Full Frontal

I have done FTP tests numerous times over the years. It comes with the territory if you are interested in improving your performance on a bike. FTP gives you a number and you base your training effort against that number.

I hate FTP tests. They are really awful. You ramp up through a progressive warm-up and then you go as hard as you can for twenty minutes.

Twenty minutes, full out on a trainer, pushing hard watts, can seem like an eternity.

The Sufferfest, my preferred service provider of pain and agony, introduced a different fitness test called Full Frontal.

I did the test on Sunday.

Makes sense that I am a “pursuiter” rider type. I do chase other cyclists when I am out on the road.

The Full Frontal test exceeded my expectations for pain and suffering. It was the hardest thing I have done on a trainer. Ever.

I’ll now start a new 12-week training program based on the four dimensional power profile — as if training by FTP alone wasn’t hard enough.

Here are the gory details about the fitness test in case you are interested.