What is FTP? Most often, FTP means Functional Threshold Power. We prefer Functional Threshold Performance, however, since we can also talk about thresholds in terms of heart rate, not just power (watts). In either case, FTP is a key metric for cycling performance. Defined as the maximum sustained effort a cyclist can maintain over one-hour. It’s a general indicator of how fit you are.

What is an FTP test? It’s a repeatable test that helps you consistently determine you FTP. The most common test, developed by Dr. Coggan, is based on a 20minute interval in which you go flat out for the duration. When you’re done, you take your average power and subtract 5% from it (as the assumption is that you could ride for an hour at that level). FTP tests can be done inside or outside – what’s important is that the test is done the exact same way every time so you can compare results over time. The workout in Rubber Glove was designed by our partners at Dig Deep Coaching, so you know it means business.

I thought FTP meant you had to have a power meter. Is that true? Without out a doubt, the best way to determine your FTP is with a power meter. However, they are expensive and not everyone has one. So, we suggest you can also use a heart rate monitor to determine your threshold by heart rate.

What does an FTP number look like? It looks like a number. That number will vary for everyone, depending on your fitness, age, etc. Just as an illustration: Here at Sufferfest studios, our Chief Sufferlandrian measured his FTP in power and it is 270 watts. For someone doing a FTP test using heart rate, the resulting heart rate would look something like 150 beats per minute.

I did my FTP in power and my friend did his in heart rate – can we compare them? No. Only power-based FTPs can only be compared with other power-based FTPs and the same goes for heart rates. If you’re comparing power-based FTPs, be sure to divide by your weight in kilograms to get a watts per kilogram number. That’s the best way to compare.

What equipment do I need to do the test? You need all the stuff you normally need to do a ‘fest video, plus either a heart rate monitor or power meter. If your equipment doesn’t automatically record your data, we suggest you have a Minion around to record your performance for you, as you need to be fully concentrating on the task at hand, not taking notes.

Once I’ve got my FTP, what do I do with it? If it’s good, brag to all your friends about it. ; ) Then you can use it to help you maximise your training. The first thing you can do is use your FTP to map against power zones (if you measured by power) or heart rate zones (if you measured by power) and against our recommended perceived exertion (RPE) scale. When you’ve done that, and if you’re following a structured training plan that tells you how often to train in what zones, you’re ready to make the most of your training time.

How often should I test my FTP? It all depends on the kind of training you’re doing, but if you’re on a structured plan in which you’re progressively building up, we’d suggest doing it every 10-12 weeks.

What kind of changes should I see in my FTP number over time? If you measured FTP by power, you should see an improvement in your FTP number. If you measured by heart-rate, you won’t see a significant change in your heart-rate, but you should see your distance covered and average speed improve for the same heart rate.

I just want a good workout. Can I use the video for that without doing the FTP test? Yes, of course. Rubber Glove has a great warm-up based on increasing the effort from 2/10 up to 7/10 in one-step increments every three minutes. You then get four fast-cadence drills and then a maximum-intensity interval and a short cool-down. It’s a great workout even if you’re not measuring for FTP.

Why did you name this video Rubber Glove? Calling it “FTP Test 1.0″ or something boring like that would have been pretty boring, no? We think Rubber Glove gives you a good idea just how uncomfortable you’ll be during this examination.

You can buy Rubber Glove here >>

The post FAQ for the Rubber Glove FTP test appeared first on The Sufferfest.

We just sat down with Stephen Gallagher, Director at Dig Deep Coaching and former professional cyclist, to answer a few questions about the plans.

The ‘fest: Who are you and what is Dig Deep Coaching?
Stephen: I started racing bikes when I was seven years old, and turned from in 2003 with Team Endura Sport. Over the years, I raced professionally for Flanders-Afin.com, Flanders, Giant Asia, Murphy & Gunn, An Post/Sean Kelly Racing Team right up to more recently Sigma Sport Specialized and Cycle Premier Metalek.

