Why should you train with power?

Why should you train with power?

Why should you train on power? In this article we will give you 5 reasons why you should train on power too.

Power meters are no longer just for pure top athletes. In fact, all cyclists can benefit from training with power meters. In this article, we give the top five reasons to train with power.

Power is always fair

Power is the most accurate way to measure your effort level while cycling. Traditional training methods such as heart rate, speed and effort can change due to external factors. Power cannot be affected by external factors, only by how hard you pedal.

Imagine you are doing an endurance ride. If you aim for speed, you will probably overexert yourself with a headwind. This can lead to you not being able to put in a good effort on the way back, which means your endurance ride is no longer an endurance ride. With a power meter, you can avoid all these situations; you always know exactly what your actual effort is.

Precise training

A power meter gives you precise training zones, and you can use these training zones to improve your training plan. With a power meter, you can do fitness tests. This can be done through popular indoor programs such as Zwift or Trainer Road, which have these tests built into their software. You can also use a ramp test or 20-minute test to get your FTP (Functional Threshold Power), the theoretical power you can hold for 1 hour. To help you choose between these two tests FTP test: 20-minute test or ramp test?

Want to know exactly how to perform a 20 minute FTP test ? Training with power: Performing an FTP test

Tracking calories

Want to know exactly how many calories you burned during a workout? With a power meter you can find out much more precisely than with other methods. Not every body is the same but you can assume that measuring your mechanical output or wattage will give a better estimate than heart rate. There are still advantages to training with a power meter in combination with a heart rate monitor What is better: training on heart rate or on power?

Motivation

It can be super motivating to see improvements become concrete in data. By comparing different rides after a period of training you will see that your power improves. Because you know that power cannot be influenced by external factors you know for sure that you are getting better. This will motivate you to continue training hard.

Your strengths

By training with power you can compare your power curve with your friends and find out where your strengths lie. Maybe you are better at climbing than you thought or maybe you are a really explosive rider. To learn more you can check out What is a power curve?