Cycling Training Glossary: FTP, Zones, Cadence and VAM

The work you do per second, in watts (W). It's the most objective measure of effort: a trained amateur can hold about 200-250 W for an hour and a pro more than 400 W.

See also: power meter, FTP (functional threshold power), watts per kilogram (W/kg) Power and Speed

A sensor that calculates your power by measuring the flex of the cranks, pedals, spider or hub. Good ones are accurate to about ±1-2%.

See also: power (watts), FTP (functional threshold power), ANT+

Functional threshold power: the highest power you can sustain for about an hour. It's usually estimated with a 20-minute test, multiplying the average by 0.95.

See also: training zones, ramp test, watts per kilogram (W/kg), lactate threshold FTP and Power Zones

Your power divided by your body weight in kilograms. It's what matters on climbs: at 3 W/kg (225 W at 165 lb, or 75 kg, plus a 20 lb bike) you climb a 7% grade at about 7.5-8 mph (12-13 km/h).

See also: FTP (functional threshold power), power (watts), grade (gradient) Watts per Kilo

An estimate of the steady power that would have taken the same effort as a ride with changes of pace. It's always equal to or higher than average power.

See also: power (watts), training stress score (TSS)

Pedal revolutions per minute (rpm). On flat roads most riders spin at 80-95 rpm, dropping to 60-75 on steep climbs; your cadence and your gearing decide your speed.

See also: cadence sensor, rollout (gear development) Gear Ratios

Heartbeats per minute (bpm). It responds to effort with a one- or two-minute lag and rises with heat, fatigue or caffeine, so it's less immediate than power.

See also: maximum heart rate, training zones Heart Rate Zones

The highest heart rate your heart can reach. The "220 minus age" formula is off by more than 10 beats for many people: it's better to measure it during a maximal effort.

See also: heart rate, training zones Heart Rate Zones

Intensity ranges defined as a percentage of your FTP or heart rate. Coggan's model uses 7 power zones, from Z1 (recovery, below 55% of FTP) to Z7 (sprints).

See also: FTP (functional threshold power), endurance (zone 2), sweet spot FTP and Power Zones

The intensity above which lactate builds up in the blood faster than it's cleared. In practice it's very close to your FTP and to the heart rate you can hold in a one-hour time trial.

See also: FTP (functional threshold power), VO2max

Maximum oxygen uptake per minute per kilogram of body weight (ml/kg/min). A sedentary adult is around 35-40; a pro cyclist, 75-90.

See also: lactate threshold, interval training

Easy, long riding at 56 to 75% of FTP, at which you can talk without gasping. It's the base of almost every plan: it builds aerobic capacity with little wear and tear.

See also: training zones, recovery FTP and Power Zones

An intensity of roughly 88 to 94% of FTP: hard enough to raise your threshold and easy enough to rack up minutes. A typical session is 3 × 15 minutes.

See also: FTP (functional threshold power), interval training, training zones FTP and Power Zones

Hard efforts of fixed length separated by recovery. For example, 5 × 4 minutes at 110-120% of FTP with 4 easy minutes between each.

See also: sweet spot, VO2max, trainer (indoor trainer)

A test in which resistance goes up every minute (about 20-25 W) until you can't go on. FTP is estimated at around 75% of your best one-minute power.

See also: FTP (functional threshold power), trainer (indoor trainer) FTP and Power Zones

A score that combines the duration and intensity of a workout. By definition, exactly one hour at your FTP adds up to 100 TSS.

See also: normalized power (NP), FTP (functional threshold power), periodization

Organizing the season into blocks (base, build, peak, race and rest) with different goals, so you're in shape for a specific date.

See also: recovery, training stress score (TSS), endurance (zone 2)

The rest your body needs to absorb training. Without it there's no improvement: most plans include an easier week every three or four.

See also: overtraining, periodization

Chronic fatigue from training more than your body can recover from. Common signs: elevated resting heart rate, poor performance for weeks, bad sleep and no motivation.

See also: recovery, heart rate

A sudden collapse in energy when your glycogen runs out. Avoid it by eating 60 to 90 g of carbs per hour on rides longer than an hour and a half.

See also: calories burned

The total of all the climbing on a route, without subtracting the descents. A 62-mile (100 km) ride with 4,900 ft (1,500 m) of climbing already counts as a mountain ride.

See also: grade (gradient), VAM (mean ascent velocity), climb (mountain pass) Climb Time

How much the road rises for every 100 units traveled horizontally, as a percentage. A 10% grade climbs 10 ft every 100 ft; in cycling anything from 8% up is considered steep.

See also: elevation gain, climb (mountain pass), watts per kilogram (W/kg) Climb Time

Climbing speed in vertical meters per hour. A trained amateur climbs at 800-1,000 m/h (2,600-3,300 ft/h) and the best pros top 1,700 m/h (5,600 ft/h) on long climbs.

See also: elevation gain, watts per kilogram (W/kg), climb (mountain pass) Climb Time

A named road climb, often over a mountain pass. Races classify them by category based on length and gradient; the hardest are hors catégorie (HC).

See also: grade (gradient), elevation gain, VAM (mean ascent velocity) Climb Time

Riding right behind another rider to use their slipstream. At 25 mph (40 km/h), drafting saves about 30% of your power, and even more inside a pack.

See also: CdA (drag area), power (watts)

Frontal area multiplied by the drag coefficient, in m². It ranges from about 0.40 m² sitting upright to 0.20 m² in a good time trial position, and above 15.5 mph (25 km/h) it's what costs you the most power.

See also: drafting, aerobars (clip-ons), rolling resistance Power and Speed

Energy lost as the tire deforms against the ground, expressed as the Crr coefficient (0.003 to 0.005 for good road tires). It depends on the tire model, its pressure and the tube.

See also: tire pressure, CdA (drag area), tire Power and Speed

Adjusting the bike to your body: saddle height and setback, reach, handlebar height and cleat position. A good fit prevents knee, back and hand pain.

See also: saddle height, saddle setback, cleat Saddle Height

A device for riding your own bike indoors. Smart direct-drive trainers measure power and change resistance on their own to simulate climbs in apps like Zwift.

See also: interval training, ramp test, ANT+

The energy you burn pedaling. With a power meter it's almost exact: kilojoules of work roughly equal kilocalories burned, because the body turns only about 24% of its energy into motion.

See also: power (watts), bonk Cycling Calories