As a spinal cord injury patient undergoing rehab I use my Zwift a lot. 2 requests can we have a recumbent bike. Not a hand bike but one powered by legs.
How low does the ftp go? I’ve tried doing the ramp test and it seems to set me at 35w if I then ride it will instantly give me a higher ftp. Not that high after 12 months of hard work I’m up to 47w.
Thanks
Elizabeth, very best of luck with your rehab and take pride in your watts going up as your body gets stronger. I don’t know how low Zwift can set your FTP, but I do know that previously it took 75% of your highest one minute power during the ramp test to set your FTP.
Hey just checking if you did Ramp Test Lite? I have zero experience with testing at low power levels. That sounds like a question you could pose to a physio or coach who has experience with athletes recovering from injury. It’s possible they could propose a test that is more useful to you.
I’m not a trainer, otherwise I’d probably have better stats and my bike would probably go faster when I pedal it, but probably worth seeing if it makes more sense to just ride based on RPE for a bit? I would imagine FTP can move pretty significantly depending on the trajectory of recovery so it might be better to do some work using RPE before trying to get an accurate power FTP and basing intervals from them.
IMO the Ramp Test lite appears to be geared towards someone who has an FTP of at least 100watts. It doesn’t allow for the first two steps on the ramp to be below 50w then 60w. The third ramp is at 70w and most likely with your FTP you are failing at this level.
Most people don’t recommend the standard FTP test due to pacing issues and the additional time of the test. However I think you may not have an issue with these due to your Tri ? background.
For the Standard 20 minute test you could set your FTP at 35 or 40 (which will slightly reduce the intensity of the initial pre test intervals) and the main 20 minute block power will require you to deliver the best average power you can without the need for large 10w jumps. [Your FTP will be 95% of that 20 minute average power]
I’m no medical expert but suggest you may be better suited to pushing less power for 20 minutes than trying to exert yourself too much over a very short (3-4 minutes) period.
I would ignore FTP and normal workouts and just ride on easy courses like Fan Flats in Richmond or good old Tempus Fugit in Watopia and keep the effort easy.
This was my way when I was recovering from a broken neck of femur (after being given the all clear from doctor to do so).
I hope your recovery continues to progress smoothly. That’s a horrific injury to recover from and sounds pretty scary.