MSPO test

There is a protocol in Dave Morris' book for estimating your Maximum Sustainable Power Output.



Performed on Tacx Flow trainer, with rear tire at 8 bar and calibration set to 0



MSPO Protocol:

--------------

-Start at easy wattage

-Up by 20W every 3 mins

-Until you reach what you think you could maintain for 1hr

-Sustain for 3 more minutes

-Record HR

-Ride for 3 more minutes

-Record HR at end of Min 4, min 5 and min 6



If you HR at Min 6 is more than 8bpm than it was a min 3 then you have probably over shot MSPO.



Try again at lower watt setting.



So I stared at 150W, and then upped it every 3 mins by 20watts.



Around 270 watts, I still felt like I could sustain it for a while. It was sweet. That zone, of where it hurts, but it isn't like you are about to faint and fall over.



I couldn't believe that my HR was around 189-190bpm.



And I pulled out a pen/paper from my jersey pocket every min and recorded the HR



Min 3: 189

Min 4 193

Min 5: 192

Min 6: 192



ave (190)



Watts: 270



After the 6th minute I upped the watts to 290 and it was like hitting a brick wall. didn't even have time for the HR to go up I just couldn't turn the pedals.



I dropped to 280 watts but the damage was done and I couldn't spin up my legs to hold that before cadence just bogged.



I am speculating that 250-260 W is more appropriate for a one hour effort. And that I was just pretty fit and jazzed for that 270 watt.



From years and years ago doing amateur conconi tests and from HR data from races, I could rides in teh high 180s for a while so maybe I am not too far off.



We will see when I try it again in a few weeks.