Understanding what your Functional Threshold Power (FTP) is as a cyclist can be the key to optimizing your training sessions and improving in a more effective manner. FTP can be seen as a measure of your cycling fitness and be utilized as a reference for your future workouts.

Read below as we break down what FTP is and how you can use it to your advantage to improve your next cycling training sessions!

What Is FTP?

Functional Threshold Power refers to the highest average power you can maintain for roughly 45-70 minutes. This time fluctuates based on your cycling experience and current training focus. While an experienced cyclist may be able to sustain their FTP for 80min, a novice cyclist may be closer to 30min. In other words, FTP can be trained and is often the gold standard for how strong a cyclist is at endurance events.

Why can't I see my FTP on the COROS app? In order to be able to 'unlock' this metric as a cyclist, you need to have access to a power meter and a heart rate monitor to complete a ride with power and HR data. Without a power meter, you will not be able to have access to your FTP.

Since your FTP can also be referred to as your cycling threshold, it becomes quite interesting to use it as your intensity type during structured workouts to better target your intensity zones.

Cycling Power Zones in the COROS App

How To Determine Your FTP?

Identifying what your FTP is can be the very first step in structuring your training. Thankfully, COROS provides an easy-to-complete FTP Test that is easier than a standard 20-minute all-out test. With an indoor bike trainer, a power meter, and an HR monitor, you can identify your FTP and power zones by doing a ramp test at different intensities to identify where your threshold is.

How often should I do the FTP Test? Once you complete the FTP Test once, your metric will update automatically based on your cycling training. This allows you to keep training effectively without having to re-test on a regular basis. With that being said, we recommend completing the test whenever you have taken some time off the bike and would like to return to training.

FTP Test on the COROS DURA

Setting Up Your Training For Success With COROS Coaches

As part of the COROS community, you have access to multiple resources to help you utilize your FTP value to be more effective in your training journey and learn more about the type of cyclist that you are. We have identified below our top cycling resources for you to take a look at.

Cycling Educational Content: Our COROS Coaches regularly put up cycling content to read and learn more about how you can best utilize your COROS metrics. For example, read our top tips to improve your threshold as a cyclist!

Training Plans & Workouts: COROS Coaches also create new training plans and workouts that are available in our library for you to download and follow directly on your COROS watch. For example, check out our new 6-week Threshold Development Training Plan!

One-On-One Individualized Service: If you can't find the answer you are looking for, or simply want additional insights on your metrics and/or training, you can message our COROS Coaches at any time via coach@coros.com for free. With direct access to your data, COROS Coaches provide individualized insights and help you tailor your training needs based on your own personal objectives. Reach out now!