Formed in 2011 together with my partner Dan Fleeman, a former pro with Cervelo, Dig Deep Coaching is a cycling & triathlon coaching company based in the UK and Ireland. We’ve expanded into Europe and we also coach athletes in America, Asia and Australia. We provide coaching, lab testing, bike fit, nutrition together with our specialists in those areas. We also provide free webinars and articles on many areas of performance and health along with retailing & renting Powermeters. We work with people at all levels, from those competing in the biggest professional races in the world to beginners getting onto the bike for the first time. We have the same ethos with all our clients – Challenge, Hone, Achieve. Challenge your ability to improve and develop, Hone your training and preparation with our vast knowledge & experience via our coaching structure and finally help you Achieve your goal and enable you to raise your future ambitions to a new level.

Why does someone need a structured training plan?
Structured brings around a focus that everyone needs when looking to get fitter and faster. It also gives you the confidence that what you are doing in training is all geared towards a bigger goal and each day you are on the bike is actually building fitness in a specific way. Having a plan to follow will bring around improvements gradually which is always the best way to enable performance gains to be a long lasting and part of your performance in the months following. Without structure, you’re just sort of winging it and hoping it works – which, especially when you have limited time to train, really is a waste.

What’s the benefit of integrating both indoor and outdoor riding?
Indoor sessions have always been  an essential part of cycling training. That goes for professional riders racing the biggest races in the world to cyclists who want to take part in their first Sportive.  Indoor sessions allows you to make the most out of limited time: you have no traffic lights, stop signs, coasting, junctions, etc. so every single minute is used to gain fitness. As coaches, we recommend indoor riding, even in summer, because it allows the athlete to concentrate better on specific aspects needed to build fitness (such as cadence, consistent/specific heartrate and power, technique etc). This is all possible outdoors, of course, but the variables are easier to control when riding indoors. To mix outdoor sessions with the more intensive indoor sessions is the ultimate mix for performance increases. Competitions, sportives and group rides are not done in a controlled environment like an indoor session, so athletes have to expose themselves to these elements and build endurance, technique and bike handling.

Can you move the workouts around within the plan?
Everyone will come up against different aspects that will interrupt the plan, be it illness, family or work. This is unavoidable and something that you shouldn’t worry or stress about if it is not a regular occurrence.  You can move sessions around but be careful not to play catch up, i.e move missed sessions in one week to the following week which will reduce your rest periods. This normally brings around too much training stress that can cause overtraining (or “under resting” which is a better term). If you need to move a session around during a week, try and make the amount of total rest scheduled for that week the same. And be sure to avoid clumping too many session together. If you are only doing 2-day training blocks avoid adding up consecutive sessions which will make a 4 day block as this will normally bring around too much accumulated training stress. Your sessions will become less productive and can become extremely tired after the block is over – and that won’t help you get back on track with the plan.

What if I can’t ride outside – can I do the workout inside?
Yes you can switch to inside. As explained before there are many benefits to riding indoors so this is a perfect alternative. The biggest issue is the longer endurance rides (normally on a Sunday or Weekend) which can be up to 3hrs, this can be a long time on a turbo trainer and it can be pretty tough mentally to get through it. I recommend reducing the total volume by around 25% if you alternate the session to inside but be sure to maintain the intensity prescribed in that particular session.

Can I do the indoor workouts outside?
This is a harder switch over compared to moving outdoor workouts indoors and we really recommend you do the indoor workouts as prescribed. First, of course, is that the workouts are based on the Sufferfest videos, which have very specific periods of intensity and recovery, as well as those ‘surprise’ attacks and accelerations that they’re famous for. If you really can’t resist the temptation of going outdoors, then the most important thing when completing certain specific efforts outside is having a clear, uninterrupted route that will not allow for long breakages in the effort you are performing. That can be difficult to find, especially if you live in a built-up area. If that’s the case, then you can extend the warm up and cool down which might allow you to get onto quieter roads that will allow you to perform the efforts in the best possible conditions.

