What FTP is and how WattAscent adjusts it

FTP (Functional Threshold Power) is roughly the highest power you can hold for about an hour. WattAscent sets every workout target as a percentage of it, so a correct FTP is what makes workouts feel right.

The two-week FTP check

Every two weeks WattAscent looks at:

• your best efforts from the last six weeks, from WattAscent tests and from Strava rides with power, and
• whether you've been finishing hard indoor workouts.

It then suggests a new FTP, and you choose whether to accept it.

• Raises are capped at 6% per check, so one great day doesn't overshoot.
• Lowering needs real evidence of lost fitness, such as two failed workouts or more than 14 days off, because outdoor bests often aren't all-out efforts.

You can still ride an FTP test any time from the FTP tab. See Which FTP test to ride.