Apologies if covered elsewhere, but what are the best ways to measure improvements (or decline!) in fitness? Is it just FTP and w/kg? I don’t have a specific race/event to train for, so I just set up my first training plan to increase FTP. I’m about 3 weeks away from the end of a 12 week plan and feel worse than when I started … it would be good to see that (dis)proved on a chart.
If you are well below your biological potential, I’d say that FTP (absolute and relative to your weight) are still the best metrics. Since you have a lot of potential for improvement, all other metrics (e. g. TTE at a given power) will improve as your FTP improves. And your FTP has a lot of headroom.
If you are crossing 4ish W/kg, improvements will get much smaller and here I don’t think there is a universal metric to track, you need to get specific. Some people here favor TTE, but depending on your goals that need not be the right metric to look at. E. g. if your goal is a 40k TT and it takes you, say, 55 minutes, aiming to extend your TTE at FTP beyond 70 minutes is IMHO not the right goal. Ditto if you are into crit racing.
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If you just want to track fitness - maybe try av HR for a given power and duration. If this is reducing, you are getting aerobically fitter.
When you say I have a lot of potential for improvement …. do you mean my specific metrics (I think i shared in other posts), or in general people have a lot of room for improvement?
It is hard to assess where your limit is, but for me one criterion is to look at FTP increases (relative and absolute). In my case, changes in FTP across a season are about 5–7 % in absolute terms (going from 4.2–4.3 W/kg fresh from the offseason to 4.5–4.6 W/kg, i. e. a bit more if I account for weight fluctuations), i. e. small.
If you are well below 4 W/kg (and male), I reckon you have enough headway to make other metrics much less relevant and more difficult to ascertain. And then I’d simply stick to FTP, unless you have very specific demands.
Quite generally, you should pick performance metrics very carefully and consciously. For all the faults FTP as a performance metric has, I haven’t seen anything better — unless the athlete has very specific demands and wants to focus their training on these specific demands.
Heart rate is a good secondary metric, but needs a lot of context if you want to interpret it correctly. E. g. a lowered heart rate may be due to increased fitness or excessive fatigue.
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I train for fitness like you - so no racing.
I just alter the metrics I’m chasing. FTP is kinda an always one…but maybe one month I shoot for what’s my highest output in a sprint…this month for me is power I can do four 8 min intervals at. next month is gonna be TTE at sweetspot (~90% ftp)
so i just change it around to keep myself motivated.
oh also hours and KJ per week are an “always” metric.
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Thanks for the input folks. I’ll stick with FTP and FTP/kg as it’s easy to track, but I won’t bust a gut to go too far beyond 4/4.5 (currently 3.8 after first 2 months of TR, having never really done structured training).
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Those are very good numbers (similar to mine when I started with TR). So I don’t think it is out of the question that you reach well above 4.5 W/kg. However, the air gets pretty rarified North of 4.5 W/kg.
If you have just started structured training, I’d focus on learning the basics first, get a better feel for what training feels like, how far you can push yourself, etc. Afterwards, I’d look towards setting yourself fitness goals. But they can vary dramatically depending on the type of riding you do.
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If TR has a sufficient amount of your data, I would argue that TR’s AI FTP detection is the single best progress metric available anywhere, even better than testing given day to day performance fluctuations.
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I think the TR Power Profile chart is a good option here too.
I’d personally focus on your power output in the below intervals (5s, 1m, 5m, etc.) and ditch the weight part of the equation.
This chart makes it really easy to compare your records from this year, last, and all-time. You can also create custom seasons if that type of specificity helps you.
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A real world metric that is (sort of) fun would be segments, be it Garmin or Strava or any other platform, and track times on it.
I also like my 1 hour of pain doing repeats of a climb, then if it’s suitable you should be able to do more in that time. Bear in mind you have a good chance of seeing your lunch for a second time!
This is a tangible metric combing fitness and skills.
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