PHYSIOLOGICAL TESTS
Generally it is customary to think that there is only the incremental test, or Conconi test; while to know the different qualities of a biker there are tests that should be investigated. Let's try to better investigate what are the most used tests, what are their peculiar characteristics and how to perform them.
CONCONI TEST
A few days ago we posted a video describing this test (look here). Let's start with the best known one, that is Albe 'il Conconi'. It is an easy test to perform even by those who do not have great training experience, it gives useful results and in my opinion it is the best test with which to start getting to know an endurance athlete. This is because it allows us to know its training frequencies, the displacement of the engine and by interpreting the signals of the body during its development, we can broadly understand the person's state of form. It is an incremental test, where a starting speed is set (in my case 20KM / h) and the biker is asked to increase the pace by 1 or 2 Km / h every minute. In this way the execution of the same is guided and set from the outside and the chances of making mistakes are very low
What it tells us: as already mentioned, there are various information that can be obtained from the analysis of this test, many of which can be interpreted during the course of the test. You can understand the general state of form, the type of training that the athlete has carried out up to that moment, some specific skills such as keeping out of range rather than general resistance. Alongside these general elements, the values for which it is generally made are identified, i.e. the heart rate in the threshold and the values expressed in watts or km / h of the same. Data that allow me to understand the athlete's displacement.
FTP (FUNCTIONAL THRESHOLT POWER)
This is a second test dedicated to endurance athletes. Its goal is to figure out what is the fastest speed a cyclist can maintain for an hour. In this case, several factors come into play, including the state of training, personal skills and mental attitude. It is a test that can be carried out with athletes with a minimum of experience or who have already carried out at least one Conconi test. This is because it becomes possible to give input about the rhythm to be set.
The development
It is a 20 'test at the end of which you will observe the average speed held, the watts and the heart rate. Thanks to the calculation of these fingers it will be possible to understand what the cruising speed will be for 1h. but to do this, you must first multiply the data regarding the average watts by 0.95, a value that has been calculated as reliable in order to have a correct value.
FLY 10 '
This test aims to verify the maximum strength that a cyclist can express, also giving two other parameters, such as the maximum pedaling frequency, the average watts, in how many seconds it reaches the peak and how is the performance decay. Thanks to the data provided by this simple test I have the opportunity to understand the athlete's qualities and above all where to work depending on the specialty in which he competes. It is clear that an enduro rider will have to have both an important peak and a good average value in the 10 '', an athlete who competes in the Marathon I expect lower values but with a delta between the maximum and lower average value, from a dher I seek a peak important, achieved very quickly, while in a modern xcr I think I can find an average of all these characteristics.
The development
I generally associate this test with Conconi's, which also acts as a 'general warm-up. At the end of the first test I leave a recovery of about 10 'in which the athlete returns to pre-test values, at this point I start with 3 10' 'sprints interspersed with 3' recovery. The muzzle must express the maximum possible power. At the end of each sprint we also analyze the data to see if the psychological element intervenes in stimulating the subject to always give something more. The best test is the one in which you can have overlapping values in all three sprints.
WINDGATE
It is also referred to as the 30-second test. Very useful for knowing the anaerobic capacity is a test that allows to have some useful data for the realization of a work plan. In fact, I can know the peak power and check how long it takes to reach it and thus have two first data, the first data expresses the maximum power I can develop, the second how long I reach it. Other data concern the maximum and average pedaling frequency, the average watts I maintain in the thirty seconds and the dynamics of the decrease in thrust. All elements that help me understand the anaerobic dynamics of my athlete. The fact of repeating this shot for at least three times helps me to understand the degree of organic recovery.
As you have seen, there are several tests that can help me create a framework to improve the type of training to recommend to an athlete. Among this, the Cononi test is also of significant importance for the amateur who likes to go out for pure fun, because it allows him to identify his optimal heart rates and to be able to use the cardio as a tachometer, useful to avoid seizing our motor.
