Review of Training and Racing with a Power Meter

Training and Racing with a Power Meter
Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 13
More Information

power meter explained

On: 2008-04-06

really well thought out book, explaining the different training zones inherent in our physiology and how they relate to practical methods of utilizing them to train better and understand the need for recovery and useful training levels.

Power the only way to train

On: 2008-03-10

If you have a power meter this book will make sense out of all the numbers, will give you real insight in the newest training way out there.

Very technical book, but easy for the layman to understand. Will please 99% of the racers out there.

Good, but not great

On: 2008-02-09

This is a fine book and tells some cool thing about bicycle powermeters. It introduces some usefull concepts, like the normalized power, TSS. Youll understand some capabilities of the limit-less tool called powermeter. It shows how to use an powermeter beyond the ordinary. Youll learn some nice stuff.

But the author doesnt give away their gold. It looks like their real secret - the training sessions - are kept away. They begin to show some exercise sessions for some kind of purpose, but they dont show you a lot. I felt like they were writing an teaser, not the full movie.

They also tell a lot about the Cycling Peaks software, which is good, but not all that great. I prefer to combine the Cycling Peaks with the original SRM or Powertap softwares to get the most juice.

They tried to keep this book from being an big ad and they pretty much accomplished that. I didnt get angry, nor got crazy to go buy their software after reading the book.

Cycling with power effectively

On: 2007-11-05

Simply the most comprhensive book out there on the subject. A little biased in favor of "TrainingPeaks" software but still very, very good. If you are looking for simple answers about training effectively you might want to look elsewhere. Training with power takes a little thought and consideration.

Usful training guide for novis power meter owner

On: 2007-10-20

This book clearly explains training based on power meter data & has been especially useful to me as a novis to power meter use in triathlon training. The book outlines training zones based on individual abilities & self testing, plus their effect on training stress. Most usewful & highly recommended.

Usful training guide for novis power meter owner

On: 2007-10-19

This book clearly explains training based on power meter data & has been especially useful to me as a novis to power meter use in triathlon training. The book outlines training zones based on individual abilities & self testing, plus their effect on training stress. Most usewful & highly recommended.

The user's manual for training with power

On: 2007-10-12

If you are looking for the rosetta stone to unlock the mystery of wattage data and what it can mean to your training then this is the book for you.

The Benefits of a Power Meter

by: Anonymous On: 2007-04-09

Cyclists who train with a power meter must have this manual. Its the first of its kind, and you can learn everything you need to know to get started with this new trend.

great reference

On: 2007-01-12

this is a great book to understand the details of training for cycling using a powermeter. a necessary reference for the library of an athlete with a powermeter. this is the first of its kind and does a great job directing the reader in methods to analyze power data from rides, get the most of workouts, and monitor training stress. also includes pretty thorough reviews of the various powermeters on the market.

Power Meter Decision maker

On: 2007-01-11

This book is a must have for those already training with power or cyclists interested in learning what all the hubbub is about.

I bought the book in October 2006 because I had been hearing success stories from folks who trained with power. The book is well laid out and even provides enough information about the top four power meters and the software they come with to make a reasonable decision, however I would recommend joining some of the forums and reading as much as you can before you make your final decision.

Some of the topics were a bit technical, but you dont have to fully understand the most technical aspects of the book to find the information within these pages useful. I wanted to understand as much as possible without having to become a physiology major. With three readings under my belt I feel confident that I can create a reasonable training plan for improving my standing within the weekend group century rides. In addition to the book the authors provide a power meter course that visits major cities. I believe serious cyclists will find this course helpful especially if they read the book first.

My power meter, which this book and the forums helped me choose, arrived this week. I hope to install it over the weekend and take my first fitness test so I can build a power based training plan.

This book is a must have!

great reference

On: 2007-01-11

this is a great book to understand the details of training for cycling using a powermeter. a necessary reference for the library of an athlete with a powermeter. this is the first of its kind and does a great job directing the reader in methods to analyze power data from rides, get the most of workouts, and monitor training stress. also includes pretty thorough reviews of the various powermeters on the market.

Take your training to the next level

On: 2007-01-10

I am an experienced racer in triathlon and MTB ultra-distance events. This book, coupled with my new power measuring tools and my long-time use of a heart rate monitor, has taken my training to new levels. I am a detail-oriented, technical person, and the book satisfied my need for insights into how and why things are recommended or advocated. I found the advice and techniques to be absolutely useful in helping me improve my knowledge and my performance. I am wasting less time training wrong and getting more back from my sessions in the few months since I began reading this book-- but it will take me years to master the material inside, which tells me that Ive got a real reference as opposed to an owners manual here. If youre going to train with power, dont do it without this book.

Take your training to the next level

On: 2007-01-09

I am an experienced racer in triathlon and MTB ultra-distance events. This book, coupled with my new power measuring tools and my long-time use of a heart rate monitor, has taken my training to new levels. I am a detail-oriented, technical person, and the book satisfied my need for insights into how and why things are recommended or advocated. I found the advice and techniques to be absolutely useful in helping me improve my knowledge and my performance. I am wasting less time training wrong and getting more back from my sessions in the few months since I began reading this book-- but it will take me years to master the material inside, which tells me that Ive got a real reference as opposed to an owners manual here. If youre going to train with power, dont do it without this book.

Very Useful

On: 2006-11-10

"Training and Racing with a Power Meter" is a very useful book which helps all those triathletes and coaches that want to move to the next step of cycling training, either in Triathlon or road cycling.
I would strongly recommend this book!!!

Must-read book for power meter users

On: 2006-03-13

If you presently train with a power meter on your bike or are thinking of getting one, this is a must-read book. Authors Hunter Allen and Dr. Andy Coggan are eminently qualified to write this book which is the first full-length book devoted solely to the subject of training (and racing) with an on-bike power meter. Hunter allen is a full time coach of cyclists and triathletes who uses the power meter as a key element in his training approach. Dr. Coggan is renowned as a widely published exercise physiologist and is also an avid masters cyclist.

The authors have presented much of the material in the book at seminars around the country. I attended one of those in 2005 in Sacramento, CA, so I was already familiar with much of the material in the book even before reading it. Also, much of the material has been presented and discussed in the Wattage discussion list on topica (lists.topica.com/lists/wattage/). The beauty of the book is that it collects all this valuable information, and much more, and presents it in a well organized manner in one place.

An early chapter describes each of the four major presently available commercial power meters (SRM, PowerTap, Polar and ergomo). It covers their relative advantages and disadvantages. The same chapter covers the software that is included with each power meter plus other standalone software offerings including CyclingPeaks which was developed by the coauthors along with Kevin Williams. Many examples from the book include screen shots and examples from CyclingPeaks but the ideas they convey are explained in the text so no prior knowledge of CyclingPeaks is necessary. If you are contemplating buying a power meter, this chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

The starting point to train using a power meter is to determine your Functional Threshold Power (FTP). The book explains several alternative methods to do this. Once FTP is known, the authors present a system of seven defined training levels. The explanation of why seven levels are chosen, what the purpose of each is and power and heart rate ranges (where those are appropriate) for each level are given. The power ranges are expressed for each level as a percentage of FTP. For example, level 4 is the lactate threshold level with power range of 95-105% of FTP. The justification for selecting these seven levels (sometimes called "zones" in other books on training) is the clearest Ive ever read on the subject. The rationale for and benefits of training at each of the levels would be valuable information even to a cyclist who wasnt training with a power meter.

Many novel concepts are introduced in the book. The concept of "power profile" is one example. This involves measuring the maximum power that you can sustain for four selected time intervals - 5 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes and FTP. These are then converted to watts per kilogram. A table in the book (separate for men and women) allows you to see where you stand on a scale ranging from untrained to world class level. By determining your own profile and monitoring it over the course of time, you can see better your strengths and weaknesses as a cyclist.

There is simply too much novel material in the book to do it justice in a review of reasonable length. Just to mention, in the most cursory way, other novel concepts introduced and covered in detail the book are Normalized Power (NP), Intensity Factor (IF), Training Stress Score (TSS), "sweet spot" training and Quadrant Analysis. NP and IF are introduced to define TSS. TSS is proposed as a method to quantify and monitor the total training load that a cyclist carries.

