Training and Racing with a Power Meter for Triathlon by Brad Jones – Level 1 Triathlon Coach
What is Power? • • • • • •
Cycling Power = the amount of energy being applied by the body to the pedals in ‘Watts’. More Watts = faster bike time Power is a combination of torque (pressure on the pedals) and cadence (pedalling speed) Provides immediate feedback on cycling effort, and also as an average, the total amount of work done in a ride split Does not have the lag effect that heart rate does as intensity increases Watts is not affected by wind, gradient, temperature, fatigue, hydration etc that other indicators like Speed and Heart Rate are An increase in watts over time provides accurate feedback on training adaptiation
Power Meters
Crank
Computers
Garmin 500
Wheel Hub
Garmin 910xt
Pedal
SRM
Cycleops
Functional Threshold Power (FTP) • • • • • •
In triathlon, maximum power is largely irrelevant It is more important to be able output a consistent power over the bike leg FTP is defined as the average power that an athlete can maintain for a 1 hour effort, Eg. 260w FTP varies from within a season, and person to person, male to female, weight, training load, experience etc All training and racing zones should be expressed as a % of your FTP FTP can be determined in a number of ways – 1 hour TT average power eg. 260w – 20min TT average power ÷ 1.05 eg. 273w over 20min = 260w for 1 hour – Should be retested every 4-6 weeks to recalibrate training zones
Training Zones
Power based training levels (zones) are developed based on your FTP. Coggan based training zones Level
Name
Average Power
Perceived Exertion
Description
1
Active Recovery
<55%
<2
"Easy spinning" or "light pedal pressure"
56-75%
2-3
"All day" pace, or classic long slow distance (LSD) training.
2
Endurance
3
Tempo
76-90%
3-4
Typical intensity of fartlek workout, 'spirited' group ride, or briskly moving paceline.
4
Lactate Threshold
91-105%
4-5
Just below to just above TT effort, taking into account duration, current fitness, environmental conditions
5
VO2 Max
106-120%
6-7
Typical intensity of longer (3-8 min) intervals intended to increase VO2max.
6
Anaerobic Capacity
>121%
>7
Short (30 s to 3 min), high intensity intervals designed to increase anaerobic capacity.
7
Neuromuscular Power
N/A
* (Maximal)
Very short, very high intensity efforts (e.g., jumps, standing starts, short sprints)
Source: Training and Racing with a Power Meter 2nd Edition – Allen and Coggan 2010
Zones are used for targeted physiological and performance adaptations Zone
1
2
3
4
5
Increased plasma volume
*
**
***
Increased muscle mitochondrial enzymes
**
***
Increased lactate threshold
**
Increased muscle glycogen storage
6
7
****
*
****
**
*
***
****
**
*
**
****
***
***
*
Hypertrophy of slow twitch muscle fibers
*
**
**
***
*
Increased muscle capillarization
*
**
**
**
*
Interconversion of fast twitch muscle fibers (type IIb -> type IIa)
**
***
***
****
*
Increased stroke volume/maximal cardiac output
*
**
***
****
*
Increased VO2 Max
*
**
***
****
*
Increased muscle high engergy phosphate (ATP/PCr) Stores Increased anaerobic capacity ("lactate tolerance")
*
Hypertrophy of fast twitch fibers Increased neuromuscular power
BOLD denotes adaptations important to triathlon racing
Source: Training and Racing with a Power Meter
2nd
*
**
***
*
*
**
*
***
Edition – Allen and Coggan 2010
Training Phase
Typical workouts for power based training
Base 1
15min @ Zone 1 90-120min @ Zone 2 15min @ Zone 1
30min @ Zone 1 20min @ Zone 2 10min @ Zone 3
Build 1
30min @ Zone 1 2-3 x 45min @ Zone 2, 15min Zone 3 30min @ Zone 1
Hills 20-30min climbs @ 80% FTP 5-10min Zone 1 recovery
Build 2
30min @ Zone 1 5-6 x 30min @ Zone 2, 20min @ Zone 3, 10min @ Zone 4 30min @ Zone 1
30min @ Zone 1 10 x 5min @ Zone 5 5min recovery 30min @ Zone 1
Hills 20min @ Zone 1 6-10 x 10min hills @ 100-110 % FTP, 5min RI 20min @ Zone 1
Flat TT 20min @ Zone 1 3 x 20min TT @ 95-100% FTP, 10min recovery 20min @ Zone 1
15min @ Zone 1 4 x 25min @ Zone 2, 5min @ 110% FTP 15min @ Zone 1
20min @ Zone 1 6 x 2min @ 130+%, 3min recovery 20min @ Zone 1
Strength
Peak
Cycle this for 2-4 hours
Relationship of Power and Heart Rate Power and heart rate will not always track together over a session or race Fatigue, temperature and dehydration will increase HR compared to power
Heart Rate – increases over session
This change is called ‘decoupling’ Effective training will reduce the onset of decoupling
Power – decreases toward end of session
Important Data from the Power Meter Field
Information
Comment
Power
Instantaneous reading of power
Very hard to hold steady therefore used as an ‘average ‘ target
NP
Normalized Power
Average power taking into account physiological impacts of hard efforts and rest periods
Zone
Coggan training zones
Same as those used in programs and ‘Training Peaks’ analysis software
IF
Intensity Factor
Average power as a % of FTP (i.e. 0.75 = 75% of FTP)
TSS
Training Stress Score
Representation of the training ‘dose’ of a workout. 100 x 60min @ FTP. Useful to quantify training volume
VI
Variability Index
Useful to quantify consistency of power output. 1.05 or less is the goal.
Pw:HR
Power/HR relationship
Represents the amount of decoupling in a session or lap
Analysing the Data
• Training Peaks software is recommended • Use lap splits on the bike computer to allow easier analysis of power outputs in a workout • Consistent Normalised Power (NP) from lap to lap, 5% variance OK • Aim for a low Variability Index, < 1.05 • Aim for a Low decoupling ratio < 5% • Get a feeling of the level of fatigue for a given Training Stress Score (TSS)
Racing with a Power Meter • Establish your goal race power. – OD: 90-95% FTP – HIM: 78-85% FTP – IM: 70-75% FTP
• • • • • • •
Expect high power at the start but try to keep it down – PACING! For an undulating course, aim to hold 95% of goal FTP on flats For a >3min hill, ride no more than 105% of goal wattage For a <3min hill, ride at 110-120% Expect decoupling of power and HR due to fatigue Aim for each lap to be as close to target power as possible Avoid surges and power spikes when overtaking or climbing
