How To Train With A Power Meter | Cycle Faster With Power

Power meters are one of the best cycling training tools of the modern age, but knowing how to use one in your training takes a bit of patience. In this video James and Chris discuss discuss all you need to know about getting started with a power meter.

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[gcn]

Do you train with power? Let us know in the comments below 👇

[romankhrypunov]

Speaking in anaerobic... Such a dedication to presenting deserves respect.

[sudduthjonathan]

Opening line: "Maybe you've just bought yourself a power meter..." Me: Yep. I bought a pedal based system. My personal experience is that I tend to ride in the threshold and higher zones when I go outside. I have a heart rate monitor, but that wasn't enough for me to keep myself in check (and there are delays in response relative to power). Long story short is that I've been training (riding) too much in the Zones 3, 4 and 5...my training hasn't been polarized enough and I'm constantly tired and showing up to events and races flat, physically and mentally. Obviously, my performances have suffered and I've been more irritable at home and at work. In other words, I've decided I've been over training despite trying to follow an indoor program because I couldn't take this outdoors without a power meter. I am the type to push myself no matter how bad I feel. I actually bought a power meter to SLOW myself down in training and better follow an appropriate plan. As the video mentions, most of the volume of training should be in Zone 2 (endurance), which I was not able to do on my own. There were other reasons I bought a power meter, but these are some of the ones related to training.

[harrie]

As I’m getting older (50 next year) I see my power numbers slowly deteriorate, especially peak power. I tend to look more around me and less at the screen and still enjoy the ride.

[furyl_neverz]

Man I freaking love Chris since his 30 Min session vid keep sprinting Chris

[clairebinder]

I have been ridding for 10+ years with a power meter . Now my wahoo bolt will only display WATTS, cadence, speed and hart rate. and the climbing page Watts, heart rate, temperate and cadence and the profile of the climb . For the rest the more interesting part is back on the computer to analyze the ride.


Beyond training for me it is mainly a pacing tool knowing how hard I can push it and stop just before the punishment comes in, recover and push again. Over and over on hills I let people go just to overtake the a few km later. I no longer know the length of my ride. I keep track of average watts for the ride and total ascend meters

[jasonmcgrody]

The information about Zone 3 'Tempo' being a dead zone that you can fall into without a structured plan is really spot on. I don't yet have a power meter, but I used calories burned on a stationary bike at the gym as a proxy for my FTP. I rode for three hours last week on the bike and I was at about 80% of FTP.

It's an easy place to naturally be on a 2-4 hour ride that still feels hard.

[douglasharris]

They're cycling where I used to cycle all of time! Where I developed my love for road biking. Basically it's all the lanes surrounding Sherston, Luckington and Alderton. Weird how your brain can automatically know a location from green fields, trees and cow sheds only haha.

[brannmacfinnchad]

Improve midichlorian growth by riding in zone 2? Sweet, I can become a Jedi from cycling!

...blast it, you said mitochondrial, didn't you...?

[howardenigma]

Just starting to train with power to improve my Time Trials races.

[evadeproductions]

You guys messed up the greater and less than signs on zone one and six lol had to point it out

[mtbis]

I'd be interested in a deep dive comparing heart rate based training vs power meter training. With heart rate training you're taking into account your fatigue. I'd like to understand how to change my training when my watts/heartbeat is higher (fresh) vs lower. Is it better to run maximal efforts after a few hard endurance days or after some rest days? What does your gut say vs what does the science say?

[funk]

I love the structured workouts on TrainerRoad but riding at threshold feels waaaay harder indoors than it does outdoors

[jochem]

After the first five seconds: yes! I have just bought a power meter! Thanks for the video, guys!!

[nilk]

I've been using a power meter to better pace myself on climbs.. which has been really great for the short climbs, but I learned a new lesson the first time the climb was over an hour.... and to also give myself more accurate numbers for my commute home since I'm often fighting a 10-20mph headwind and I want some credit for all the extra work that goes into that.

[werdsmyth]

Quite weird watching you two riding along all my cycling routes. Keep recognising road markers and signs. See you out and about around Tetbury/Malmesbury on Sunday?

[sandiremson]

at 3:45 you mention interval for 10 min. How much break in between? and does that mean 3x10 min? thx great video for beginning with power meter.

[AmolSampatraoRamteke]

Wow very well narrated with explicit knowledge.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[SassySkylar]

Love you guys! 🚴🏽‍♀️🚴🏽‍♀️ Everything you’ve said matches my Power Zone training sessions with Mat Wilpers on my Peloton. Thanks for a great video

[adammclark]

Chris' Sprint Face would make some metal guitar players jealous! It looks as though he is exorcising a demon or 7....