Cycling Performance Club: Threshold, Thresholds, Thresholds?

Semi-Pro Cycling

You probably realize that ‘threshold’ is an important measure for endurance athletes. But there seem to be many different types of thresholds measures out there, and that might be confusing for some. In this episode, the panel explores the many types of thresholds (e.g. FTP, critical power, lactate threshold): how they are determined, whether they are the same or different, whether they are interchangeable, how they relate to each other, and what it all means for the real-world coach and cyclist.

2:31 What is ‘threshold’?

3:00 Exercise domains

10:45 What are the purposes of determining threshold?

14:33 What are the main thresholds measured in endurance sport?

18:15 Functional threshold power

23:48 Critical power

30:46 Lactate thresholds

40:37 Ventilatory thresholds

44:40 How the thresholds compare with each other

56:40 General conclusions

70:10 Thought experiment: does threshold even matter in modern endurance training?

Episode #8 References:

The Maximal Metabolic Steady State: Redefining the ‘Gold Standard’

https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.14814/phy2.14098

Relationship Between the Critical Power Test and a 20-min Functional Threshold Power Test in Cycling

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2020.613151/full

Road cycle TT performance: Relationship to the power-duration model and association with FTP

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02640414.2018.1535772?journalCode=rjsp20

Reliability of the Functional Threshold Power in Competitive Cyclists

https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/a-1018-1965

Is the Functional Threshold Power Interchangeable With the Maximal Lactate Steady State in Trained Cyclists?

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/14/8/article-p1029.xml

Is the Functional Threshold Power a Valid Metric to Estimate the Maximal Lactate Steady State in Cyclists?

https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/9000/Is_the_Functional_Threshold_Power_a_Valid_Metric.94643.aspx

Maximal Lactate Steady State Versus the 20-Minute Functional Threshold Power Test in Well-Trained Individuals: “Watts” the Big Deal?

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/15/4/article-p541.xml
Functional Threshold Power Is Not Equivalent to Lactate Parameters in Trained Cyclists

https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/9000/Functional_Threshold_Power_Is_Not_Equivalent_to.94787.aspx

Functional Threshold Power: Relationship With Respiratory Compensation Point and Effects of Various Warm-Up Protocols

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/15/7/article-p1047.xml

Relative Proximity of Critical Power and Metabolic/Ventilatory Thresholds: Systematic Review and Meta‑Analysis

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40279-020-01314-8