Online Bike Coach

Where Cyclists and Triathletes get Faster/Stronger/Leaner/Sooner

Xert FTP Tested

Xert Claims my FTP (Functional Threshold Power) Sits At 265 Watts. Is It Accurate?

I've always wondered if calculated Functional Threshold Power Values are accurate. Since 2017, however, I have relied on the Xert FTP value. For years, we relied on the "20-Minute" Test. Riders would perform a 20-Minute effort, all out, and then subtract 5% from that value. The new number was considered "Threshold". Later, physiologists looked at 90% of a 3-Minute Maximal Effort. There's the 5-1-5 test.... Step Tests (25w steps every 3 minutes)... Ramp tests (15-20w every minute)... The latest 'Testing' asks for a 20-minute, 5-minute, 1-minute, and 5-second effort.
Xert FTP Garmin PerfPro Studio Vo2 Master
Xert Claims that my FTP (Functional Threshold Power) is at 265 watts. Let's find out how accurate that really is.

NO MORE TESTING???.

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Moxy Monitor Warmup Protocol

The Moxy Monitor Warmup Protocol Ensures a Better Ride!

 

The Moxy Monitor gives cyclists a better window into their body, and how the body responds to intervals and recovery. When we use the Moxy for warmup observations, we end up with a higher saturated muscle oxygen (SMo2), and a higher Total Hemoglobin Count (ThB). You want this higher SMO2 and ThB, because it is the electrical equivalent of “Volts”, and “Amps”, on a battery. With Watts, you have a more complete picture!

My wife, Tracy Christenson, was the model for this video, and after the warmup, she performed two 6-minute intervals, just below her predicted Functional Threshold Power. The Moxy Monitor’s SmO2 and ThB information provided there was also very instructional.

Watch the Video to learn more.

 

Using the Moxy Muscle Oxygen Monitor to Affirm LT1

Moxy Muscle Oxygen Monitor Is A Passive Way to Detect Lactate Threshold Deflection Points

I’ve been using the Moxy Muscle Oxygen Monitor since the product first became available in the early 2010’s. I quickly realized that it offered insights into physical fitness unlike any other product. Today’s Online Bike Coach Daily Ditty shows how my Moxy confirmed that 205 watts as my first Lactate Threshold Deflection Point.

By setting my wattage resistance on PerfPro Studio software, I was able to ride consistently for several minutes, and my SmO2 values remained steady. When Saturated Muscle Oxygen is stable, Oxygen is flowing in, Carbon Dioxide is flowing out, and Lactic Acid is being shuttled in the bloodstream. It gets picked up and processed by these things called “MCT”‘s, or, “Monocarboxylate Transporters“. Then it’s turned back into energy. It’s really efficient, and it can be trained. The different levels, or plateaus, tell us just how well our bodies are working at shuttling the waste out, and the nutrients in.

The Moxy shows you just how that’s working. In this case, the information was displayed with a Vo2 Master Gas Exchange Analyser. That way, I can look at the Watts, the Lungs, the Legs, the heart, and the blood. It’s a holistic approach to fitness and aerobic intensity. This information can be viewed on your Garmin head unit, via a custom field. It can also be displayed and recorded on PerfPro Studio. I use the Moxy for every outdoor ride and indoor ride. I believe it can reveal warmup preparation, early indicators of a bonk, and much more.

Here is today’s Video. Tomorrow, I’ll show you how my wife uses the Moxy to ensure that her warmup is adequate and her intervals are at their best.

Thanks for watching, and ENJOY THE RIDE!

Billat 30-30’s with Xert, Vo2Master, and PerfPro

Billat 30-30’s Are a Great Way to Improve Your Ability to Suffer Under Load!

 

Xert has zones that flex with time spent above Threshold. When you bite into HIE, the Xert Dial responds by reducing the band of yellow or orange, and expanding the Purple arc, which is theoretically not possible to surpass. When you do, it’s a BREAKTHROUGH!

But the fascinating thing about this video is that the Vo2 values, during the effort and even into recovery, show how effective this type of workout really is; my Vo2 values stayed ABOVE 80% of Vo2max, for several minutes, and THAT is what improves HIE and “Suffer” ability. Xert properly displays this on the video in the colored arcs. Therefore, you’re looking at the PHYSICS of PHYSIOLOGY!

I use PerfPro on this type of protocol because the graph is easier to read, and it shows me values which I had turned off at the time of recording. The Xert Dial is moved over from the Xert Remote Player, which is a VERY useful tool.

Thanks for watching. Don’t forget to register for the webinar on January 30th at 1200, gmt-8, and we’ll review the 9 weeks of progression, as well as the 5MMP breakthrough effort!

ENJOY THE RIDE!!!

Blowing Up A Workout

The Workout

My first mistake was in preparation. I needed to make some changes in the warmup, but I'm not the biggest fan of the Xert Workout Builder. The changes I wanted were made, but I also ended up making 8 warmup intervals, instead of 8 starter 30-second intervals. That meant that I had to dance around in the workout itself, jumping here and there, to get the warmup I wanted in.
Xert OBC Billat 30-30s Using Slope Mode Blowing Up a Workout
Here's the workout. I had no problem achieving the first 6 intervals. It was trying to hit my goals for the next several intervals that blew me up completely.
The next problem I encountered in setup was that the 30-second warmup intervals were just too hard. I set them based on % of FTP, instead of % slope, and they pulled my SmO2 values down to SEVEN PERCENT. I only performed five of these, but they really hurt.
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