Watt, NP, Slope, FTP, training plan and so on… on first sight starting watt-based training looks like an introduction into sports sciences. But your first steps do not have to be complicated…
Training with a power meter! But why?
“Today I feel really good!” What does that mean for cyclists? Our body sends us different signals and we can easily notice if we can win every sprint today or if we have to suffer on each and every small climb. Your form on each day differs and depends on a lot of different factors which cannot be controlled. The same applies to the heart rate. For a long time, the heart rate was the tool to plan and control workouts in endurance sports. But it can easily be influenced by the temperature, stress, how much you slept or even your last coffee and a lot more things you might not have an influence on.
A power meter does not care, it always shows you your current power output. Especially spider-based power meters always deliver precise and reliable data. With this data you can control and plan your workouts more precise than with your heart rate. You and your coach can adapt fast and easily to changes, to be able to reach new goals and to unlock your full potential.
But isn’t a power meter just for Pros?
No! You do not have much time for cycling but you want to beat your time from last year at a time trial or a Grand Fondo race? Or maybe you want to go on a cycling holiday and climb each mountain but you still want to have some power left at the end of the day? Pros trust in power meters, to use their time on the bike as effective as possible and to always know on which level they are currently riding. If you want to reach new personal bests and you don’t want to leave pacing and effective training to chance, you will need a power meter on your bike!
How do I get started?
After installing the power meter on your bike, you should get familiar with your new training partner first. After that you have to check were you are and what you are capable of. Your first target is to define your training zones. Training zones define the intensity of your training and tell you if you need to go faster or slower to achieve your training goals.
If you just started performance orientated training a professional coach can give you valuable hints and a professional performance analysis will help you determine your training zones. If you are already familiar with the basics you can perform the 20-FTP-Test and set up your training zones.
Okay! Let’s go…
For more training tips, workouts and information about training with a power meter check our blog.
