3 Minute all out test as measure of CP

[s_curran]

We've found the trainer road ramp test decently accurate and still allows you to do a workout after as well, its good for mid season stuff when the training is more specific and the work load is low. I'm pretty set in my ways and guage myself on 20 min efforts. I sort of enjoy it, especially if its outside (but you have to remember the numbers will always be higher). I'm not always doing a true test, but can usually guage myself compared to previos perormances. If its been a while I'll do a more formal 2x20 test on the trainer, and have even confirmed it with a 60 min test (BRUTAL, but its nice to know that you actually can make it last).

2x20's is also a great, quick workout as well. So while im not always testing, I can tell when I'm at the 95% or so, and can usually do a third.

[BSUdude]

We've found the trainer road ramp test decently accurate and still allows you to do a workout after as well, its good for mid season stuff when the training is more specific and the work load is low. I'm pretty set in my ways and guage myself on 20 min efforts. I sort of enjoy it, especially if its outside (but you have to remember the numbers will always be higher). I'm not always doing a true test, but can usually guage myself compared to previos perormances. If its been a while I'll do a more formal 2x20 test on the trainer, and have even confirmed it with a 60 min test (BRUTAL, but its nice to know that you actually can make it last).

2x20's is also a great, quick workout as well. So while im not always testing, I can tell when I'm at the 95% or so, and can usually do a third.

This makes a good point...unless you are VERY serious...you just need a test that is repeatable to track progress. Duration/protocol/location is less important than doing it the same way every time. No 20 minutes on the road one time, and 20 minutes on the trainer the next time. Or no 20 minute hill climb vs 20 minutes on a flat road. You get the idea. If you've been doing structured training for a few years, and you're in the FTP boosting portion of training, you can almost get away without testing because every workout is a mini test. If you're hitting the top of your range for your intervals & HR is in check, you know its time to bump up the target power range 10 watts or so.

[DOOFUS]

2 x 20.

Yes, and no.

Coggan settled on that duration because it ended up being 20 minutes to his stop sign turnaround in Indiana. Yes, 20-minute efforts are long enough to stress MLSS, and short enough to be tolerable if 95-105% of MLSS is what you are holding.

However, an unintended consequence is the "20 minute revolution" than Dean Golich and others have commented on. Just because your MLSS/FTP is higher doesn't mean you can actually maintain higher power for longer durations, which is what race performance often demands. Additionally, the mental and physical stress of those workouts, especially on a trainer, can become too draining. The result is riders can kill themselves to get this higher MLSS/FTP, but then be too brain fried to do anything with it, and not have developed the other component -- stamina/fatigue resistance -- that makes the higher MLSS/FTP mean something in a race.

To continue the annoying name dropping, Colby Pearce recommends longer intervals at lower levels -- like starting out with 2 x 20 at 90% of MLSS/FTP, and then extending them out, rather than doing them harder. Lactate removal actually peaks at 90% -- so, you are getting a very beneficial training stimulus. Also, it is less stressful physically and mentally. Going from 2 x 20 to 2 x 25 to 1 x 45 to 2 x 30 to 1 x 60 at 90%, for example, can have a better combined effect on both raising MLSS/FTP and increasing fatigue resistance, than hammering away at 2 x 20 all winter and doing them harder.