On Monday nights Bay Cycles have started indoor cycling with the Stages Power bikes at Venning Ride. It’s a great way to keep fit through the winter evenings, with the motivation of the pumping music, sufferfest videos and friends to keep you company. I’m sure you’ve all been impressed with the state of the art Stages indoor cycling bikes, but if you’re new to it all the wealth of data can be very confusing. So what exactly are you getting out of it?

Here we will take a bit of a look at Lisa’s data to start to understand the benefits of training with power and how to use it to get you fitter, faster!

Graph

Looking at Lisa’s graph, the pink line is Power (Watts), the yellow line is cadence (RPM) and the green line ‘speed’ (mph). All we can see is how power, cadence and speed go up and down several times throughout the session. It has recorded the numbers for power, but I’ve deleted those numbers because, as Einstein said, its all relative! Everyone is different – some people are stronger than others, some are more well trained than others – so in terms of the effort you make in any one session, the actual numbers are not so important. What is important is how hard it was FOR YOU. This is one of the reasons we use ZONES.

Zones

Zones show this relative intensity. This way we can ‘measure’ how much effort someone puts in to a ride or workout regardless of who they are, whether they are beginners, experienced or even professional riders.

Zones also give us an indication of how the ride is helping us to get faster or stronger. Our body works in different ways in different zones, so we get different benefits from training in different zones. So this graph shows just the power curve, with zones in the background.

Threshold

In this graph you can see Lisa’s zones. The zones are in the background, from zone 1 at the bottom, to zone 6 at the top. ‘Threshold’ is shown by the dotted line. Threshold is known by different names such as FTP (Functional Threshold power), Lactacte Threshold (LT) and so on and each has different definitions. The basic idea is that threshold is the amount of effort that you can only just sustain indefinitely (or for a very long time, depending on the definition). In general terms, as you try harder and harder, your legs start to burn and it gets harder to sustain your power.  Threshold is the point where it may be tough, but you can keep pushing at that level for a ‘long time’ (how ‘long’ varies according to the definition). Any harder and you simply can’t sustain it. You might be able to ride harder than that for a short while – it will feel harder and harder, legs burn more and more  – but after a few seconds, a few minutes or several minutes at most you simply can’t sustain that level of effort – you ‘blow up’.

Sufferfest

Now we have a real idea of how hard that session was – look at all the times Lisa made really big efforts, above her threshold. This was a sufferfest video session and it does what it says on the tin – it makes you suffer! So in this session which lasted just under 40 minutes. Lisa made 12 really big efforts above threshold (including one in the warm up). Each time you go over your threshold it hurts – so yes – Lisa did suffer!

We can look at this slightly differently and see how much time Lisa spent in each of these zones;

This graph shows the time spent in each zone. Zone 4 is ‘threshold’, and Lisa spent a good couple of minutes there. However, lots of the session was really hard, above threshold in zone 5 (over 4 minutes) and extremely hard in zone 6 (approx 6 minutes). So this was a high intensity session. Repeatedly going over threshold (12 times in 40 minutes), spending a few minutes in zone 5 (often called the VO2 Max zone – as it helps to improve your aerobic capacity) and several minutes in zone 6 which develops anaerobic capacity, lactate tolerance and starts to work on neuromuscular power too.

Intervals

Incidentally, interval sessions like this, where you repeatedly ride really hard then easier to allow some recovery mean that you can spend more time riding very hard than if you just ride fairly hard all the time. That’s why people  use interval sessions to train – you can work harder in the same amount of time.

Intensity

Looking back at those graphs we can see that power was often low and often high or very high – but overall how taxing was it? Well there is another measure we use call Intensity Factor (IF). This measures how hard the workout is for YOU relative to your personal threshold. An IF of 1.00 is equivalent to 100% of your threshold – so it is theoretically the maximum effort you can possibly make (in an hour in this definition).

Despite the many easier sections, overall the IF for this session was 0.90 or 90% of Lisa’s threshold – which is pretty good going! This is just another way of showing how very hard this session was – and another way to compare this session with any other. With that in mind, lets see how hard Lisa tries and how much she suffers next week!

