Power Training

Whats a Watt

I use the stationary bike at the gym but I don't know what the "watts" counter does. What's a watt? 

Why Can't I Ride as Hard on Flats as on Hills?

Why is it “easier” to go hard on a hill than on a flat road? I do intervals on both types of terrain and can’t seem to exert myself as much on the flats.

How Long Does a Warm-up Last

I've read numerous articles about the importance of warming up. But often, after I warm up for our monthly club time trial, the start is delayed 15 minutes or more.  How soon after warming up should I begin the race to achieve maximum benefit from the warm-up? Clearly, warming up creates a "window" of preparedness, but standing around waiting for my turn causes me to cool down. 

Allen Lim: Training with Power

Allen Lim, Ph.D., has been tracking the cycling performance of top amateur and pro riders for three years using wheels with a PowerTap watts meter in the rear hub. He's arguably the most experienced person in America when it comes to training cyclists based on power output. He coaches elite cyclists in Boulder, Colorado.  Lim's doctoral dissertation depended on analyzing power meter data files. You might think he'd be a numbers-oriented scientist with few practical suggestions to benefit the rest of us. But the opposite is true. 

Companion eBooks & eArticles

By Coach Fred Matheny
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By Coach Arnie Baker, M.D.
$19.95

By Chris Fischer
$10.95

Available to Our Premium Members

Why Is Knowing My Functional Threshold Power (FTP) Important?

How Can I Judge Riding Intensity

I'm confused about how to judge riding intensity if I don't use a heart monitor. 

Should I Get a Power Meter

Is a power meter worth owning? I have been seriously training for the last couple years using heart rate and cadence. I want to make the best use of my time and effort and improve my fitness for racing.

Would a Power Meter Help My Time Trialing

Would a power meter help me maintain steady energy expenditure throughout time trials and triathlons? Could I just watch the monitor, ride at a pre-determined wattage and thus be sure that I performed at optimum intensity? What about in road races? 

What's the Best Time Trial Training?

I've changed my time trial training program over several seasons to no avail. My lactate threshold has increased to 92 percent of my max heart rate, but my power output at that intensity isn't greater. What kind of workouts would you recommend?

How Can I Improve Seated Power?

As my mileage increased this spring I noticed I felt stronger when out of the saddle but was not improving while seated. Are there specific things I should work on to improve power in the saddle? 

How Much Should a Hard Workout Hurt

I started doing the "Pedaling for Power" workout described in your eBook, Basic Training for Roadies. I did the Drag Races (short, all-out efforts) and was able to maintain max output for about 25 seconds. I spun easily for the recommended five minutes, then went again. After five of these, I spun home. Total time, 55 minutes. Distance, 16 miles.   How should I feel after this workout? I was fine, no fatigue. I felt better than if I had ridden 30 miles at race pace. Is this right?  Not that I want to hurt, but it doesn't feel like I gave myself a hard workout. 

How Should I Ride 10/20 Intervals

In Supercharge Your Training, you talk about intervals where you go hard for 10 seconds and easy for 20 seconds, repeating the pattern many times. My question concerns effort and gearing. Do you recommend shifting to a bigger gear for the 10 hard seconds, then back down for the easy 20? Or should I simply use the same gear (assuming flat terrain), pedaling harder and then easier?   By the way, we competed against each other in a Maumee Valley Wheelmen club race in the early 1980s while you were visiting Ohio. I remember your blue Gios whizzing by me!

Which Power Training Device Should I Buy

I want to train using a power meter but don't know which one to buy. Is there a book or article with this information?

Whats the Best Software for Power Analysis

I have been riding for 2 years and my goal is to finish the 109-mile El Tour de Tucson in less than 5 hours this November. My coach has been prodding me to begin training with power, so I purchased a PowerTap Pro watts meter. However, the software seems to be lacking. What software you would recommend for power analysis? 

How Should I Train With Watts

For Christmas I got a trainer that indicates watts. I know watts are a measurement of power output, but how do I incorporate that data into my training?

Is There a Simple Way to Test Power?

I read your training article for January, and now I want to test myself. I have a watts meter but not much time. Are there any "quick and dirty" testing protocols that I can use every couple of weeks?

How Do I Know if Im Doing My Best

 I'm 45 and have been riding for 12 years. I recently did a 25-mile time trial and improved last year's time by 2 minutes. My average heart rate was 184 compared to my maximum of 205. Did I do my best? Should I use my heart monitor during competition? 

How Can I Find My LT Without a Lab Test?

I'm 50 and my max heart rate is 170. I want to determine my lactate threshold so I can train at that level, but I'd rather not spend money for a lab test. Is there a simple way to determine LT? I want to ride well in the district 40K time trial.