Cycling Performance Club: Threshold, Thresholds, Thresholds?
07/27/21 • 78 min
You probably realize that ‘threshold’ is an important measure for endurance athletes. But there seem to be many different types of thresholds measures out there, and that might be confusing for some. In this episode, the panel explores the many types of thresholds (e.g. FTP, critical power, lactate threshold): how they are determined, whether they are the same or different, whether they are interchangeable, how they relate to each other, and what it all means for the real-world coach and cyclist.
2:31 What is ‘threshold’?
3:00 Exercise domains
10:45 What are the purposes of determining threshold?
14:33 What are the main thresholds measured in endurance sport?
18:15 Functional threshold power
23:48 Critical power
30:46 Lactate thresholds
40:37 Ventilatory thresholds
44:40 How the thresholds compare with each other
56:40 General conclusions
70:10 Thought experiment: does threshold even matter in modern endurance training?
Episode #8 References:
The Maximal Metabolic Steady State: Redefining the ‘Gold Standard’
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.14814/phy2.14098
Relationship Between the Critical Power Test and a 20-min Functional Threshold Power Test in Cycling
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2020.613151/full
Road cycle TT performance: Relationship to the power-duration model and association with FTP
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02640414.2018.1535772?journalCode=rjsp20
Reliability of the Functional Threshold Power in Competitive Cyclists
https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/a-1018-1965
Is the Functional Threshold Power Interchangeable With the Maximal Lactate Steady State in Trained Cyclists?
https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/14/8/article-p1029.xml
Is the Functional Threshold Power a Valid Metric to Estimate the Maximal Lactate Steady State in Cyclists?
Maximal Lactate Steady State Versus the 20-Minute Functional Threshold Power Test in Well-Trained Individuals: “Watts” the Big Deal?
https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/15/4/article-p541.xml
Functional Threshold Power Is Not Equivalent to Lactate Parameters in Trained Cyclists
Functional Threshold Power: Relationship With Respiratory Compensation Point and Effects of Various Warm-Up Protocols
https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/15/7/article-p1047.xml
Relative Proximity of Critical Power and Metabolic/Ventilatory Thresholds: Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
You probably realize that ‘threshold’ is an important measure for endurance athletes. But there seem to be many different types of thresholds measures out there, and that might be confusing for some. In this episode, the panel explores the many types of thresholds (e.g. FTP, critical power, lactate threshold): how they are determined, whether they are the same or different, whether they are interchangeable, how they relate to each other, and what it all means for the real-world coach and cyclist.
2:31 What is ‘threshold’?
3:00 Exercise domains
10:45 What are the purposes of determining threshold?
14:33 What are the main thresholds measured in endurance sport?
18:15 Functional threshold power
23:48 Critical power
30:46 Lactate thresholds
40:37 Ventilatory thresholds
44:40 How the thresholds compare with each other
56:40 General conclusions
70:10 Thought experiment: does threshold even matter in modern endurance training?
Episode #8 References:
The Maximal Metabolic Steady State: Redefining the ‘Gold Standard’
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.14814/phy2.14098
Relationship Between the Critical Power Test and a 20-min Functional Threshold Power Test in Cycling
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2020.613151/full
Road cycle TT performance: Relationship to the power-duration model and association with FTP
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02640414.2018.1535772?journalCode=rjsp20
Reliability of the Functional Threshold Power in Competitive Cyclists
https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/a-1018-1965
Is the Functional Threshold Power Interchangeable With the Maximal Lactate Steady State in Trained Cyclists?
https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/14/8/article-p1029.xml
Is the Functional Threshold Power a Valid Metric to Estimate the Maximal Lactate Steady State in Cyclists?
Maximal Lactate Steady State Versus the 20-Minute Functional Threshold Power Test in Well-Trained Individuals: “Watts” the Big Deal?
https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/15/4/article-p541.xml
Functional Threshold Power Is Not Equivalent to Lactate Parameters in Trained Cyclists
Functional Threshold Power: Relationship With Respiratory Compensation Point and Effects of Various Warm-Up Protocols
https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/15/7/article-p1047.xml
Relative Proximity of Critical Power and Metabolic/Ventilatory Thresholds: Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Previous Episode
Cycling Performance Club: Can we cut ~40% off of race time in one year for a gravel endurance race?
2:55 Listener feedback
6:05 What is SEVEN?
11:05 Race day factors that could be rectified ‘easily’.
15:25 Ride analysis from the 2021 edition of SEVEN.
32:30 How to make the required improvements for a beginner athlete.
40:30 Does CTL correlate with FTP? What is the relationship and where does it end?
45:10 The importance of training age when seeking rapid improvement.
48:20 An example of CTL and FTP not being tied together if the training isn’t right.
51:30 Training for physiology vs. training for an event.
53:50 Getting wonky: allocating percentage time improvements for each area.
This episode’s panel:
Jason Boynton, PhD
boyntoncoaching.com
Damian Ruse
semiprocycling.com
Cyrus Monk
cyclistscientist.com
Instagram: @cyclingperformanceclub
Facebook: @cyclingperfromanceclub
Twitter: @cyclingclubpod
Special thanks to Chris for giving us his ride file from SEVEN for analysis.
Next Episode
Cycling Performance Club: What is the Best Cycling Warm Up?
2:10 More momentum for Critical Power over FTP
7:30 What is the research supporting warm-ups for endurance events?
12:30 What happens within the body during a warm-up?
21:10 Psychological benefit to warm-ups
24:25 Effect of warm-ups on performance
28:50 Which subjects are used in this research?
31:25 Does a warm-up really matter at all?
35:00 Downsides to a warm-up
36:55 Warming up for a specific phase within an endurance race
39:10 What are the pros doing?
42:35 Listener question on warm-up for an FTP test
47:00 Recommendations
57:40 Environmental factors affecting choice of warm-up
70:50 Conclusions
This episode’s panel:
Jason Boynton, PhD
boyntoncoaching.com
Damian Ruse
semiprocycling.com
Cyrus Monk
cyclistscientist.com
Instagram: @cyclingperformanceclub
Facebook: @cyclingperformanceclub
Twitter: @cyclingclubpod
Episode #9 References:
Could Critical Power be a better alternative to FTP for training?
https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/fitness-and-training/critical-power/
Effects of mild whole body hypothermia on self-paced exercise performance
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.01134.2017
Effects of ambient temperature on the capacity to perform prolonged cycle exercise in man
Ergogenic effects of precooling with cold water immersion and ice ingestion: A meta-analysis
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17461391.2017.1405077?journalCode=tejs20
Warming Up Before a 20-Minute Endurance Effort: Is It Really Worth It?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32182586/
THE EFFECTS OF WARM-UP DURATION ON CYCLING TIME TRIAL PERFORMANCE IN TRAINED CYCLISTS
http://psjd.icm.edu.pl/psjd/element/bwmeta1.element.psjd-5f06136b-bdf0-411d-9f55-6c238b7a4380
Warm-Up Strategies for Sport and Exercise: Mechanisms and Applications
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26400696/
Effect of Warm-Up Exercise upon Muscular Performance Using Hypnosis to Control the Psychological Variable
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10671188.1961.10762072
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