1) Power through Precision

At the end of the day we all want to go faster – but how do we know if we are getting fitter, stronger, faster?  One of the first things you might do is to time whether you ride faster on a certain ride. Measuring speed isn’t a great indicator of your performance or fitness though, because speed is affected by so many things, such as the surface, the terrain, hills, wind speed and direction to name a few.

Heart Rate is really useful in some ways as it is a simple and fairly accurate way to help gauge our effort level, or tell us which zone we are training in – but is far from perfect. Heart Rate Monitors measure your body’s response to effort – how much stress it is under, rather than how much power you are actually delivering. Your heart rate can vary according to all sorts of other variables, things such as fatigue, hydration and temperature. This means that you can’t be sure that you are putting in the same effort whenever your heart rate is at a given level, or in a particular zone. Secondly heart rate is relatively slow to respond to an effort meaning at times it is no more than a vague indicator of your effort. It lacks precision and it is precision that allows you to accurate measure the amount and quality of the training you do and to train specifically so that you can maximise your training and make real improvements to your performance.

This is where power meters are the only option – accurately measuring your increasing fitness levels and progress and eliminating the guesswork from your training, meaning you can use targeted training to gain more fitness less time.

 

 

2) No slacking!

Using a power meter means that you can get the best out of every single hill, every single interval, every single effort. In this example, see how Heart Rate suggests effort is increasing but in reality power output is dropping. This is due to the fact that the heart is slow to react to changes in training stress – your heart is still trying to catch up even when you have stopped pushing so hard. It’s easy to ease off if you see your heart rate is still rising – thinking you’re working hard enough. Focus on Power instead and you push just a little harder for a little longer to get the full training benefit of working in a certain zone. Do this every time you make an effort and you are doing far more quality work in a given training time.  This all adds up to much better use of your training time, meaning you train much more efficiently, getting the results you want in less time!

 

3) Better than average.

Measuring the power you have produced is a far more accurate reflection of the work you have done in training than speed for instance. In much the same way, Normalised Power (NP) can be a more accurate reflection of the work you have done than Average Power (AP).

Riding at 20 mph average at a consistent speed on the flat is very different from averaging 20 mph on a lumpy or hilly course, where your speed will be both higher at times and lower at times – yet your average might still be 20 mph. It would be much harder to maintain a 20 mph average on a very hilly course, for instance.

Similarly your average power might be the same on two very different rides, even though one might be a steady, flat ride and the other a more difficult, hilly ride, where you are trying much harder up the hills, but barely trying downhill. The hillier ride IS harder – ie the physiological ‘cost’ is more, the training stress on the body is more than a steady flat ride. There is simply no way of quantifying this with speed, but by measuring this variability in power and some clever mathematics, Normalised Power can be calculated which gives a more accurate reflection of the physiological ‘cost’ – a truer picture of the work you have done and the training stress to which you have subjected your body.

 

4 ) On the limit

Careful analysis of event and race power data in particular can highlight what is limiting your performance. What are your limiters? Is it producing very high power for short periods, meaning that you miss the breaks in a road race or crit? Is it more about sustaining a high percentage of your maximum power for longer periods, making you struggle in time trials? Is your finishing sprint weak?

Another useful tool is the Power Profile graph. This takes your best peak powers and compares it to recognised standard performances, making it easy to see how you compare to others in various kinds of efforts.

In the power Profile here, this rider is incredibly strong over 5 minute and 20 minute efforts – but really rather weak in the maximum power they can produce for very short periods. This immediately shows us that they need to work on their maximum power if they want to be competitive in a finishing sprint. In the mean time they could use their strengths to break away and TT alone to the finish. The data clearly shows that rather than leave it to a sprint that they would inevitably loose, it’s far better for this rider to attack  – it’s easily their best chance of victory.

This is an example of how power meters can help us to identify what areas we really need to work on, and also inform our race tactics.

5 ) Predict Peak Form

The accuracy of power meters allows you to more closely monitor the amount of work you’ve done in training and the effort you’ve put into it. By recording the volume of training and taking into account the intensity we can calculate the total load or Training Stress on the body. By gradually increasing the load on your body you will train it to get stronger but conversely you will become more fatigued. An experienced coach can skilfully use the wealth of data from form your power meter alongside tools such as the Performance Management Chart to help decide when to increase your training and when to back off to allow your body to recover and grow stronger. Ultimately, by getting the balance of training and rest just right you will be able to predict when you’ll be in peak form – or even better, a smart coach will tailor your training to ensure that you come into peak form exactly in time to achieve your goals.

