Today, I completed an FTP ramp test, and overall, it went well. I even managed to improve my FTP, which I’m obviously happy about. However, I still feel like I didn’t fully tap into my potential at the very end of the test.
I struggle to truly go “all out” in the final minutes of a ramp test. Here’s an example from today’s session:
At 200 watts, my heart rate was around 160 (my aerobic threshold (VT1) is 155 hr).
At 250 watts, my heart rate increased to 170 (my anaerobic threshold (VT2) is 174 hr).
After completing the final stage at 321 watts, my heart rate was at 182
I didtn finish the last stage at 334 watts
From past records, I know my maximum heart rate is 190. Physically, there was still room to push harder. But what I lacked was the mental edge to hold on for one more minute, or even longer. I’m convinced I could have done it physically, but mentally, I just couldn’t find the strength. Looking back, this frustrates me, and I’m a bit disappointed because I feel like I left something on the table.
Now, I’m curious: how do you manage to give everything in the last minute of a ramp test? Where do you find the motivation and the willpower to push beyond, even when your body is screaming to stop? Are there any strategies or techniques that help you overcome this critical moment? I’d love to hear your tips so I can improve my mental toughness and get the most out of myself in the future.
Getting to max HR is one thing. Getting to max HR in a ramp test is a different thing.
The structure of the ramp test is different to the structure of the max HR test.
You were “all out” when you had to stop. If you weren’t, you would have been able to keep going. It is just that it wasn’t your HR that was the limiter.
Another observation, and this isn’t a criticism because I do exactly the same.
If you had held on a little longer and got a higher estimated FTP that doesn’t mean your actual fitness is any different. You will have just been presented a different number at the end of the test. It’s just a different number to base your training on - and it sounds like it’s heading in the right direction so don’t worry about it and keep doing what you are doing.
Most people will never truly “max out” unless it is for a cause that they bought into. For example, the kids I coach in running will give up a place or two when they are tired and running as individuals, but when they know there is a team battle and their teammates are also giving it their all they find that extra gear and fight for those spots.
That said, I know the mantra that performance is “90% mental” but I just don’t believe that’s the case. In biology giving in is a safety mechanism to not cause harm to the body. You may not have felt like you were maxed but on that day that’s what you had (assuming other stress from life, work, etc. was not a factor here).
I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t be so hard on yourself. You set a new best and should celebrate that. Sometimes after a “PR” we think we could go further, or do more. Maxing out on a trainer, solo is difficult. In the end it sounds to me like you did dig deep… my advice, don’t overthink it and enjoy it!
I’m going to chime in here with what may be a different perspective. I have only once in my life maxed-out an indoor training “test” on a bike, and I don’t think I’ll ever go so hard again. I started to get dizzy, vision began tunneling, and it felt like I was about to have bowel failure. I used what limited body control I had to unclip and lie down. I hadn’t seen my HR that high for probably 15 years, and it hasn’t been close to that again since.
I think the only reason I went so deep was due to faulty power data… I didn’t go into the workout wondering how I’d do; I went into the workout expecting to be able to finish it.
It happened on the second rep of a planned 2x20min @ ~FTP workout, but I was traveling and using a local university’s spin bike that had a power meter that I think was reading low. The first 20min felt like I was at my limit on what was normally ~60min power, and I tried to repeat another 20min without success (I made it about 12 minutes). For the last 90sec I averaged 189bpm with a peak of 191 (using Garmin HRM Dual, which has some smoothing built-in), when my usual max is around 182-183.
I was expecting the workout to be difficult but quite manageable. I started at a power level I’d many times sustained for over 45min, and it got really uncomfortable just over halfway though the first 20min rep and I was barely able to complete the 20min. Being stupid about it, I had the mentality of “I should be able to do this”, and I didn’t want to “fail” the workout.
Try it again. You clearly think you had something left, so see if you did. It won’t make any difference to your training (assuming being December there’s nothing important coming up), but you’ll learn something about yourself.
@Bikeabilly take it from somebody who has seen a lot of ramp tests: it’s almost universal that within 120 seconds of completing a ramp test, the subject will say they thought they could have held out for another 30 seconds. That means you are a typical human. So that is the first point.
Second point…you mentioned your FTP went up…which probably means you just completed a series of training weeks with increasing training stress. That probably means you had some positive adaptation which almost certainly means you had an increase in blood volume. And that means your HR response went down…not just at the end of your ramp test but while you’re sitting around in the afternoon, while your laying there in bed after you wake up, while you’re riding along at tempo, etc.
Third point…last one I promise…your post ramp FTP is probably about 240W. If you had held out for the full step 17 your FTP would be something like 250W. If I were your coach and that result was really sticking in your craw I would tell you you can earn that 250W if your first couple weeks of workouts at 240W is pristine. No missed workouts. No cheat meals. 8.5hrs of sleep a night. You can get that 10W back but you have to earn it.
Yep, this is a big reason why we are such big advocates for AI FTP Detection!
It can be super hard to dig 100% deep during a fitness assessment on any given day. It’s also possible to overperform on a given test and thus set your training numbers too high.
AI FTP Detection helps eliminate these variables by analyzing all of your recent (and historic) training to give you a more “complete” vision of your current FTP.
My competition all out is different than training all out, although maybe with practice I could narrow the gap. It is difficult to recreate in the basement the motivation to pass a rider in the last 50 yards of a race.
Outside for hard training efforts I visualize my races, pick a target landmark, watch the timer, tell my legs to shut up, etc. Inside I play high energy music.
