Originally Posted by
PeteHski
Yeah I most definitely cannot average 87% of my FTP power for that length of time over my lumpy real world terrain. It is not realistic and even less realistic if you take average power instead of NP.
So if we take average power for Mo's data instead of NP (sorry Mo to use you as an example!) he averaged 66% of his FTP, which is obviously far lower than his IF value, which takes into account all those matches he burnt via NP. That's why NP is more useful than average power when comparing overall ride intensity. Those TT racers you mentioned earlier would have very little difference between their average power and their NP because it is a steady state effort.
I do not agree. Average power is a better metric for long, steady efforts and frequent high intensity (threshold and above) is something to avoid when a fat person is trying to lose weight. In terms of Training Stress, if you get the exponents correct, NP is useful. In terms of being able to sustain a long effort? Not so much. If you want to gin up your FTP, just alternate quick bursts periodically. The W' recharge rate is pretty quick. I would argue that many have an overly inflated FTP because it is derived from efforts where the anaerobic systems overly contribute. These short efforts that contribute to high NP have a hell of a price to pay after some hours. The fast twitch muscles fatigue pretty quickly and the respiratory byproducts also contribute to fatigue and therefore, the inability to hold a good power level
My NP is rarely much higher than my average power, unless I am doing an interval workouts as I have been doing lately.