In this post, Erik Åkesson explains what critical power (CP) is, how to measure it, and how he has used CP to guide his own training. Simply put, CP is the highest work intensity (power output) at which the body can maintain a steady state and thus work for an extended period, typically 20-40 minutes. When testing CP, you also get a measure of your total anaerobic capacity (W’), that is, how much energy you can expend above CP.