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What does NP mean in Zwift power?

Author

Emily Sparks

Published Jan 23, 2026

1: Normalized Power (NP)

Simplified, NP is your average power had you pedaled smoothly for a given effort. It's the effort your body “thought” it was doing. Variability Index (VI) is normalized power divided by average power.

What is NP normalized power?

Normalized Power (NP) is a power averaging method, measured in watts, used to compensate for changes in ride conditions for a more accurate depiction of power expenditure. Conventional power measurement is based on a steady resistance.

What does DQ mean on Zwift power?

15S Exceeded 15-second w/kg limit. DQ : Disqualified for other reason (see note, or contact organizers)

Should I use Normalised power or average power?

Measures such as normalised power allow athletes to better understand how hard a particular ride was. Average power does serve a purpose as it gives a general overview on the ride, but for those lumpy courses, you're better off using normalised power when trying to perceive “how hard” your effort was.

How do I read Zwift power results?

A: ZwiftPower looks at your power output in watts/kg, as well as your FTP. Your best three race results in the previous 90 days are used to assign your ZwiftPower racer category (e.g.: A+, A, B, C, D, or E). The category letter you're assigned in ZwiftPower is independent of the way Zwift HQ events use the letters.

26 related questions found

What is a good FTP?

The article claims that a typical fit cyclist might be able to crank out 250 to 300 watts as an average for a 20 minute FTP (functional threshold point) test, while the pros usually average 400 watts.

What is ABCD on Zwift?

A = 4.0 w/kg and above. B = 3.2-3.9 w/kg. C = 2.5-3.1 w/kg. D = 2.4 w/kg and below.

How is NP calculated?

It shows the amount of profit earned by an entity for each dollar of sales and is computed by dividing the net profit after tax by the net sales for the period concerned. Both the numbers needed to calculate this ratio can be taken from entity's income statement or profit and loss account.

What is a good TSS score?

Below 150 (low): Recovery for the ride will likely be finished by the next day. 150 to 300 (medium): You may have some leftover tiredness the next day, but it will likely be gone by the second day. 300 to 450 (high): You may experience some tiredness even after two days.

Is normalized power the same as FTP?

FTP is a measure of a steady power output you can sustain for an hour; that's very different from the kind of sprinting/coasting you find in crits. Normalized and FTP are probably in the same ballpark, but are in no way the same, and the difference between the two measurements--if you're like me--may be large.

What is sandbagging in Zwift?

An 'anti-sandbagging' feature, used in various amateur races in the past, involved riders being flagged if they exceeded the expected power of their category during a race, getting a green 'cone of shame' above their avatar before having their power reduced by the game to a number that fits with the category that they ...

What does UPG mean on ZwiftPower?

ZwiftPower Results

UPG/UPGRADE/WKG: rider has gone over category limits and must upgrade to the next category for the next race. HR: rider has been removed from results for failing to wear a heart rate monitor.

What is UPG ZwiftPower?

UPG. Official definition: your Zwiftpower category is calculated averaging the 20-minute best w/kg from your best three races within the last 90 days and multiplied by 95%.

How do you calculate FTP?

You can estimate FTP with your best recent 20-minute power value (either from a dedicated 20-minute test or a sufficiently hard 20-minute effort from a race or workout). Multiply that value by 95% to get your FTP. You can also estimate FTP from a recent best 45-60 minute power output.

What is FTP cycling?

FTP stands for Functional Threshold Power, which is defined as the highest average power you can sustain for approximately an hour, measured in watts.

What is WR power?

WR Power: Work reflected power, or your trip's normalized power rating. Work: Energy output from your trip, measured in kJ.

What is a good TSS score per week?

Base on actual CTL you can come up with a total TSS number per week if your CTL is around 40 we would recommend starting with around 300-350 TSS per week. Don't forget about periodization, you should be increasing your training load every week by about 3-7 TSS per day, which means 21-49 TSS per week.

How much is TSS an hour?

You earn 100 TSS for an all out, 100%, 60-minute workout. Of course most workouts are not completed at 100%, so most workouts will accumulate less than 100 TSS per hour. You can earn more than 100 TSS within a single workout (as long as it is longer than an hour), but never more than 100 TSS per hour.

How do you ride a 20 minute FTP test?

The protocol itself is actually quite simple: after a substantial warmup, start a lap on your head unit, and smash it for 20 minutes, as hard as you can. The average power recorded for the 20-minute test is multiplied by . 95 to estimate what your “hour of power” (or Threshold Power) would be.

How can I calculate normalized power?

Calculating Normalized Power

  1. Take the moving 30 second average of your power data. ...
  2. Take the moving 30 second averaged power data and raise each value to the 4th power (x^4). ...
  3. Find the average of the values from the previous step.
  4. Take the 4th root ( ∜x or x^¼) of the mean value found in the previous step.

How do you Normalise power?

Finding Normalized Power

  1. Calculate a rolling 30-second average power for the workout or specific section of data.
  2. Raise the resulting values to the fourth power.
  3. Determine the average of these values.
  4. Find the fourth root of the resulting average.

What is NP power Python?

The numpy power() is a mathematical function in Python used to get one array containing elements of the first array raised to the power element of the second array. The np. power() function takes two main arguments: 1) The array of base 2).

What is a good FTP on Zwift?

An average FTP (Functional Threshold Power) on Zwift varies between 210 and 270 Watts for males. For females, the average FTP varies between 150W and 200W. The bottom end of the spectrum accounts for beginner athletes while the top end accounts for experienced athletes.

What's a good FTP on Zwift?

Note: 20-minute power is a good proxy for FTP. Just reduce it by 5% to estimate your FTP – so a 300W average power would work out to a 300 x . 95 = 285W FTP.