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Where Cyclists and Triathletes get Faster/Stronger/Leaner/Sooner

Bike Fit With AthletiCamps’ Bruce Hendler

A Good Bike Fit is MORE Important Than a Good Bike!

Bruce Hendler Athleticamps Retul Professional Bike Fitter.
Bruce Hendler is the owner of Athleticamps, a Bike Fitting and Cycling Coaching Service located in Folsom, California.

Most of you know how much I believe in a good bike fit. When I ran my studios in North Texas, I actively recruited Craig Fulk of Dynamic Bike Fit, to place a small studio in my East Dallas location. Later, when he opened his own retail space, I referred people to him, and still do.

 
 

We can add Bruce Hendler’s AthletiCamp location in Folsom, California, to this list. He’s that good.

A “Bike Fit First Philosophy”

A good Bike Fit starts with Baseline readings.
When making changes to a bike, it’s important to know what the baseline readings are, for both the bike and the cyclist. Here, Bruce is using the Retul ‘Zinn Wand’ to accurately measure every position on the bike, so that finite adjustments can be made to ensure the best possible fit.

Walking into Bruce’s location, it immediately felt like a Home away from Home. Bike Fitters of this level of professionalism are a truly rare breed. The Clinic had a small lounge area, a Therapy table, a Garmin Display (OH I LIKE THAT!!) and a space for measuring feet for custom footbeds. Just past that is a Retül Müve Fit Bike with a highly precise and technical SRM Scientific Crank mounted on it. The main stage includes what I’ll call a Müve ‘Lazy Susan’, where you place your bike, on a trainer, and it can then be rotated on an axis so that cameras and Infra-Red Lasers can measure more than just one side of a cyclist’s position on the bike. In the corner is Bruce’s desk and Command Center, with over 4 dozen different saddles, each with its’ own width, pitch, and padding depth/hardness.

Finally, on the far wall, there’s a Gas-Exchange Analyzer, which is used to perform Graded Exercise Tests.

Basically, for me, it’s a Nerd’s Paradise. Bruce and I speak the same language.

“Fit First Philosophy” means what it says; you want a cyclist to be the Commander of their Craft. It doesn’t matter what color it is or what parts are on it. If the bike performs under the cyclist’s control as an extension of their senses, then this is Zen in Motion. We all love expensive bikes. But it’s the rider that makes them move. Hence, LOCOMOTION.

Bruce – The Fitter

A good bike fit requires a gentle and comprehensive approach to sensitive areas of the body
A good bike fit requires a gentle and comprehensive approach to sensitive areas of the body. Note the leveled laser and reader next to the workbench. This is a critical element of the Retul assessment technology.

Conversation with Bruce is easy. He’s incredibly knowledgeable about fit, about how Humans need to be a part of the machine that is a bicycle. A good fit is about comfort, control, cornering, and confidence. I believe it is more challenging to achieve a good bike fit on a Mountain Bike, but Bruce absolutely delivered. We spoke about hand pressure, foot numbness, the ‘Simian’ Grip that good shoes and inserts can mitigate and absolve. Bruce had me perform some fundamental, basic, balance and plyometrics (I SUCK at this stuff), and then assess my torso and legs for any imbalances or length discrepancies. We spoke about my on-and-off sciatica, stretches that can help relieve this, and good old basic postural observations. All this time, we were discussing common friends, equipment, the state of cycling, and more.

Bruce is a coach, as well as a fitter, with decades of experience. Good Fits lead to better physiology. They compel people to ride more. I honestly believe that we would have more cyclists, riding bikes for more reasons, more often, if they were given the quality bike fit of the type that Bruce provides.

A Bike Fit for a Mountain Bike

Custom Shoe Inserts that come from a solid Foot Pressure Analysis make a Bike Fit even more comfortable.
This was a new approach to footbed technology and application that I found fascinating. I have had insole assessments done in past fits, and I’m very satisfied with them, but this was the first time that I watched the process in realtime, and the footbeds were both molded and inserted within minutes instead of over the course of an hour. The results were immediate; more power in the ball of the foot, and a less ‘hinky’ movement along the left side of my body, as I’d been compensating for my collarbone imbalance for decades.