Can I ride more than the plans says?
You can, but only as long as you can maintain the intensity we ask you to do. So, adding an extra 30-60minutes (or more) of endurance pace to any session is possible if you feel you can handle it. You can also add a 2-3 hour tempo ride (Zone 3/4 only!) on Satudrays if you feel recovered from the mid-week sessions and you can still do the Sunday ride as prescribed. If you start to feel fatigued, though, and can’t hit the intensity that the interval workouts, then you should back off again. Do be careful of adding volume in the first three weeks of the plan – you can be feeling good and then, with accumulated fatigue, hit a wall in week 5 that may be difficult to recover from over the rest of the plan.  Don’t add any additional volume during the rest weeks – they are rest weeks for a reason. If you are building towards an ‘Etape’  or big Sportive type of event at the end of your plan you can also increase the Sunday endurance ride to 4hrs (perhaps 5hrs if with a group and if you’re still able to hit the following week full gas). This will give you the confidence in doing longer, event-length sessions.  Please make sure you have the ability to do the other sessions as planned and avoid doing TOO MUCH, this is the key.

What if I don’t have the videos – will this training plans still work for me?
If you don’t have the videos, then these probably aren’t the plans for you as the videos guide you through the specific workouts we want you to do. If you don’t have the videos but really want to do these plans for some reason, then you can check out the workout details on the Sufferfest website which will show you the intensities and durations requested of you in the video. Although it will be less enjoyable and motivating without the videos it is still possible to progress and build fitness.

What kind of improvement can I expect after ten weeks of flogging myself like this?
As everyone will be starting from a different fitness levels it is impossible to be accurate on exactly how much improvement can be made by each individual.  People who are new to cycling we will see bigger gains in fitness compared to people who have already have been cycling for many years. This does not mean that experienced cyclist do not gain from plans but just that when people start a new activity they build fitness quickly.  With more experienced cyclists, or those used to previous structured training, I would expect an increase of 5-10% at FTP power (only those with a powermeter or power on turbo will be able to accurately measure their performance gains).  The biggest key to development is consistency and gradual lift in training stress which is done via total volume and intensity. As mentioned above there will be times when days and sessions need changed, but if you keep the general plan consistent you should start to see good improvements in many areas like recovery between sessions, getting up local climb quicker, taking more turns at the front with local chain gang, etc.

I’m a triathlete. Will this plan work for me?
I think for Triathlon the beginner and intermediate plan is possible to follow along with your swim/run training sessions if you are careful to avoid under resting. The advanced plan is too top heavy with intensity and would not allow you to recover adequately to enable you to perform your other sessions to your best ability. I would recommend trying to keep the higher intensity sessions and change the medium intensity efforts for swim/run training. If after a few weeks you feel that the high intensity sessions are affecting your ability to perform the other swim/run training then reduce the high intensity sessions to a maximum of 2 a week and maintain the rides on the endurance-based weekend. Try to keep the rest days a priority, perhaps including an easier swim technique session on a rest day. This will not cause too much training stress but allow you to get an extra swim in.

I’m racing at the moment – how would that fit into these training plans?
If you are racing, try and keep the overall structure of the plan the same and swap and endurance ride at the weekend with a race. Racing and endurance sessions work different areas, of course, but a 3hr training ride can bring around a similar training stress to that of a 2hr road race depending on the conditions. If you feel you have not recovered from a race at the weekend when performing the mid-week sessions then reduce one of the higher intensity sessions to a lower intensity or take an extra rest day to allow for a full recovery.

Do I really need a heart rate monitor or power meter to do these workouts?
No, you do not need either a heart monitor or a powermeter to do the plans as we have an accurate RPE scale for each training day. I would, however, very much recommend you use at least a heart rate monitor to make it more specific and get the most out of each session. You can get one relatively cheaply and it can be used in all training rides indoor and out.

I have my FTP number already. Can I use that or do I have to do the fitness test as instructed?
If it is a test that has been done in the recent past (i.e. previous 3 weeks) then yes this can be used to determine your ftp but I would still perform an ftp test regardless. I would use your previous FTP wattage/HR result as a bench mark to produce another test to gauge fitness, your FTP wattage can change a lot, by the way, while your FTP Heart tends to stay the same (while speed and distance covered increase), so be aware of this. The FTP test is a great workout out in itself also and something that you should get accustomed to as it is a great way to analyse fitness and development.

