Can You Improve FTP In A Month? | Heather's Bike Fitness Challenge!

How much can you improve your FTP over just 4 weeks? After a winter of no cycling and indulging Heather decided it was time to get back on the bike and put her body to the test before the triathlon season starts! 4 weeks of hard work & tips from GCN's Conor Dunne, could Heather do it?
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📹 How To Test Your FTP 👉 gtn.io/FTPtesting
📹 The Best Fitness Test? 20 Minute FTP Vs Ramp 👉 gtn.io/MC
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[@clintnieves]

Conor doing a triathlon race, Simon on an aero triathlon bike, and finally Dan loving running more than cycling

[@ConsciousBreaks]

Simon is actually on a time trial bike :p

[@Stratulax]

Way to go! Totally appreciate and thanks for the motivation.

[@01banksjon]

Conor is such a legend, seems like a genuine great guy! Very helpful video thanks guys!

[@stennan]

After following zwifts FTP booster (4wks) I went from 287W to 317W (10% increase). Was in decent shape before, but doing 6 rides per week is punishing, so will see what I'll do next 4 wks.

[@overdrivelc16]

Ride on!

[@cmarnold78]

Just did my first FTP on Zwift yesterday. How much do you kind of gain from FTP test practice? ie being able to pace/push yourself having more practice of FTP tests v the training improvements?

[@Kieran0]

@@cmarnold78 experience of ramp tests can be useful but I wouldn't expect a significant increase based on that alone. Are you new to cycling or just new to Zwift/FTP testing? If you're new to cycling you'll likely improve a ton quite quickly.

[@cmarnold78]

@@Kieran0 Thanks, New to Zwift and it was my first FTP test so curious about my 'test' performance. Been Road Riding for 6 months but a mountain biker for 15 years. Just started triathlon last year with an Xterra and a few Olympics. So now have started thinking about actual training, performance and numbers etc. It is fun! I'll probably do a retest in about 6 weeks, but am sure you are right, am not sure there is any room for good tactics on the test :)

[@tr2340]

Hi Heather, thank you for this video!! It’s great to see some numbers on what you could likely achieve in your 1st year of training vs 2nd &3rd etc! Also, well done for doing your FTP whilst being filmed- I could never do that as it’s pretty gross 😳😆😵

[@bikeanddogtripsvirtualcycling]

12:25 is that wine in your mug there, Heather? I can see the bottle you tried to hide 🤣😂🤣😂

[@heatherfell_oly]

Oh no, it was left over from the weekend, I promise ;0

[@mattiasandersson3444]

250 watts , 3 w per kilo with non functioning kidneys and dialysis 4 times a week and only 1 working quadriceps-muscle of 3 in my right leg, 2 of them broke in a crash and the the doctors missed it. I am on a cancer treatment to and had already done 15 surgureys. Self i think its very high with thoughts of my sikness but both my Quarg and Stage powermeters shows that.

[@stephenmurchison2681]

Inspiring vid!! Thanks.

[@amilton1015]

Amazing video and audio. Thank you Heather. Good day

[@heatherfell_oly]

Thank you :)

[@SubtleForces]

Congratulations! It's always inspiring. I am wondering what the normal variation would be and what the measurement error would be? The related question of course is how a significant change can be established. I "feel" my form may vary by more than 5% from time to time, and I have no idea how precise measurement equipment is? What if we were looking at running, how much does it vary there and how reliable are the measuring devices?

[@aldude9511]

"It's January" *looks at video date*

[@td4sec952]

Great video Heather, did you not get your FTP while filming for the Ramp Test? I used the Ramp Test to get my latest FTP. Funnily enough i start a 4 week FTP booster tomorrow I bought from training peaks, imported the workouts into zwift in case I don't get outdoors, the program looks aweful. Lots of V02 in there. 😂

[@canadahodl5941]

Started 196 FTP 7 days later 226. Just started to ride on Zwift. Goal is 250 FTP in 1 month. 3 weeks zone 2. 1 week zone 1. Then shooting for FTP 300 in 4 more month from now. 1 hour a day m-f and try for 1.5-2 hours on weekends for now.

[@betrouwbareyak]

Hey Heather, is it possible to put some links to "key sessions" you did? I mean not how you performed them, but how they were structured? You touch this topic slightly in the video ... but could be interesting ...

[@heatherfell_oly]

That could be a video for the future. I did use a lot from Zwift too.

[@paulmwanza8708]

Well done Heather, you absolute machine! That looked unpleasant!!

[@heatherfell_oly]

Thanks, glad they're over!

[@chrisjboyce]

Any events coming up where we can earn the GTN kit in Zwift?

[@jonathanweatherill1029]

So how do you structure running sessions around the intense rides? Everyday ends up a hard day for me and end up struggling to program harder runs around the rides. Love running but want to get fitter on the bike too.

[@dapodix]

I'd say you check yourself in to be dedicated entirely to this training program and put running on hold for a while until the program is finished. The reason is simple - you want to be giving your all to the program to reap the benefits and running gets in the way both in terms of time and recovery.

