What is power?

First things first, let’s go back to Physics class…

Power is a measurement of work and more so the rate at which said work is done.  To make this specific to cycling, power is force (how hard you are pushing the pedals) multiplied by velocity (how fast you are spinning the pedals).  This equation will result in a wattage output.  So, to produce more wattage you either need to increase your cadence (Chris Froome) or churn a larger gear (Andre Greipel).

Why do we train using power?

Training with power is currently the most objective and immediate measurement of what your effort is on a bike.  Said another way, power trumps all other training tools (RPE, heart rate, etc.) because it gives instant and precise analysis of how hard you are working physiologically to propel yourself forward.  Power also does not change based upon stress (both emotional and thermal), hydration status, or altitude.  These factors will all drastically affect RPE and heart rate however.  Power is always what it is!

Another thing to consider about training based on heart rate, especially for the competitive athlete, is heart rate takes around 3 minutes to respond and level out when producing a given effort.  So, if your coach or training plan instructs you to do “3 times, 2 minutes at Lactate Threshold”, but you only have heart rate, you really won’t be sure if you are indeed training at your LT zone.  Whereas if you have a power meter, you can simply hit the lap button on your computer, and keep your average power in your LT zone, simple!

However, the biggest advantage to training using a power meter is the amount of data it provides all about YOU.  This data can also be translated into much easier to understand graphs and charts via Strava and Training Peaks as compared to years past.  Training with power gives you insights into:

• Current fatigue, fitness, and form.
  • Yes, heart rate can provide this too, but power data is far more precise.  This monitoring tells if you are providing your system with enough stress to cause a training response, but also when you need to rest to decrease your fatigue and to prevent overtraining.
• Objective progress.
  • Is your FTP improving?  Can you produce more power at a lower or the same heart rate?  Are your watts/kg improving?
• Goal achievement.
  • Goals and achieving said goals are made easier with a power meter as you know what your body needs to be able to do simply by looking at others who have competed in similar events.
• Pacing of events/races
  • Hello IronMan!
• Race analysis.
  • Were you dropped on a certain hill?  Did you bonk at a certain point in the event?  A power meter, and a coach, can give provide you with the “why”.
• The list goes on!  You get the idea though.

Disadvantages of power

With that being said though, power meters are expensive, complex, and can be unreliable at times (batteries dying, forgetting to calibrate/zero out before each ride, producing huge spikes in power occasionally, etc.).  Plus, few people actually understand how to utilize one to the best of its abilities and they can be very overwhelming initially.  Fortunately though, the price of power meters decrease each year along with their reliability and accuracy increasing alongside it and, besides working with a coach, nothing will enhance your training more than a power meter.

What do you think?  Is power worth the investment?  Have you experienced an increase of fitness using one?  Or is it all just some sort of sorcery!?

Interested in taking the leap into training with power?  Check out our partner, PowerTap!

For more information on GC Coaching and how we can help you increase your fitness using power, please visit www.gaffneycyclingcoaching.com