With the introduction of performance measurement in cycling, the way training and competition are managed in cycling has also changed. Not only in the professional sector, but also among amateurs, performance management based on the concept of FTP and training zones is becoming increasingly popular. This article explains the background to the terms Functional Threshold Power and Power Zones. The original FTP test is unfamiliar to most cyclists and is described here.
Training control with performance measurement and power zones
The power zones and power charts that are widely used in cycling today are largely based on the work of US training scientist Dr. Andrew R. Coggan and were systematized and popularized in collaboration with Hunter Allen. With the advent of reliable power meters in the early 2000s, it became possible for the first time to control training primarily based on objective performance data rather than heart rate or feeling.
Andrew Coggan developed a zone-based model that uses individual functional threshold power (FTP) as a reference point. On this basis, he defined several performance zones, each representing different physiological stress levels – from very low intensity for active recovery to maximum neuromuscular stress. These power zones became known worldwide primarily through the book “Training and Racing with a Power Meter” by Allen and Coggan and are still considered the standard in performance-oriented training management today.
In addition to this, the so-called power charts or power profile charts were developed. These charts show the maximum achievable average power over different periods of time, such as a few seconds, one minute, five minutes, or one hour. The aim of this representation is to highlight an athlete’s individual strengths and weaknesses, for example, whether someone is more of a sprinter, has anaerobic power, or is particularly enduring. This concept also goes back to Coggan and was adapted for practical use by Hunter Allen. The abbreviation AS often appears in connection with these power charts. It stands for “anaerobic speed” and describes performance in the short-term, high-intensity range above VO₂max, typically in a time window of about 30 seconds to one minute. This range is below pure neuromuscular maximum performance but above classic anaerobic capacity and is particularly relevant for attacks, short climbs, or hard tempo increases. AS is therefore not a single measured value but a functional performance range within the power profile.
The power charts show separate ranges for men and women, and performance must be interpreted according to gender. Men have testosterone levels that are many times higher than women, which causes significant physical differences, especially at the onset of puberty, that remain throughout life and make men more athletic, even if they sometimes train less intensely. For untrained individuals, the difference in FTP between men and women is around 0.5 watts/kg. As fitness levels increase, the difference between the sexes increases.
Andrew Coggan’s Power Zones divide the possible performance range into several areas, from very low intensity to maximum exertion. There are seven zones in total. Each zone represents specific physiological adaptations in the body. Low zones are primarily used for regeneration and building up basic endurance, while medium zones improve the ability to ride at a fast pace for longer periods of time. Higher zones aim to increase threshold power, maximum oxygen uptake, and anaerobic and neuromuscular performance. Training in clearly defined power zones allows you to dose your effort in a targeted and reproducible way. This helps both beginners and performance-oriented athletes to avoid over- or under-exertion and to structure training sessions effectively. Power zones are therefore often used for training planning, analyzing sessions and competitions, and long-term performance development, and are now considered one of the most important standards in performance-oriented cycling training.
If you want to design your training based on power zones, it is essential to know the athlete’s FTP. Incorrect assumptions about FTP not only lead to less efficient training, but can also result in stagnation of performance and even a decline in performance, overtraining, or injuries. The official FTP test protocol (according to Allen-Coggan) can be found at the end of this article.
Functional Threshold Power, FTP
Functional Threshold Power, or FTP for short, is a central concept in modern performance diagnostics in cycling and was developed by Dr. Andrew R. Coggan. He developed the concept in response to the increasing popularity of power meters in cycling. The aim was to create a practical parameter that could be used to reliably measure and control an athlete’s individual performance in training and competition.
FTP is defined as the highest average power that an athlete can maintain consistently over approximately 60 minutes. Unlike classic lab-based parameters such as VO₂max or lactate threshold, FTP is not based on a single physiological measurement, but describes a functional performance limit that combines several physiological processes. These include aerobic performance, lactate processing capacity, and fatigue resistance.
The FTP concept became widely known and used primarily through Coggan’s work on performance-based training zones and through the book “Wattmessung im Radsport und Triathlon” (Watt Measurement in Cycling and Triathlon), which he published together with Hunter Allen. The great advantage of the FTP concept lies in its suitability for everyday use: FTP can be determined directly on the bike without laboratory conditions and is ideal for training control, load planning, and long-term performance development.
FTP is therefore less a precisely defined physiological threshold value and more a practical, functional measure of sustained performance capacity. It is precisely this combination of physiological proximity to maximum lactate steady-state performance and high applicability in everyday training that has led to FTP now occupying a firm place in performance diagnostics and endurance training.
FTP test protocol (Allen-Coggan)
1. 20 minutes of light warm-up while cycling
2. 3 x 1 minute of fast cycling up to a maximum of 120 revolutions/minute, with a one-minute break at 80 rpm in between
3. 5 minutes of recovery at a lower speed
4. 5 minutes at maximum speed. Increase slightly at the end.
5. 5 minutes of recovery at a lower speed
6. Main part: Ride for 20 minutes at the highest possible average power. Do not start too hard. Maintain your power at a consistent level until the end if possible.
7. 10 minutes of recovery at a moderate pace
8. Evaluation: Multiply the average power output from the 20-minute main part by 0.95 and the result is the FTP from the test.
In short: Andrew Coggan, training scientist and co-developer of power meter-based training control, introduced the term FTP in order to have a practical, field-ready parameter for maximum sustainable power output. Power zones, power charts, and terms such as AS originate from Andrew Coggan’s performance diagnostics concept, which was also significantly disseminated through collaboration and publication with Allen Hunter. To this day, they form the basis for structured, performance-based training control in cycling and many other endurance sports. FTP is determined using a defined test protocol that requires a total of 25 minutes (not 20 minutes!) of intense effort. Other, usually shorter test protocols cannot adequately capture the physiological processes that are important for FTP, such as aerobic performance, lactate processing capacity, and fatigue resistance, and sometimes lead to falsely high FTP values.
_______________
Literature:
Allen, Hunter und Andrew Coggan. Wattmessung im Radsport und Triathlon. ISBN: 9783936376739. ISBN-10: 3936376735. Hamburg 2017. Spomedis
