I know where you’re coming from. When the Ramp Test became the default testing protocol, I had just finished Rolling Road Race Speciality. I was really (really) upset to see my FTP decline from 319 to 309. I was supposed to be at peak fitness, on the knife edge of performance. How can my FTP have gone down! Then I started to think back on the workouts that I struggled with during my training. Through 6 months of SSB, General Build and RRR I bailed on I think 3 or 4 workouts, the pattern was clearly that VO2Max intervals were killing me, especially microburst workouts like Spanish Needle. I felt that the Ramp Test was hitting some of the same weaknesses and I wasn’t doing as well as I thought I should. So, let’s say I went back to the 2*8 and got a higher FTP. It would only make the intervals I was struggling with even harder to complete. I didn’t think overall that was very beneficial for me. So I have persisted with the Ramp Test and have seen my FTP creep back up (I’m back up to 314 right now). Sweet Spot intervals are still difficult, but the VO2Max intervals are more reachable for me. I’m enjoying my training more as a result.
The Ramp Test doesn’t require the same pacing strategies that the longer protocols do, but doing well in the Ramp Test still requires some skill. I think part of the reason that I’ve been doing better lately is that I’ve been thinking more about how I can do better in it. There is a great thread going here with some good ideas: