Basic wuestion:
Does XATA understand over time which kind of workout provides most adaptations on an individual level.
Seems some respond more to sweet spot, some more to threshold, others to VO2 workouts. Also after some time doing one kind of intervals, it might be good to do a different type of interval. Can Xert take that into account or is it working on a less individualized level?
Thanks in advance
Doesn’t it depend more on your goals and what type of events you are preparing for?
You’ll be riding a variety of workouts that focus on one portion of the power curve or another.
You’ll discover what works well for you and which Focus Power targets and workout types you like best. You are always free to experiment by selecting workouts using the Filter options.
You can also dislike workouts to push them down on suggested lists, but circle back later to try them again as your fitness evolves.
As far as individualizing workouts this video snippet demonstrates how Xert personalizes training by scaling workouts to your fitness signature.
Episode D3 - Mastering Xert - Discover - Fitness Signatures and Conclusion
There are other ways to accommodate your individual goals and preferences (such as SS vs Polarized) and how you well you respond to the recommended training.
What are your short and long term goals?
Since I am not racing and cycle most of the time just by myself I would say, that my ultimate goal is to bring my Z2 (of 7) up. When I ride through mountainous terrain here in Japan a better 20 min power would be nice.
Experimenting is one thing, but to derive the right conclusions is another thing.
I think I got the answer, which is no. Individualization on the rider profile, but not on deriving what works best for a rider.
Thanks!
Hi Daniel,
Great question! Xert doesn’t focus on workouts specifically but instead looks at your overall training history. What Xert really tracks are your breakthroughs and the training loads (Low, High, & Peak) at the time of your breakthroughs. This data helps the system understand how your body responds to different types of training strain, which includes any workout or activity you do. And remember, you don’t need to follow structured workouts to see improvements in fitness!
If you’re curious, you can check out your Training Responsiveness values in your Profile Settings. Forecast AI uses this information to guide you toward the most effective way of reaching your desired fitness signature.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions!
Same here. Although when I reach 4 stars status mid-summer I’ll try for PRs and a top listing by age group on some local climb segments.
(I got your PM so you know how I got started on Xert. If you haven’t seen my newbie onboarding topic click here.)
By experimenting I mean try out the various options between XFAI (Forecast AI) to XATA (Adaptive Training Advisor). You can switch back and forth to see what each does.
In your case I’d start with XATA in Continuous mode, select an Improvement Rate that will raise TL over time at a rate you can sustain, and set Focus Type to Climber or GC Specialist.
You’ll be suggested a variety of workouts around that focus point on HIT days when calculated form is blue/fresh (or green/v.fresh) and endurance level workouts when form is yellow/tired or rest/recovery if HIT pushes you into red/v.tired form or yellow/tired for several days.
When you’ve maxed your weekly hours, you can switch IR to Maintenance or Taper to take a week or two break then try another program such as change Focus Type or try an XFAI Goal.
As you make your daily selections consider liking workouts you prefer to do and dislike any you hate (for now). Since you are not competing there is no need to kill yourself with workouts you don’t like to do. 
The idea being to stay motivated and consistent in your training because you enjoy it. That’s my theory anyway. Some like the challenge of VO2max and straight blocks of SS. I avoid blocks of SS but understand why VO2max is a necessity for improvement. For those days I do best with Tabata-style efforts (30/15 sets or similar) or the hard start curvilinear intervals Xert offers that are designed to push you into VO2max territory then taper while you hold it there.
BTW Focus Type is Xert’s equivalent of training by zone – Choosing your Athlete Type – Xert
Hi Scott,
thanks for your reply. I understand that a breakthrough is the trigger point and then it correlates the shown performance with the training input. I would assume that this stresses the importance of trying frequent breakthroughs. In the past years I was avoiding intensity quite a lot and just tried to push when I went into the mountains. Can imagine that this is a challenge for the algo unless it is considering a longer time frame for the analysis. (Was avoiding intensity in training for several years.)
Hi RR,
thanks for sharing. Indeed I set it up just like you said before I even read your post. XATA in continuous mode with moderate -1 and GC Specialist.
Does it actually make sense to just keep continuous mode on for a longer time? In the past I was guiding my training according to the weekly TSS plan of The Training Bible, which came with a recovery week every 4 weeks. Does Xata do something similar or is the progression linear? I just finished 2nd base block, but decided now to trust XATA for the rest of the year.
Oh, and one more. Does XATA consider progressions, like sweet spot progressions in the long run?
It’s a good idea to rewatch this Academy series video which explains Improvement Rate and why to change it as you train (with any XATA option).
Traditional training plans are the crux of books like the Training Bible, but adaptive training is much more flexible. XATA’s recommended dosages of low and high/peak strain with a ramp rate under your control means there is no need to rely on fixed blocks but you can institute blocks if you want. I’ve abandoned that method at this point and haven’t thought about executing a 3/1 block in a long while.
With XATA if I’m feeling stretched, I’ll insert an easy week on my own. Or I may take two days off in a row when XATA indicates one should suffice.
XFAI plans OTOH display a distinct distribution of weekly hours like this –
You could call these variable blocks and indeed ramp rate varies week to week on an XFAI plan.
Periodization is built in similar to a traditional Base-Build-Peak-Taper progression.
Speaking of Base-Build-Peak you may want to consider that XATA option that instead of Continuous.
If you have built a Base already you could set a target date 75 days from now to put you at the start of Build phase. XATA’s Base-Build-Peak is essentially Continuous with a phased progression framework running in background to guide you along. Normally it would be 45 days of Base (all endurance level workouts), 45 days of Build, and 30 days in Peak phase with a self-administered Taper week (you’ll get a warning). You’re still able to choose what you do day-to-day and you control ramp rate.
Program Phases – Xert
I’ve used this method in past years completing two progressions in a season. For example, peak in April, take a break or taper for a few weeks of endurance only, then start another progression in Build phase.
Xert is hybrid polarized platform by default but you can include more sweet spot workouts if you’d like especially if you consider yourself time-crunched and have had good results with SS in the past.
Sweet Spot, Threshold and Polarized Training … By the Numbers – Xert
I hated the preponderance of SS in TR and haven’t looked back. While I occasionally pick a traditional SS block workout when they show up on suggested lists, I normally scroll past them and go with blue/aqua endurance (LTP-ish) or endurance workouts with intervals that pass through tempo/SS but don’t hang out there.
I’m not a fan of SS as a regimen to follow other than for weekend warriors with limited hours who want to jam on hard group rides. I.e. a singular focus on “getting faster” to race on weekends versus an emphasis on getting fitter.
My hammering days in a pack are over but I like to enjoy long rides with climbs.
I’m an easy/easy, hard/hard convert. YMMV
BTW once your signature is dialed in you can go for weeks/months without a BT and signature changes will track closely due to TL alone. It’s a still a good idea to try for a BT now and then. Doesn’t have to be a fitness test workout. You might attack a climb with repeated surges plus some occassional all-out sprint efforts to confirm PP (peak power). Or combine both by sprinting to failure as you reach the top of that climb.