Evening folks, been using zwift for riding and bit of training for couple of years and now trying to step it up with a decent plan.
Recently did the zwift ramp test after 6 week builder plan and ftp about 260.
When I signed up for systm I only entered age etc so how does it set my base numbers? Ftp is 197 so pressume it’s pure estimate?
Got 4dp test tomorrow and don’t want to set ftp too low or does it not matter?
Used to ramp test which has the advantage of not having to pace actual ftp 
Welcome to the forum.
I think this is correct. Have fun tomorrow with the 4dp.
Hi @JakeU and welcome.
Your FTP setting won’t matter for for the Full Frontal (4DP test) as the four tests (5sec, 1min, 5min & 20min) are all done in level mode and it’s just a case of trying to hold you max power for each test. Pacing is key for the 5min & 20min efforts and can be difficult to judge the first couple of times.
If you were doing the Half Monty as your first test (SYSTM’s ramp test) then you may need to adjust your numbers before attempting. The ramp is done in erg mode and if your initial settings are too low then you may complete the ramp portion - whereas the idea is to reach the point of failure.
You could change your FTP value in the settings to your Zwift value, which would give more realist targets, but ride FF in level mode and to RPE. There’s a few articles on pacing the efforts in Full Frontal.
Correct, anything that is not from either the Half Monty or the Full Frontal test is an estimate.
As @Dafydd said, if you’re doing the Full Frontal test, this is all done in level mode, so the 4DP power numbers in SYSTM don’t matter. If you are doing the Half Monty test, then I agree that you should increase your 4DP numbers (scale them all up by ~30%) to bring your FTP inline with your result from Zwift, and increase the others proportionally.
Thanks for the replies folks🤙
Manually adjusted all up to zwift 250 so I had a target wattage for all 4 segments.
And then went for it 
Guess I need to work on my MAP, although I could maybe have gone a bit harder but first time testing so couldn’t help but hold back slightly as apprehensive of full 20min test only ever having done ramp tests before 
Well done on the test - solid numbers. Although, as you say, it does look like you may have held back a bit on the 5min effort.
I suspect that the 115% minimum that you have been given may still be a bit low and it could be worth trying a few MAP focused workouts such as revolver, 14 vice grips or a very dark place to see how you find them (or even completing a 3 week MAP building block from the plans)
If you find them a bit easy you could schedule a Half Monty, as this will also update your FTP and MAP, and is less reliant on pacing.
What was your identified weakness? That is what you need to work on. If it was or is MAP, then you should redo the test in about two weeks to allow full recovery. If you desire, do the FF plan where Half Monty, which is a ramp test you should be very familiar with, on day three and then FF on day 7.
2 weeks into a 3 week MAP builder plan and did the infamous 9 hammers last night, it was easy.
Well it wasn’t easy but not as hard as ‘should’ have been, still hit 175bpm on 9th hammer after the hard ‘recovery’ but everyone talks about it like I should be halucinating!
Are my 4dp numbers used a bit off? want to get the best out of this plan so don’t want to be sandbagging
Hey @JakeU ,
A few options:
Cheers,
Spencer
