Hello, I would like to ask how to work with XATA plans.
I have set up XATA Base/Build/Peak plans, and through Training I selected an endurance workout (using the Play Now button) and started my Garmin Edge. After a while, the workout was fetched and the magic bucket was prepared. However, when I started the Garmin Edge and began riding in Zwift, after a while the workout changed to a different one — originally the recommended GC workout. Why is this? Does this mean that with XATA I cannot select any other workout than the recommended one if I want it to properly sync with Garmin Edge?
Also, I am confused because if I select a workout in the Planner by pressing the Add Activity button, it immediately marks the workout as completed, even though I haven’t started it yet.
How does the Planner work when I finish a workout? In XATA, are completed workouts not visually highlighted, for example with a green circle?
Thank you in advance for the clarification. I admit I am struggling with this platform as it behaves differently than I expected.
Colored circles are an XFAI function that compares pre-scheduled low/high/peak XSS to completed XSS. XATA does not use colored circles. With XATA there are clear circles that when tapped show XSS breakdown and a Scheduled or Completed title. A scheduled entry also shows a Planned tag below the circle.
With XATA there is no need to add workouts to the Planner unless you want to schedule a workout a day or more in advance. Otherwise, the calendar is left blank and when ready to train today you select an entry from the recommended list with Play Now. Or you can use Search box, Duration or Filter to generate an alternate list to select from.
If you happen to add a workout with a Start Time in the past, you are manually entering a completed activity. The Start Time defaults to when you normally train on that day of the week. For example, if today is Monday and I normally train ~8:30am, if I add a workout to the Planner at 1pm and neglect to change the Start Time from 8:30 my saved entry is treated as a completed activity.
However, as mentioned above there’s no need to do this. When ready to train today use Play Now.
Add {+} on the Planner is useful if you wish to assign a particular workout/activity to a future date.
Before addressing your other questions, let us know how you want to use Zwift.
Do you want to perform a selected workout on Zwift under ERG control on your trainer?
Or free ride following XMB guidelines on your Garmin while you cruise around in 3D world?
The latter does not require any workout to be selected or synced to Zwift.
Hey, thanks a lot for the explanation! I’m currently testing XATA — I used to play around with XFAI before — and sometimes I get stuck on technical stuff or certain settings. I wanted to use Zwift just for a free ride with XMB. The thing is, I’m not sure how to set up a different XMB than the one recommended for the day, for example if I just want to do a low-intensity ride. In XATA I had a recommended workout for the day with L/H/P values, but in the Training tab I picked a different one — Pure Endurance, say 90/0/0 — and after a while XMB still showed me values based on my Recommended XSS.
To free ride on Zwift I’ll pair Zwift to power only on my trainer while my Garmin connects by ANT+.
XMB on Garmin will fetch the Recommended XSS on the Training page unless I select a workout with Play Now in which case XMB will fetch the XSS from that workout.
For example, if top-level advice is 90|0|0 (all endurance) and I select a workout that is 75|0|0 instead.
You need to make that choice BEFORE you start the recording on your Garmin and the fetch occurs.
However, there isn’t a dire need to select a workout during Base phase (all endurance) unless you intend to ride that workout under ERG control (AUTO) using EBC.
XMB on the Garmin in Endurance mode will display a watt target mid-way between 75-100% LTP as a reference. IOW a Z2 level effort. You can ride as much or as little as you want at that pace. Stay within 75-100% LTP and the Zone data field will indicate the % time you are spending within that range.
If 90 Low XSS is the goal for the day I might ride for around an hour and a half to get there or cut it short at 78 pts if I don’t have the time.
Since I’m free riding I can drone along at a steady pace the entire time or switch up gears/cadence and stand up or surge now and then just like outdoors.
In Base phase I can also substitute a HIT workout on occasion. I’ll over-ride the recommended advice and use Filter to select a workout with a Focus Duration with some high/peak points. XMB will fetch that target and display the Intervals UI.
