I've always been surprised over the years how much more effort it takes to get an average speed up.
Hello David
As
john m flores indicated, power is related
to muscle mass. Not clear how much muscle mass one can get through training. In my case, I've observed a (small) increase in muscle mass since I got into touring. But age and genetics make it such that there's perhaps not much to expect from this.
Taking a step back -- my question was about the likelihood that training will lead to increased power. At this point in time I would answer a definite, but qualified yes. (1) It has led to an increase in cadence, which should translate into a power increase (not enough data yet, but indications that this will happen); (2) and perhaps some conditioning that will make me push a little harder/better. My quick superficial scan of related posts suggest a 25% increase in FTP. Asking generative models suggests 10-20% improvement in FTP. Asking about why training improves FTP, the model adds factors *other* than larger muscular mass. The first being cardio, followed by several neuro-muscular effects. Asked further about the impact of cadence, contrary to my understanding the model suggests that cadence does *not* have a direct impact on power.
Still learning...