That Zac Clark, he sure is somethin’. Heard folks talkin’ ’bout his FTP. Now, I ain’t too sure what all them fancy letters mean, but it’s got somethin’ to do with that bike ridin’, I reckon. They say this FTP thing is ’bout how strong you are on that there bicycle.

If you strong, you can pedal real good, like a mule pullin’ a plow. If you weak, well, you ain’t gonna be goin’ nowhere fast. So, this Zac Clark FTP, it’s like a number that tells you how good a fella is on that bike.
What this FTP thing is
Some young folks was sayin’ it stands for “Functional Threshold Power”. Sounds like a mouthful, don’t it? Like somethin’ them fancy doctors would say. But from what I gather, it’s ’bout how much power you can put out on that bike without gettin’ too tuckered out. Like how long you can churn butter before your arms give out.
They say this Zac Clark, he’s got a real high FTP. Means he can ride that bike like the wind, I suppose. He must be strong as an ox to have a number like that.
- High FTP means you strong like bull.
- Low FTP means you need more grits.
- Zac Clark’s FTP is up there, they say.
Now, I heard some other fellas talkin’ ’bout how they got a low FTP. One fella, he said his was only 140. Said he was 36 years old, ’bout 180 pounds. Bless his heart, he sounded real down ’bout it. Said he felt like a weaklin’.
Gettin’ that FTP Number Up
Well, if you ask me, ain’t nothin’ wrong with a little hard work. If that fella wants to get his FTP up, he just needs to ride that bike more. Like trainin’ a horse, you gotta work at it every day. They say you gotta do these things called “intervals” – that’s like plantin’ then weeding, plantin’ then weeding. I guess you ride the bike for a while, you rest for a while.

They got all these fancy numbers, like watts per kilogram. That’s like measurin’ how much corn you get per acre. The more the better, I reckon. And you gotta watch your heart rate, like takin’ a chicken’s temperature. Too high, you’re gonna burn out. Too low, you ain’t doin’ enough.
Why You Care ‘Bout Zac Clark’s FTP?
Now, you might be askin’, why should I care ’bout this Zac Clark FTP? Well, I’ll tell ya. It’s like knowin’ how many eggs your hen lays. If she’s layin’ lots of eggs, she’s a good hen. If she ain’t layin’ many, well, maybe she needs a different feed.
This FTP thing, it’s a way to see how you’re doin’ on that bike. If you want to ride faster, or longer, you gotta get that number up. It’s like plantin’ a garden, you gotta tend to it if you want a good harvest. Ride a little longer some days, ride a little harder other days. The young people also talked about volume vs. intensity. I think it is about how long you ride your bike and how hard you push the pedal.
And this Zac Clark, he’s like a prize-winnin’ bull. He’s got a high FTP, so he’s the one to watch. If you wanna be a good bike rider, you gotta learn from the best, ain’t that right?
Keepin’ at It
They say that once you ride that bike for a spell, this FTP thing, it kinda levels out. Like a field that’s been plowed and planted, it’s gonna produce ’bout the same each year. But if you want to get more out of it, you gotta keep workin’. Maybe add some fertilizer, or try a new crop.

Same with that bike ridin’. You gotta keep at it, try new things, push yourself a little harder. Maybe you won’t ever be like that Zac Clark, with his fancy high FTP. But you can be better than you was yesterday. And that’s all that matters, ain’t it? Just keep pedalin’, keep tryin’, and you’ll get there. That is what I say, keep working!
This FTP for Zac Clark, well it is a high number for sure. But I think anyone can get better if they put their mind to it. Don’t matter if you’re young or old, big or small. Just gotta have the grit and the gumption to keep goin’.
So, if you’re thinkin’ ’bout this FTP thing, don’t get too caught up in the numbers. Just get on that bike and ride. And who knows, maybe one day you’ll be like that Zac Clark, ridin’ like the wind with an FTP that’s higher than a kite. Or maybe you won’t. But you’ll be stronger and healthier, and that’s somethin’ to be proud of, ain’t it? It sure is. You just need to keep on trying, and that is all that matters. Well, I think that is all I know about this thing, so I will just stop talking now.