Online Bike Coach

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

Why it works.

If you’re serious about improving your cycling performance, the journey starts here.

Head Coach Richard Wharton is a pioneer in the science of wattage-based fitness training for cyclists. By translating information from a power meter (Watts) into established biomechanical protocols  for training, recovery and health, he became one of the first coaches to use wattage training to improve cycling performance. He is also the author of Watts Per Kilogram, the first-ever indoor wattage training manual for cyclists.

Beyond the realm of power meters and intervals, Coach Wharton is also one of the most knowledgeable proponents of hydration/fueling strategy and sleep/recovery.

The Science Behind W-Prime

W1 (“W-prime”) is the most important tool in the PerfPro training methodology. When new research led to better metrics for intensity and recovery, Coach Wharton was one of the first to implement them.

In 2013, researchers published the first studies using the new W1 metric. Coach Wharton was one of the first coaches to adopt W1 for cycling. In fact, it’s the basis for all our lower-tiered  (PerfPro) training plans.

W1 is a calculation of a cyclist’s “Anaerobic Work Capacity,” or “AWC.” This is a measurement given in units of energy (Joules or kJ), that shows just how big your gas tank is, how quickly you’re using it up, and/or how quickly it is being replenished. This is critical information, because when you know your W1, you can ride within your limits, know when to push and when to recover, and also train to increase that W1 value through specific intervals.

We determine W1 by performing three simple tests of 3 minutes, 8 minutes, and 13 minutes duration. The results are entered into a calculation that gives you both W1 and your “Critical Power.” 

What’s Critical Power? It’s a wattage value above which, you’ll be Anaerobic and drawing from your AWC. Below Critical Power, you’ll be aerobic, and will be replenishing—or not using—your AWC.

The intervals we build for clients at this level are based on Critical Power and W1. They’re specific to the athlete, and they work above and below Critical Power.

Under Coach Wharton’s mentorship, you will learn with greater precision how hard you can go and how much recovery time you’ll need before you can go hard again. You’ll also learn that training in a state of depleted resources yields greater gains. The goal for these programs is to constantly raise Critical Power and W1, so you build a bigger engine that is more efficient and delivers more energy to draw on when pedaling hard, above CP.

The Science Behind MPA

Now research has taken another significant step forward, and Coach Wharton is at the forefront of the implementation of Xert (“Exert”). Xert is a training model for measuring Maximum Power Available (MPA) at any moment of a ride or effort. Testing is easy (there’s no formal need to test for Critical Power). The intervals are very specific in their duration, intensity and frequency, and they’re focused exactly on the specific riding skills that the client wants to optimize.

There’s much more to Xert, but let’s stick to MPA for the time being

MPA takes the foundation of W1 and Critical Power to an even more precise level. Cyclists obtain their levels of Threshold (measured in Watts), High Intensity Energy (HIE – measured in Joules and similar to AWC/W1 described in the previous section), and Maximal Power. These are collected during outdoor rides or with some specific indoor workouts. Then, using a “Power-Duration” curve, MPA is calculated as wattage intensity increases or decreases. Time spent above Threshold taps into and decreases MPA, while time spent below Threshold increases and replenishes MPA.

The difference between W1, CP and MPA-based workouts is that W1 workouts utilize shorter, harder intervals that tend to deplete W1 below zero. This may lead to confusion about ability and improvement. The MPA model is much more accurate. Training zones shift with fatigue, so if you’re tired from the previous day’s ride, Xert will automatically adjust today’s ride to match your energy. The rate at which MPA rises and falls with effort will change as well. Xert workouts are much more focused and harder to complete. But the results speak for themselves: higher MPA, greater HIE, and raised Threshold, meaning more capacity and smarter, stronger, rides with less strain.

MPA is the most accurate wattage-based training and cycling metric developed to date.  Online Bike Coach is the first coaching program anywhere in the world to to use it, and is widely recognized as the leader in applying MPA and other Xert metrics for cyclists and triathletes worldwide.