lactate threshold RSS

There are many ways to quantify performance in cycling, but two of the most commonly-cited data points are VO2 max and FTP. These metrics are related but distinct, and the connection between them is easy to misunderstand. So what's the link between VO2 max and FTP, and what role do they play in determining your fitness?

No matter what your goals are—you should be doing threshold intervals. Spending time close to your functional threshold power (FTP) offers extraordinary benefits to your aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, mental stamina, and sustained power capabilities. Not to mention, doing threshold intervals will help to increase your FTP!

Workouts come in all different shapes and sizes, but what if you only had a few to choose from? What five workouts would be the most productive to raise your FTP and make you faster if those were the only workouts you did? We checked in with TrainerRoad’s head coach Chad Timmerman to find out.

For decades, athletes have blamed lactic acid for the burn in their legs during exercise, and considered lactate to be a waste product of the muscles. What does the science actually say?

Answer: FTP stands for Functional Threshold Power and is an estimated measure of your highest sustainable power, measured in watts, that can be held for one hour. FTP is used to determine training zones that are associated with particular physiological responses and allow you to design workouts and structured training plans that address specific types…