Why You Should Take the Peloton FTP Test (Even If It’s Terrible)

The Peloton Functional Threshold Power test (most commonly known as the FTP test) is a brutal 20-minute slog that is, well, uncomfortable to do. This is also important, especially if you want to start taking Power Zone classes on your Bike or Bike+. Ideally, at the end of this miserable little trip you will feel accomplished. You will also have some data about your overall fitness level. Even though it’s not fun (unless you’re one of those people who finds satisfaction in hard work and/or suffering), it’s rewarding, so I want to encourage you to finally do it if you’ve never done it, or redo it if it’s been a while.

Why do you need an FTP test?

The goal of the much-feared FTP test is to assess your overall fitness level by establishing a benchmark for your spin sessions and setting up what the company calls “power zones.” Peloton will set you up with power zones from one to seven if you choose to do these types of activities. ( Read more about this specific type of class here .) Even if you don’t intend to take a Power Zone class, knowing your functional power threshold and tracking it by repeating the test every four to six weeks can give you a broader sense of how well you’re doing in your training.

During the test, you ride as hard as you can for 20 minutes. That’s it. Your FTP, as your instructor will explain to you, is 95% of your average power during this test—it means what your average performance would be if you actually worked as hard as possible for an hour. Honestly, be grateful it’s not an hour.

How to Access the FTP Test (and What to Expect)

Actually finding this devil is a bit difficult. I first found “Discover Power Zones” under the Programs tab on my bike’s touchscreen, but once I signed up for the Power Zone course, it didn’t even start with a test. This had to happen after a few workouts – at least in this course – and the workouts only open week after week. I didn’t want to wait weeks, so I tried another method. I simply went to the Classes section and then filtered the search results by “Power Zone” and “Duration: 20 minutes.” Several FTP tests have appeared.

Realistically, these are just 20-minute rides in a standard class format. There’s a trainer, a playlist, and an on-screen display to let you know your cadence and resistance. If you’ve taken one Peloton bike class, it will be familiar. If you haven’t taken a Peloton bike class before, do it a few times first to get to know how the machine works. There’s also an indicator at the bottom of the screen to let you know what power zone you’re currently in, but if you’re taking the test for the first time, it’ll be more of an assessment of what the zones should be as it’s not yet customized to you and your fitness level. Let me explain a little more.

Zones range from one to seven, with one being the easiest and seven being the hardest. They represent your performance, which is a number that combines your resistance (how hard you pedal) with your cadence (how fast your legs are moving). If your resistance increases and you pedal quickly, you will be transported to a higher zone. This is especially true when taking a Power Zone class after taking an FTP test, as the zones will be automatically calibrated to your fitness level. In other words, your “fourth zone” – where you huff and puff but can still function normally – may be different from someone else’s output number. Some bad news: no matter which instructor you choose for your FTP test, they will always recommend that you start in zone four and work your way up within 20 minutes. This is why warming up before a test is crucial, but we’ll get to that later.

My first FTP experience

First of all, I want to put it on record that this is quite a difficult task. I say this as someone who teaches at least three spin classes a week, has been doing it for four years, lifts weights about four times a week, and rides a Peloton bike for at least 15 minutes every day (but usually more). I’m not new to exercise. However, my first FTP test kicked my ass.

After finding it among the filtered class search results, I approached my FTP test led by Olivia Amato with a very stupid mindset: “How hard can this be?” It can be hard. You start in zone four and are encouraged to increase the resistance periodically, moving through zones at a rate of about one zone every five minutes until you are in zone seven, pushing as hard as you can. The FTP test I chose was stuck at around 90, although I tested several others using my Peloton app and noticed they varied. For example, Christina D’Ercole’s FTP test starts with a frequency of around 80. Each class has a user-defined difficulty rating, so check it out if you’re not sure which instructor to choose. Denis Morton’s FTP test scored a whopping 9.8 out of 10 on the difficulty scale, Amato’s test scored 9.2, and D’Ercole’s scored 9.3. Keep in mind that you do not have to stick to the suggested frequency. This is a test of your abilities, so act only according to your abilities.

In 20 minutes, Amato said many encouraging words. Several options:

• “Today is one of those days where we have to work hard, where we can prove ourselves, so do it with everything you have, with everything you are. This is what you deserve to give yourself.”

• “Celebrate the fact that we can do this together, that you are capable, that you are here, that you are alive, that we breathe, that we move, that we can work hard. Celebrate the fact that you showed up today.”

• “I want you to really start to reach your potential. We already know it’s there, so let’s start making it happen.”

