FTP Booster Part I: How to increase your FTP.
8 Training sessions to boost your FTP
We’re 16 weeks from the Alps Challenge and on the long climbs, having a Functional Threshold Power (FTP) will help you. If you’re FTP is higher, you’ll also have a higher Z2 and Z3 power, which allow you to climb more efficiently. These sessions have been created by Sam Williams, from Duchy Coaching, who’s been my coach for a number of years.
In Part 1, the sessions focus on Z3 and Sweet Spot. This is the layer of fitness just below your FTP power zones, and by improving and increasing this area, in turn it will also increase your FTP. It will also help develop more aerobic fitness to allow your body to better deal with FTP specific sessions in the future.
These sessions differ to a lot of training programs as they include progression. You’ll notice that there are only really 3 different sessions here: Under-overs, Z3 extensive and Over-unders but they get more difficult over the course of 8 sessions. The best way to use these sessions would be to include one sessions 1 x / week alongside your normal riding.
If you’ve got any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below!
Session 1: Under- Overs (5 min steps)
Duration: 1:00
Description:
Warm up for 15 mins to feel.
Then perform 2 x 15 min sets:
5 mins at 86% - 90% FTP
5 mins at 96% - 100% FTP
5 mins at 86% - 90% FTP
Recover for 5 mins in between
10 min cool down
Session 2: Z3 extensive with rest
Duration: 1:00
Description:
Warm up for 15 mins to feel.
Now perform 2 x 15 min sets:
5 min at 76% - 83% FTP
5 min at 84% - 90% FTP
5 min at 91% - 95% FTP
Recover for 5 mins in between
10 min cool down
Session 3: Over-unders (5 min steps)
Duration: 1:00
Description:
Same as session 1 but with 2 x lots of higher intensity steps
Warm up for 15 mins to feel.
Then perform 2 x 5 min sets:
5 mins at 96% - 100% FTP
5 mins at 86% - 90% FTP
5 mins at 96% - 100% FTP
Recover for 5 mins in between
Then 10 mins cool down.
Session 4: Z3 extensive with rest
Duration: 1:12
Description:
Same as Session 2 but with 7 min steps
Warm up for 15 mins to feel.
Now perform 2 x 21 min sets:
7 min at 76% - 83% FTP
7 min at 84% - 90% FTP
7 min at 91% - 95% FTP
Recover for 5 mins in between
10 min cool down
Session 5: Under- Overs (7 min steps)
Duration: 1:12
Description:
Same as Session 1 but with 7 min steps.
Warm up for 15 mins to feel.
Then perform 2 x 21 min sets:
7 mins at 86% - 90% FTP
7 mins at 96% - 100% FTP
7 mins at 86% - 90% FTP
Recover for 5 mins in between
Then 10 mins cool down.
Session 6: Z3 extensive no rest
Duration: 1:12
Description:
Same as session 2 but with no rest between steps.
Warm up for 15 mins to feel.
Now perform 30 min as follows:
5 min at 76% - 83% FTP
5 min at 84% - 90% FTP
5 min at 91% - 95% FTP
5 min at 76% - 83% FTP
5 min at 84% - 90% FTP
5 min at 91% - 95% FTP
15 min cool down
Session 7: Over-unders (7 min steps)
Duration: 1:12
Description:
Same as session 3 but with 2 x lots of higher intensity steps
Warm up for 15 mins to feel.
Then perform 2 x 21 min sets:
7 mins at 96%- 100% FTP
7 mins at 86% - 90% FTP
7 mins at 96%- 100% FTP
Recover for 5 mins in between
Then 10 mins cool down.
Session 8: Z3 extensive no rest
Duration: 1:12
Description:
Same as session 6 but longer
Warm up for 15 mins to feel.
Now perform 42 mins sets:
7 min at 76% - 83% FTP
7 min at 84% - 90% FTP
7 min at 91% - 95% FTP
7 min at 76% - 83% FTP
7 min at 84% - 90% FTP
7 min at 91% - 95% FTP
10 min cool down
Session 9: FTP test
Follow your usual FTP test protocol to find FTP after completing these 8 sessions and before moving into the new block.
