Onboarding steps for Xert trial users and newbies

General
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Hopefully this intro with links to more content isn’t TL;DR. Remember, baby steps. :slight_smile:

I guarantee if you spend some time reviewing the information provided below, you will quickly learn what’s needed to successfully run Xert. For some that may mean 110% of what they prefer to know, but I’m someone who likes to RTM. :nerd_face:
Yes, there is a learning curve to Xert, but this is the Cliffs Notes version with tips to streamline the process.

Note: Not all features are available in the 30-day trial. See Feature Comparison Chart.

Recent updates to Xert include a revised and improved calendar interface for the Planner.
The Forecast AI Beta component is only available to subscribers who wish to test and provide feedback for an upcoming new feature.
Trial users can gain access to the Beta by starting a monthly subscription ($9.99).
Keep in mind the Beta is in flux and subject to change without notice.
My suggestion is to first learn how Xert works using XATA to plan your training as that is the guiding force in Xert. Forecast AI Beta is not required to use the updated Fitness Planner to personalize your training or initiate a phased progression.
If you decide to participate in the Beta program you can flip back and forth between standard XATA functions and Forecast AI Beta. XATA guides your day-to-day choices without any need to populate the calendar although you may decide to plan a week ahead when you have specific workouts or rides in mind. Forecast AI is a future-forward tool to populate the Planner with a flexible plan that adapts as you complete it. Both approaches support goal and event-based planning.

To begin training with Xert you first need to establish a starting Fitness Signature.

  • Option A: Load up to three months of your cycling data (power, HR, cadence) by syncing from Garmin Connect or Strava (Ride, Virtual Ride, Workout).
    This ensures Xert can analyze your past activities to establish a Fitness Signature.

  • Option B: Enter two to three known best-effort times and watts into the Power Curve Calculator to estimate a starting signature.

  • Option C: Manually seed your starting fitness signature with a ballpark (F)TP and max sprint number (PP). HIE can be estimated from this chart.

With Option B or C you’ll next need to feed Xert data by riding for at least two weeks so Xert gets to know you (how often you ride, type of workouts/rides, training load status). Once you reach one-star status, you’ll have sufficient data for XATA to operate as designed. Until then just ride your bike as you discover how Xert works.

Learning Xert is best done on a browser with a PC/laptop/tablet. Xert is a dual device platform by design. A mobile workout app (EBC for Android or iOS) connects to the XO web server desktop site. While you could run Xert entirely on a phone using the app and mobile browser, there are restrictions to mobile views. To reap the full benefits of the platform you want to spend some portion of your time on a big screen browser. Dual device means running workouts on your phone while viewing the Remote Player or Session Player on a big screen. Both players support solo workouts. The Session Player adds group session capabilities and more.

You should first learn about new terms in Xert and how Xert differs from other platforms. Examples: TP versus FTP, XSS versus TSS (TL vs CTL), Focus Duration versus training zones, Specificity, and Xert’s three level strain model. Plus the all-important MPA and Breakthrough method to validate your signature changes over time.

Academy series videos are the quickest way to get up to speed – Discover + Improve + Perform
FAQs & Glossary – Support Home – Xert
Lots of newbie tips posted here – Beginner questions

Beginner’s Guide: Getting Started With Xert – Xert (baronbiosys.com)
Training Right For Your Event – Xert (baronbiosys.com)

Got more onboarding questions? Ask them here or use forum search :mag: to locate topics of interest.
Need technical support to resolve an issue? Start a ticket by emailing support@xertonline.com. You’ll receive a confirmation email when received. Check your spam box if you don’t see one.

Welcome aboard. :biking_man: :mountain_biking_man: :mountain_biking_woman:

P.S.: If you’d like to know a little about me, a fellow user and older cyclist who got Xertified, take a look at my 120 day experiment with Xert. After a couple kick-the-tire trial attempts I made a commitment to learn the system and the results speak for themselves. No “masters” plan required. :wink:

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3 months is usually sufficient to establish a starting signature if activities include some BT (breakthrough) events. If no BTs are detected you can select one of the “fitness test” workouts from the library which are much easier than a traditional RAMP or 20-minute test. Click here for the 30-minute version.
Ride the workout in Slope mode (gears/cadence) and exceed targets and durations if able. On any long interval designed to drive you to a failure point, right before you are about to fail, spin up (stand if you want) and generate a max effort for 5-7secs or more.

The Progression chart (XPMC) can be set to display from 2 Weeks to Forever using the dropdown box at top of the page. You can also highlight a start/end date range on the chart and zoom in.

XPMCdropdown

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How To #1 – Starting your first workout session on Xert.

Requirements:

  • XO (xertonline.com ) running in a browser on PC/laptop/tablet
  • Xert EBC app installed on your phone; iOS or Android

Prep:

  • Sync historical data on XO to establish a starting fitness signature or use the Power Curve calculator with known data points.*
  • Configure XATA parameters under Program. You can change these settings at any time.

Step 1. On the Training tab of XO (or today’s date on the Planner) review XATA guidelines to select one of the recommended workouts. This can be any workout from the top list of four or Load More or change Duration or use Filter to generate a new list. Suitiability is indicated for each entry along with an XSS ratio (low/high/peak strain).

To select a workout from the Training tab use Play Now which switches to the Session Player waiting for you to start your selected workout on the phone app. If you select a Session with a YT video, the video will restart from the beginning when you start the workout on your phone.

To select a workout on the Planner, use Add (blank calendar) or Choose Training (FAI plan), scroll through the list, select one, set Start time at top, then Save your selection in lower right. This adds the workout/activity to the Planner with the defined Start time.

Training page = select workout to perform right now or schedule one tomorrow or following day.
Planner = add or choose and schedule a workout/activity for today or any date in the future.

When you select a workout on XO that workout will be displayed at top of the workout list when you start the EBC phone app. If the phone app is already running when you make a selection on XO, swipe down on the home page of the app to resync with XO.

TIPS:

  • If you select a workout on the Planner, EBC won’t recognize that workout as your selection unless you run EBC within 30 minutes of the Start time.
  • If you use the Schedule button for a Session (instead of Play Now or Save as your selection on the Planner) EBC will only allow you to Warm-up prior to scheduled Start time.
  • You can add an activity in the past that wasn’t synced to Xert by adding it to the Planner with a Start date/time in the past.

Step 2. Start the selected workout on the EBC phone app once sensors are paired.
EBC will display the workout and begin the warm-up interval. You control the workout with your phone with options to pause, skip, change modes or intensity, and switch between page views.

Step 3. View a big screen version of the workout on XO using the Session Player or switch to the Remote Player if you prefer a traditional blue block chart. The Session Player is an enhanced player with many more features for both solo and group sessions.

Step 4. When finished, end the workout and Save.
On Android swipe up to return to prior page then Save.
On iOS tap pause button then Save.
This uploads the completed activity from the phone app to XO for analysis.

Your fitness signature in Xert will be calculated automatically after every activity. A traditional FTP test is not required. The key to signature validation is maximal efforts under fatigue whether you perform them frequently as a competitor or occasionally as a recreational rider. See Breaking Through the Xert Way for the types of efforts that generate BTs. You don’t need to achieve a BT for your signature to be adjusted.

TIP: You can track your signature changes over time by viewing Activities, Table and sort by date descending. To chart your progress, view the XPMC chart.

*On a 30-day trial you are limited to 90 days of historical data which should include enough data points to establish a TP close to your FTP (if known). It is not unusual if they don’t match since TP is derived differently than FTP although the values serve a similar purpose.

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I would recommend that Admin Lock and Pin this thread to the top of the forum (at least for a while). @ridgerider2 is the peoples champion.

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Pinned. So helpful @ridgerider2

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Definitely a good pointer to go and explore in the help info the difference between FTP (my definition of this is maxmimum 20 min effort after removing any anaerobic caapbiity with a super hard 5 mins), and Xert’s definition of threshold power.

For me, whatever method i use, i justwant tp understand it, and then just use one :slight_smile: