Definitely not a 20 minute max power. 20 Minutes at target / new FTP, 10 minutes of rest (50-60%), then another 20 minutes at target / new FTP.
Basically think of it as a representative hard threshold workout or a shorter / easier to execute version of the KM Tests. If your FTP is set correctly, you’re going to be able to finish it without crushing yourself, but it’s not going to be too easy either.
Edit: Workout Output
He’s just doing a good 'ole 2 × 20 at what he thinks his new FTP is, and using his RPE (and triangulating with HR) on completing that workout to confirm or deny whether his new number is good. Coggan would approve. 
I think Kolie Moore suggests similar for folks who don’t like testing or who don’t test well.
Ok understood, though I wouldn’t see it as a 2x20. Doing that I wouldn’t do the rest at nearly FTP.
Is the KM procedure that much more difficult? I feel one can always end that on early if one doesn’t want to crush oneself.
Rest was at 45% of FTP for 10 minutes between the two intervals, It was 20 minutes at 103%, 10 minutes at 45%, 20 minutes at 103%. 103% became my new FTP.
There wasn’t any need to in this case, and I don’t think it would have given me a different answer. It is more taxing and takes a little bit more time to recover from, but I’ll probably do one of his full progressions after one of my upcoming blocks as I do think they’re valuable…
That’s the workout ‘Gray +5’, so Threshold level 5.9.
I’d agree that it’s a good indicator of a correctly set FTP if you rate it hard.
But lower power levels exist for a reason.
Short of maybe lowering intensity during the workout a little bit if necessary I’d recommend OP to not interfere, especially since he has limited experience. That’s only going to mess up adaptive training. Just rate the workouts ‘very hard’ or ‘all out’ if that’s what they feel like and follow the adaptations.
You’ll see yourself getting stronger soon.
It may be similar, but that was specifically a custom workout that is not from the TrainerRoad workout library, originated from TrainingPeaks. For me it was a Threshold 7.9 (Based off my prior FTP), so a good indicator it was time for a bump.
Not to niggle, but TR scores for custom workout PL’s are all over the place. I’m not saying that’s not a great, or a hard workout, just that I would take the PL with a grain of salt.
It looks pretty much identical so I don’t see how it justifes a that much higher power level.
Power level detection for custom workouts is known to be pretty hit or miss.
But if it works for you that’s what counts 
Edit: Rest between intervals is 40% of FTP with Gray+5, so that may explain part of the difference
Edit 2: Ok, you’re doing 103% FTP. I’ll see myself out 
7.9 actually seems to be in the ballpark then
2x20 min at FTP is in my book quite far from 2x20 min @ 103% FTP, assuming the FTP is correct as on is steady state at an (approximate) equilibrium while for the other lactate will slowly build and accumulate.
Also, the TR WL should sometimes be taken with a grain of salt. As an example the Gray 2x20 min @ FTP with 5 min has 0.1 points lower than Gray +5 where the eat between intervals is 10 min.
Except the intervals are at 103% of FTP, not 100%.
A couple more comments as opposed to responding individually.
I’ve definitely run into wacky PL’s, but moreso with Anaerobic and Sprint. If your workout is pretty vanilla, I’ve found them to sanity check pretty well. You could always niggle over a couple tenths, but I don’t think PL’s are an exact science anyways.
Remember, right after this workout I bumped my FTP by 3%, so the PL was based on a level that I’d been training at since late 2023, and I just finished a dedicated VO2 Block. Doing it at 103% was a “Modified FTP Test”. It works for me because I’ve gotten much better at feeling RPE associated with Threshold, and I have a bunch of data where I can go look at similar workout performance. I think being able to do a 2x20 that’s solid “Hard” but not too easy and not killing yourself means your FTP is set pretty close.
If I were to re-run this workout at 100% of my New FTP, this is what it’d look like now (45 minutes of endurance cut off at end)
Same, and I stopped trying in early 2020. At least for myself, there is a huge difference in being able to handle a build when I put more time/hours into developing a stronger aerobic base. For example with TR base I would struggle to do 3-min vo2max intervals at 110-113% - had to decrease intensity as this was pre-AT. That was essentially doing LV/MV base plans on about 4-6 hours/week. When I followed a more “traditional” base plan, something you would get off TrainingPeaks from a coach, it involved doing a lot of endurance and some tempo/SS and some of those had 5-sec surges before the tempo/SS. Doing close to 7-9 hours/week in loading weeks, for several months, I came out doing 3-min vo2max intervals closer to 120%.
Huge difference in being able to do a build (not TR build, but close enough). More endurance, more aerobic conditioning, better build. Low volume plans for me, both Stages power based spin classes and TR, leave me with poor foundation to do a hard build. Again thats me, and I’m not the only one.
And FWIW I never over-estimated my FTP while using TR. I simply need a lot more aerobic conditioning than some of you on the forum.
I’ll spare you my bio-chemistry speculation, but listening to Empirical Cycling / Kolie Moore is a lot like listening to the StrongFirst strength training guys. Those of us with weaker aerobic foundations, not gifted genetically, need to put more time into building a proper aerobic foundation. Once done, it makes a HUGE difference in doing a build.
Plenty of great advice in this thread already!
We love the tips that @Barry_Bean and @KonaSS mentioned – if it’s only been one workout, I wouldn’t sweat it too much. If it starts to become a pattern, that’s when I’d be more concerned.
I checked out your plan and it looks like you’re nailing your Sweet Spot sessions, which suggests to me that your Threshold workouts shouldn’t be too far off! It looks like some of your Threshold workouts include surges above 100% FTP as well, which certainly increases the difficulty. It could be possible that you need some time to get used to those surges in power that take you above FTP while then settling back into your Threshold power.
And as @KonaSS said, don’t be afraid of lowering the workout intensity by a couple % if you need to. Power zones are a range and they blend into each other, so if you can’t nail 272 watts perfectly, you can still get some solid work done if you can settle into 262 watts instead of bailing on the workout entirely.
Hope this helps – feel free to let us know if you have any other questions!
I find I perform threshold workouts much better in standard mode vs ERG. Might be something to try out.
Thanks to everyone for contributing! A lot to consider and I think I’ll stick with my current FTP for the time being and see what adaptive training makes of it.
If it makes any difference, I do these workouts all on resistance rollers with a pedal based power meter. There could be an element of trying to stay upright at play too!
