FTP calculator & 7 Coggan zones.
Estimate Functional Threshold Power from a 20-min, 8-min or ramp test. Get watts/kg category and the seven Coggan training zones in watts.
FTP = 95% of average power.
Coggan power zones
Frequently asked
What is FTP?
FTP (Functional Threshold Power) is the highest average power in watts you can sustain for ~60 minutes. It anchors every Coggan training zone and pacing decision on the bike.
Which test should I use?
20-min test: ride all-out for 20 minutes — FTP = 95% of average. 8-min test: two 8-minute maxes — FTP = 90% of the higher average. Ramp: ramp until failure — FTP = 75% of max 1-min.
What is a good W/kg?
Recreational 2.0-2.5, competitive age-grouper 3.0-4.0, elite/pro 4.5-5.5+. Climbing performance scales almost linearly with W/kg.
How often should I retest?
Every 6-8 weeks during a focused block, or whenever sessions feel consistently too easy or too hard at prescribed zones.
What FTP do I need for an Ironman?
Age-groupers typically need 2.5-3.5 W/kg. On race day pace at 65-75% of FTP to leave the run intact.
VDOT calculator
Jack Daniels race predictor and full E/M/T/I/R training paces — the run equivalent of FTP zones.
Triathlon time predictor
Forecast Sprint, Olympic, 70.3 and full Ironman finish times from your swim, bike and run splits.
Heart rate zone calculator
5 cycling/running HR zones from lactate threshold or max HR — pair with FTP for dual-metric training.
Sweat & sodium loss calculator
Personal sweat rate and sodium loss for long rides and brick workouts.
Breno MeloHead Coach · USA Triathlon, Road Runners Club of America, TrainingPeaksEmail me my FTP zones
A printable card with your FTP, all seven Coggan zones in watts, and the session types that live in each.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We never sell your email.
Coggan functional threshold power
FTP = 0.95 × average power for a 20-minute maximal effort FTP = 0.75 × peak 1-minute power from a ramp test Zones: Z1 <55%, Z2 56–75%, Z3 76–90%, Z4 91–105%, Z5 106–120%, Z6 121–150%, Z7 >150% of FTP
- The test was maximal, correctly paced, on a calibrated power meter, in rested condition.
- The 0.95 multiplier holds for you — it is a population average from the 20-minute protocol.
- The 0.95 factor under-estimates FTP for aerobically strong riders and over-estimates it for anaerobically strong ones.
- Ramp-test FTP and 20-minute FTP routinely disagree by 5–10 W for the same rider.
- FTP drifts within four to six weeks of a training-block change and needs retesting.
- Power meters differ by 1–2% between units; do not compare across devices.
Trained and competitive cyclists. The protocol is practice-derived by Coggan and Allen rather than established through a controlled validation trial.
Formula, constants and cited sources last verified on . Spotted something wrong? Email breno@brenoamelo.com and it gets corrected and dated.
How FTP is calculated
The 20-minute protocol takes 95% of your best 20-minute average because a 20-minute effort sits slightly above the power you could hold for an hour.
Coggan zones are then fixed percentages of FTP: Z1 <55%, Z2 56-75%, Z3 76-90%, Z4 91-105%, Z5 106-120%, Z6 121-150%, Z7 above.
References
Every physiological claim on this page traces to one of the primary sources below — the original paper, textbook or governing-body standard, not a secondary write-up.
- 01Allen H, Coggan AR, McGregor S (2019). Training and Racing with a Power Meter, 3rd edition. VeloPress, Boulder, CO — defines FTP and the seven-level power training zones. ISBN 978-1-937715-93-4
- 02Coggan AR (2003). Training and racing using a power meter: an introduction. Level II Coaching Manual, USA Cycling — original definition of Normalized Power, Intensity Factor and TSS.
FTP Explained for Cyclists
What FTP is, how to test it properly, and how often to retest.
How to Use an FTP Calculator
Turning a 20-minute or ramp test into seven usable training zones.
Heart Rate vs Power vs Pace
Which metric should anchor your training, and how to combine them.
Fueling the Long Ride
Bottle-by-bottle fueling for four hours and up.
You have your zones. Apex builds the block.
Seven power zones are a vocabulary, not a training plan. Apex takes your FTP and writes the sweet-spot, threshold and VO2max weeks that move it, around the hours you actually have.
- A structured cycling block written from your current FTP
- Sessions that adapt when you miss a ride or arrive flat
- Re-test prompts so your zones never drift out of date
$4.99/month or $49.99/year · 14-day free trial · No credit card required to start
Want a coach to turn that FTP into watts on the road?
1:1 coaching builds your bike block around your zones, your race, and your week — Boston, Ironman, or your local TT.
Boston-based · Trilingual EN/PT/ES · RRCA · USAT · TrainingPeaks L2 · 12× Boston qualifier