What WattAscent does

WattAscent is an indoor training app for cyclists. It controls your smart trainer, sets every workout from your FTP, and adjusts what comes next based on how your rides actually go.

How it works

• FTP: your Functional Threshold Power. Every workout's targets are a percentage of it. If you don't know it, your first ride is the Ramp Test.
• Levels: each training zone (endurance, tempo, sweet spot, threshold, VO2 max and more) has a level from 1 to 10. Finishing workouts raises them; missed workouts and time off ease them back. Workouts are labelled Easy, Achievable, Productive, Stretch or Breakthrough against your level.
• Training plans: tell WattAscent the event you're training for and the time you have each day, and it builds a plan in Base, Build and Specialty phases with a taper before the event.
• Adaptive FTP: every two weeks WattAscent checks your best efforts and finished workouts and suggests raising (or, with good reason, lowering) your FTP, so you don't have to test as often.
• Coach Watson: an in-ride coach with tips on form, breathing, pacing and cadence, a heads-up before each interval and a 3-2-1 countdown.
• Strava: connect it so outdoor rides and other activities count toward your training load, and so your WattAscent rides upload automatically.

Where to start

1. Check what you need (a smart trainer and the right browser).
2. Set up your profile.
3. Ride your first workout.