Check out our 10-week cycling training plans here >>

The post Q&A with Dig Deep Coaching on Our New Training Plans appeared first on The Sufferfest.

You can go back to the Darkside page here.

• Andover, KS, USA
• Antibes, France
• Arcola, USA
• Atlantic Beach, USA
• Ashburn, VA, USA
• Ashton On Mersey, Sale, Cheshire, UK
• Auckland, NZ
• Augusta, GA, USA
• Austin, TX, USA
• Ballarat, Australia
• Barrie, ON, Canada
• Bassendean, WA, Australia
• Beaconsfield, Canada
• Beith, UK
• Bend, OR, USA
• Berkshire, UK
• Bethel, AK, USA
• Billings, USA
• Black Creek, Canada
• Bloomington, USA
• Bodø, Norway
• Bondi Junction, NSW, Australia
• Boston, USA
• Box Hill North, VIC, Australia
• Braddan, Isle of Man, UK
• Bramley, Hampshire, UK
• Brantford, Canada
• Brentwood, Essex, UK
• Brighton, CO, USA
• Bright’s Grove, Canada
• Brisbane, AUS
• Bristol, Avon, UK
• Brooklyn, NY, USA
• Brossard, Quebec, Canada
• Burnsville, MN, USA
• Butlers Cross, GB
• Caerphilly, Caerphilly, UK
• Calgary, Alb, Canada
• Cambridge, UK
• Cambridge, MA, USA
• Cambridge, ONT., Canada
• Canmore, AB, Canada
• Canton, GA, USA
• Cardiff, Wales, UK
• Carmel, USA
• Carson City, NV, USA
• Chesapeake, VA, USA
• Chicago, USA
• Christchurch, Canterbury, NZ
• Cincinnati, USA
• Coatesville, USA
• Cold Ash, Berkshire, UK
• Colfax, CA, USA
• Collingwood, Ont, Canada
• Colleyville, USA
• Colorado Springs, USA
• Columbus, OH, USA
• Cork, Ireland
• Cornelius, NC, USA
• Cornwall, UK
• Coronado, USA
• Dallas, USA
• Darlington, UK
• Dayton, OH, USA
• Denver, USA
• Dodge City, KS, USA
• Dundee, Angus, Scotland
• Durham, Durham, UK
• Eau Claire, WI, USA
• Edina, MN, USA
• Edmonton, Canada
• Epsom, New Zealand
• Elkview, USA
• Encinitas, USA
• Estes Park, CO, USA
• Etobicoke, Canada
• Evans, GA, USA
• Evanston, USA
• Ewa Beach, HI, USA
• Fayetteville (AR), USA
• Forest Lake, QLD, Australia
• Fort Washington, USA
• Fredericton, NB, Canada
• Freemantle, WA, Australia
• Geelong, Australia
• Glasgow, Scotland
• Glendale, AZ, USA
• Gosport, Hampshire, UK
• Grand Haven, USA
• Green Bay, WI, USA
• Greenville, SC, USA
• Grosse Pointe Woods, USA
• Halifax, NS, Canada
• Halls Gap, Vic, Australia
• Hamilton, Waikato, NZ
• Hampton, VIC, Australia
• Haubstadt, USA
• Hedge End, UK
• Heidelberg, Germany
• Hønefoss, Norway
• Hoboken, USA
• Holmes Chapel, UK
• Homer, AK, USA
• Hong Kong
• Horsham, West Sussex, UK
• Hull, UK
• Huntington, USA
• Ile Bizard, Quebec, Canada
• Invermere, Canada
• Jersey City, NJ, USA
• Aragu√° do Sul, Brazil
• Klein, TX, USA
• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Kanata, Canada
• Kenora, ONT, Canada
• Keswick, Cumbria, UK
• Kitchener, Ont, Canada
• Kista, Sweden
• Lachine, Quebec, Canada (Knight of Sufferlandria)
• La Crescenta, USA
• La Mesa, USA
• Lake Oswego, OR, USA
• Lancaster, PA, USA
• La Vernia, TX, USA
