Fitness testing for cyclists - Field tests
This final post in the series on fitness testing for cyclists examines the role of field tests in evaluating fitness and predicting performance. We will consider some common field tests, how to perform them, and the ways in which the data can be used to optimise training.
Why Field tests?
The key advantage of a well-designed field test is that it resembles the type of riding you do in the real world. Laboratory tests offer high quality scientific evaluation but field testing offer a regular, inexpensive and convent way to continually track your progress.You can also use specific training sessions as a field tests and if you really want to maximise efficiency you can analyse field data measured over a number of training sessions to get a good estimate of your overall progress. Finally, field tests can contain a technical element too which is particularly useful if your branch of cycling has a significant skills component e.g. BMX, MTB or cylcocross.
Uses of field test data
Field test data can be used for three purposes: to test for changes in fitness/predict performance; to monitor fatigue; and to prescribe the intensity and distribution of training. We will consider some common field tests that cover these areas and how you can incorporate them into your training for maximum effect.
Functional Threshold Power (FTP)
The last article described the blood lactate response to exercise and how it could be used to determine ‘thresholds’ from which training zones could be set. There are, in fact, a number of different ‘thresholds’ described within the literature which can cause some confusion when comparing data from different riders, or setting training zones. Whatever you choose it is important to stick with the same method so you have comparable test data over months and years of training.
The functional threshold power (FTP), a term coined by Andrew Coggan, is the highest average power output that a cyclist can maintain without fatiguing over the course of an hour and is highly correlated with 40 km time trial performance.You can, of course, perform a one hour time trial in training, but this requires a great deal of motivation and is extremely tiring so Coggan suggests completing a 20 minute time trial and then deducting 5% from the average power output to determine FTP. In less well trained cyclists this adjustment may overestimate FTP and so it may be more appropriate to subtract 7% or greater. A good 3rd category road rider might achieve an FTP between 3.5 and 4.2 W-kg-1 and a top professional more than 6.4 W-kg-1.
This is a relatively easy test to do if you have a power meter and you may choose to test before and after a key training block. The disadvantage of it is that you do need to be pretty good at pacing to get ‘everything out’ over the course of the test. The 20 minute test does also require an estimation of FTP by deducting a fixed percentage of the average power output which is a potential source of error.
Time Trials
If you are a regular time trial competitor then there is nothing better than a race to test your fitness and performance. The power and HR data from races can then be used to set training by targeting personal bests or, assuming you are good enough, competition records. If you have a power meter fitted to your bike there is free training software available online (e.g. Golden Cheetah) that can be used to determine FTP or critical power (see below).
If you do not regularly ride time trials you can still incorporate one into your training or testing regimen. A 30 minute time trial is a commonly employed duration and when performed on your indoor trainer, is not influenced by aerodynamics or environmental conditions. An elite senior female might expect to maintain an average power output of 4.0-7.0 W-kg-1 with an elite male achieving 4.7-5.3 W-kg-1
If you are attempting to improve your climbing performance you could perform an uphill TT on a regular basis. There are different ways of measuring performance with this test. You could ride all-out and see how much quicker you went compared with last time, but this is strenuous and requires an element of motivation. Alternatively, you could ride at the same pace (power output) each time using the same equipment to see if heart rate (or blood lactate, if you have a portable meter) is lower, indicating less physiological stress. Another equally valid approach is to ride at a fixed HR and see if you go up any quicker.
The Power Profile Test
The tests described above enable the cyclist or coach to measure the ability to sustain a ‘sub-maximal’ performance which is really important when riding solo in a break or performing a time trial. However, many cycling events require cyclists to produce a number of high intensity efforts over different durations. This can result from working to close gaps in the bunch, powering up a short climb or sprinting to the finish line. If the cyclist is to train these abilities then it is important to have an objective test to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their power profile.
There are different ways of doing this test, but essentially you perform a series of maximal efforts over durations ranging from between 5 to 600 seconds. Coggan & Allen’s test prescribes efforts of 5 minute, 1 minute and 15 seconds from which a power profile is produced using your highest average 5 second, 1 minute and 5 minute power outputs. See here (https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/power-profiling/ ) for examples of power profiles from club level to world-class cyclists.
The power profile is also good for identifying the type of rider you are. A good sprinter will have much higher power outputs for shorter duration efforts than, say, a climber. Whereas a good time trial rider will excel over the range from 20-60 minutes.
Race and Training Data
An alternative to performing a power profile test is to produce a power-time curve from existing race and training data. All of the free and commercially available training apps provide such a function and it enables you to monitor improvements in your power profile over time. The advantage of using this data is that you clearly do not need to undergo any form of testing and as your fitness levels improve your average power output for a given duration (maximal mean power output, or MMP) will increase. As mentioned previously, FTP can be calculated from this curve so on the face of it this approach seems ideal. However, there is a problem.
The profile is only as good as the types of efforts you are performing in training or racing. Somebody who rarely rides a time trial may have a low 45 minute MMP compared with a regular competitor in 25 mile TT events, but that does not mean they are unable to produce a decent effort over 45 minutes, it is just that the power profile will not reflect this. For most people this will not be an issue, but if a coach sets training zones based around the power profile it can cause issues. If you feel your power profile is slightly distorted then the best thing to do is to do a power profile test as described above and ride some time trials in training to ‘populate’ it with more representative data.
Regular interval training is an excellent test in itself and so you should always keep a log of your best performances and try to improve them over subsequent training sessions. If you are training over a range of durations then you’ll naturally build a good power profile and may not have to do a specific test. Cyclocross and mountain bike riders can measure both their physiological and technical development by doing a timed lap or intervals off road.
Testing for Fatigue
Finally, testing can be used to determine whether a rider is fatigued. A common issue for cyclists who are training hard is that they start to get tired and the normal relationship between heart rate and power output alters. This is sometimes a little difficult to interpret because for a given power output the rider’s heart rate might shoot-up much higher than normal, or it might be lower than expected. This latter response can also occur in response to normal training adaptations, so the picture is not always clear. The best advice is to monitor regularly and any sudden, dramatic change that is accompanied by sensations of fatigue or a drop in performance ought to be taken as a sign that you might have overreached and require a rest.
Good practice before any training session is to measure heart rate at a given power output following the warm-up. If you are feeling tired and the heart rate response is abnormal then change the session, or even better, go home and have a day off. There is a more sophisticated version of this test is the Lamberts sub-maximal cycling test (LSCT) which can be performed on the road or on the indoor trainer.
In summary, field tests can provide valuable feedback on your training progress and can help to identify relative strengths and weaknesses in your performance profile. The schedule of tests can be skilfully designed to have minimal impact upon your training programme and can even be ‘triangulated’ against data collected during training and competition. Regular field testing can also help to identify overreaching and assist you and your coach in proactively adjusting training loads so as to optimise physiological adaptations without inducing excessive stress.