In the example PMC here, notice how ‘fitness’  – CTL (the blue line) is rising from the time training got under way towards the end of March to mid July. ATL or ‘fatigue’ (the pink line) is also generally high. So the rider is doing lots of training but is pretty tired from it.

Around mid July, the coach prescribed less training in order to peak. ‘Fitness’ (CTL – the blue line) consequently slightly drops, but the important thing is that ‘Fatigue’ (ATL – pink line) drastically reduces, the rider is therefore much fresher, meaning that the resultant ’Form’ (TSB – the yellow line) rises dramatically signalling a peak in performance.

Of course, it’s not only about the numbers, there are lots more details that a professional coach will pay attention to in order to make you fitter, stronger and faster and to tweak your form, but judicious use of the data that you can only get from a power meter takes a lot of the guesswork out of it!

 

6) Ideal cadence

The wealth of data produced  by a power meter, when analysed using programmes such as Training Peaks or Golden Cheetah can give us great insights into our ideal cadence in different situations as well as which kinds of efforts and cadences are likely to improve our performances in various kinds of events and on various kinds of terrain.

We can investigate a riders ideal cadence in several ways. Looking at a simple cadence distribution chart, or pinpointing specific sections of rides where the power drops can give us valuable information. In the graph shown of a hilly Time Trial, we can see power dropping (pink line) as cadence rises (yellow line) when the road went up (dark grey is the profile). The rider changed into too easy a gear, keeping cadence high, but consequently loosing power. Simply focusing on pushing over the top of each rise without changing into too easy a gear helped that rider to PB in the very next race on that same course.

In simple terms power on a bike is a product of how hard you push (force) and how fast you pedal (cadence), but each kind of terrain and event has different characteristics. Often it is not only about how much power you produce, but equally about how you produce that power.

For instance an endurance event on the track will need high power outputs, but also high cadences, so the data from a successful rider would show high power being produced at high cadences. The actual forces aren’t necessarily very high because high cadence (‘how fast you pedal’) is a larger component of the overall power produced.

In other events, such as standing starts on the track, BMX starts, often on hill climbs, etc the force part (‘how hard you push’) is a larger component in producing the power. Here we might see much bigger forces being produced at lower cadences for that initial start or effort.

A more in depth tool for investigating the relationship between force and cadence is Quadrant Analysis. Using QA we can see riders’ preferred cadences under different conditions. It can also give us an insight into what cadences to work at more in order to improve their performances.

On the QA graph shown here, of a mixed road ride, you can see that 50% of the time was spent in the bottom right quadrant – this is relatively high cadence and relatively low force. So when ‘cruising along’ this rider uses a fairly high cadence. They spent only 19% of the time in the top left quadrant – lower cadence but high force production. However, one specific climb has been highlighted (the green dots). So you can see that when riding this long climb, the rider spent the majority of their time at lower cadences, whilst producing higher forces.

In this case the rider just rode as they liked, so we can deduce that they prefer to ride hills at lower cadences. By getting this rider to ride up the same hill in various gears we can find out the most efficient cadence for them. Perhaps they’d go better at higher cadences? Or perhaps they are naturally riding at their most efficient cadence, for hills of this kind of gradient. Using data that you can only get from a power meter we can easily investigate and advise them of their most efficient cadence for climbs of certain gradients and/or lengths.

Similarly we might use this data to inform their future training. For instance, if this rider were riding the road but training for track endurance events, we might suggest they aim to spend more time on their road rides in the top right quadrant – ie aim to keep the cadence high when they are pushing out the Watts  – spend more time at higher cadences combined with higher forces. After each ride we can quickly check whether they have indeed done this – they might produce the same average speed and power on different rides, but by using QA we can check that they are making the most efficient use of their training time, with their specific goals in mind.

