4 Ways To Improve Your FTP | Cycling Workouts To Raise Your Functional Threshold Power

[@gcn]

What's your favourite way to train?

[@井実芳仁]

I like interval training. sprint about 30 sec and relax 1 min and repeat this 4 times. I do this training when go to office.

[@everactivedad]

Global Cycling Network hills and hills and hills

[@gcn]

Sounds tough!

[@battlefieldslayer1138]

With the weekend worries then driving then into ground with the last 15 km after the Monday to Friday with weight/turbo training

[@hogdog567]

Polarised training. The vast majority is zone 1 and 2 mixed with interval training, sweetspot training and weight training.

[@nuclearbanana1631]

1. 2x20: 10 minute warmup, 20 minute session at almost or at maximum power, 5 minute recovery 2. over under: 10 minute warmup, 1 minute at half power, 3 minutes at 1/3 power, 5 minute recovery, 3-4 sessions per week 3. max efforts: 45 seconds per spurt, 3-6 minutes in total, 3 minute recovery 4. long ride: add 30-60 minutes to longest ride each week, lower intensity but for longer, 1/4 power level

[@youngn5071]

Correction for Over Unders - 8-12 minute warmup, 1 minute at zone 5 then 3 minutes at zone 3, 4-8 minutes recovery, 2-4 intervals in a session.

[@lifeafterlon]

My No.1 tool in my training arsenal to go from 3.2 w/kg to 5 w/kg was short sub 5 min efforts, Zone 5-7, up hills. Shorter, sharper intensity was the key. Minimise Training Stress Score, maximise Intensity Factor. Cheers for the great video GCN. 🤙🏻

[@gcn]

Sounds tough!

[@lifeafterlon]

It helps to block out the pain if you enjoy hill destroying and mountain slaying. 😈@@gcn

[@dwighteisenhower1084]

How much rest between?

[@JeyDeee89]

In running, they say: Do your easy days easy. 80% "slow" Zone 2, and intervalls on seperate days because it would be bad together with the longruns, because it hits different systems. I am confused :D

[@Bultish]

I'm curious, did you do the test better or have you actually done a one hour effort?

[@JosephLycett04]

Good GCN partnerships: • James “Hank” Lowsley-Williams and Chris “Mr Travolta” Opie • Simon “spray tan” Richardson and Dan “I used to ride for the Cervélo test team” Lloyd • Oliver “hour record” Bridgewood and Jon “tech nerd” Cannings

[@heliumtrophy]

And Tom "Brick" Last bringing up the rear as always!

[@JosephLycett04]

heliumtrophy he can go in the “occasional appearance section” with Emma

[@mikenewberry4064]

I miss Emma

[@thebelly925]

Tom ‘The Brick’ Last....

[@MrBootgrab]

If you are serious about cycling and being successful at it ....for example winning that road race , winning that local crit...you have to learn how to suffer and recover and love doing it.

[@MrBootgrab]

@Zen Paul no risk no reward. Pro's crash ...we average mortals are bound to crash as well. 😊

[@ginnai]

My favorite is one 4 hour ride with intermittent sprints per week. I grab an hour ride here and there, but that is my big training day. I have seen great results with this method, 10 min warm up and about two sprints an hour; targeting a wattage is really key for my mental game. My sprints and the endurance have come a long way... and it isn't boring or draining. I'd say a powermeter/ heart rate monitor is critical to starting up. Once you've used them for a number of years, you will get a feel for the cadence / wattages - but who doesn't want to see those big numbers :D

[@sytsedijkstra]

My recent favorite way is MTB’ing and leg workouts at my local bootcamp. Went from 275 to 320 ftp.

[@zacharymorford1846]

Thanks for this video. It would really help if you could insert the % of FTP for each of the zones in the workouts.

[@vereidepusen]

Agreed!

[@THEoldgreydude]

They have done a video showing the % of FTP in each zone See it here as always it's worth a watch kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnWahpyDpMSahaM

[@grantmckay7014]

Been "accidentally" doing this by doing reps of a local 2.7km 9% climb. Has definitely helped!

