I notice that the Xert Workouts are updated quite often and sometimes the changes are significant enough to cause me to fail a recommended workout if I don’t notice the change and do the old workout instead. This applies to Zwift workout files (ZWO files) that I download the sync to use via Apple TV.
It would be nice if in the online Workout area there were a column or filter for some sort of timestamp denoting when the file was last updated by Xert. I suppose it would be even better if the Workout could be starred or something to indicate it has changed since my last use of Xert, but I can imagine this would be more difficult to implement, at least in the near term.
Do you have an example?
Updates to workouts are typically related to compliance. IE, tweaks to improve the workout to meet Xert standards.
If the workout includes SMART intervals (most do) then the interval targets (work and rest) are scaled to your fitness signature at the time of export.
A ZWO workout exported two months ago does not contain the same targets as today’s export assuming your signature has changed between now and then.
This is especially true following a BT or periods of detraining.
Zwift doesn’t support SMART workouts and I thought all the ZWO exports from Xert were based simply on percentage of whatever the FTP setting was (the only thing you can set in Zwift).
There are many different types of SMART intervals that can be defined for both work and rest intervals. Examples: XSSR, MMP, LTP, curvilinear, dynamic (variable), Target MPA %Reserve, mode change, etc.
Whenever you open a SMART workout in Workout Designer the snapshot displays auto-calculated intensity and duration targets based on your current signature.
When you select export to ZWO those snapshot values are converted to simple %FTP blocks – as best as practical.
It’s best practice to use a Xert App (Android, iOS or Garmin) to control the trainer when doing indoor workouts. You can still ride in Zwift by letting Zwift read the current power output.
I’m pretty sure I tried that before and didn’t like it. My phone is too small to see the Xert app data and I really didn’t care for the display at all. I also tried using some sort of overlay thing with RGT Cycling app once but must not have liked that either since I didn’t use it again. I prefer the simplicity and legibility of the Xert workouts in Zwift.
I haven’t tried the Xert app in a while though so maybe something has changed. It would be really nice if Zwift supported SMART workouts! Has Xert ever pushed to try to make that happen?
A lot to digest here, thanks! I’ll need to start comparing the files more often to see to what extent the ZWO file changes. I’ll also have to download the ZWO file from Zwift and upload it via the PC to the Cloud every time now to be sure I’m doing the intended workout on Apple TV. Definitely not convenient and error prone as sometimes there are large delays in the Cloud. I could try getting in the habit of doing this further in advance but sometimes the Recommended workout changes over the course of the day too. Grrr…
if you find the phone legibility not good have you tried the workout player or session player? They simply mirror the phone app data but on your computer screen. In either case the items on the player can be moved around your screen and dragged off of the actual app so that you get a smaller item that you can over lay on another app like Zwift for instance. There are others here who are far ore expert than I am but I know this can work so that you do the smart intervals workout but see the power play out on something like zwift at the same time.
Good suggestion but unfortunately this isn’t an option for Apple TV/Zwift users.
When you run Zwift on an Apple TV that is all you can watch. Apple TV doesn’t support browser windows.
A possible workaround would be mirroring Windows to Apple TV using a 3rd party tool, but I am sure that hack has downsides such as poor resolution or frame rate, plus you’d need a Windows PC/laptop.
Those of us who live in Windows world with an Android phone have more options with Xert.
Xert just needs to port the iOS app to tvOS so it runs natively on ATV already. It’s not like this would take more than a few days worth of work. Apple makes this stuff extremely easy and 100 times faster and more reliable than any Windows PC setup.
Having a Windows PC for cycling workouts is one of my worst nightmares. I’d be tripping over all the cables all the time and it would look ridiculous - what a mess. ATV is a tiny box you can stick to the wall with double-sided tape. You then use your phone as a remote. I can be on the trainer pedaling in literally 15 seconds with Zwift and a podcast running and doing my Xert workout. The podcast audio is mixed with Zwift environment sounds all sent to my Airpods via bluetooth. A Windows setup is like a mad scientist laboratory requiring endless tinkering.
