Hello Reader,

Welcome to Vol. 013 of The Endure EQ.

Every week you'll get a deep dive into a topic related to endurance training, maximizing your potential or reaching peak performance.

Let’s jump in.

How to start using power so that you can train smarter on the bike

If you are looking to improve your cycling then you need to understand power.

This weeks volume of The Endure EQ will cover everything you need to know about getting started training with power.

Why you should consider power for cycling

The first thing you need to know is that power can be expensive to start to add into your training.

And there are plenty of less expensive options to measure your intensity (HR and RPE).

But if you are looking to dial in your cycling even more than power is the answer.

This is because power is less susceptible to environmental conditions.

It doesn’t matter what is going on around you, your power numbers will give you a fairly consistent number.

The other thing about power is that all online softwares (Zwift, Rouvy, and TrainerRoad) all use power within the platform. Meaning if you plan to ride with these you need a basic understanding of power.

All smart trainers use power as the primary means to control your workout and the online platform.

FTP, Watts, and Power: what does it all mean?

Power

Power is a direct measure of force through the pedals. It’s measured in watts and is one of the purest forms of intensity.

Put simply it’s how hard you are pushing into the pedals

The exact number will stay consistent, 200W uphill is the same as 200W in the wind (even though the effort might feel different).

Trainers replicate this number by controlling the resistance needed to drive the pedals.

FTP or Functional Threshold Power

Most commonly triathletes and cyclists talk about your FTP.

This is the theoretical average watts that you can push for an hour all out.

We usually measure this with a baseline fitness test.

Understanding your FTP will allow us to set your training zones so that your power is aligned with the overall training domain we are looking to be in.

Each of these training zones will give you a certain adaptation.

What is the difference between power and HR

First how they are similar.

Both power and HR are measures of intensity (how hard you are working).

HR can be more variable depending on the conditions (heat, cold and fatigue)

While power is less susceptible to large changes.

The numbers will stay consistent no matter what you are doing.

What changes is your perception of effort.

I like to have my athletes understand all metrics of intensity (power, HR and RPE) so that you can gauge total effort while racing.

Because all of this comes down to being able to race faster.

The power tech stack

I have detailed my main tech stack but here is what you need to add in so that you can train for power.

GPS watch or GPS unit for bike
Power pedals and/or Smart Trainer

Currently I am using:

Garmin Forerunner 975
Garmin Vector Pedals
Standard Tacx Trainer

If you want to start training with power, then I recommend looking at a smart trainer. This will allow your training to be more specific without breaking the bank on power pedals.

If you really want to improve your cycling then you might want to consider both so that you can have power numbers outside and in races.

This will really start to show your cycling dynamics.

If you look at power pedals I would consider dual sided so that you can understand the leg-leg differences in your cycling.

How do you set your power zones

Setting your power zones follows the same process as setting your HR zones.

I recommend a 20 min power test. With the goal to go as strong as you can for the entire 20 minutes without fading.

Upload that ride to TrainingPeaks and find your average power for the 20 mins.

You will want to take 95% of that to set your FTP.

Once you have your FTP you can set your zones according to this chart (CP is the power intensities).

3 mistakes people make with power:

Not setting zones properly

This biggest mistake I see if people not setting there zones properly. You need to perform some kind of test to set your power zones.

You also need to test regularly because as you train you numbers improve.

I recommend testing every 6-8 weeks in the offseason.

Maybe less frequently during race season.

Since you can use race data to make small adjustments.

One way to know if it’s time to adjust is if workouts feel either way too easy or way too hard. This might be time to retest and adjust zones.

Relying on power numbers too much

The second big mistake I see is relying on your power numbers too much.

You should attempt to match power and HR to your overall effort (RPE).

In a race setting you don’t want to rely only on your metrics.

You should learn to race on effort and use the numbers to inform your decision.

Comparing power numbers to other athletes

The final mistake I see is constantly comparing your FTP to other athletes.

FTP is meaningless compared as an absolute number.

A larger person is going to have a higher FTP just because of the force they are able to produce.

Instead you need to convert your FTP to a W/Kg measure. To do this divide your FTP by your body weight in kilograms.

This number removes the impact of body weight for comparison.

But at the end of the day we are competing against ourselves so I wouldn’t worry about your teammates power number is.

Focus on your own race.

Recap

Hopefully this gave you all the info you need for training for power.

Remember:

Power is how much force you are pushing through the pedals and it’s less susceptible to environmental conditions.
It’s similar to HR in the sense that it measures intensity.
You need to assess your FTP regularly yo continue to train optimally (every 6-8 weeks).

If you have any questions about power I missed please respond to this email and I’ll cover them in a follow up edition.

Thank you for being here!

- Chandler

When you’re ready here are 3 ways that Excel Endurance by Chandler Scott can help you:

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The Endure EQ

The Endure EQ Vol. 013 | How to start using power so that you can train smarter on the bike