 

My abbreviated history with mountain bikes is as such: I had an epiphany on a mountain in Scotland in May of 1992. It was literally a ‘Bolt from God’ moment, and in that moment, I decided to pursue life as a cyclist and cycling coach. Six months later, I moved to Bozeman, Montana, hired a coach, became a coach, and ran a Mountain Bike Development team. I left mountain biking in 2000 when I ran a Velodrome development program, and did not really return until about 2012, when I married my wife, Tracy. We rode for recreational purposes, and in 2019, when given the opportunity, we moved to Reno, Nevada, to a house on the side of a mountain that is teeming with mountain bike trails.

For three years, I rode a 2012 Trek Superfly 100 that was a size too small, and had ‘East Coast’ Geometry. I literally rode it into the ground, with over 400 hours a year on the frame. In 2022, I purchased an Intense Sniper T Pro, size LARGE, and placed 165mm cranks on the bike.

But something was ‘off’. The bike was slower. My hands were continually going numb. This affected me on climbs, singletrack, and descents. It was awful. I tried different bar widths, different grips, even old-school bar ends, to no avail.

Then, as you know well, we moved…. twice. Then it rained for 3 months straight. I literally have not been on my mountain bike more than once since October. It was time for a fit, so I can actually ENJOY THE RIDE.

The Bike Fit Process

Getting a proper bike fit is truly an hours-long affair. My fits are intentionally thorough; they usually take 3-6 hours. I bring water and snacks, just in case. Unless I’m taking photos, I almost always put away my phone.

Bruce takes a Holistic approach. He uses the Retül sensors, which are placed on both sides of my body, and then runs the software for the initial assessment. He had me remove my shoes and socks, and then step on an instrument that measures my pronation and supination on my feet. After a brief discussion, we both agreed, based on the information provided, to measure and install footbeds in my shoes. Once back on the bike, the effect WAS IMMEDIATE. The pedal stroke felt different, and my lower half was already in better alignment for propulsion and control. Bruce then moved my cleats around, based on the Retül information provided, and we ran another test. BOOM. More power, more control. He then slid the seat forward, shrinking my wrist-elbow-hip angle. YES! Again, even more power, more control, more comfort.

But the biggest issue for bike fit on this bike was the numbness in my hands; a palsy that was affecting everything. It’s mostly in the left palm, and I believe it is left over from a collarbone that broke and was allowed to set without surgery in 2005. It’s about 2cm shorter than normal.

We ran tests. Then We talked and reviewed each change. We altered grip angle, used the seatpost adjuster, played with the cleats on my venerable SPD’s. We tested each change for 2-5 minutes at a time. Sometimes a change requires a backup or reversal. Not in this case. That’s testament to Bruce’s insight and experience.

Bike Fit Athleticamps Before and After
Here’s a GIF that I made of my ‘Before’ Fit, and ‘After’ Fit with Bruce at Athleticamps. The initial position was my own self-fit. Honestly, until VERY recently, I was unimpressed with the bike fit services that were available in Reno. Now that I’m in Sacramento, Bruce provides the Professional Touch, with years of experience and a meld of technology and an eye for sense. The first image shows how ‘upright’ I was. The second shows my ‘forward’ and ‘down’ position, which eliminated my one major issue; palsy in my left hand.

The One big Move that made the most difference was when Bruce removed the stem cap and LOWERED my stem height by 10 millimeters. He then added resistance…. and EVERYTHING BEGAN TO FLOW. The Bike Fit was working! My angles began to resemble the position on my road bike, ever so slightly. Pedal stroke evened out, my back became flatter, and power delivery rose. But most of all, MY HANDS DID NOT GO NUMB.

We rode like this, at about 225 watts, for almost 30 minutes. Bruce queried me about every two or three minutes, all the while, checking my posture on the Retül Motion Capture System. Finally, he asked if I’d had enough, and I agreed.

He’d solved one of the most crippling, vexxing, handicapping problems for me on my new mountain bike. After almost a year…. I was now, COMFORTABLE.

Real World Testing

Here, I need to be honest. It took several weeks for me to get out to a trail that was worthy of the bike and the fit. I’m new to Sacramento and Auburn, and the lower altitude has me feeling different types of dirt and traction always require about 20 hours of tuning for air pressure, shockwiz, and what I call “Whipadilling”, which is a sort-of ‘6th Sense’ that comes from understanding how to read a trail, pick a line, shift, brake, raise or lower your seat, etc. I had not ridden the mountain bike since October, and finding time, as well as agreeable weather, after the fit, took some work.

