Golden Cheetah - Critical Power

Training
#1

I wonder how many of you are using Golden Cheetah? I am confused about CP. Some said it is same as ftp, some said it is not. How do i tell what is my cp? See screenshot here :slight_smile:

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#2

They are not the same… although, they are supposed to be highly correlated:
https://groups.google.com/g/golden-cheetah-users/c/ztucO3u4cwA/m/pnBt-lKo6rMJ

#3

This is an easily digested article that explains the concept:
THE “CRITICAL POWER” CONCEPT AND HIGH-INTENSITY EXERCISE PERFORMANCE

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#4

Here is another good article which explains CP - what it is, how to test for it and includes a calculator: Critical Power and W’ Explained For Cyclists (inc. Critical Power Calculator) — High North Performance

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#5

For those of you using Critical Power, do you set your training zones off of it? (like those provided in GC)

#6

I do. For me FTP == CP. I don’t care if they are not exactly the same, but i don’t want to overcomplicate things. After all, if I can hold X power for Y minutes, it tells me much more than some metric.

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#7

I’ve a few numbers in my head one of those might correspond to GC critical power :exploding_head:

  1. I have an AI FTP Detected number I train to
  2. I have last seasons watts bests (a bit lower than AI FTPD) which I start out TTs
  3. I have a repeatable watts target (a bit lower again) which usually replaces things half way
  4. I have a lower again watts target which I know mentally I maintain all day (which might kick in in the last 1/4 before finishing too strong.
  5. Then I have a ‘get me home’ watts target (usually reserved for the cool down)

I’m getting better at holding 2 or 3 above for a full TT and sometimes negative splits and one of those might correspond to critical power :joy:

I can never get to that completely dead stage just as I cross the line, which some of the best tt’ers I know seem to; perhaps they are actually delivering ‘critical power’ :thinking: :joy:

#8

That is a metric in itself. :grinning: