The world is moving so fast and the training methods are changing. We want to train more effectively, to plan physical peak and beat new records. Riding 55,089 km in one hour ? Until 20 years ago it seemed to be impossible. Now we have a lot of data. Before we could take only heart rate, now the training on watts is at the forefront. It means training with a number of variables. Cycling training is not just the information about heart rate, cadence or average speed. Now it is the time of the training with a power meter. It’s not just a new gadget or a fun fact in the world of cycling, but a key parameter you need to take into consideration while planning your training. Heart rate can depend on your mood or even the weather condition on your favorite route and is not enough anymore. Do you want to ride faster? A power meter is the key. Make your training more effective and leave opponents eating your dust.
Do you want Your training to be well planned and each element of it to be another step on the path to a victory? Training with a power meter is for those who seek for new solutions in preparations and want to move to a higher level. Cycling is not only a passion, but also willingness to be better and better. Be lightning-fast and improve performance of your body training with a power meter.
Do You ride a bike recreationally? Well done for getting out from behind a desk but perhaps a power meter will be an unnecessary expense in your case. But if you want to get results and cycling is your passion and way of life, then training on watts is the missing link You need to achieve Your goals. You train more consciously and you learn about your strengths and weaknesses. It allows you to avoid overtraining or serious injuries caused by oxygen deficiency.
„You don’t waste your training time and You don’t ‘mishit’ the intensity ”. Joe Friel
Power is the product of force multiplied by distance, divided by time. A power meter can tell you how much energy You put to propel Your bike. It also measures your performance more precisely than heart rate monitor. This parameter is expressed in watts and its value depends on your work. Heart rate monitoring can be unreliable and its values can change even according to wind direction. Particular number of watts to ride requires particular constant work. I don’t tell you to quit monitoring of heart rate or speed, but I advise you to add new measurement and enter new, more effective path of Your cycling adventure. Analyze your training load and progress to identify your strong and weak points. Find out if you need to work on climbs or on a fast finish of a race. This knowledge will allow you to schedule trainings with a power meter in Your training plan. Check what advantages you can get when you implement it.
If you are still not convinced about the new solution in Your preparations, check the advantages of training with a power meter. Make a test of power and check the range of your intensity during a cycling training. Then, track your progress and care about effective work during preparations. Remember, power is the absolute value and only you have influence on its value.
Watts are independent of the weather, heart rate or health condition and power is the factual work you do while cycling. Training with a power meter will let you plan a performance peak for the most important race. It also will be easier to set your goals and implement them to your training. You can easily track progress, respond quickly to changes in your organism and level of your performance and update training plans. Get to know your strong and weak points. Check whether you can generate enough power and win at the finish or maybe it would be better to attack on a climb. Training with a power meter will let you find it out.
These are not all of the advantages of training with a power meter. The application of this method will help you plan every training perfectly. Do You face problems keeping a steady pace during interval training? Solve them by tracing a power meter and learn how to keep a steady pace during the entire training. Do You analyze each aspect of Your preparations and can’t sleep thinking what to do to get to a higher level? Monitor your training and fatigue levels with new indicators and don’t get yourself into overtraining. Making and implementing a training plan will be much easier. What is more, your training will be more precise and You will be able to find better aerodynamic position while cycling. You can also compare yourself with your most challenging opponent by analyzing his achievements on Strav or while virtual race on a trainer. Training with a power meter will let you find the optimal cadence at the time, check the force distribution between left and right legs and even find balanced diet associated with cycling effort. All of these factors will make you better and more aware of your strengths cyclist.
It’s possible. Training with a power meter, you know your strong points and the list of weaknesses is getting shorter and shorter. You can choose races in which your strengths will allow you to fight for top positions. If you want to work on aspects in which you are worse than others, choose the routes suitable for working on your weaknesses. You will find out how long your escape can be not to lose power at the finish. Saving energy while riding in peleton will be much easier task to do. Prepare yourself for the next uphills and determine how much power you can give, to leave some energy for the rest of race. Track your power meter to know if you will be strong enough for the defining sprint finish. Get to know your potential and fight as equals with those who were faster than you before.
Use a power meter during training to become better.
Will You use a power meter together with a heart rate meter and a speedometer while preparations? It depends on you. If you want to develop yourself and be more aware of your strong and weak points and, above all, if you want to be faster at finish, then make sure your training is effective. Choose a power meter that will be the best for preparations and check if you are ready to beat your opponents. And now get on your bike and go!