FTP: The Firehouse Field Test for Endurance and Power
By Eric Haskins, CSCS, TSAC-F
Head Coach, Firehouse Strength & Conditioning
Reviewed October 4, 2026
What this test tells you
A 20-minute power test gives you a repeatable measure of sustained output on a particular machine. Multiplying average watts by 0.95 provides a cycling-derived estimate commonly called Functional Threshold Power (FTP). It is a starting point for training, not a direct measurement of blood lactate, oxygen uptake, SCBA air consumption, or fitness for duty.
For firefighters, the useful question is practical: can you produce more steady work on the same equipment, with comparable conditions and good execution? Pair that information with strength, task practice, recovery, and the demands of your assignment.
Testing FTP in the firehouse
The 0.95 multiplier means 95% of the recorded power. It does not mean the test is “95% accurate.” Borszcz and colleagues studied trained cyclists and found enough individual variation that 20-minute and 60-minute estimates should not be treated as interchangeable for each athlete.
20-minute field-test procedure
Choose a machine that reports average watts. Record the model and settings.
Warm up for 10–15 minutes, increasing effort gradually. This is the FHS&C practical warm-up, not a claim to reproduce every published cycling protocol.
Complete a hard, evenly paced 20-minute effort. Record average watts for the entire test.
Cool down for 5–10 minutes at an easy effort.
Multiply average watts by 0.95 for the estimate. For example, 250 W × 0.95 = 237.5 W, rounded to 238 W.
Use the FTP calculator and method notes to work through your result. Keep this test separate from the six-minute AirBike protocol.
Keep results specific to the machine
The calculator applies the same multiplier to the RowErg, SkiErg, BikeErg, AirBike, and other devices reporting watts. That is an adaptation for coaching; the cycling evidence does not validate the same correction on every machine. Do not compare watts directly across brands or transfer one machine’s targets to another.
What improvement means
A higher repeat-test result demonstrates improved performance under those test conditions. It does not, by itself, prove longer air time, better decisions under stress, reduced injury risk, or improved operational performance. Assess those outcomes separately.
Training zones: a starting framework
These example power ranges organize training intensity. They do not map individual fireground tasks to physiological zones or guarantee a specific heart-rate response. The calculator uses a simplified five-zone display; the overview below separates higher-intensity work into additional categories.
| Training emphasis | Example % of estimated power | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery | Up to 55% | Easy movement; keep the session restorative. |
| Endurance | 56–75% | Sustained, controlled work; adjust by breathing and effort. |
| Tempo | 76–90% | Moderately hard sustained work with appropriate recovery. |
| Threshold-oriented | 91–105% | Hard steady efforts or intervals; monitor repeatability. |
| High-intensity aerobic | 106–120% | Shorter hard intervals; response varies by duration and recovery. |
| Higher-power intervals | Above 120% | Brief hard efforts; an FTP percentage alone does not prescribe sprint work. |
Ranges are rounded coaching categories adapted from common cycling power-zone practice. They are not laboratory thresholds or firefighter readiness standards. The underlying estimate and the machine both affect the usefulness of each target.
Use the estimate to guide training
The following are coaching examples, not validated firefighter prescriptions. Start with a workload you can execute well, account for your training history and recovery, and adjust the target when the session response does not match its purpose.
Build an aerobic base
Example: 40–60 minutes near 65% of the estimated power on the same machine. Shorten the session or reduce power if you cannot maintain a comfortable, controlled effort. See the aerobic-base training resource for another structured approach.
Develop sustained hard work
Example: 4 × 8 minutes near 100–105% of the estimate, with 2 minutes easy between efforts. This is a demanding starting example. Adjust power or volume to preserve consistent output rather than forcing a percentage when performance collapses.
Separate heart rate from power
A percentage of estimated FTP does not automatically equal a percentage of maximum heart rate. The calculator currently uses average heart rate from minutes 3–20 as a coaching reference. That is not a measured lactate threshold and does not match Joe Friel’s published field-test procedures. Read the calculator’s method notes before using its heart-rate zones.
Track what matters
Record machine model, settings, warm-up, average watts, and relevant fatigue or recovery context.
Retest under comparable conditions. An isolated result may reflect pacing, familiarity, equipment differences, or readiness that day.
Use session completion, perceived effort, and recovery alongside the number.
Assess job skills and operational performance separately. This tool does not provide medical clearance or a fit-for-duty decision.
Put the result into a program
Testing provides information. Consistent training gives that information a purpose. Explore the Firehouse Strength & Conditioning training program for the full offer, or contact Eric about your training context.
Capacity > Demand.
Sources and evidence boundaries
Borszcz FK, Tramontin AF, Bossi AH, Carminatti LJ, Costa VP. Functional Threshold Power in Cyclists: Validity of the Concept and Physiological Responses. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2018;39(10):737–742. doi:10.1055/s-0044-101546. This cycling study supports caution about individual interchangeability; it does not validate firefighter job-performance outcomes.
TrainingPeaks: How to Calculate Threshold Values for Power, Heart Rate, or Pace. Practical explanation of threshold estimates.
Joe Friel: Determining your LTHR. April 28, 2011. Describes a 30-minute field test using the final 20 minutes of heart rate.
Joe Friel: A Quick Guide to Setting Zones. Revised September 2025. Distinguishes field estimates from lactate measurement and updates the heart-rate method.
The machine adaptations and workout examples on this page are FHS&C coaching applications. They should not be presented as findings from these sources.