Three Ways to Improve Functional Threshold Power
Frank Overton
Functional Threshold Power, also known as FTP is the maximum wattage an athlete can sustain for 60 minutes. And, according to Dr. Andrew Coggan, it is “the single greatest determinant of cycling performance.”1 FTP has recently come under attack on 'the internet' but I can assure you its utility, principles and theory are alive and well.
Now, not many people in the world have an FTP power to weight ratio close to Geraint Thomas or Sepp Kuss, but all athletes can improve their performance by increasing their FTP. Long climbs, solo breakaways, and time trials all rely directly on an athlete’s FTP. And while it might not seem like FTP has much bearing on ability to sprint, but it very much does. FTP almost can be thought of as a sponge. The higher this number is, the bigger their sponge is and the more efforts athletes can absorb. By that I mean that every time a race goes hard, it will take less out of the athlete with the higher FTP, and in return they will have more energy left in the tank for a big selection or for the sprint at the end
Now that you know how important FTP is you’re probably running out the door to improve it as fast as possible. But before you go out and start hammering away, you'll need to perform a field test to learn what your current FTP is.
Here's how to determine your current FTP:
There are a few methods for determining your FTP including:
- A Blood Lactate Test
- MLSS test
- A susstained 60 minute effort, or
- The good ole' fashioned 20 minute field test that is easy to execute and easy to replicate
How do you prepare for an FTP test?
There are a few different ways to prepare for an FTP test, at FasCat we recommend the following:
First, warm up for 20 to 30 minutes starting with easy pedaling and progressively building to more zone 2 endurance pressure on the pedals. Then, on a stretch of road with no interruptions (most often this is a sustained climb) go for 20 minutes at your maximum pace. From this 20 minute test we take 5% off of the average power and use that as your FTP. We explain this in detail in our "Setting up your Training Zones" training tip.
1. Sub-Threshold/Sweet Spot Work
“Sweet Spot” occurs at 84 to 97 percent of your FTP and riding here can help improve the aerobic, steady state efforts that characterize FTP. Sweet Spot gets it’s name because it is a balanced amount of intensity and volume. You can achieve more positive physiological adaptations than if you were to ride harder at zone 4/threshold. By riding below your FTP it is a more repeatable workout and won’t take quite as much out of you. Do these efforts on a stretch of road without interruptions, and focus on maintaining a steady effort. A steady grade 3 to 5 percent hill works very well.
2. Threshold Climbing Work
To improve performance on long climbs, do efforts at 100-110 percent of FTP on a sustained climb. Ideally, the power for the efforts should be the maximum power that can be sustained for each interval in the set, without dropping power from the first effort to the last. These training days are difficult and are most effective if done at quality power, so do them on days when you are fresh and can afford to dig deep. A good session of threshold work should not include more than 60 minutes spent at threshold, so piece out the intervals to stay under this limit. Start with 3x10 minute efforts at 100-110 percent of FTP with 10 minutes of easy spinning between efforts.

Build up to 3x15 minute efforts at 100-105 percent of FTP with 8 minutes of easy spinning between efforts as described in our climbing training tip. The “gold standard” FTP workout is 2x20 minute efforts at 100-105 percent of FTP with 10 minutes of easy spinning between efforts. As a bonus workout, to train for longer road events and being able to perform strongly at your FTP at the end of a hard race, rather than doing FTP efforts as a set, do them spaced throughout a long endurance ride. For example do 3x15 minute climbing efforts over the course of 5 hour ride, 1 hour into the ride, 2.5 hours into the ride, and 4 hours into the ride. The goal is to get to the point where you can do the third effort at 4 hours into the ride at the same power as the first effort 1 hour into the ride. I
Check out our Climbing Intervals Training Plan if you need to target this type of power output:
3. Flat Land FTP Work
Don't fall into the trap of only doing threshold work on climbs. Climbing threshold work is great, but it is easy to get to a point where you can only put out your best FTP numbers on a steep gradient and are floundering on the flats. To prevent this, all the same climbing FTP workouts can and should be done on flats at 95+ rpm as well. If the terrain allows it, when doing FTP sets, I recommend doing one of the three efforts on a flat road and two on a climb. The flat land FTP work is also a good place to get in time on the time trial bike.
Now that you know how to best improve your FTP, review your power files for the improvements. You can look at peak 20 minute average power from hard rides and races, as well as peak 60 minute Normalized Power®. You may see yourself breaking these records on climbs, group rides, time trials, breakaways, or the end of a race. Also, a few months after your initial field test, do another identical field test to track the improvement and update your training zones from your new and improved FTP.
References:
E.F. Coyle, A.R. Coggan, M.K. Hopper and T.J. Walters, “Determinants of endurance in well-trained cyclists.” J Appl. Physiol 64:2622-2630, 1988
Copyright 2020, @FasCat Coaching
FasCat Coaching is located in Boulder, CO. To talk with a FasCat Coach about increasing your threshold power please call fill out or New Athlete Questionnaire to set up a Coaching Consultation. You can also raise your FTP from FasCat's six week, $49 training plans.Join our Go Faster Community
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Triple Bypass
- Features Sweet Spot, Tempo & Threshold Intervals to prepare you for the long sustained climbs!
- Group Rides & Simulation Rides on the Weekend
- Includes a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers

100 Mile Mountain Bike Race

16 Weeks Of Sweet Spot
- Builds a Big Aerobic Base
- Complete 4 month Training Plan with 3 Power Tests
- new Professional Level with 18 - 26 hours / week

24 Week Off-Season Cyclocross Training
- Off-season cyclocross plan is a combination of weight lifting and sweet spot base
- 24-week plan is perfect to begin in January-March to prepare for the Spring/Summer season

30 Week Weights + Sweet Spot Base
- Increase power and endurance
- Combines Weight Lifting then Sweet Spot Base Training

40k Time Trial
- 12 wks of TT specific threshold intervals
- Raise your threshold power output with VO2's
- Includes, Course Recons, a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers!

At Home Weight Lifting Plan: 10 Weeks (new for 2024)
- Increase your Power Output in 10 weeks
- This program is modified from our tried 'n true 10 week weight lifting plan

Boulder Roubaix

Breck Epic Sweet Spot Training Plan

Climbing Intervals
- This plan will put you on the start line prepared to crush some massive climbs!
- Tempo, SS & Threshold intervals during the week + group rides and/or harder efforts on the weekend

Crusher in the Tushar
- Prepares you to CRUSH the Tushar Crusher this upcoming July
- Includes Sweet Spot, Threshold, VO2 work, and Simulation Rides

CX Race & Recover: In-Season
- Perfect for putting your speed & skills to the test
- Keeps your 'cross skills sharp so you are ready to race and balances recovery so you can continue to perform well

Cyclocross Intervals
- Suitable for the cyclocross athlete that wants to get ready to race
- Includes a taper and leg openers to prepare you for your first race of the season

Cyclocross Summer Sweet Spot
- Perfect for the CX athlete that likes to plan ahead and build a solid base
- Includes structured Sweet Spot intervals + skill work so no watts are left on the table!

Foundation : 3 Weeks
- Perfect for all cyclists beginning off season training
- Raise your CTL and the all-important muscle tension intervals

Gran Fondo Plan
- For the rider that has loftier goals than just finishing
- Includes longer rides and cycling specific nutrition guidance

Gravel In-Season

Gravel Training Plan

Haute Route

Iceman Cometh
- Start this six week plan Sept 25th
- XC MTB specific training for the IceMan

Indoor / Outdoor for Zwift & Smart Trainers
- Perfect for winter indoors
- Sweet Spot, Tempo intervals, Threshold Intervals

Indoor Cycling
- Indoor cycling training plan has advanced aerobic endurance
- Workouts are geared towards you riding indoors on the trainer

Intervals for Cross Country MTB
- 6-week cross-country interval training plan
- Endurance mountain bike hammer rides, VO2's, threshold, diabolical tabatas, and race starts to prepare you to crush your goal race!