7) More or Less and When to  Progress

Intervals are a way of making the most of your training time. By alternating periods of higher intensity work with less intense recovery periods you can fit more quality work into a given time period. There are countless different interval schedules, at various intensities, work or recovery periods and ratios, which all produce different training effects. As you get fitter you should aim to progress, whether that’s by increasing the number of intervals, increasing the work periods or decreasing the recovery times.

However, without a power meter it’s really difficult to know for sure whether a set of intervals was ‘good’ and when it’s time to progress. The picture here shows a set of intervals – The blue background is the prescribed session, actual Power delivered during the session is the pink line and actual Heart Rate is the red line.

Looking at the Heart Rate alone it appears that each interval was harder and harder as the peak of the red line rises throughout the session (Note also how HR takes a while to respond to the increased Power). However the reality is different – the actual Power was about right for the first 3 intervals, but the rider struggled with the last 2, not quite keeping up to the prescribed level (blue background).

If we only had Heart Rate we might think the session was perfect – indeed, in each successive interval the HR was higher and higher – so it would be easy to assume they managed easily and should progress to longer intervals.  However this would lead to excess fatigue, without the benefit of the intervals (they weren’t completed, after all) and could eventually mean the rider is overtraining.

Only the accuracy of the Power Meter gives us the whole story – while the rider was undoubtedly trying very hard, the power was actually dropping. The data informs us that the rider is struggling to hold the power right to the end, which informs the next interval session. It’s too early to progress – another session or two at this level is needed before the rider can move on. When the rider can hold the desired power for the whole set then it’s definitely time to move on! Note though, that this session is just about right – ideally that last effort should be a struggle – then they are training as hard as they can! If the intervals are all completed without too much effort then they are set to low/short for the rider to get the most out of the session.

 

8) Pacing and Racing Strategies

Whether you’re riding Time Trials, Sportives, Road Races, Crits, Ultradistance cycling or anything else working with a Power Meter can guide your pacing and improve your racing strategies.

From simple average power and the intensity that you can achieve over rides of different lengths to calculating when and where to make your biggest efforts to make that break, the wealth of information a Power Meter provides is invaluable.

For example in a Time Trial smooth power delivery will be most efficient, so you will be aiming for low variability in power (measured by the VI – Variability Index) showing a consistent ride. The intensity that you can sustain clearly depends on time, so an Intensity Factor (IF) of 1.05-1.10 might be expected in a 10 mile Time Trial (ie 105-110% of your FTP) dropping to about 1.0 (100% of your FTP) for a 25 mile TT.

As the event gets longer, so your sustainable power drops, so in a Sportive of around 100km you might see an IF of 0.80-0.90 dropping to 0.70-0.75 for an all day Ultra and a little less for all multi-day Ultra rides.

Pacing becomes much easier armed with this type of information!

Delving deeper into the data can reveal more subtle pacing strategies such as the most efficient variability in power on rolling courses (ie. if and when to push harder up the hills and easier down them), at what speed to stop pedalling down a steeper hill, whether to ride negative splits and if so, how?

Mass start races get even more complex as so often the pace is dictated by others. Here it is still all about measuring your effort, but in different ways. In much the same way as in Time Trials, a Power Meter can help you pace yourself up the climbs, or in solo or group breaks. However, in a Road Race for instance, much of the time is spent saving energy as much as possible for those race deciding moments such as attacks, hills, breaks and the finishing sprint.  Every time you make a really big effort you ‘burn a match’. You only have so many ‘matches’ and when they are used up you can’t make those big efforts any more to respond to attacks etc. Your Power Meter can help you keep track of how many really big efforts you make, ensuring you have some ‘matches’ left to make the winning break or finish it off in the sprint.

Analysing your race data is both where it ends and at the same time the beginning.  What power did you sustain throughout the race? How consistent was your effort? Where and what were your Peak Powers? Did you hold on up the climbs? Did you follow the attacks, make the break? Did you have anything left for the finish? This is where a Power Meter really comes into it’s own – analysing your previous races – what contributed to your successes and what areas do you need to work on in order to succeed next time? There’s no need for guesswork  – it’s all there in black and white….if you know where to look for it! If you enjoy spending hours poring over the data why not do it yourself, but if you simply don’t have the time, or inclination, why not get your coach to do it for you?

