Lowering intensity vs setting FTP lower

Training
1

After a few months of training indoors and with TR I have learned that I “overtest” a bit with the ramp test. I don’t want to change methods to 20-min test or 2x8 min.
I have figured out that for Sweet Spot and threshold lowering the intesity of the workout to 98% works great.
For Vo2 type stuff on the other hand it seems like I could/should increase it to 102-105% to get the intended effects.

My question now is what to do after my next ramp test that is coming up? Should I lower the ftp or just go with what I’ve been doing lately (and works)? If I should lower it, by how much? Do the 2% I lower intensity equal 2% lower ftp? And in that case, what do I do about the Vo2–max sessions?
The only benefit to lowering the ftp manualy I can see is to get the zones “correct” right around threshold.

Apologies if there already is a thread where I should have put this. I only found threads that were discussing pros and cons of different test methods…

2

Are you following a TR plan? How much SS training have you done in the last 8-12 weeks? What are your goals?

3

I would lower the FTP with 2%.
For VO2 sessions, I would do the maximum power you think you can sustain for the duration, irrespective of the power goal, and not use ERG mode.

2 Likes
4

^ this.

Your FTP is for setting power levels on workouts at FTP and below. Use FTP to guide sweet spot and threshold intervals.

Above FTP you need to individualize, so override the intensity in TR app if you are using Erg mode.

Five years ago Dr. Coggan updated his training zones/levels, moving away from vo2max training at 106-120% and over to an individualized approach. If you are interested in why he wrote an article discussing the reasoning for the change: https://help.trainingpeaks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360030601812-How-ILevels-Make-It-Possible-To-Individualize-Training-In-WKO5 and also covered it in this webinar: Webinar: New Metrics and iLevels in WKO4 - YouTube

2 Likes
5

Yes, I’'m following a TR plan - Planbuilder gave me:
SSB1 6wks → SusPB 7wk → SSB2 6wks (currently one more week of this until rest) → SusPB 8wk → SSB1 6wks - > XCM 7 wks (end of last block is my A-event; 4,5-isch hours racing)
All this is low volume so the current block of SSB is not so much SS but more threshold and VO2.
I add a bit of lifting and longer z2/3 on weekends most weeks.

My background is that I’m doing quite a bit of endurance sports year round and have done so for many years but 2020 was the first time in probably 4-5 years with any structured training.
I came into TR roughly at 3,5 w/kg after about a month “on the couch”.

6

Thank you, I’ll have to read through that and watch the webinar.

7

Seems to me to be a bit of a pain to lower the intensity on every workout when you can get the same effect by lowering your ftp.

1 Like
8

It is. And it bugs the data driven part of my that my ftp isn’t actually my ftp :slight_smile: @bbarrera confirmed what I was thinking, that ftp really is only a “valid” thing right around threshold.
What I wasn’t sure about was if the 2% less intesity = 2% lower ftp.

9

regardless ftp is just for setting the right zones and doesn’t matter otherwise. 2% is well within the theoretical accuracy of power meters so take solace in knowing that the FTP you are given by the test is probably not really your FTP anyways.

10

Someone else can here can correct me if i’m wrong about this. I believe TSS is calculated based on your FTP setting. So a workout has the same TSS regardless of your FTP. If you are adjusting the workouts, you end up with a different TSS number. So having your FTP set correctly will give you your most accurate TSS. Although it might not be a consequential difference.

11

I personally would lower FTP and when I have time to add in an extra session during the week I would do a SS workout as long as it didn’t disrupt recovery and other priorities.