Intervals for Time Trials
- 6-week Intervals for Time Trials training plan
- Use your training zones to ride just hard enough to get faster & stronger

Leadville 100 MTB
- Leadville 100 MTB Training Plan, starts Monday July 1st for the August 10, 2024 race
- Preps you for the grueling alpine climbs in Leadville
- Include simulation rides and nutrition guidance

Phil Gaimon's FONDO
- Complete similar workouts to what Phil does to prepare for all his KOM's
- Sweet Spot training, threshold intervals, and some anaerobic work

Phil Gaimon's Strava PR Plan
- Perfect Plan for Those with Less Training Time, starts at 15 minutes per day
- VO2's, 1 minuters, Tabatas, threshold, suprathreshold, and even Sweet Spot

Road & Crit Intervals
- Get race ready for the road season with our Intervals
- Includes VO2's, anaerobic intervals, diabolical tabatas

Road Race In-Season
- Weekend racing and group rides with weekday training and recovery
- anaerobic efforts like criss cross, Over/Unders Sweet Spot, Threshold

Road Racing Intervals
- Increase your functional and race-specific power output
- Includes Sweet Spot, VO2, Anaerobic, Threshold

Six Weeks Till Cyclocross
- This plan begins before the season starts so you have time to get faster
- Rock this plan and move onto the Cyclocross Intervals plan before the season starts

Six Weeks to Peak for CX Nationals
- Raises your CTL to peak for Cyclocross Nationals
- Strategically timed training block around Thanksgiving
- Includes an age-based taper

Stage Race Intervals
- Incorporates training races along with the weekend group rides
- For stage racers combines plenty of threshold work in the aero position

Steamboat Gravel

Sweet Spot + Resistance Training
- 16 Weeks of training perfect for building your aerobic base in the off season
- Four Phases of resistance training with neuromuscular sprint work
- Combines our 10 weeks of weight & Sweet Spot Part 2

Sweet Spot Marathon MTB Plan
- This plan gets you ready to climb a ride a 50-100-mile event
- This Plan was featured in Outside Magazine, click view details to learn what they had to say!

Sweet Spot Part 1 for the Triathlete
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect starting point for the foundation of your training

Sweet Spot Part 1: Build Your Base
- Begin to Build Your Base
- Increase FTP by 5 - 20% !
- Home of Sweet Spot training

Sweet Spot Part 2: Boost Your Base
- Boost Your Base
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect continuation from Sweet Spot part 1

Sweet Spot Part 3: Base to Race
- The transition from base to race
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect continuation from Sweet Spot part 2

Sweet Spot Part 4: Fresh and Fast
- ideal for summer training
- Increases FTP & Improves Endurance
- Balance of Sweet Spot and VO2 Max work

Triple Bypass
- Features Sweet Spot, Tempo & Threshold Intervals to prepare you for the long sustained climbs!
- Group Rides & Simulation Rides on the Weekend
- Includes a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers

100 Mile Mountain Bike Race

16 Weeks Of Sweet Spot
- Builds a Big Aerobic Base
- Complete 4 month Training Plan with 3 Power Tests
- new Professional Level with 18 - 26 hours / week

24 Week Off-Season Cyclocross Training
- Off-season cyclocross plan is a combination of weight lifting and sweet spot base
- 24-week plan is perfect to begin in January-March to prepare for the Spring/Summer season

30 Week Weights + Sweet Spot Base
- Increase power and endurance
- Combines Weight Lifting then Sweet Spot Base Training

40k Time Trial
- 12 wks of TT specific threshold intervals
- Raise your threshold power output with VO2's
- Includes, Course Recons, a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers!

At Home Weight Lifting Plan: 10 Weeks (new for 2024)
- Increase your Power Output in 10 weeks
- This program is modified from our tried 'n true 10 week weight lifting plan

Boulder Roubaix

Breck Epic Sweet Spot Training Plan

Climbing Intervals
- This plan will put you on the start line prepared to crush some massive climbs!
- Tempo, SS & Threshold intervals during the week + group rides and/or harder efforts on the weekend

Crusher in the Tushar
- Prepares you to CRUSH the Tushar Crusher this upcoming July
- Includes Sweet Spot, Threshold, VO2 work, and Simulation Rides

CX Race & Recover: In-Season
- Perfect for putting your speed & skills to the test
- Keeps your 'cross skills sharp so you are ready to race and balances recovery so you can continue to perform well

Cyclocross Intervals
- Suitable for the cyclocross athlete that wants to get ready to race
- Includes a taper and leg openers to prepare you for your first race of the season

Cyclocross Summer Sweet Spot
- Perfect for the CX athlete that likes to plan ahead and build a solid base
- Includes structured Sweet Spot intervals + skill work so no watts are left on the table!

