Power Meter Training for Cyclists
Training with a Power Meter
Training using Power as the measurement instead of Heart Rate has only really become popular in the last few years as power meters have become readily available and affordable to the average cyclist.
Benefits of Power meters over Heart Rate Monitors
Power training for cycling offers a much more accurate and instant measure of how hard the cyclist is working. Heart rate monitors only measure the body's reaction or response to physical activity whereas a power meter measure the actual activity itself. In addition there is often a time lag between excertion and the hearts response, this lag does not exist as the power you put into turning the cranks is what power meters measure.
Though hear rate monitors provide the cyclist or coach with valuable data to the body's response to a ride there are so many variables that can affect your Heart Rate while riding such as, altitude, temperature, hydration, nutrition, terrain, wind resistance. As a result when measuring heart rates there is always a degree of uncertainty that does not exist with power measurements.
Functional Threshold Power
Functional Threshold is the power level at which you can sustain a certain power output for a 1 hour period. In reality you need to be highly motivated to acheive your max power output for 1 hour, hence functional threshold is often called your time trial pace. If you can perform a training ride at say 200W, it may be safe to assume that if your life depended on it or you were in a big race you may be able to manage 220W. Once you have measured your functional threshold you can set out certain training zones, in much the same way you would if using a heart rate monitor.
Level 1 - Recovery - <60% of Threshold Power
These rides are used to help rest and recovery. They should be used in place of a rest day for instance the day after a race or hard training day. Their aim is to simply allow you to get out on the bike and get some blood moving through your muscles which will help to flush out any waste products and allow your muscles to recover without placing any strain on them whatsoever. Try to limit these rides to a maximum of an hour in duration.
Level 2 - Enurance - 60-75% of Threshold Power
This zone provides your 'base miles' and you should use the early part of the season training in this zone. While riding in this zone converstaion should be easy without getting out of breath, infact riding at this pace may seem too easy and you'll be tempted to ride faster but resist. Endurance rides will help the slow twitch muscle fibers build up in your legs and improve your body's efficiency of using fat as its primary fuel source at lower intensity. In addition a base of miles at endurance pace will help you get used to spending time in the saddle and reduce your risk of injury when you start to train at higher intensities. Try to have at least one long endurance ride per week where you spend over 2 hours at this intensity.
Level 3 - Tempo - 75-90% of Threshold Power
These rides are of a slightly higher tempo than Zone 2 training wiuth the intention of building up your aerobic endurance. Riding at this speed you'll find yourself unable to hold a continuous conversation without getting short of breath. The aim is to work as hard as you can without reaching your lactate threshold which is where the body starts using it's carbohydrate or glycogen stores as fuel instead of fat. This is crucial to the distance rider as the body can only store so much glycogen.
Level 4 - Lactate Threshold - 90-105% of Threshold Power
The aim of riding at this intensity is to try and raise your lactate threshold. As discusesed elsehwer your lactate threshold is the pooint at which lactate acid removal in your muscles is outstipped by lactate removal resulting in muscle fatigue. By incorporating lactate threshold intervals into your training rides you will over time manage to raise your threshold, which has the effect of allowing you to ride harder and faster for longer.
Level 5 - Anaerobic zone - >105% Threshold Power
Training at this intensity can only be maintained for very short periods, perhaps up to a minute and will help develop a cyclists sprinting ability. Training in this zone usually consists of maybe 5-10 very short intervals (30 seconds) with each being separated by 2-3 minutes at zone 3 intensity. Be aware however that your heart rate will not rise straight away to the very high intensity so timing such short intervals by relying on the heart rate monitor can be tricky. Instead use the perceived effort method where you simply pedal all out for each interval period.