much as one can enjoy a test) and written about it in my training summary post.

And go team Gold (thanks Alex for the workout)!

Before settling into the lockdown indoor training plan, I retested, aiming to sit at FTP for 60 minutes. With more riding at longer TH intervals, as well as regular iterations of the longer test sessions, I’ve noticed marked improvements both in: i) knowing what threshold feels like, and ii) extending out my TTE.

Last night felt very much a breakthrough on both. After 40 minutes, I was in the state of legs screaming but breathing remaining fairly controlled, and towards the last 5 minutes the sensation was more of starting to feel as though the tank was ‘emptying’, rather than being out of control. Also, there’s so much satisfaction in knowing your FTP number is ‘real’ and that you’ve earned it: my FTP is (about) 325w, and I can hold it for 59ish minutes (not 40minutes, which is a whole third less time).

Cheers to everyone for feedback and discussion here: now very much signed up for this sort of testing/training!

Done on Zwift, up Alpe du Zwift… If I hadn’t reached the top, I might have had another minute in me!

Screenshot 2020-03-24 at 10.20.38

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Alpe du Zwift pro tip - use a mountain bike, you’ll get more for your test. :slight_smile:

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Awesome job! So true…

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This week I did a testweek. I had following numbers 603W on 1,5m; 384w on 7 minutes and 311W on 46m wit prog 1 test. Unfortunately WKO4 is uninstalled on my pc and can’t find my code. I would have used it to estimate my mFTP. Intervals.icu gives me 326 but that is to high.

I did the last 2,5 months only sweetspot and endurance workouts (as a reference)

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You should have been there when I gave someone 2x45’ at 97-98% FTP.

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challenge the 20-minute revolution :clap:

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I don’t know how I will react…

I got at least WKO4 working again and mFTP is 302 with TTE of 50’, the prog1 test was 311 @46’. I will go for 305!

@alexgold123 I’m interested to try one of these tests at the end of my recovery week - either the Baseline or Prog 1. First of all, thanks for creating them.

I think I noticed an error in the Baseline test - please check if I’ve mis-read/misunderstood. Your 102% interval seems to only be 10 minutes long, but Kolie’s Baseline test seems to have 15 minutes for the equivalent (2nd) interval. Your description reflects this 2nd interval being 15 minutes too “…before going to 102% for 15 minutres[sp]”.

Anyway, rightly or wrongly, I’m thinking of trying progression 1. If I leave the intensity (%) alone, I’m wondering if there’s some guidance when we might land on a benchmark of 1%, 2%, 3% etc improvement of current FTP? I know this is intended also as a test to TTE, but I always find it super motivating to have a carrot. (You do mention reaching 100.66% after the 20 minutes block, but I suspect people will be aiming slightly higher.)

I looked at some completed workouts, and a recent tester that made to 45 minutes in got a 1.57% bump after I checked the average of their threshold interval.

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Good catch, I’ve updated that. I’ve never done that one personally but added it when I decided to give people all the options, it must have been a typo.

Weirdly, the workout preview doesn’t allow you to drag and show stats for a custom interval so you can only do that after completing the workout, which makes it much harder to predict where 101, 102% etc will come. I’ve done a crude attempt for Progression 1 as per below, hope that helps:
Screenshot 2020-04-01 13.23.46

Seeing that makes me want to extend the ramp out a bit tbh, but if you’re over 2.6% out on FTP you can probably tell earlier in the test so can bump intensity manually.

EDIT: Just realised I already made one with a longer ramp :smiley:

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Top work - thanks again. That’s much appreciated. Yeh I’d definitely take a 2.6% bump, but just in case I’ll adjust by feel if I’m clearly out of step.

How long were the rest intervals?

Bonus Q:
If you can do 60min @ 100% FTP, theoretically, what length of interval @ Sweet Spot (90% FTP) should you be able to do?

Is it as easy as tacking on 10% in duration to compensate for the 10% reduction in power?
Can this be calculated using straight kJ/Kcal or are there “uncalculateable” physiological factors which make these kinds of translations much more difficult?

Thanks!

Rest interval between 2x45 was 10 minutes.

For holding 90%, it varies as you might expect. Currently the shortest of everyone I’m coaching right now is 60min, the longest is about 3h. You can’t calculate kJ because it’s long enough that eating will help, plus fatigue and other factors will influence this as well.

(I have my notifications set properly finally)

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Just another N=1, My FTP is ~330 (might be 2-3% high but close enough) and I held ~300W last weekend for 1:40. I’ll put the ride below but it was Wright Peak with riding through the rest intervals. It was definitely not to failure but it was pretty tough, I don’t know how much further I could have stretched it but maybe to 2hr. My threshold HR is around 165 and my average HR was 152.

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I normally do the FTP test protocol on erg mode, but I feel like this always leaves watts on the table. If not in erg mode, is there another setting on my Kickr Gen2 that would provide a consistent level of resistance? I normally do the test while riding Zwift, but the variation in the terrain makes doing a steady test tough. Thx for any help people can give.

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I’d recommend connecting to your Kickr Gen2 using Bluetooth and switching from Erg to Level/Standard mode. Here is the description from Wahoo support article: https://support.wahoofitness.com/hc/en-us/articles/204281764-What-Are-the-Different-Modes-On-My-Smart-Trainer-

  • Level: Choose your power curve! Just like riding on a fluid or wind trainer, the faster you go, the harder it gets. The level you select determines the progression of your power curve.

Its a lot like riding outside. Much better than resistance mode in my opinion.

When doing a workout in ERG on Zwift - toggle ERG off in the Companion app and it will change to slope mode which you can alter using the up and down arrows.