Last year my FTP peaked at ~252W which I maintained for a few months before getting off the bike for 4 months to train for a running marathon.
7 weeks ago, I got on the bike again and tested at an FTP of 223W.
2 weeks later, I did 248W for 20 minutes resulting while climbing Le Grand Ballon in Vosges for an estimated FTP of 236W.
Just now, I did 273W for 20 minutes for an estimated FTP of 258W.
I also lost 4 kg of weight since then, so my relative FTP improved from 2.8 to 3.4 W / kg.
Super happy right now and it really feels like after 2 years of trial and error and looking for a magic bullet, things have finally clicked. Earlier this year I noticed a strong correlation between my CTL and my FTP and thatās when I realised I never really did enough volume. My CTL peaked at 74 (ATL 98, TSB -26) last year but this was due to a bikepacking trip so very much inflated.
My training over the last few months consisted of mostly endurance rides with some added treshold work later on, but only once a week. I did this up to a CTL of 60. Last week was a complete recovery week where I let my TSB get positive and only did short 60-90 minutes easy rides at < 60% FTP.
I averaged 300W for the last 5 minutes of todayās test so could probably test a little higher, but this number is good enough for me for now. Hereās to hoping I can get to 300W this year!
Started to ride again in May of 2022 consistently, then started training TR with a plan the last week of July 2022. Started with an FTP of 224 via ramp test and was so surprised that I repeated the test a week later with the same Result.
Since then Iāve just had AI FTP give me a score of 270.
Iāve completed General Build LV, Rolling RR LV.
Started Sweet Spot Base, Sustained Build, Gran Fondo Mid Volume at then end of November. Started with an FTP of 257, ended with 268 via AI at the end of April.
Since then took about 2 weeks off for unstructured riding, then started with Low Vol Polarized Base and just finishing that up now. I had a few rides where I attempted to complete the long 16 minute intervals outside and had both intervals.icu and training peaks update my FTP anywhere from 267-275. Just had AI FTP update my score to 270 this morning.
Iām happy with the results so far as I can now hang with fast group rides and also sustain efforts during longer rides without totally blowing up. My previous all time high was just north of 300 but that was in 2017 and I was 6 years younger and single.
One major difference between now and then is I understand that consistency is king and the long game is the only game in raising the ftp ceiling. If I could nudge up my FTP to 280-285 by the end of the year that would be pretty good.
I started cycling in 2022, and joined TR in January 2023. Iāve gone from 238 to 249 (as of yesterday).
Iām a little bummed because as a newer rider I thought that I would have a steeper gains in the beginning of structured training. At the same time, a 5% increase every 6 months would be incredible. I carry a bit of extra weight, so dropping 3-4 kilos while maintaining my FTP might do me some good too.
Last year my ftp felt stuck and didnāt move much 310-320 watts over the year 2022. I did do a lot of group rides that were either easy or very hard. Which in return made me fail workouts. Also I had lots of dental work done with 3 weeks of continuous antibiotics. All that really slowed down any progress. I still felt strong besides FTP but overall that number didnāt move much. In the end was happy but wanting more. None of which I could blame TR for.
So this year I took a solid week completely free of any extra exercise in January. Then started my plan with an ftp at 305, what Iāve done so far;
TBMV2
TBMV3
SSB1 MV
Short power build Low volume pulse 4-6 extra zone 2,
As of today 325 watt ftp @3.9 w/kg. Matching my highest ftp ever.
During these weeks I also attended spicy group rides usually on Saturday, Sunday was an off day for me. I get anywhere from 7-11 hours a week depending on work, life and fatigue.
Although I didnāt substitute a workout for the hard group rides, I doubled down on sleep and ate a lot more. I havenāt gained weight either which is good. I am very happy with my progress, I am always between Low and Mid volume plans and looking at SSB ā specialty plans I might stick with Low volume from now on til I no longer see any progress.
The traditional base plans at mid volume were perfect and honestly might be part of every āplanā I make now. I donāt have any events til the end of the year. Iām going to probably do low volume sweet spot-base plans for the next couple months without worrying about hitting every workout.
Thank you TR and forum members for advice, quality over quantity of intervals
Added another 10-15 watts after a rest week. I started from almost zero in February after 8 months off the bike. And honestly, I think the FTP is more like 230. I was pushing 230-240 at 35 minutes into a long format test. I probably could have grunted out another 5 minutes but at that point, I was pretty confident my FTP was 225-230 range today.
This was also my 2nd ride after a week off. Yesterday, I did an easy 30 minutes after we got home from our trip and today I did this test. Probably a few rides would have warmed up my legs better.
Iām just going to go with 225. Iād rather be conservative with the FTP.
Started TR in april 2021. Now 51 years old. Have been pretty consistent in my training, but only on LV programs. Hence the slow but steady improvement.
Went from 179 (2,5 W/kg) to 246 (3,7 W/kg). Curious when Iāll reach my plateau, but Iām confident that Iām not there yet, as long as I stick to it. As many have said : consistency is key.
Iāve struggled with my weight for years, and now at 41 Iām making some progress. Last year I hit 300 hours on the bike, but at my best I was 262 lbs/119 kg @ 285 W for 2.4W/kg. Had some health setbacks over the past 12 months (cellulitis with 3 weeks antibiotics twice (!!), Covid for Christmas, few sinus infections) but Iām more determined then ever to get healthier and faster
Started the year at 273 lbs/124 kg and FTP was down to 260W post-Covid for 2.1 W/kg. As of yesterday, I hit 3.0 W/kg and rode my fastest 100km yet.
Iām 6ā5"/195 cm and aiming for 195 lbs/88 kg which was a healthy weight for me back in high school/college. I want to see if I can hit 4.0 w/kg but that may be a stretch No time frame for that but lots of room to still improve.
I came to the conclusion a while ago that I would probably never hit college weight again. Iām shooting for a more reasonable goal.
Iām 6ft /205 pounds. I had gotten down to 192 and then Covid happened, we moved out of state, my son did virtual school for 2 years, and my wife got a serious illness. I went back up to 215.
Iāve been working on it and Iām down 10 pounds.
My goal weight is 185 (maybe a very outside chance at 175). In college I was bike racing in France, riding a ton and was down to 165. I see 185 as the reasonable goal. 175 as the stretch and 165 as a miracle that wonāt happen.
And that means 4 watt/kg will never happen again at 56 years old. I was actually around there when I was racing in my 20s. (I modeled my FTP based on a 1 hour, 4k foot climb we used to race every year. I came up with a 300-325 ftp and about 4.1 w/kg back then. Now, Iāll be thrilled with 3 w/kg!
But you are only 41 and can still give it a go. Keep up the good work!
Iām a comparative midget at 5ft 9in (175cm) and when I left college I was 147lb (66.7kg) and 8years after working in Dublin and a lot of social drinking I was 161lb (73kg). After that I found cycling and my drinking was less frequent social which got me back to 147lb. At 47.5years Ive still not put it back on.
Nice achievement for me - I struggle for good terrain to test on, so always test and do key intervals indoors. My old Flux 2 had me stagnant-ish at +/- 365w since around Dec 2020.
When the Flux 2 broke, my new Neo 2 had me at 340w in Nov 2022. A little chastening, but a good reality check, as outdoors I always struggled hard to hold SST for the 60 min range.
After some VO2 and threshold work I managed to break through the old plateau 340w > 355w. After a few months I repeated the same pattern, but didnāt immediately detect a bump. A few races pushing me well outside my comfort zone and 4 weeks pushing volume into the 14-15 hour range followed. I tested at the weekend, and finally clawed my way back to 365w with a pretty respectable 55 min TTE.
Itās a bit oddā¦none of what I did was actually new to me, it just worked this time. If anything, my periodisation was a little less strict when it worked (2 week VO2 block vs 3 in the past, only 1 FTP workout p/w in latest threshold block due to races).
The only difference I see is slightly more volume, mainly because last year I got Covid in April, and have only had one mild illness so far this year. But overall Iād say Iāve been very consistent since I started training seriously. Time is pretty much maxed out, but Iām trying to squeeze in an extra hour more often on my long rides.
Iāve spent most of the year making very small but steady progress to my FTP after an initial little jump soon after starting TR.
1w here, 3w there. I even had a 2w decrease last month after some time off the bike with a bad cold. Iād actually been a bit disappointed by my progress.
I had a few light weeks before jumping on a Polarized plan, and just as I approach the end of the first block, AI FTP gave me a 8w bump to 241w.
Iām hoping that the Polarized plan is the start of more substantial progress like this
I am fairly new to cycling. I bought my first road bike on January 25 2021. I was just cycling 5-7 times a week until June. I got addicted and wanted to get stronger coz most of the friends I met I couldnt keep up.
So on May I bought my first clipless pedals, left crank PM and Indoor trainer (Used Elite Direto).
May 2021: 208 at 82KG (173 cm)
Aug 2021: 235 at 78KG
Oct 2021: 250 at 76KG
Dec 2021: 265 at 75KG
On August 2022 I was hit with COVID but kept training and I became overfatigued and completely burnt out because of that. I had no idea of the so called off season because I was new and was addicted to cycling. I took a break for 6 months. On Feb 2023 I started cycling again but this time I did not care about power at all and just wanted to enjoy cycling atm. On march I started to come back to training and did the Active Offseason plan on zwift. Also got new assioma duo shis coz my left PM broke.
March 2023: 223 at 88KG
June 2023: 256 at 85KG
Sep 2023: 264 at 81KG
Dec 2023: 273 at 80KG
update: (offseason in my country)
April 2024: 263 at 79KG
About 3 months in on the custom plan builder gran fondo. Riding for about 18 months total. 315-338 in those 3 months. I used zwift before i started this plan and was probably 220ish when i started out. 42, 6ā4, 91kg, 3.71w/kg. Would love to lose 5 more kg and get to 4w/kg.
I have been using TR now for 12 months, mostly on a low volume SS plan. I am a male in my mid-fifties and my primary goal is to ride brevets comfortably.
My ftp went from 130 to 190. While itās nigh impossible to say whether starting and ending FTP are accurate, I do feel stronger, and I can ride faster for longer. Earlier this year I rode a 400K, my first ever.
The 130 was a real low point as a gained some real weight and gotten very inactive due to Covid.
Reading Joe Frielās āFast after 50ā I am hoping that over the next 2 years I can add another 60 points to my FTP. Of course, only time will tell.
No time frame for that but lots of room to still improve.
