TrainerRoad AI recently improved how AI FTP Detection works. As part of that update, athletes may see their detected FTP change, sometimes downward. This change reflects how the new system calibrates training, not any significant change in your actual fitness.

Just like adjusting a scale to be more accurate, this can change the number without changing the underlying reality.

The most important thing to know is this:

Your training continues where you left off. This is a recalibration to a new and improved model, not a judgement of your fitness.

Workout progression, difficulty, and structure stay aligned with your current ability so you can keep improving.

What Changed With the Updated AI FTP Detection

TrainerRoad AI now does a better job of identifying the right starting point for training by using more of your real-world performance data.

The goal of this update is to:

  • Place you at the correct point in workout progression
  • Ensure interval durations and wattages are optimal
  • Keep training productive and sustainable

Because the model itself has changed, it may assign a different FTP value than before, even if your training consistency and performance have not changed.

This is expected behavior as we roll out TrainerRoad AI.

Why A Recalibration Can Look Like a Decrease

FTP is a reference point used to scale workouts. With the model now improved, it may determine that a slightly lower FTP produces:

  • Better interval execution
  • More appropriate workout difficulty
  • Smoother progression over time
  • More room to continue improving

In those cases, lowering FTP is not about taking fitness away or indicating you’ve lost fitness. It’s about aligning the number with how the new model interprets your recent training data.

Your ability to train has not suddenly dropped. The system is simply using a more accurate lens.

What Does Not Change

Even if your FTP number changes:

  • Your workouts should not suddenly feel dramatically easier or more difficult
  • Training intensity remains appropriate
  • You are still on track to get faster

This FTP adjustment ensures your workouts stay aligned with your current progression so you can keep building fitness without disruption.

Why This Helps You Improve Long-Term

When FTP is slightly misaligned, the system has to compensate by making workouts denser, more stressful, or harder to complete within limited time.

By adjusting FTP:

  • Interval durations stay productive
  • Progression remains achievable
  • Training stress is better distributed
  • You can continue improving without forcing unsustainable workouts

In many cases, a change in your FTP creates room for progress rather than limiting it.

A Note on Training Data

TrainerRoad AI uses your recent power, heart rate, and workout execution to assess your training. If your training history includes changes like time off, plan edits, or different riding patterns, the new model may weigh that data more accurately than before.

This doesn’t mean anything is wrong. It just means the system is adapting to what it sees so training stays effective.

As you train consistently, the model continues learning and refining its recommendations.

The Big Picture

The updated AI FTP Detection is designed to put you at the right starting point so your workouts are productive, repeatable, and effective.

If your FTP changed after the update, it reflects improved calibration, not a loss or major change in fitness.

Focus on executing your workouts well, recovering consistently, and letting TrainerRoad AI manage the details. The numbers will follow.