Other chapters in the book tell how to develop a training plan based on power. Sample workouts and sample multi-week training blocks are given.

If youve gone to the trouble and expense of putting a power meter on your bike, you owe it to yourself to get this book and read it.

Must-read book for power meter users

On: 2006-03-12

If you presently train with a power meter on your bike or are thinking of getting one, this is a must-read book. Authors Hunter Allen and Dr. Andy Coggan are eminently qualified to write this book which is the first full-length book devoted solely to the subject of training (and racing) with an on-bike power meter. Hunter allen is a full time coach of cyclists and triathletes who uses the power meter as a key element in his training approach. Dr. Coggan is renowned as a widely published exercise physiologist and is also an avid masters cyclist.

The authors have presented much of the material in the book at seminars around the country. I attended one of those in 2005 in Sacramento, CA, so I was already familiar with much of the material in the book even before reading it. Also, much of the material has been presented and discussed in the Wattage discussion list on topica (lists.topica.com/lists/wattage/). The beauty of the book is that it collects all this valuable information, and much more, and presents it in a well organized manner in one place.

An early chapter describes each of the four major presently available commercial power meters (SRM, PowerTap, Polar and ergomo). It covers their relative advantages and disadvantages. The same chapter covers the software that is included with each power meter plus other standalone software offerings including CyclingPeaks which was developed by the coauthors along with Kevin Williams. Many examples from the book include screen shots and examples from CyclingPeaks but the ideas they convey are explained in the text so no prior knowledge of CyclingPeaks is necessary. If you are contemplating buying a power meter, this chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

The starting point to train using a power meter is to determine your Functional Threshold Power (FTP). The book explains several alternative methods to do this. Once FTP is known, the authors present a system of seven defined training levels. The explanation of why seven levels are chosen, what the purpose of each is and power and heart rate ranges (where those are appropriate) for each level are given. The power ranges are expressed for each level as a percentage of FTP. For example, level 4 is the lactate threshold level with power range of 95-105% of FTP. The justification for selecting these seven levels (sometimes called "zones" in other books on training) is the clearest Ive ever read on the subject. The rationale for and benefits of training at each of the levels would be valuable information even to a cyclist who wasnt training with a power meter.

Many novel concepts are introduced in the book. The concept of "power profile" is one example. This involves measuring the maximum power that you can sustain for four selected time intervals - 5 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes and FTP. These are then converted to watts per kilogram. A table in the book (separate for men and women) allows you to see where you stand on a scale ranging from untrained to world class level. By determining your own profile and monitoring it over the course of time, you can see better your strengths and weaknesses as a cyclist.

There is simply too much novel material in the book to do it justice in a review of reasonable length. Just to mention, in the most cursory way, other novel concepts introduced and covered in detail the book are Normalized Power (NP), Intensity Factor (IF), Training Stress Score (TSS), "sweet spot" training and Quadrant Analysis. NP and IF are introduced to define TSS. TSS is proposed as a method to quantify and monitor the total training load that a cyclist carries.

Other chapters in the book tell how to develop a training plan based on power. Sample workouts and sample multi-week training blocks are given.

If youve gone to the trouble and expense of putting a power meter on your bike, you owe it to yourself to get this book and read it.

A Comprehensive Book on Cycling Training With Power - Finally!!

On: 2006-03-07

To understand where I am coming from: I am a licensed cycling coach and serious cyclist. Ive been using a bicycle power meter (PowerTap) for years, and training with an indoor power-based trainer for even longer. For full disclosure, I have also met both authors in-person, and I know one of the authors quite well.

I highly recommend this book for any serious cyclist. I gobbled it down once, and I am now on my second reading. I have learned quite a bit on the subject by reading the book, despite my prior experience and training.

