Ok, so this morning I did the Half Monty Fitness Test as I wanted to have fresh numbers going into the new year. I feel that give been riding relatively strong (for my numbers) and recovering well and I had a positive attitude going into it. The Ramp Test went really well, pushing myself until I could feel that I wasn’t going to be able to hold the power at my personally set cadence of 90rpm. After stopping and not pedaling for 15+ seconds per the instructions, I skipped to the recovery section prior to the Constrained HR 20’ interval and kept ERG engaged so that I would be forced to ride easy prior to the 20’ interval. With just a couple of minutes of recovery to go, I got off of the bike to empty the bladder before starting the 20’ effort. When I got back on the bike and started pedaling, the power briefly shot up a bit while ERG re-engaged then when I stopped and switched to level mode per the instructions and started pedaling, the power briefly shot up again. I paced the 20’ interval very well, staying just over of the prescribed HR range and staying within the prescribed power range. I felt really good about this whole test and, based on how I felt about the test, I was anxiously excited to see my results. My MAP is up 7w (believable) and my FTP is up 18w (Knowing my body, I find that hard to believe) BUT unfortunately my report is telling me that my FTP results are skewed because I went to hard during the recovery sections. WHAT? I could this if my power had been way up for and extended period of time as mentioned above but it wasn’t.
To be honest, I am a little disappointed in this as I feel that I did very well during both “testing” phases. Anyway, since they use “Science” to calculate the results, can anyone here tell me, “Scientifically” or not, just how far off my FTP results may be? I’m sure there was some wattage improvement in my FTP but I truly find it hard to believe that it went up 18w. If science is used to calculate the results based on a “perfect” Half Monty test then surely there is science to calculate just how far off ones Half Monty FTP results may be based on an “imperfect” test, as SYSTM it is telling me that I did. I just find it wrong that my FTP result is skewed because of two very brief power jumps that were out of my control during the recovery set prior to 20’ effort that was, as far as I’m concerned, paced to perfection.
Hey Sir Eric, first things first. Happy New Year and congrats on starting out strong.
Second things second, I’ve got no sciency answer for you and very much doubt (but would be pleasantly surprised) if you get an “official” one as there’s next to no coaches that weigh in any more and Sir Mac seems to have been tied up in the data science flogging stations so much that he’s not popped in here in quite some time.
Thirds…I’ve had a couple of similar one-off bad HMs where something seemingly insignificant has some how triggered a warning about accuracy so I feel your pain/frustration.
My advice, from a non-coach, non-sport scientist, rank amateur middle of the pack rider who’s on the downhill side of Mt Sufferlandria, is to take your new numbers in stride and don’t give it too much credence. I don’t mean ignore them completely, but to just use them in your next few rides and see if they feel about right from an RPE standpoint and make minor adjustments accordingly.
I notice you said you stayed just above the HR target during the constrained portion but within the power target. There is only a power “guideline” during the constrained section. The HR target range here is the critical one. If it were me, next time, I’d do the opposite and make every effort possible to stick within the HR target there. I think that might just be the most important in the behind the scenes calculations.
Finally, maybe give yourself 3-4 days of a mix of recovery and not overly taxing rides then test again.
What @Glen.Coutts said, plus my two cents, which is to not really even bother with the Half Monty when there’s the Full Frontal! I think it far better to have a more comprehensive view of you as a rider which this test captures far better.
I second what Sir @Glen.Coutts said. The only instructions for the constrained section is to keep your HR within the prescribed range. The power target provided is only a guideline. So you need to follow the HR range rather than the power target.
So if you stayed above the prescribed HR range then that would be the likely cause.
The error given by the app is somewhat unhelpful because it’s general and gives you multiple reasons. But staying above the prescribed HR zone given would definitely be described as “going too hard in the HR section.”
I’d take the warning to mean that (they think) the results could be too low (given that they think (wrongly) that you may have ridden the recoveries too hard). Were your previous numbers based on FF ? You may find quite big swings in the numbers between an FF and HM test depending on your strengths and weaknesses eg if the 20 minute sustained section on FF is a relative weakness.
Awesome advice, I just realised I had created an account myself some time ago for Intervals.icu and thought I would go check it out. Fantastic data analysis. I’d forgot all about that.