[@MoneyMakerRealty]

Rookie cuclist here … i do all my training on a indoor trainer ( tacx) and zwift. All the logistics and erg mode do the head work. I just spin my legs. 6 weeks in I see massive improvements and i went from being dropped to hanging and pulling on group rides, usually I push the tempo when doing the pulling which further shows me Im getting stronger by the week. Did the foundational 12 week program through 6 weeks and just changed to ftp build up which has my legs feeling great. Cant wait to measure up this on this sundays group ride

[@TroyHardingLit]

Great to hear! I'm also a rookie cyclist and I've also just recently set up my indoor tacx trainer with Zwift. Encouraging to hear your success given our similar start points. How's your training been going since you made this post?

[@Totalavulsion]

I just race different types of races on Zwift 2-3 times per week. I actually find I cover all this anyway with the added advantage of it being more race specific and random. Keep the body guessing! I also find it easier from a motivational perspective

[@freewheels7544]

Yes.... more videos about FTP pls !

[@GNX157]

You guys forgot to mention leg strength training with weights in the gym during the off season. At first blush it might not seem like it would work but read into it and you’ll see that it’s getting a lot of support.

[@damon123jones]

I love sprints and really long rides and put it all together on the weekend in a fast group

[@elbrauer]

So blessed to have seen this on my morning constitution.

[@thomasconc]

Nice video guys. Would give you two thumbs up if I could. I was doing, 5-10 mins efforts with 2 mins recovery, using HR at 85-90%, or 3-4 hour zone 2 rides with 6-8 120%+ FTP sprints for 1 minute...so that one not much different from your last example. Also doing some sweet spot rides. Will try the others you suggest to mix it up a bit. Thanks!

[@adamlowther6802]

Got one of these variations tomorrow- 3 hours with some short max sprints! :)

[@gcn]

Good luck!

[@ernest2364]

Thank You GCN for these videos. These workouts are all in Swift's Active Off season training plan. I'm into week 9 and it's been kicking my 64 year old ass!!! But it has me rated at 282 FTP now, but I just can't see me doing that for an hour. LOL

[@gcn]

Great effort!

[@nerace73]

Having short max effort rides few times a week. Thx for the tips and advises! I wish your explanations of the trainings is a bit more precise! As you kind of loose yourself with rest during the intervals, and brake in between the intervals... Thanks once more!! Keep up the good work!!

[@dorothyb.]

You just always want to carry on talking.... I love this channel... informative and funny

[@aqhan]

I'm definitely will be testing these soon.

[@mariusbelisle3494]

You so helped me with this vid thanks

[@ryu2241]

Well done guys

[@jadsru1]

OMG... What did I do before GCN!

[@alexnaturalis1179]

You forgot the link in the description with a detail on the zone levels!

[@callumthorsen5474]

Good tips👍🏻

[@denisedaly2307]

Great advice. This channel is fantastic

[@stevenvroom6969]

Very helpfull video! Thanks! I was looking for short workouts for the winter months because 120 km or more in the cold wasn't motivating to keep cycling during winter.

[@gcn]

Happy training!

[@richardmiddleton7770]

I like shorter sweet spot efforts (5-10 mins) but starting with a max seated effort for around 10 seconds before settling into sweet spot.

[@michaelalbany]

The first way that James can get faster is to wash that bike! Good Heavens Man! Its a mess! @JonCannings, talk to that man!

[@narcosis9842]

Really useful tvm. Bannerdown is a great climb and love the foss way just a shame that section along the back of Colerne airfield is so rutted 😁

[@JohnWickFour]

Zwift training sessions with Wattbike Atom on ERG is easy as to target sessions/gains like this. I've found it really help me out on the road and get strong. Cheers

[@wasupwitdat1mofiki94]

I'm more interested in what's going on at CES and improving my gaming interests at the moment. Training can wait until the weather gets better.

[@futureshock7425]

I just tried the FTP test first time ever and failed out magnificently

[@jasonmcgrody9472]

I'm doing a long Zone 2 effort on Zwift while I watch this. Tip: Watch GCN to alleviate the monotony of a long steady session on a turbo trainer.