I got one good ride in about two weeks after the fit, maybe 90 minutes, and all I can say is, “WOW!” No hand pain. Because of the position being slightly lower and more forward, my visibility was a bit more limited, but that was not why I was tenuous on the trail. The bike felt like an extension of my body. It felt more grounded. I could steer from my hips and obliques. THIS gave me time to look up further, decide on a line, and then take it. It was not adequate time to commit to all the nuances of modern XC mountain bike suspension tuning, but that’s another discussion for another blog post. Mainly, NO HAND PAIN. ELBOWS were relaxed and ‘Piano’. There was no numbness.

I’m going to try to get out to Tahoe soon and tackle climbing the Flume Trail later in the Summer, and I’ll learn more about the fit at that point. But for now, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

I cannot WAIT to ride the mountain bike again.

CONCLUSION

Athleticamps Bike Fit Report pdf
Some bike fitters are loathe to provide the information that is collected; they’d rather have the cyclist return regularly, and they want to control the process like a Director of a film. Bruce provided me with all of the information regarding my fit in a nice, tidy email and two PDF’s; one for the footbeds, and one for the bike fit itself. Very Impressive.

Someone once said that the bicycle really was not ‘invented’, instead it ‘evolved’ with the onset of Humans and the Industrial Age. We’ve watched bicycles change from Velopeds to Big Wheels to Safety Bikes. Specialization has occurred, with the onset of Uprights, Road Bikes, Hybrids, Mountain Bikes, Cyclo-Cross, Gravel, Track and Time Trials. ALL of them need a bike fit. I’d even argue that cycling would be MORE prevalent if we had started with bike fits from the beginning!

I’ll be revisiting Bruce in the future, as I continue to ride the mountain bike and my road bikes. My body will change. My needs will change. The equipment may change. Take a ‘Fit First’ Philosophy and get a Bike Fit. THEN, honestly, pay someone like Bruce to help you find the best bike for your needs, dependent upon the BIKE FIT. Hence, ‘Fit First’. You’re not going to look down at your bike when you’re riding it. Color doesn’t matter. FIT, COMFORT and PERFORMANCE stemming from this comfort will yield MILES of SMILES for HOURS and YEARS to come.

Thanks for reading, and ENJOY THE RIDE!

Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential – A Native Feature Gauging Fatigue

Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential May Just Be the Enlightenment Tool for Cyclists and Triathletes!

Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential Cover Graphic
Garmin Stamina is a new, Native feature that shows, in realtime as well as in post-ride analysis, how much you’ve got “Left in the Tank”, as well as the POTENTIAL for what’s “Left in the tank”! Let’s learn some more.

With the release of the ’40 Series of Garmins (the 540, 840 and 1040), as well as a host of watches, Garmin has included the Garmin Stamina and Potential feature. This native Field looks at energy use, intensity, heart rate and other elements to gauge ‘Just how much is left in the tank’ when a cyclist or runner is exercising. It’s one more tool that a cyclist, runner, or triathlete might be able to use for training, breakthroughs, or in an event.

What Is Garmin Stamina?

Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential Screen Garmin 1040
Ride ‘Blue’, and Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential will still decline. Fatigue happens, no matter what.

Garmin Stamina is defined as a visible metric that reveals just how much a cyclist has left, in terms of residual energy, power and work, at any capacity, over time. When a cyclist rides harder, Stamina drops faster. When the cyclist recovers, Stamina rebounds. Garmin Stamina is measured in %. If a cyclist is fresh and recovered, Stamina will start at 100%. If this is their second workout of the day, or they haven’t adequately recovered from a previous effort, it may start at <100%.

What is Garmin Stamina Potential?

Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential Early In an Interval Set
Garmin Stamina is using a pretty complex, really proprietary, algorithm to measure fatigue and work capacity. I think it’s looking at that gool ol’ Wattage, Heart Rate (Variability), Temperature and Cadence combination. It’s pretty cool.

Garmin Stamina Potential shows just how much fatigue is affecting a cyclist’s ability to generate power. I remember Dr. Allen Lim, in 2004, telling me about requiring his athletes to use at least 600 KiloJoules of energy prior to performing intervals, because “500 watts after 600 KiloJoules is a LOT HARDER than 500 watts after just 200 KiloJoules!” And he’s right.