[@jc74435]

I lost 50w in the winter 😔

[@teresaalmeida8622]

Results were great, but how has that impacted your running. Also, have you had to drop some of the running training to focus on the cycling and therefore this will be counter productive? I am preparing for my first Tri (hopefully this summer) and really struggle to juggle between cycling and running and often feel I dedicated some weeks more to running and some more to cycling. Not following a strict Tri plan at the moment as pools are shut and is still early days.

[@heatherfell_oly]

It does add to the challenge and you need to find a balance for both. With a well structured plan they can help each other too.

[@karstenmeinders4844]

I wonder why FTP should be a relevant metric except for certain TT riders or Olympic distance (non-drafting) contenders? IMHO for longer events, the share of fat metabolism is key, and for shorter, draft-legal events sprint capacity and VO2-max is key.

[@heatherfell_oly]

It is a great way to plan and structure your training and racing plans.

[@lisajenkins7692]

If you want to improve FTP is it recommended to ride on the big gears for longer periods to increase leg strength? It seems like leg work on larger gears (simulating climbs) would boost leg strength and riding for longer time periods/distances would increase endurance. Doing both should boost FTP in a short period of time.

[@nuggunu]

true but,... :D it's always the mix of training which makes the difference. long steady endurance rides to improve general fitness and mitochondria low cadance to increase your muscle power in legs and core hard intervalls over ftp to teach you body to cope with lactate acids sprints and weightlifting for neuromuscular to activate more muscle fibres at once the tricky part is the right mix of these sessions and recovery betrween

[@playbuttonwith1video-readm668]

I haven’t cycled in 3 months 😬

[@graemesadd6971]

Good video, pleased you managed to improve. At 12.30 you were saying you had struggled, it wouldn't have anything to do with the empty bottle of prosecco just to your right would it? 🤔. I hope the fitness has continued, keep the great videos coming.

[@heatherfell_oly]

Oh no, I didn't see that one. Caught red handed!

[@proforma2429]

Is there a typical beginners curve? Like in running were one can achieve 30-45 sek in one season? Transferred to cycling, starting @ftp 2,1 w/kg What gain is easily possible during a season? Cheers

[@luis-gk9ri]

I guess maybe about 2.8w/kg, if you work hard of course

[@proforma2429]

@@luis-gk9ri so approx 0.5 w/kg is realistic. Thx for your estimate

[@itarry4]

Yhea but it's hugely personal so you need to understand your body. Height, starting weight, lung capacity there's so many variables, don't feel your failing if you're already very fit and don't see huge gains at first. Maybe a good estimate, if you know you'll keep putting in the work is do the first month work out what that would be if over whole 12 mths but then take a average of around 70-50% of that over the whole year. As obviously those initial gains will slow as technique etc stop having such an effect and even gains like that depend on the place you start. If you're unfit and never ride much obviously then the gains could be huge but you sound like you're already in good shape so... If not I'd watch the other Global Network channels GCN and maybe even GMBN if off road might be your thing. GCN training channel can be a great resource.

[@saunadude8082]

It can so variable. My personal experience i started 7 months ago at About 150w or 2.5w/kg. My last 20 min test yielded 300w average or about 4.8w/kg adjusted for an hour. Shredded 2 kilos of my body too in the process

[@qaijinpup]

hi there i noticed you are not in TT position when testing is that just due to the videoing or is it best to test not in TT? i ask as i just try to do all my riding and testing in the TT.

[@kristiankrpan937]

I think because you don't have any benefits from TT position inside, and ofcourse because in TT position it's harder to push same watts in comparison with normal position, so yes I think when you measure your FTP it's better to be in more comfortable position

[@matthiaswuest7271]

There are benefits to doing the FTP test in the TT position if you are training for events in the TT position (e.g. hour attempt, non-drafting tris) - some athletes who train this position are even stronger than in a neutral position (Victor Campanaerts is a notable example). Depends what capabilities you're training though. For example, if you're entering a training block targeting VO2 Max power, it might make more sense to test and do your workouts in a neutral position since most athletes will be able to get out more power (and thus stimulate bigger physiological changes) and you don't need to worry about putting out that power in the TT position on raceday.

[@jamiefuhrman403]

@@kristiankrpan937 Is that true that you can't push as many watts in TT position?

[@heatherfell_oly]

It's the position I am currently doing all of my indoor riding. I stuck with what was consistent but yes it would make a difference. Just make sure you test in the same position as before.

[@cyclingaddict7187]

I’ve gained 25 watts since January

[@bobbybobman3073]

I know right, it's pretty do able when you start at about 5 watts like me.

[@daryljackson6088]

Lo e them usi g a high aero bike indoors! 😂

[@rod77559]

Don’t think your ftp improved. It just got back to where you were before yo stopped cycling, big difference. 👍

[@devidia]

Well if you start with horrible corona shape it's not that hard i guess

[@workingguy6666]

you're still beautiful.

[@whatwelearned]

Commencing eye roll sequence

[@bas2205]

hugely misleading from the get go: "I just had 3 months off-season and will now do a 4 week bike block"

[@krishnachaitanya1220]

This video full of fluff and has no objective explanation such a waste of time