[@srvaughan2502]

I always watch Netflix :D

[@brandonclark8736]

Don't get frustrated with the over under's. I use the Zwift training session named "The Wringer" and some days I kill it, and others, like today, i don't. Stick with it and know that it takes TIME to increase your FTP. To put it another way, I'm happy with a 2% increase over the last month. Yeah.

[@illuminaughty-7868]

I use mtb to ride with roadies, catching up with the breakaway improves my endurance and power overtime.

[@michaeltan511]

I will vouch for overs and unders, for ME it is a very potent stimulus for lactate tolerance but it depends on what kind of adaptation you are training for specifically.... Shorter, higher intensity workouts will boost your FTP, but it will only raise the ceiling of your anaerobic capacity whereas the long mileage lower intensity sessions will give you a stronger aerobic foundation from which to build your FTP upon . At the end of the day, FTP is just a number but there are 2 contributing energy systems (aerobic and anaerobic) - how you increase that FTP number will depend on how much time you spend on training those energy systems in relation to the demands of your specific performance goals/events.

[@rostonnordell3218]

I try to keep my training interesting and have a variety of workouts rides and even runs I usually try to have at least one endurance day one day where I do a longer interval also too days where I do shorter more intense interval and a day in the gym and then I usually do one run a week just to keep in interesting

[@tawilk]

sprints, weight training, and short intervals (3 min or less).

[@hollyarmstrong2293]

You are worth it.

[@kevin._.farren]

So, what I’m getting from this is do intervals of varying length and intensity with a short recovery between and make it hurt...got it!

[@MikeAG333]

So a long multi-hour ride with some steep hills improves your stamina. Who'd've thunk it, hey?

[@micbanand]

at the moment. mon. 1 hour spinning. tue. rest. wed. 1-1,5 hour race on zwift. thu. 2x 1 hour spinning. fri. rest. sat. long run 3-5 hour zwift. sun. free choise ride on zwift :)

[@thomaspeiffer7414]

Hello, I'm new in training and I'm not sure when you say warm up and recovery, is it zone 1 or 2 ? By the way, love your job !

[@gordonharker4705]

great show boys I will attend it .🤔

[@sirBumpyCase]

I think what you guys were trying to say, is that to improve, you have to push yourself beyond what is comfortable.

[@d.malafronte3386]

it would of been nice to add FTP percentages for the workouts for those of us who train with power meters--ie..2 x 20 at what % of FTP

[@ianb9245]

makes sense but some dont have a power meter aka me im one of those ppl

[@gavinwilliams9091]

Ive just started riding and new to zwift, my ftp is low i guess at 156? Im hoping to improve this, im 65kg . But really got the cycling bug and want to improve.

[@ronbyers9912]

What if you just ride for fun? Not everybody wants to be a pro. This suffering stuff is daunting. This time of year my weekday rides are about 50 minutes. Can I modify the 2 x 20 to fill the 50 minutes, increasing the time as the sun comes up earlier?

[@gavinwilliams9091]

What model is that orbea? ❤

[@TheKampklovn]

What chainset is that Chris is using? Dura-ace with Sram red axs?

[@scottschaus4619]

Hi Chris: a few months ago, I saw a data screen in the video from one of your rides. I clearly saw “gear changes” and recall it was something like 936 changes for the ride. What cycling analysis app shows these gear change data, please? (I have DI2 drivetrain and WiFly unit, my Garmin Edge 1030 will capture the gear changes, but Garmin’s Connect app does not do analytics on gear changes.) Thanks!!!

[@kaboueidd]

how does Chris wear his glasses on his back like such a pro.. any tips?

[@JosephOchenge]

Am a mtb dropped bars rider currently hitting 176 w ftp

[@tr2340]

Great timing! Thanks for this! Just had my PM delivered. Looking forward to training with it. And yes you are worth it haha :)))

[@EVOQBIKE]

Can you please site the study where 4x15” sprints help aerobic adaptations in the long ride? Thanks!

[@gcn]

Good question! We'll ask Chris.

[@EVOQBIKE]

@@gcn thanks!! excited to see this one as it sees to differ from traditional studies out there; thank you!

[@EVOQBIKE]

@@gcn any chance you found an answer?