Foundation : 3 Weeks
- Perfect for all cyclists beginning off season training
- Raise your CTL and the all-important muscle tension intervals

Gran Fondo Plan
- For the rider that has loftier goals than just finishing
- Includes longer rides and cycling specific nutrition guidance

Gravel In-Season

Gravel Training Plan

Haute Route

Iceman Cometh
- Start this six week plan Sept 25th
- XC MTB specific training for the IceMan

Indoor / Outdoor for Zwift & Smart Trainers
- Perfect for winter indoors
- Sweet Spot, Tempo intervals, Threshold Intervals

Indoor Cycling
- Indoor cycling training plan has advanced aerobic endurance
- Workouts are geared towards you riding indoors on the trainer

Intervals for Cross Country MTB
- 6-week cross-country interval training plan
- Endurance mountain bike hammer rides, VO2's, threshold, diabolical tabatas, and race starts to prepare you to crush your goal race!

Intervals for Time Trials
- 6-week Intervals for Time Trials training plan
- Use your training zones to ride just hard enough to get faster & stronger

Leadville 100 MTB
- Leadville 100 MTB Training Plan, starts Monday July 1st for the August 10, 2024 race
- Preps you for the grueling alpine climbs in Leadville
- Include simulation rides and nutrition guidance

Phil Gaimon's FONDO
- Complete similar workouts to what Phil does to prepare for all his KOM's
- Sweet Spot training, threshold intervals, and some anaerobic work

Phil Gaimon's Strava PR Plan
- Perfect Plan for Those with Less Training Time, starts at 15 minutes per day
- VO2's, 1 minuters, Tabatas, threshold, suprathreshold, and even Sweet Spot

Road & Crit Intervals
- Get race ready for the road season with our Intervals
- Includes VO2's, anaerobic intervals, diabolical tabatas

Road Race In-Season
- Weekend racing and group rides with weekday training and recovery
- anaerobic efforts like criss cross, Over/Unders Sweet Spot, Threshold

Road Racing Intervals
- Increase your functional and race-specific power output
- Includes Sweet Spot, VO2, Anaerobic, Threshold

Six Weeks Till Cyclocross
- This plan begins before the season starts so you have time to get faster
- Rock this plan and move onto the Cyclocross Intervals plan before the season starts

Six Weeks to Peak for CX Nationals
- Raises your CTL to peak for Cyclocross Nationals
- Strategically timed training block around Thanksgiving
- Includes an age-based taper

Stage Race Intervals
- Incorporates training races along with the weekend group rides
- For stage racers combines plenty of threshold work in the aero position

Steamboat Gravel

Sweet Spot + Resistance Training
- 16 Weeks of training perfect for building your aerobic base in the off season
- Four Phases of resistance training with neuromuscular sprint work
- Combines our 10 weeks of weight & Sweet Spot Part 2

Sweet Spot Marathon MTB Plan
- This plan gets you ready to climb a ride a 50-100-mile event
- This Plan was featured in Outside Magazine, click view details to learn what they had to say!

Sweet Spot Part 1 for the Triathlete
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect starting point for the foundation of your training

Sweet Spot Part 1: Build Your Base
- Begin to Build Your Base
- Increase FTP by 5 - 20% !
- Home of Sweet Spot training

Sweet Spot Part 2: Boost Your Base
- Boost Your Base
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect continuation from Sweet Spot part 1

Sweet Spot Part 3: Base to Race
- The transition from base to race
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect continuation from Sweet Spot part 2

Sweet Spot Part 4: Fresh and Fast
- ideal for summer training
- Increases FTP & Improves Endurance
- Balance of Sweet Spot and VO2 Max work

Triple Bypass
- Features Sweet Spot, Tempo & Threshold Intervals to prepare you for the long sustained climbs!
- Group Rides & Simulation Rides on the Weekend
- Includes a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers