I’ve been using Xert for a while now, mostly in Continuous Improvement mode (no specific Target Event Date). My availability and improvement rate are set realistically so everything stays achievable. I’m wondering if it’s a good idea to periodically change the Athlete Type / Focus every 3–4 weeks (e.g. Sprint Time-Trialist → Climber → GC Specialist etc.) to get more variety, or is it better to keep the same focus for longer to see clear progress? When I leave it the same, Xert keeps recommending very similar workouts, which is great for tracking improvement in one area, but I sometimes feel I’m neglecting other parts of my fitness. I’ve also got the Polarization Level set at 3:1 — do most people leave it at the default 4:1 or do they adjust it in Continuous mode? How do most users handle this? Do you rotate the focus, stick with one type, or is it simply better to set a real goal / Target Event Date instead to get the best bang for buck? Thanks in advance!
Hi @MaartenV !
Yes, the good & bad thing about continuous improvement is that it’s highly specific to whatever it’s set to. I can imagine that some variation in your training throughout the season might be beneficial, just to keep training fresh. The good news is that this setting can be changed at any time!
I suppose there are 3 ways you could do this:
- Continue using Continuous Improvement and manually change your Athlete Type/Focus after 4-8 week “blocks” to vary your training
- Switch to a “Base-Build-Peak” program, which progressively changes your training focus as you near your target date. (Note: you can still use this even if you don’t have a specific “event” to prepare for).
- Experiment with Forecast AI (GOAL) and try setting a goal to improve your 4-8 min power. I find that I generally get more variety in training with XFAI since the L/H/P targets are set individually each day, rather than using the same general distribution each day, which is basically what Continuous Improvement does. In practice, this means that you’ll see different Focus/Specificity assigned on High Intensity days.
Here’s an example of the final couple weeks of my current program (XFAI Goal focused on improving my 5 min power). Notice that the specificity (mixed/pure) and focus of the high intensity trainings does vary a bit:
FWIW, I use a 3:1 polarization ratio. But I’m finding that as my High TL increases that I’m often doing back to back high intensity days on occasion, which is needed to maintain progressive overload. I’d rather have back to back days of ~12-15 High XSS rather than 1 day of like 30+ High XSS. Your experience might vary.
Cheers!
Thank you for the detailed and helpful explanation! Really appreciate it. For now, I’ve decided to stick with Continuous Improvement and work in 6-week blocks, manually changing my Athlete Type/Focus at the end of each block to keep things varied and fresh. I will also definitely check out Xert Forecast AI (Goal), sounds like a great way to get more variety in the high-intensity days. Thanks again for taking the time to reply and for the useful suggestions.