Hi, Im not sure Im using this correctly. I was using TrainerRoad which adjusted my work outs depending on the current load.
I try and do an hour on indoor bike per day sometimes 1:30 Mon Sat. So been set Xert to give me a workout each day. Yet I always seem to be under the training load or under training.
Have I missed something.
Im not really understanding of training hence using Xert to do so for me. My goal is to be improving my cycling strength and power for my rides with friends on a sunday or if doing a sportive
First, you’ll want to confirm your Fitness Signature since your last detected BT (breakthrough) was a year ago.
Easiest way to do that is ride this workout entirely in Slope mode on your trainer.
Exceed target watts if able.
Stand up and smash the pedals during the two short sprints.
Ride the final interval to a complete failure point (max effort) however long it takes.
That should validate your signature. Were any changes warranted?
XATA Continuous is a focused progression under your control associated with a Focus Duration (Climber/10-min power), Improvement Rate (Moderate-1), and recommended workouts based on your Training Status (stars count) and calculated form (tired/red to fresh/blue).
For now, I suggest you disable Automatically Schedule under Planner Settings.
Also set Availability to default settings if currently defined (reset = Available, Use Advisor, Flex).
Ride the daily routine you want to establish for the next two weeks.
Use Filter to select workouts at the duration you prefer that day. Plus, whatever the weekend group ride entails.
XATA will recognize the Training Load (TL) pattern you’ve established and make recommendations moving forward.
Keep the Training Pacer needle within the 11am-1pm position to maintain the ramp rate you’ve set.
The daily deficit/surplus value is relative to Noon (neutral) and does not carry over from one week to the next. No need to clear a deficit each day.
If consistently dipping towards red, lower the ramp rate.
If you need to take a break at any time you can change IR (Improvement Rate) to Maintenance or Taper. Scale back hours or take extra rest days until ready to resume a progression.
Next enable Automatically Schedule if you’d like. That randomly selects from top recommended list entries each day. You can always change your mind and select an alternate if you don’t like the selection. Or ride less or more as your schedule permits.
XATA will adapt to whatever you decide to do.
Hello, is it possible to use XATA also for event/race preparation? I understand that XATA contains the BBP program, so just select it and let it guide you? How does the program then recognize what event I am preparing for?
Select the FD (Focus Duration) for the event and set the TED (target event date) along with a starting ramp rate which you may vary along the way.
Example 120-day Base-Build-Peak (BBP) progression –
Select GC Specialist for a good all-around target Focus or determine the FD for the event you are preparing for. You can do that by viewing FD for the past event or a similar activity on file or look up the recommended Focus under XFAI Event options by type.
Begin a full 120-day progression in mid-December for your first event in mid-April.
That will give you a fully phased and periodized plan running in background with a blank calendar.
45 days Base (mostly endurance) then 45 days Build (begine increasing HIT) then 30 days Peak (most amount of HIT zeroing in on your target FD).
You’ll see a Taper warning the last week reminding you to scale back to ensure you arrive fresh for the event.
BBP defaults to a date 120 days from now with the “plan” starting the next day.
4 months is plenty of time to work through the phases. If the event is further out there is no need to start a progression yet. I think this point is missed by those who generate an XFAI plan when their event is 6-10+ months away. This likely results in a dip in TL since that’s too far into the future to worry about at the moment. May as well float in XATA Continuous or set an interim XFAI Goal.
Most riders who’ve trained in the past can literally rise off the couch 4 months out from an event and be properly trained in time.
If it’s mid-season and you’ve already established a base, you can use BBP to jump into Build or Peak phase depending on your current fitness level.
For example, if the event is 90 days away setting that as the TED (target event date) will start you near the end of Base phase.
The advantage to XATA BBP is you gain extra flexibility of the blank calendar approach – the original Xert platform design – that is preferred by many of us who were weaned on it.
I really like the freedom-to-ride aspect (structured or unstructured) while still being guided to peak fitness by a target date.
As in the example above I’ll start my “springtime” progression in mid-December each year with no particular event in mind. My goal is to be fit by sometime in April when I’ll ride mostly outdoors. At that point I may set up a short term XFAI goal or run an event forecast. Or float in Continuous for a few months then jump into a BBP program to peak sometime in Sept or Oct. YMMV
Thanks for the answer, I’m actually wondering how XATA should know how long an event I’m preparing for, if that plays a role. For example, in XFAI I enter the event length or in Race I select a similar ride, but XATA doesn’t have any of this information, except for the selected FD, so I’d be interested in what I can determine for it, for example, I want to prepare for a 100km hilly ride.
XATA doesn’t know the event duration but the TL level you reach by the TED is controlled by the Improvement Rate you set.
When you select a ramp rate, TL deltas are displayed for Total XSS along with the low/high/peak split, plus a predicted change in signature.
You want the highest possible gains during the term.
For example, say you are currently at 2.5 status stars with 45 days until the event.
Based on your availability during the term, what increase in TL can you expect to reach at Slow, Moderate 1, and up?
For example, can you reach 3+ stars (75-110 TL) from your 2 stars (50-75) level?
As you raise IR, XATA will predict whether the rate is sustainable for the term. That doesn’t mean you can’t select an unsustainable rate. Unnsustainable means you’ll likely need to step the progression along the way. I.e. perform blocks of training to raise TL.
For example, 45 days is 6+ weeks to work with. You might start with two weeks at Aggressive-1, ease up for a week at Maintenance, then change to Moderate-1, etc. keeping in mind you’ll taper during the last week.
Or you could select Slow or Moderate-1 as a sustainable rate for the full term.
As long there’s a bump in TL along the way you’re good to go.
What if you’re at 3.5 stars already and your schedule is maxed?
Ideally you want an increase in volume but with IR set to Maintenance you’ll still benefit from periodized intensity and focus on a BBP program.
3.5 is also considered a “Competitive” TL level. You are likely fit for an event as is.
You can still home in on your target FD during the remaining Build/Peak weeks.