[@EVOQBIKE]

Hi! Just anxiously checking back in. Any luckv

[@michaelalubbe8507]

Smexy bike👌🏼🙌🏼

[@jamesdean2704]

Hi. Thank you for the video. What percentage of FTP is zone 4 and zone 5 please?

[@james.ainsworth]

In a basic 5 zone model, zone 4 is 106-120% of your FTP and zone 5 is 121% and above.

[@bansheemaczero1715]

@@james.ainsworth James Ainsworth nonono z4 is probably sweet spot here which is 90% By definition it's not possible to do 20min at 110%

[@james.ainsworth]

@@bansheemaczero1715 you are absolutely right about sweet spot being 90% of FTP. Where it can become confusing is the zone in which sweet spot sits will vary depending on the model that you use. As mentioned, I was referring to the 5 zone model. In a 7 zone model, sweet spot is in zone 4, but in a 5 zone model the sweet spot comes under zone 3. Just to add to the confusion, Zwift uses a 6 zone model. It all cases, sweet spot is between 83% and 97% of your FTP. Now... the question is which model to use? The more zones, the more detailed one can be with their training and create more focused workouts.

[@bansheemaczero1715]

@@james.ainsworth for cycling I have mostly just seen the 7 zone model. It also makes a lot of sense: recovery-endurance-medium-sweetspot-threshold-vo2-maxpower

[@XXjavierXX2801]

what mic do you use to record your videos??

[@jonathanzappala]

I had two 25 min intervals in the last week. Its so hard to concentrate on a power that long, even though it was only top of zone 2

[@everactivedad]

This is my plan for 2020. I want that 20 mph average!

[@gcn]

Good Luck!

[@everactivedad]

Global Cycling Network I have gone from 12 average to 18 thanks from the training videos from you guys. Thanks for all the tips to get better.🙏 . They work!

[@boncattoo]

My favourite way of training off my bike is carrying 16kg bagpack. Everyday except for Friday and Sunday

[@JensDueOhlsen]

#AskGCNtraining :) My cycling goals for 2020, is to steal some of the lokal KOMs (dont tell my cycling friends). Most of the KOMs I am targeting are 1 to 2 minutes long with a incline about 2 to 4 procent. How do I improve my 2 minutes sprint? Should I ‘just’ do a lot of 2 minutes intervals? Should I add some gym-work, like jump squats? Most training programs I find online, are for longer events, so I could use some advice. (Bonus info: I am using zwift. Is the workout "Tom Last's GCN Sprint Plan" something for me?)

[@Stephen-nq5kd]

Staying out of the "sightseeing zone" is my most effective way to train.

[@jatojo]

Yes, that's how I tend to do it, too, but infact, a combination of long "sightseeing" rides on some days and tough, short intervals on others is regarded as more efficient. Our medium tough medium long rides are popular but don't improve the FTP much. :)

[@TheTubaEmporer]

Yall are always worth a thumbs up!

[@juliesmiley4396]

#askgcntraining I live in the flint hills of Kansas where we don't have many long gradual climbs, but there are seemingly endless short, punchy rollers. What do you recommend for building endurance over these repetitive short climbs?

[@mauriciorosales1259]

The more I read/study about this topic the more confused I get - I feel there are too many conflicting schools of thought School 1 - do polarized 80/20 training z2/z5+ School 2 - Hiit School 3- siit School 4 - do all sweat spot (high z3) School 5 - do increasing z4 workouts I’m so confused and I don’t have the seasons left in me to experiment ,

[@davidgibbons182]

That orbea though 😍😍

[@jamonzonv]

Theeeeese ARE THE GREAT VIDEOS from GCN... MORE OF THIS, less just selling a bike with a nonsense video about nothing. Thanks!

[@lucabertoncello]

i'm interested to know what front light are you using during the video

[@gcn]

Hey Luca. Chris has the Topeak Headlux fitted to his bike.

[@井実芳仁]

important to practice tough 🤔

[@AgravepasmonK]

Can HIIT or circuit training in a gym (not on a bike) can help improve your ftp ?

[@lukmansa8309]

i know it sounds stupid, but can i use my garmin 530 to count the seconds and minutes?