I enjoyed and appreciated the book because:
(1) COMPREHENSIVE!! This is perhaps the books best feature--nothing seems to be missing. Every subject of which I am aware, as it relates to training with a power meter, is in there. Plus, I found information about which I was previously unaware. Joe Friel (renowned cycling coach and author) writes an introduction, and as he said, no other book even compares, at this time, in terms of content.
(2) AUTHORITATIVE. The authors are recognized in cycling circles as two of the most knowledgeable persons in the United States on using a power meter for cycling training. The authors combination of an experienced cycling coach and former professional cyclist (Allen) and an exercise physiologist / scientist (Coggan) is not available in any other cycling training book, to my knowledge.
(3) EASY TO USE. The chapters are organized logically and, on my second reading, it has been easy to go back to subjects that interest me more than others.
(4) NOT TOO COMPLEX. The authors touch every subject thoroughly and comprehensively, but do so in a way that is not too difficult to understand or grasp. Admittedly, I was already very familiar with the basic terminology of training with power prior to my first reading. Even so, it seems to me that someone with very little prior exposure to training with power would grasp, and benefit from, much of the content on first reading.

Despite my five star rating (which I give without hesitation), I felt that the book had a couple of distractions:
(1) The writing style is a bit choppy and sometimes lacks flow and sophistication. Occasionally, the style is a bit colloquial or informal. Then again, cycling coaches and scientists are not usually known for English professor type of writing, so the style was almost expected and happily tolerated.
(2) The authors sometimes toot their own horns a bit too much. Besides writing this book, the authors developed one of the first (and in my view, one of the best) third-party software programs used to analyze power meter computer files. In the book, at times, the authors did not hesitate to give full accolades for their own software product, while giving not so generous treatment of other products. The bottom line, however, is that their products probably deserve such high treatment. But, it was a bit of a distraction.

Overall, I felt that this type of book should have been published years ago. Now that it is here, I expect to refer to it again and again. Its one of those books that you can read several times and learn something new each time. But, I never seemed overwhelmed by it. I highly recommend this book for any serious cyclist.

A Comprehensive Book on Cycling Training With Power - Finally!!

On: 2006-03-06

To understand where I am coming from: I am a licensed cycling coach and serious cyclist. Ive been using a bicycle power meter (PowerTap) for years, and training with an indoor power-based trainer for even longer. For full disclosure, I have also met both authors in-person, and I know one of the authors quite well.

I highly recommend this book for any serious cyclist. I gobbled it down once, and I am now on my second reading. I have learned quite a bit on the subject by reading the book, despite my prior experience and training.

I enjoyed and appreciated the book because:
(1) COMPREHENSIVE!! This is perhaps the books best feature--nothing seems to be missing. Every subject of which I am aware, as it relates to training with a power meter, is in there. Plus, I found information about which I was previously unaware. Joe Friel (renowned cycling coach and author) writes an introduction, and as he said, no other book even compares, at this time, in terms of content.
(2) AUTHORITATIVE. The authors are recognized in cycling circles as two of the most knowledgeable persons in the United States on using a power meter for cycling training. The authors combination of an experienced cycling coach and former professional cyclist (Allen) and an exercise physiologist / scientist (Coggan) is not available in any other cycling training book, to my knowledge.
(3) EASY TO USE. The chapters are organized logically and, on my second reading, it has been easy to go back to subjects that interest me more than others.
(4) NOT TOO COMPLEX. The authors touch every subject thoroughly and comprehensively, but do so in a way that is not too difficult to understand or grasp. Admittedly, I was already very familiar with the basic terminology of training with power prior to my first reading. Even so, it seems to me that someone with very little prior exposure to training with power would grasp, and benefit from, much of the content on first reading.

Despite my five star rating (which I give without hesitation), I felt that the book had a couple of distractions:
(1) The writing style is a bit choppy and sometimes lacks flow and sophistication. Occasionally, the style is a bit colloquial or informal. Then again, cycling coaches and scientists are not usually known for English professor type of writing, so the style was almost expected and happily tolerated.
(2) The authors sometimes toot their own horns a bit too much. Besides writing this book, the authors developed one of the first (and in my view, one of the best) third-party software programs used to analyze power meter computer files. In the book, at times, the authors did not hesitate to give full accolades for their own software product, while giving not so generous treatment of other products. The bottom line, however, is that their products probably deserve such high treatment. But, it was a bit of a distraction.

Overall, I felt that this type of book should have been published years ago. Now that it is here, I expect to refer to it again and again. Its one of those books that you can read several times and learn something new each time. But, I never seemed overwhelmed by it. I highly recommend this book for any serious cyclist.