FTP test how often?

#1

I’m currently working on a Coach Jack plan in week 4 of a Crunched Power for a total 13 week duration that ends in Big Climbs.

I retook the FTP test before beginning the Coach Jack training. I think I’m handling the new zones fine, I’m not noticing the zones are too easy or too hard.

How often do you recommend the FTP test is repeated? Should I retake it during the course of the 13 weeks? If yes, then the best times would be week 4 or week 8 as I’ll be most fresh during the recovery week of the plan.

Regards
Dave

#2

Hi, Yes after a few days off or at the end of a recovery week are good times. Small increases in FTP are not critical to adjust for in a CJ plan but if you are more consistent now than you were with your last FTP test or feel like you are likely to have a 20w+ increase then you might want to do it at 8 weeks.

#3

Sort of in line with this, are there any plans for TrainerDay to suggest FTP increases based on performance during regular workout sessions? Comparable to how e.g., Zwift does this? Without a periodic actual FTP test?

#4

I think TDs approach of having enough intensity but not overdoing it in the CJ plans won’t drive hard enough intervals to see that FTP needs to go up.

The Zwift example is mostly racing right?

Dave

#5

Yes exactly as Dave says. We could look at all of Strava but generally out workouts won’t drive you close enough to failure. You can sign up for intervalsICU, I think even free version, connect to strava and you will get notifications of FTP changes if you are pushing hard outdoors for example.

But someday we want to do this but more based on aerobic improvement.

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