[@tanisleach7829]

So for 200km a week, how long should my endurance ride be if I do one a week? I was thinking 80km.

[@schwannauer]

It looks Chris Opie is running an old style (11speed) sram/ quarq power crank and chainrings with his Sram Red AXS setup - are these compatible? which chainrings is he running and does this mean 11 speed sram etap chainrings compatible with AXS?

[@gcn]

Opie only uses the big ring so I couldn't tell you how well it shifts!

[@schwannauer]

Global Cycling Network thnks, that is funny - but I guess compatibility is down to pin size and distance between pins as well as width, so how well it fits on each ring rather than shifting. I take it if he had no problems running these cranks with that chain they are compatible then?!

[@haraldfries7463]

Where do I find a road that is long enough for a (undisturbed) 20 minute effort? Or does it not matter to have a few 1 minute breaks at the red traffic lights?

[@hebrews11vs5]

the one minute break on a 20 minute threshold effort, zone 4 probably wouldn't give you the same training effect. I wonder if maybe you increased the intensity for the 20 minute on phase, in anticipation of a red light? better yet, get on some sort of a trainer or wattbike so you have control over the workout.

[@highpike]

@@hebrews11vs5 Yes that road you are looking for is in Watopia

[@ounkhamphomvihane9734]

training FTP is interesting but I would like to know many times should I train FTP per week?

[@BrookhartCraig]

How can I get mentally better in my training especially when things start to hurt?

[@lauralaura3951]

that front light at the beginning is clean, anyone know the name?

[@gcn]

Hi Laura. Chris has a Topeak Headlux fitted underneath his Wahoo mount

[@highpike]

@@gcn Yeh I've noticed that tidy, clean set up before. Is that a standard Wahoo mount and or one of those with the Go Pro fixing? looks cool!

[@ianm8820]

@@highpike yeah wondered that myself. Would love to know

[@jonathanglyn]

@Global Cycling Network could you tell me which Headlux model please? Also any chance of posting a pic of how Chris is mounting it? I’ve been looking for a clean front light solution like this for ages!

[@highpike]

@@jonathanglyn Have a look at this video (near the end) and you can clearly see the mount. It looks like it has a GoPro mount under the computer mount. K-edge do them and there's other less expensive versions around. twitter.com/gcntweet/status/1213856662043406343

[@slendererer]

Can anyone help explain Max Efforts a little better? What's the difference between Efforts and Workload? 4:02

[@SD1266]

Each effort is obviously each sprint, which is between 30-60 seconds. As Chris later mentions, you should do up to 6 of these sprints max, which is the total (accumulated) sprint time, AKA "total workload". Eg. if you do 6 × 30sec, total workload will be 3 minutes; if you choose to do the longer 6 × 60sec, total workload will be 6 minutes, hence the range in the graphic. Recovery between each effort should be no longer than 3 minutes for max effect. Edit: clarity

[@slendererer]

@@SD1266 That makes sense, thank you!

[@james.ainsworth]

When I'm doing a Max Effort, I expect at the end of the effort I have absolutely nothing left. It is an all out effort. It is a sprint for 30-60 seconds. The workload I believe is just the total of the time spend doing the max efforts. They suggest no more than 6 efforts, so if doing 60 second efforts, you could do between 3 and 6 max efforts to make up the workload of 3 - 6 minutes. If you are doing 30 second max efforts you would need to do 6 efforts to reach minimum workload load of 3 minutes.

[@evanreeves5966]

The only thing that seems to work for me is volume (12+ hours), but I work full time so it's difficult coming home and doing two hours almost every day.

[@masterchief5437]

Is Max efforts 1 min at 100% 3x then 3 minute rest? OR 1 minute at 100% then 3 minute rest Repeat 3x

[@mikethebike2463]

Good exercises. But shouldn't you have done some slow, long rides at the beginning of the year before getting into that tough stuff?

[@james.ainsworth]

I'm from the era of lots of long winter rides and no big ring before January, however 30 years later, I have thrown that all out the window. Especially when time is limited, getting the long winter rides in isn't always that easy. GCN have a few videos on some of the benefits of shorter and harder winter rides. I think we are starting to look at cyclocross riders who are putting in hard efforts at this time of year, and then they come into the road session absolutely flying.

