Fitness
W′ Anaerobic Capacity
W′ is the limited anaerobic reserve above critical power—your extra burst before collapse. Training specific hard repeats can expand usable W′.
W′ (W-prime) is the finite anaerobic work capacity above critical power—the extra burst you can spend before pace collapses, measured in kilojoules or seconds-equivalent. Cyclists and runners use W′ with critical power to pace surges, intervals, and finales without blowing up early.
It retrains with specific hard repeats, not only easy volume.
Common questions
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How is W′ different from VO₂ max?
VO₂ max reflects aerobic ceiling; W′ is the short extra work you can do above sustainable critical power. Both matter for race tactics and interval design.
Related terms
Put W′ Anaerobic Capacity into practice
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