#PowerTrial Maximise your Training! 

Call or email now for more details on 01803 316 785 / Info@BayCycles.co.uk

 

I hope you enjoyed this article – look out for more soon.

 

KOM Coaching are proud to announce a ground breaking new concept launched in conjunction with Bay Cycles.

If you’re looking to try a power meter before you buy with all the benefits of someone showing you how to maximise your training then the #PowerTrial is the perfect package for you!

Sign up for Bay Cycles #PowerTrial package and receive 1 months professional coaching from KOM Coaching along with 1 months hire and set up of a Stages power meter!

Whilst Bay Cycles set up your power meter, Martin from KOM Coaching, an approved British Cycling Level 3 Coach, will meet with you to discuss your training requirements. He will ask you about your training history and lifestyle to establish what training time you have available and identify any other commitments you have. He will discuss your strengths and weaknesses and establish your personal goals. Once he has that information, he will be able to help you get the most out of the power meter and ensure you improve through fully personalised coaching that takes into account the demands of your target events alongside your personal circumstances.

Everyone will receive a Start Guide that gives you all the information you need to prepare for your training sessions. This guide includes instructions on how to complete an assessment of your current level of cycling fitness. There are instructions on how to complete an FTP (Functional Threshold Power) Test and calculate your personal Training Zones. You will then be able to train more accurately as you monitor the intensity of your training. Alternatively, Martin can conduct the FTP test and personally guide you through it at a cost of £30.

You will also receive an online Training Peaks account through which your training schedule will be delivered. Once you have completed a training session, you will update your Training Peaks account, creating a record of your progress. Training Peaks is rich with data analysis features enabling your training to be accurately monitored. You will have the benefit of a professional coach reviewing your training results every week and providing you with feedback, highlighting areas to improve and work on, suggesting specific targeted workouts to help you personally improve.

The power meter hire and coaching support lasts for one month and costs £150 with a deposit of £200 also payable. After your one month #PowerTrial you are free to return the power meter if you decide it is not for you.

Alternatively, if you decide to continue training with all the benefits of a power meter, you will be eligible for a 10% discount off any Stages Power Meter purchased at Bay Cycles. (Interest free finance options also available, T&C’s apply)

Similarly, if you decide to continue being coached you will be eligible for a 20% discount on any KOM Coaching services.

Call or email now for more details on 01803 316 785 / Info@BayCycles.co.uk

Learn more about the benefits of training with power here. 

The great service at Bay Cycles and is something that I hear people talk about again and again. That’s my kind of bike shop and someone I’d really like to work alongside.

Following a meeting with Lisa and Jez from Bay Cycles this morning that just took a step closer.

I’m pleased to announce that we will be collaborating…but on what exactly….well, you will just have to wait to find out for now!

#newproject #excitingtimes #ridethebay #bikefitting #training #coaching #power #thenextlevel

 Spring is here! The nicer weather and longer days naturally inspire us to get out and ride more, but how do we make the most of it?

Take time to take stock, refocus and advance, pedal rev by pedal rev to your season goals…

Here are a few tips to help you on the way;                                                         

Let there be light!

 

It’s springtime, the clocks have gone forward so we have more light in the evenings. Use it! Now is the perfect opportunity to get in an extra ride or two mid-week to build your fitness.

Beware that it’s all too easy to suddenly up your training but this will only lead to excessive fatigue – then you are more likely to miss training sessions completely. Start off gently and increase your training time gradually over the weeks.

After a long day at work it can be hard to get yourself moving, so try arranging evening rides with friends to help get you out on your bike regularly and enjoy those lighter spring evenings.

Spring Clean

Make sure your bikes and equipment are all ready for training through the spring. After a winter of abuse it’s important to check your tyres, your chain and cassette, brake and gear cables, brake blocks etc. You may need to replace some or all of these. It’s better to do it now than to find out they don’t work properly on a long training ride, or even more worryingly a race or event – slipping gears or a broken chain could put paid to months of dedicated training in an instant. If you’ve been saving your ‘best bike’ in the garage all winter, don’t forget to check that over too before it sees the light of day.