[@GoldenGaze1985]

How are you timing your intervals on the bike?

[@evanreeves5966]

bike computer

[@todd5963]

Or you can just have your follow vehicle time you. Doesn't everyone have follow vehicles like the gcn boys? Lol. Nice video!

[@thymenvuik8357]

So if i ride for 6 hours, should i stretch the sprints out across the ride (with a time of around 60 minutes between sprints) or should i wait till halfway across the ride to start the sprints so that i have 30 minutes between the sprints? Thanks in advance

[@gcn]

Chris suggests 25-30 minutes recovery between each sprint on your longer rides so look to do a few hours steady before starting the sprints in the back half of your ride. Good luck!

[@thymenvuik8357]

Thanks a lot, appreciate it!

[@ShakeNBakeUK]

what do zones mean? are they a % of FTP?

[@Yorcen]

Tell us how to deal with stray dogs. 🐕

[@tommccafferty5591]

Please do not let Jon Cannings view this video. He would have a near heart attack at the state of James's bike. :-)

[@richardprice9730]

Tragedy strikes before X mass , well it happened on the 29th of November ,the unthinkable after about a total of 30 miles say with a stop three-quarter way to call into my favourite hotel for a cheap sauna and swim. I cycled home late that evening sometime around 6:30 pm , oh down a steep hill onward through Motcombe to Mere and then just entering Mere, oh God a lapse of concentration together with the very slightly tinted glasses and low lumen head lite, in a dark zone, I saw a grey car all most to late 3-4 feet (1.22 m) away, directly in front of me braked hard and the rest is history and worse, in A&E with a right arm that looked like an elongated water melon , my right elbow took 90% of the impact a broken olecranon and now 5 weeks int he int fixation pins and wire , post-operative period of delusion and sleep less ness , jus want this stuff out . I am determined aged 59 to get back on the bike but am wary this is the first serious accident I've ever had, should I wear knee and elbow pads , should i change anything obviously better lights, it was hard breaking that did it, oh God what a X mass, suggestions ideas welcome!

[@Seezor]

Yeah, you're worth it.

[@joanetmontserrat702]

There is only one way to improve your ftp: TO TRAIN.

[@gonacts]

Where are the other GCN presenters? :thinking-face:

[@adamdyson3977]

How do I know what these zones are? Have I missed something

[@gcn]

Hey Adam. Check out the 'How to ride on feel' video we linked to - this should help you out: gcn.eu/OnFeel

[@meneldil7604]

so watching this wishing I could train 8 week into recovery after breaking 2 vertebrae after someone stepped out in front of me :(

[@gcn]

Best of luck with your recovery! Thanks for watching.

[@toufichaddad909]

On another note. I strongly advice GCN to invest in an electric scooter or electric bike for the camera men. That background noise of the internal combustion engine is pretty annoying! I mean C'mon, It is 2020 already!

[@wolfgangvanwersch1228]

I cannot find the "big thumb"...

[@lsd661]

so the best way to improve your ftp is to do lots of ftp tests, makes sense.

[@prof_hu]

Zone 4 with effort 9-10 for 2x20? Shouldn't effort level 10 be totally in zone 5 entirely? Zone 4 should be 9 maximum, IMHO.

[@hebrews11vs5]

perhaps they mean like working at 9-10 (95%) of your 20 minute power, or about your 1 hr power. because think of this. if effort were measured in watts: say 300 is 1 hr power. then what is 10/10 ? is it your sprint power of 900 watts which you can hold for 1 second. or is 300 = to a 10? inwhich case an effort of 30 out of a maximum of 10 would be your sprint. boy, that certainly doesn't make sense 30 out of a max of 10? so they are just saying be close to your limit of what you can stand for that 20 minutes, perhaps just a bit below it.

[@vereidepusen]

Zones vary in different litterature! How about percentages of FTP?

[@james.ainsworth]

You are absolutely right. In another comment we were talking about different power zone models that have either 5, 6, or 7 zones. Talking in terms of % of FTP makes it much easier. One can then align the % of FTP to the zones in the model that they use.