• Lebanon, NH, USA
• Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
• Leichhardt, NSW, Australia
• London, Canada
• London, UK
• Los Angeles, CA, USA
• Los Gatos, CA, USA
• Louisville, KY, USA
• Lulea, Sweden
• Madison (NJ), USA
• Madison (AL), USA
• Maple Grove, MN, USA
• Maryville, TN, USA
• Meaford, ONT, Canada
• Melbourne, Australia
• Memphis, USA
• Milpitas, CA, USA
• Minesing, Canada
• Mississauga, Canada
• Mittlebrunn, Germany
• Monaco
• Montreal, Canada
• Morristown, USA
• Mooresville, NC, USA
• Mountain House, CA, USA
• Munich, Germany
• Murfreesboro, USA
• Nelson, Canada
• Neunkirchen-Seelscheid, Germany
• Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
• New Plymouth, New Zealand
• Norristown, PA, USA
• North Yarmouth, USA
• Norwalk, USA
• Nyack, USA
• NYC, USA
• Oakville, USA
• Oneonta, USA
• Otahuhu, New Zealand
• Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
• Pacific Grove, CA, USA
• Pacific Palisades, CA, USA
• Palm Beach, FL, USA
• Pawling, USA
• Pawtucket, RI, USA
• Penarth, UK
• Perry, USA
• Perth, WA, Australia
• Peterborough, ONT, Canada
• Petts Wood, Kent, UK
• Pitman, NJ, USA
• Plymouth, Devon, UK
• Portola Valley, CA, USA
• Providence, RI, USA
• Powell, USA
• Purley, Surrey, UK
• Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada
• Reading, Berkshire, UK
• Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
• Redditch, Worcestershire, UK
• Regina, SK, Canada
• Rockford, MI, USA
• Rockhampton, QLD, Australia
• Rootstown, OH, USA
• Rosemount, USA
• Ruislip, UK
• Rye, NY, USA
• Sahuarita, AZ, USA
• Salt Lake City, USA
• San Antonio, USA
• San Diego, CA, USA
• Sandy, UT, USA
• San Jose, CA, USA
• San Luis Obisbo, CA, USA
• San Paolo, Brazil
• Santa Clara, CA, USA
• Scarborough, ONT, Canada
• Seattle, WA, USA
• Shawnee, OK, USA
• Shelburne Falls, USA
• Sheridan, USA
• Shrewsbury, MA, USA
• Singapore
• Singhampton, ONT., Canada
• Spring, USA
• Springfield, IL, USA
• Springwood, Queenslands, Australia
• South Euclid, Ohio
• St. Albert, Canada
• St. Catharines, Canada
• St. Lambert, Quebec, Canada
• St. Louis, MO, USA
• St. Petersberg, FL, USA
• Stateline, NV, USA
• Stromness, Orkney, UK
• Swindown, Wiltshire, UK
• Sufferlandria
• Sydney, Australia
• Sykesville, USA
• Tampa, FL, USA
• Temple, TX, USA
• Temecula, CA, USA
• Tempe, AZ, USA
• Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
• Tokyo, Japan
• Toronto, Canada
• Tranmere, TAS, Australia
• Tulsa, USA
• Tuscon, USA
• Vancouver, Canada
• Verden, Germany
• Victoria, Canada
• Vienna, Austria
• Wallingford, OX, UK
• Walnut Creek, CA, USA
• Warsaw, Poland
• Washington DC, USA
• Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
• West Point, IN, USA
• Wetherby, West Yorkshire, UK
• Wheaton, USA
• Witchita, KS, USA
• Woodinville, WA, USA
• Worthing, UK
• Yangon, Myanmar
• Yorktown Heights, NY, USA