 

Take Stock

You’ve trained through winter with your goals in mind and now you’re entering a new phase with more time to train, what with the lighter evenings and all. It’s time to take stock.

Check your progress on the way to your goals. Analyse results from early races or events, or redo fitness tests, such as an FTP test.

Armed with this knowledge of your current state of fitness, your strengths and weaknesses in relation to your goals, revisit your long term plan. Target the areas you still need to work most on, whilst maintaining the aspects of fitness you’re already strong in. Break your long term goal into a series of shorter ones so that you can keep on track more easily. Working in manageable chinks on short term goals will also help to keep you focused and motivated when your big event is still months away.

Focus on Limiters

Once you have looked at your progress so far towards your goals you will need to reshape your plans in order to ensure that you achieve your major goal for the year. With your long term plan in place and your goals broken down into shorter manageable chunks it’s time to work on the details. You’ve analysed your strengths and weaknesses, now think of these in terms of limiters. What is limiting you from reaching your goal? For instance climbing may be a weakness, but if your goal is a to get a PB in a 10 mile Time Trial, climbing may well be a weakness, but it is not a limiter! In this case spending valuable training time working on climbing is time wasted and is potentially counter productive. Work more on your limiters. Always think in relation to your specific goals. Target those areas that will bring about the biggest improvements – Train Smart!

Camp it Up!

Spring is the best time of year to think about a training camp. Concentrating entirely on your cycling for 4 days, a week or even two can bring about massive gains in fitness. Not only do you ride more than usual, but you rest and recover more, looking after your nutrition and hydration without the usual distractions of every day life. Increase your training load by just the right amount, complimented by the correct nutrition, hydration and recovery and you’ll come back from your training camp stronger than ever. Your body, having assimilated that extra work, will be able to support more intense training to take you on to new heights of fitness.

Training camps are not just for pro’s, but go to the right training camp and you’ll feel like one! Or why not organise one yourself? If you want a more relaxed experience which is part training, part holiday, then this could be the right choice for you. Bear in mind though, that just because you can train all day every day, it doesn’t mean that you should. By riding more than usual you overload your body, so it’s really important to look after your recovery too and get the balance right. Yes, you want to get more miles in than usual, but you don’t want to run yourself into the ground! Get it right and your fitness will come in leaps and bounds – get it wrong and you’ll end up overtraining and put your training back weeks. This is where an organised training camp with coaching support will help you to maximise your gains.

Another option is the stay at home camp. Take time out to concentrate on your cycling – just as you would on a training camp. Take a long weekend off work. Ride back to back for 4 days. Turn off the phone, ignore the emails. Eat, drink, ride, and sleep cycling and nothing else. A few days ‘mini camp’ staying away or even based at home can give a massive boost to your fitness.

Cycling holiday, mini camp, self organised or full on coach supported training camp, you can’t beat that combination of training overload, nutrition, hydration and recovery in taking your fitness to the next level.

Dress Rehearsal If you’re training with one major goal in mind there is no better way to prepare than to run through a full dress rehearsal. Choose an event or plan your own ride that mimics the characteristics of your major goal as closely as possible, in terms of distance, terrain etc. Make sure you ride the same bike, wear and carry the same kit, spares etc. In short try out everything before the big day.

Use the opportunity to learn as much as possible, about your fitness, your physical and mental strengths and weaknesses, your gearing and choice of equipment, such as tyres and pressures, your nutrition and hydration and all sorts of other things that you won’t even consider until you’re in the situation. Forgetting something or choosing the wrong item, food or drink now might be irritating, but you have time to put it right. You don’t want to end up stranded on the big day realising what you’ve forgotten, or suffering from stomach problems because you tried a new gel someone recommended that doesn’t suit you. Plan and trial everything, down to the last detail.

Hold your dress rehearsal well in advance to give you time to work on any area of your performance that is lacking, or to find and try alternative foods, drinks or equipment. Make a comprehensive kit list of everything you need to take with you for the big event – and I do mean absolutely everything. Don’t be like the rider who packed his car and only realised hundreds of miles away from home that he’d forgotten his front wheel! (true story!). In the words of the cub scout motto ‘ Be Prepared!’

I hope you enjoyed this series of tips – keep an eye out for more on facebook, twitter and here on the website