When it comes to training and coaching, Functional Threshold Power (FTP) has been the buzz phrase in cycling for years. However, The Sufferfest claims to have usurped its prominence with a new training platform called Four-Dimensional Power (4DP).
Developed in partnership with APEX Coaching and Consulting, 4DP represents a fundamental shift in the way athletes train indoors. Instead of relying on the single metric of Functional Threshold Power (FTP) to set power targets, 4DP uses FTP in conjunction with an athlete’s Neuromuscular Power (NM), Maximal Aerobic Power (MAP) and Anaerobic Capacity (AC). Every interval is optimized by The Sufferfest app to match an athlete’s unique profile, ensuring they get the precise training stimulus necessary to maximize fitness gains.
4DP uses an advanced fitness test called Full Frontal to assess how an athlete produces power across four key metrics of varying duration and intensity. The results are analyzed to create a complete 4DP profile, determine which of six rider types best describes an athlete’s strengths—Sprinter, Attacker, Pursuiter, Time Triallist, Climber, or Rouleur— and identify specific areas for improvement. The app also provides individualised workout recommendations to help athletes develop their strengths and improve those areas where they may not be as strong.
“Working with elite athletes at APEX Coaching and the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, I saw that FTP had limited value when it came to designing effective workouts and training plans,” said Neal Henderson, CEO of APEX Coaching. “FTP only measures sustained aerobic ability and is a poor predictor of how an athlete produces power above threshold. It doesn’t tell you how well someone can sprint, deliver repeated attacks, tackle punchy climbs or launch a solo breakaway. Two athletes can share the same FTP but have very different capabilities at higher intensities. Training apps that set power targets based on simple percentages of FTP make assumptions about what an athlete is capable of, resulting in targets that are either too high or too low to be effective. 4DP changes everything. It allows The Sufferfest app to tailor workouts to an individual athlete, mapping every interval to their appropriate metric so they work at the exact intensity necessary to get faster, without wasting a single pedal stroke.”
“Cyclists are more than just their FTP,” said David McQuillen, CEO of The Sufferfest. “With the launch of 4DP, every athlete can see exactly where they excel and what they need to focus on to become a more complete cyclist. This kind of personalised training was previously only available to those with their own elite coach. Now, anyone with an internet connection and a subscription to The Sufferfest app can take advantage of the same approach used to win numerous Tour de France stages, World Championships, and Olympic medals. No other training app knows you like The Sufferfest knows you.”
The launch of 4DP follows the recent release by The Sufferfest of a 10-week Mental Training Program, designed to help athletes build their mental toughness. 4DP adds groundbreaking, individually-optimized training to the extensive library of structured workouts, training plans, and Yoga for Cyclists program already available in the app, further cementing The Sufferfest as the only training platform that addresses the needs of the complete cyclist: bike, body, and mind.
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