The post Darkside Towns appeared first on The Sufferfest.

Recognising the supreme demands that Blender puts on the subjects of Sufferlandria, our friends at PowerBar want to help you get through it. So, we’re giving away five 12-packs of their all-new Performance Energy Blends gels. Each pack include 6 of the Banana-Blueberry and 6 of the Apple-Mango-Strawberry. We love these things – made with real fruit, they are worlds-away from the gooey old sports gels of the past. We’ve been stuffing the Minions full of them for the past few months. Now, they’re the only thing they’ll take on a long ride.

To have a chance at winning one of the packs, all you have to do is:

• Buy Blender by this Monday, March 11th. You’ll automatically be entered.
• If you’ve already bought Blender, then you’re already in the pool.
• We’ll draw names out of the pool of all those who have bought Blender (or our 13 pack of videos which includes Blender) and announce them on our Facebook page and through email.
• You can get Blender here: http://www.thesufferfest.com/video-sufferfests/blender/

The post Buy Blender by March 11th – stand to win PowerBar nutrition! appeared first on The Sufferfest.

You have Suffered for months. Often alone. You push yourself to dark places. You fly with Angels. You feel the fury. You are not alone. And so it’s that time of year again. A celebration of all things Sufferlandrian.

Chamois Dancing. Pain Shakes. Suits of Armour. Jokes about Grunter von Agony. Shredded Chamois Throwing. And, of course, Suffering.

There are Sufferlandrians everywhere….more of them discovering their new Nationality every day. There are probably – shudder – some of them in your town. It’s time to meet them at the 2nd Annual Sufferlandrian National Day: The Day of Suffering – a day to celebrate our spiritual home of pain, misery, agony and IWBMATTKYT.

The Day of Suffering is March 3oth/March 31st (whichever day works best for you).

We need organisers who will seek out fellow Sufferlandrians in their town and get them together. As an organiser you just need to:

1. Make a post to our Facebook event page here and say you’re organising an event in your town.
2. We’ll put the call out to other Sufferlandrians that might be in your town to join you. We’ll also post all towns and organisers on our blog so folks can get in touch.
3. Figure out what to do on the National Day of Suffering. Activities for the National Day of Suffering can be just about anything, but we have some recommendations:

• An attempt at Sufferlandrian Knighthood – That’s right. 10 Sufferfest videos back-to-back in one day. What could be more glorious for Sufferlandrian National Day? If you do attempt this, it’s always great to do it for charity if you can. The rules for attaining Knighthood are here. We’ll set up a little chat group featuring a panel of our current Knights to pass along some wisdom.
• Otherwise, the event can be whatever the organiser wishes. Ride, group turbo session, watch a bike race, have a bbq, drink at a bar, whatever. However, some sort of suffering must be involved. This is only right. Tales of HONOR, GLORY AND VICTORY are required, preceded, of course, by stories of endless suffering.

Prizes

Like any good National Day Event, we’ll have prizes. All those who participate (including organisers) in the National Day of Suffering by confirming their attendance here on FB and putting up at least one photo and comment on the day saying what they are doing) will be put into a pool. Names will be drawn from the pool to win one of:

• 3 Sufferfest Jerseys
• 2 Sufferfest Windvests
• 3 Sufferfest Flags
• 5 Sufferfest video gift certificates
• 10 Sufferfest Decal Packs
• 10 Sufferfest temporary tattoo packs
• 6 different items from Revelo recycled cycling accessories

We also have two prizes to draw from for organisers (organisers are, by the way, also included in the pool of participants):

• A complete Sufferfest National Team Kit (Jersey, bibshorts, arm warmers, vest)
• Sufferfest flag, decals and tattoos

UPDATED LIST OF TOWNS & ORGANISERS HOSTING INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SUFFERING EVENTS

• Arvada, CO, USA – David Justus
• Melbourne, Australia – David McQuillen (Twitter @thesufferfest)
• Sierra Madre, California, USA – Leah Davis
• Singapore – Scott Kuegler
• Salt Lake City, Utah, USA – Justin Barrett
• Vienna, Austria – Kai Gruenenwald
• Mittelbrunn, Germany – Mariah LeBlanc
• Regina, Canada – Terry Lazarou (Sportstogo.ca)
• Richaland, WA, USA – Buzz Vickery
• Karlstad, Sweden – Jonas Evaldsson

If you’d like to organise an event, just let me know and we’ll put your name down so other Sufferlandrians can find you (david @ thesufferfest . com)

The post 2nd Annual Sufferlandrian National Day of Suffering – March 30th appeared first on The Sufferfest.