Power : Heart Rate ratio, or Efficiency Factor is a well established means to measure aerobic efficiency, assess how well “base” training is going, etc…
I’ve been tracking my efficiency by performing a Ramp of 4 min steps, 25 watt steps, 100-275. I’ve been seeing steady improvements over the last handful of months.
Can we use this ratio to prescribe interval targets for tempo / sweet spot for example?
I performed 8 x 20 min building from 80% FTP to 90% FTP.
(Pwr:HR is from the last 5 min HR Ave)
What can we learn from this?
There appears to be 2 inflection points in the Pwr:HR.
#1 between 245 and 250
#2 between 260 and 265
I’ve been using Lactate balance point (@steveneal ) for my tempo/sweet spot prescription with good success. I’d like to see what the other forum coaches think and how other athletes can apply these learnings.
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Hi @shawnfife hope you don’t mind me jumping in here.
If we look at the most recent Inscyd test, Medio/Tempo zone Target is 249 watts.
This is pretty much bang on that first inflection point in pwhr.
The second at 260-265 is 88% of your Insycd Threshold, kinda close to the sweet spot in other terms. To improve that threshold as you have experienced, it isn’t always necessary to train really close to the threshold.
I think this has a lot of value between Insycd tests to monitor training progression and intensity levels.
Looking at Insycd to nail down or VlaMax progression depending on the goals, as well as nutrition I think this is important every 2-3 months. In between this, I feel there is a lot to be learned from this power-to-heart ratio inflection you speak of.
Thanks for putting this out there, and thanks for following a progression for a little over a year now with great success.
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