Improve 1min Power

Ride L6 intervals in the 30 second to minute and a half range if improving 1 minute power is important to your goals.

FWIW, most road riders rate fairly low on the one minute power column as the top end is set by track specialists like folks specializing in the kilometer time trial. And many road riders don't do a lot of full out one minute efforts in training so you typically won't see a high number in that column unless you set aside a day to specifically test for it.

Don't expect to set really high one minute efforts during most races (unless you race the kilo) as you'd better be crossing the finish line as you complete your minute or you should expect to get dropped immediately afterwards as a full out one minute effort is extremely intense and leaves most folks trashed for at least a few minutes.

IMO, high one minute power numbers isn't a limiter for most road racers so before you start doing a lot of L6 work you really should assess whether that's the best place to spend your training time and energies. Some L6 work is definitely useful, but I wouldn't dedicate a lot of time to that simply in hopes of raising my one minute power number on the profiling chart.

-Dave

Don't feel too bad - you're not the only one. I have the sub 1 minute power of a snail... and the 5 second power of the lad who delivers papers on his bike - after he falls off and is laying on the ground.

Currently (w/kg) with weight at 176lb - with added comments.

5 sec - 11.2 (untrained)
1 min - 6.3 (missing the break in a Cat 5 race)
5 min - 4.9 (doing good in Cat 3 or suffering like a pig Cat 2)
1 hour - 4.35 (Cat 2)

And your starter for 10.

What does Swampy need to work on? 😄

swampy1970 said:

I have the sub 1 minute power of a snail... and the 5 second power of the lad who delivers papers on his bike - after he falls off and is laying on the ground.

LOL, I have the opposite problem. I have the 1 min on the cusp of cat 1/domestic pro but we won't talk about the FT ...

Ted B said:

LOL, I have the opposite problem. I have the 1 min on the cusp of cat 1/domestic pro but we won't talk about the FT ...

Same story here. If only somebody dragged me to 1 km from the finish line fresh...😄

Btw for OP, unless you have read the other numerous threads about this subject, Dave already mentions but cannot be emphasized too much that the usual reason for a lousy 1 min power number is the lack of dedicated testing.

Typical number I see in my group rides for 1 min is ~550w but I can put out over 800w which gives you the picture of the difference between dedicated test and a road race/ride. That is just so horrifyingly gruel thing to do that I don't want to do it many times a year.

But how to do it: find about 1 km long climb, not necessarily too steep though. One which limits your speed but where you can still ride without wrestling with your bike.
Sprint all out and sit down once the cadence is not controllable out of the saddle anymore (that should be anywhere between 10-20s). Spin furiously. Concentrate on spinning faster and faster with rage. Around 40s you will be absolutely spent. If you are on an adequate uphill (or switch gear but that is going to cost you some time and concentration, uphill is better) you can stand up and try to get the last bits out of your legs which isn't much though. Prepare to see stars and vomit 😄

I think the numbers for 1 min in power profiling are from Kilo riders so uphill and standing up is a bit of "cheating" but on the other hand if you do not train specifically for Kilos you cannot get all out of yourself on flat like they do.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but do the "kg" numbers in that chart refer to just the rider, or rider + bike?

frzamilan said:

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but do the "kg" numbers in that chart refer to just the rider, or rider + bike?

Just the rider.