This went on for a full 20 minutes. Amato certainly does a good job because by the end of this test I had no interest in continuing, but her little cheerful encouragements got me (reluctantly) to continue. It should be noted that competitors are advised not to get out of the saddle unless they really need a break. I challenged myself to not lower the resistance even once and only increase it every few minutes, so it was really challenging.

As a result, my maximum power for 20 minutes was 394 watts. My best cadence was 124 rpm. According to my Apple Watch, my average heart rate was 144 beats per minute. Even if I didn’t get a ton of data out of it that would allow me to track my progress (which I certainly love to do ), it was a damn good workout.

I know you want me to reveal my final FTP result. I don’t do that. First of all, I’m not doing this because I scored less than I expected. (I attribute this partly to arrogance and partly to confusion the first time and poor preparation. I’ll get to preparation tips in a minute.) But also because, despite the entire structure of this test, it is also very subjective and is not a conclusive or thorough review of your health and fitness. This indicator is just one of the indicators. This can be affected by a lot, from your age and experience level to how nutritious your breakfast was and how much sleep you had the night before. Don’t take your result as anything more than a guideline on which you can base your training plans. Don’t compare your results to mine (not that I allow it) or to the hundreds of Peloton users who post their results on Reddit. Compare only your result with the next result you get , and even then do it with some grace for yourself. Like your weight or BMI , it’s just a number in a large sea of ​​numbers that collectively still don’t paint a full picture of your health and well-being, let alone on an individual basis.

Preparing for the FTP test

To prepare for the FTP test (which I decided to do on the same day I decided to do it in the first place, which was my first mistake), I put on my favorite workout routine and drank a protein powder shake, relaxed for exactly 30 minutes, then drank some pre-workout drink mixed with a bottle of water and did a 15-minute warm-up while I waited for it to kick in. That’s it! I immediately made several critical mistakes: I didn’t sleep well last night and woke up before the sun rose to… lift weights and teach a spin class. My breakfast was a granola bar I found in my bag on the way to the gym, and by the time I started the FTP test, I had already done 90 minutes of strenuous exercise earlier in the day. The good news is that if I can do it in less-than-ideal circumstances, we can all do it in good ones.

Here’s what you should do:

• Since this is meant to test your optimal performance, do it on your optimal day! There’s no rush. Sometimes I like to get on the bike on a day when I’m feeling down because it gets me going, but now is not the time for an FTP test. Instead, choose a day when you feel good.

• Be well rested. Don’t overexert yourself beforehand and make sure you get enough sleep the night before.

• Eat something nutritious. It doesn’t have to be right before you get on the bike (and for what it’s worth, I’m not a big proponent of eating too early before cardio), but you should have some fuel in the tank to perform well.

• Moisturize before and during. This sounds obvious, but this is the key point. I don’t like water, so I find ways to force myself to drink water. Right now I’m obsessed with my Owala water bottle because it’s comfortable to hold and easy to grab from the cup holder, and the unique sip and straw combo makes it easy to drink even when I’m driving hard. I also keep a few SaltStick FastChews —chewable electrolyte tablets—with me when I spin because they’re easier to swallow and taste better than plain water. Whatever works for you and motivates you to stay hydrated, go for it.

• Do a warm-up. FTP-focused workouts are available on Peloton. You’ll see them when you filter your activities by Power Zone, but before you filter out 20-minute rides, since they last 10 or 15 minutes. They are designed to help you get into the right physical and mental space because, again, the test begins in the fourth zone.

• Do whatever you need to do. I’m not a flower person. I don’t like meaningless platitudes and I never say corny motivational things when I teach in class. We’re trying to burn calories and strengthen our cardiovascular system here, not achieve nirvana or anything like that. However, this is a moment for vigorous self-motivation. First of all, remind yourself that you can do it, that you know you can do it, and that when after 16 minutes you want to stop, there is no reason for you to do it. Make a little plan of exactly what you will tell yourself when you want to slow down or give up.

• Remember, it’s not that serious. This is not the final word on your overall health. I actually really like what D’Ercole said on the Peloton blog about the FTP test : “Riders should not be afraid of the FTP test because it is not a fitness assessment. It’s simply about taking the time to understand where you are at this moment in time, on this particular day. Over time and retakes, it can rise and it can fall, gradually or sharply. these things will help take the fear out of the experience.”

And don’t forget that you can take it again. In fact, I’m going again today. I’m interested to see if there is any noticeable difference in my grades when I prepare better. For me, it’s just as educational to understand how (or if) my body and abilities change over a 24-hour period as it is to finish a tough ride and get an FTP score. Try taking the test at several different locations. Try at different times of the day or after eating certain foods. Once you complete the FTP test, you’re given the option to save your score as a benchmark for Power Zone classes, but it’s not required, so you might as well play around and see what you can discover.

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