Power is a combination of force and velocity. By increasing one of these physical characteristics (strength or speed) while keeping the other constant, you will see an increase in power output. Is it possible to increase both strength and speed at the same time? Absolutely.

While we typically want to bring up your area of deficiency in order to drive increased power output, it makes sense to continue working on both strength and speed throughout the week. At certain times of year (depending on your competitive schedule, lifestyle, or personal training preferences), we may simply place more emphasis on one of these qualities than the other.

How do you identify your areas of aptitude and deficiency when it comes to power output? It’s simple: test yourself in a short duration sprint using each a heavy resistance and a light resistance and compare your power outputs. The sprint with the higher output is your area of aptitude, and the sprint with the lower power output is your area of deficiency. If you do not have access to a power meter, you can do this outside or on a stationary bike with a standard computer. Simply sprint as hard as you can for a set duration (10 seconds is a good baseline testing duration) – using the same path and starting point if performing this test outside – and compare the distances you cover during each sprint. The resistance setting with higher distance coverage is your aptitude.

Once you’ve determined whether you’re “strong” or “fast,” you can prioritize the physical characteristic you want to work on. For most cyclists, we’ll typically trend training 2/3 toward your area of deficiency, and 1/3 toward your area of aptitude.

Why is increasing your peak power output important? Every output duration has a trickle-down effect. If you increase your peak power output, you will be able to produce more power over 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, or even 60+ minutes with the proper capacity development process.

Here’s how to perform this Peak Power Profiling testing process:

Choose one resistance which allows you to reach 130-150 rpm in a full sprint. Perform 2-4 of these 10-second sprints and monitor your average power output or distance coverage. Rest for at least three minutes between efforts by spinning very lightly. Note: If you have a hard time holding 130+ rpm for 10 seconds under control, it is obvious that “speed” (high-cadence power production) is your weakness.

Then, choose a resistance which only allows you to reach 100-120 rpm in a full sprint. Perform the same 2-4x 10-second sprints with full recovery between each and monitor your average power output or distance coverage. Compare the results of these efforts to your “high cadence” tests.