How to do the Perfect 6-sec Test

The Wattbike 6-second test has been the go-to maximal power test for elite sports teams, gym users and military personnel for over a decade.

Why? Because it is exceptionally simple. Get on the Wattbike and pedal as hard as you can for 6 seconds.

It provides useful data demonstrating a user's explosive power, freshness and neuromuscular capabilities, all of which are used in elite sport and health and fitness to benchmark athletes and members. You can find out more on this here.

You can try this for yourself at a gym or at a trade show where we often run 6-sec test competitions!

Read on to find out how to nail this short but maximal effort!

The concept is exceptionally simply. However, executing a 6-sec test properly is an entirely different proposition.

Let's go through the key steps to getting the most out of yourself during the 6-sec test.

Wattbike Set-Up

If in doubt, keep this simple.

Raise the saddle to hip height, and raise the handlebar so it is marginally lower than the top of the saddle.

Move the saddle fore/aft so that your knee is directly above the centre of the pedal when the pedals are horziontal.

For your handlebar, a rough guide would be to move fore/aft so your arms are at 90 degrees to your chest.

Top tip - to leverage more power during a 6-sec test, try moving the handlebar lower down, and further forward. This will allow you to have easier access to the drop handlebars, helping you put down bigger power when sprinting.

Resistance Setting

Next up, you need to decide what 'gear' you want to put the bike in before starting your effort.

We help you out here. When selecting the 6-sec test, you will be prompted to enter you gender and  bodyweight. This helps us recommend a resistance setting on the turbine and the magnet.

You do not have to adhere to this suggestion!

Some users may prefer using a lower resistance level which will allow them to pedal faster. This is common amongst BMX riders and track cyclists who are used to pedalling at a high RPM.

Others may prefer a higher resistance level. This reduces cadence, but allows a user to apply more force through the pedal stroke. This technique is often utilised by power athletes (e.g. power lifters or rugby forwards) who rely more on raw strength to generate power.

Advice - play around with this. Try a few different settings and see what works best for you.

Perfect your Sprint

For maximal power production you want to be out of the saddle. This allows you to leverage your bodyweight more so than if you are seated.

Firstly, ensure you are in the drop handlebars. This will allow you to grip firmly whilst sprinting (see above image for optimal hand position).

Try pulling yourself in towards the bars to assist in leveraging your bodyweight. Focus on keeping your weight pulled to the front of the bike to help with this.

If you prefer to sprint seated, still try and keep hold of the drops, and drop your head further forward to  help with weight distribution.

Interested in bringing maximal power testing into your facility? Reach out to us here.