Training Knowledge Base

Articles and guides to help you understand power-based cycling training and get the most from your workouts.

THE ENGINE
Training

How WattPlan Decides Your Plan

Which part of WattPlan writes your training, which part only talks about it, and what happens to your week when you miss two workouts in a row.

September 11, 2026
WEEK 1
Training

Your First Week With WattPlan

A day-by-day walk-through of setting up, riding, reading the chart and talking to the coach, plus what stays free and what Premium adds.

September 4, 2026
W'
Analytics

W' and W'bal: Your Anaerobic Battery, Explained

Critical power draws the line. W' is what you can spend above it. How the battery drains, refills, and why 20 watts over threshold can still finish you.

September 4, 2026
SENSORS
Training

Trainer, Power Meter, Heart Rate: What to Connect and Why

A practical guide to Bluetooth sensors for indoor riding on a phone: which device supplies which number, and how to keep them connected.

September 4, 2026
RACE WK
Racing

Race Week, Day by Day

The last seven days before a gran fondo or sportive, laid out one day at a time, with the science kept short.

September 4, 2026
TARGET
Analytics

Why Your Plan's Target Fitness Is Lower Than You Expected

Target Fitness is bounded by your hours, your ramp rate and the taper, and a modest number is usually the honest one.

September 4, 2026
MISSED
Training

Miss a Session and Your Week Should Still Make Sense

A single missed workout costs you almost nothing, so the job is to stop the week falling apart in the days after it.

September 4, 2026
VO2max
Training

FTP vs VO2max: How Trainable Are They, and Can Hard Work Beat Genetics?

VO2max is partly genetic, but FTP is highly trainable. Understand the science of what limits performance and how smart training narrows the gap.

February 24, 2026
METRICS
Analytics

Metric Explorer: 9 Metrics That Reveal Your Cycling Fitness

Understand every metric in the Metric Explorer — from Training Load and Efficiency Factor to MAP and estimated VO2max.

February 15, 2026
ROUTE
Racing

Route Optimisation: How AI Builds Your Perfect Race Plan

Upload a GPX file and get a segment-by-segment power plan that accounts for your fitness, durability, and the physics of the road.

February 13, 2026
DUR
Analytics

Durability Score: Predicting Your Power Over Long Rides

Your power-duration curve tells half the story. Durability Score predicts how your power fades at 3, 5, and 7 hours.

February 13, 2026
W'bal
Racing

The Science of Race Pacing: Physics, Power, and W' Balance

Optimal pacing isn't steady power. Learn how gradient, wind, and W' balance determine the fastest strategy.

February 13, 2026
INDOOR
Training

Indoor Cycling Training: The Complete Guide

Indoor training is transforming how cyclists build fitness. Learn setup tips, structured workouts, and how to get the most from every turbo session.

February 12, 2026
FTP+
Training

How to Increase Your FTP: A Practical Guide

Raising your FTP takes structured training, not just hard rides. Learn the proven methods and strategies that build threshold power.

February 12, 2026
HR
Training

Heart Rate Zones for Cycling: A Complete Guide

Heart rate training is accessible and effective. Learn the five heart rate zones and when to use heart rate versus power.

February 12, 2026
START
Training

Your First Cycling Training Plan: A Beginner's Guide

A structured training plan transforms random rides into real progress. Learn the right mix of volume, intensity, and recovery.

February 12, 2026
EF
Analytics

Efficiency Factor: Your Fitness Fingerprint

Efficiency Factor reveals how many watts you produce per heartbeat. Track and improve your aerobic efficiency.

February 11, 2026
Pw:Hr
Analytics

Cardiac Decoupling: The Aerobic Fitness Test Hidden in Every Ride

Cardiac decoupling measures heart rate drift during a ride. Under 5% means your aerobic engine is well-trained.

February 11, 2026
Z1-7
Training

Power Zones Explained: Z1-Z7 Guide

Master all seven cycling power zones from Active Recovery to Neuromuscular. Learn what each zone targets.

January 20, 2026
SS
Training

Sweet Spot Training: Maximum Gains

Sweet Spot delivers big fitness gains with manageable fatigue. Learn the science, workouts, and when to use it.

January 20, 2026
80/20
Training

Polarized vs Pyramidal Training

Compare polarized and pyramidal training models. Learn which intensity distribution works best for you.

January 20, 2026
BASE→BUILD
Training

Periodisation Basics for Cyclists

Structure your season for peak performance. Learn base, build, peak, and recovery phases.

January 20, 2026
LOAD
Analytics

Understanding Training Load

Training Load quantifies workout difficulty for smarter training decisions. Learn the formula and guidelines.

January 20, 2026
WP
Analytics

Weighted Power vs Average Power

Why Weighted Power matters more than average for variable rides. Understand the calculation and when to use each.

January 20, 2026
CURVE
Analytics

How to Read Your Power Curve

Your power curve reveals strengths and limiters. Learn to analyse power at different durations.

January 20, 2026
FUEL
Nutrition

Fueling for Long Endurance Rides

Proper nutrition prevents bonking. Learn carb timing, hydration, and fueling for 3+ hour efforts.

January 20, 2026
RACE
Nutrition

Race Day Nutrition Strategy

Optimise performance with proven race nutrition. Carb loading, pre-race meals, and during-race fueling.

January 20, 2026
RECOVER
Nutrition

Recovery Nutrition for Cyclists

Speed recovery with proper post-ride nutrition. Learn optimal timing, macros, and foods.

January 20, 2026
TAPER
Racing

Tapering for Your Goal Event

Arrive fresh and fast. Master taper timing, volume reduction, and intensity for peak performance.

January 20, 2026
SLEEP
Recovery

Sleep and Cycling Performance

Sleep is your secret weapon. Learn how rest impacts adaptation, recovery, and power output.

January 20, 2026
FTP
Training

What is FTP and How Do I Test It?

FTP is the cornerstone of power-based training. Learn what it means, why it matters, and how to test it accurately.

January 19, 2026
Z2
Training

The Complete Guide to Zone 2 Training

Zone 2 is the foundation of endurance performance. Discover why easy riding makes you faster and how to do it right.

January 19, 2026
FITNESS
Analytics

Understanding the Fitness Explorer

The Fitness Explorer is your training dashboard. Learn how to read Fitness, Fatigue, and Form to optimise your training.

January 19, 2026

Put it into practice

Reading about Load, Form and tapers is one thing. Riding a plan that adapts to your week is the other. The free tier is free for good.

Start your free plan Open the help centre