[Please stay on-topic and don’t get into defining or even ‘finding your true FTP’. I’m only talking about what FTP should be set to in TR so WOs difficulties & zones are right.
Also important: I know ‘FTP’, and therefore your zones, can fluctuate hugely day to day based on fatigue, sleep, nutrition, stress, etc., and some argue for non-FTP based training. Please let’s just stay on topic; let’s assume I want to continue to use TR WOs, and we are discussing where FTP should be set in TR. And for the sake of this discussion, let’s assume I was feeling excellent. Esp bc I really was, and was feeling ready to kill it!!]
Seeking input if below is a good benchmark, and decent proof my FTP is set too high.
I was completely gassed after Int 1. HR v close to my max @ 22:00, only 6 mins into Int 1, 5 to 7 / 10 level mental struggle to finish. Shortly after Int 2 started, I dialed it back to make sure watts would be same as int 1; 210 instead of increased a bit. HR at my abs max @ 33:00, half way pt of Int 2. Told myself I’d just finish Int 2, 8 to 9 / 10 mental push to finish, legs feeling cooked.
…OK, fine, I’ll attempt Int 3, but I can bail anytime. Move diff % lower still to keep locked @ 210 W, no increase, couldn’t do it. HR back to abs max only 2 mins in, 10/10 mental struggle to finish Int 3, but I did it. Honestly never been so ‘in the zone’ in my life. [Great feeling!] Dead, bailed, took like 15 mins spinning @ 80 watts in Recess -4 to wash the gunk out [usually happy w 2 – 7 mins].
WO was rated as Productive vs my PL after FTP bump.
SO… FTP is def too high… right? If FTP is correct, you should be able to hold 101% for 10 mins fairly easily, right? [I’m quite strong in high threshold – low VO2, I’m a TTist, def not a sprinter.]
Also, this is a result we’d expect from a Breakthrough WO, or at least high Stretch, not a Productive, ya? So a second thing also pointing to FTP too high?
I really feel like a WO like this [warm up, do some work, break, 101% for 10 mins] is a very good benchmarker after you’ve had an FTP bump. At the end of Int 1, you should feel you’re pushing, but definitely ready for Int 2, at it’s intended level, and should at very least get through Int 3, perhaps pretty maxxed, but ready to at least attempt Int 4, right?
You should really not be at your 10/10 [… or 11/10…] RPE just to finish Int 3… especially after dialing % back to 97 @ start of Int 2.
If this isn’t a good benchmarker WO to double check where your FTP is set after a bump, what is?
There must be a WO that will get you to hold FTP for a bit, and / or run you through some zones, so you can then be like “Yeah, OK, that feels approximately how it should.”, without running a full ramp or 45 min TT effort.
[Again, not looking to ‘find my true, real-world FTP’. Just looking to have it set right in TR for WO zones.]
Sincerely appreciate your time & input!