Garmin Stamina begins on a scale of 100-0%, and it declines with Garmin Potential as a ride progresses.

The Garmin Stamina Page On Your Garmin Head Unit

If you have a new ’40 Series, turn on the Garmin Stamina Page by following these steps:

  1. On the main screen, tap on the ‘Sandwich’ Square.
  2. Tap on ‘Activity Profiles’.
  3. Pick a Profile (I have ‘Road’, ‘Indoor’, and ‘Mountain’).
  4. Tap on ‘Data Screens’.
  5. Scroll up and down and look to see if ‘Stamina’ is shown as a page or not. If not, press ‘Add New’.
  6. You should find ‘Stamina’ in the options, and add it.
  7. The Garmin head unit will then offer you ways to slide the ‘Stamina’ page around in order, until it’s where you want it. As a Lefty, I tend to swipe Left-to-Right, so mine is Second-from-Last.
Garmin Stamina Page Procedure
I call the ‘Settings’ button the ‘Sandwich’ button because it looks like two slices of bread with a thin slice of ham in between!

 

Garmin Stamina Settings Page 2
Once you’ve clicked on the Sandwich button, you’ll see this page. Tap the ‘Activity Profiles’ button.

 

Garmin Stamina Page 3
Go to the Profile where you want to add a Stamina Screen.

 

Garmin Stamina Click on 'Data Screens'
Click on ‘Data Screens’

 

'Stamina' Will be near the bottom of the list.
‘Stamina’ Will be near the bottom of the list.

 

Garmin Stamina Reorder Option
Slide the Stamina Page around in order so you can swipe to it or in the case of the 540, you can use the buttons to slide the pages around.

Back-Arrow out until you get to the main screen, and then tap on the Profile itself. Swipe until the screen shows up.

Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential Page
What you end up with is a page that looks like this.

There are 3 Fields, including a Stamina Bar with Stamina and Stamina Potential in numbers, followed by a Wattage Graph, and finally, a traditional Heart Rate Graph. Above the Stamina Bar is an ‘Estimated Distance’ value, and it makes me wonder if that might not be useful for an Ultra-Cycling event. Hmmm.

How to Use Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential

Garmin Stamina Stamina Potential 60-60s
I’m purposely avoiding revealing the wattage and heart rate values on this chart, because I honestly believe I couldn’t go any harder, or get Stamina down below 0%. These were Billat 60-60’s, and you can see that I drove the Garmin Stamina Potential down significantly as well.

Remember the ground rules:

  • Once you start a ride file, Stamina and Stamina Potential will begin to decay.
  • The rate of decay is dependent upon time spent at different intensities.
  • At low intensities, Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential will decay at the same rate. If you ride at a higher intensity, the Garmin Stamina value will drop faster than the Garmin Stamina Potential value.
  • Garmin Stamina can rebound, but it will never be higher than Garmin Stamina Potential.
  • “500 watts after 600 KiloJoules is harder than 500 watt after 200 KiloJoules!”

A 20-Minute Effort With Stamina and Stamina Potential

I’ve been using Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential for a couple of months now, especially in my Indoor Virtual Studio over at VQ Velocity. We recently rode some ubiquitous 2 x 20 minute efforts right at or just above Threshold. Here are the results of the first interval.

20 Minute Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential Chart Interval 1
While I was not paying complete attention to this metric, I was watching it out of the corner of my eye.

 

I’ll crowd the chart a bit, to show some other physiological metrics, just so you can see how ‘hard’ this interval really was.

20 Minute Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential Chart Interval 1 Chart 2 with SmO2
Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential seem to be pulling from a combo of heart rate variability, wattage, and maybe respiratory rate. I added the SmO2 values from Moxy to show that I actually was at my physiological threshold, which was ABOVE the threshold value provided by Garmin (and other metric platforms, btw….). See my previous blog about SmO2 Tipping Points, and Borrowed Time.

On-Screen, the Page looked like this…

 

Garmin Stamina Stamina Potential 20 Minute Effort
Stamina will decrease faster than Stamina Potential when you’re riding over your Threshold. Stamina Potential is a little slower, but I’m finding that it definitely helps me gauge my effort on work, especially later in a ride.

Look carefully at the Red, Black, and Clear Line. You’ll see an ‘arrow’ where the red meets the black. This is the point where the Garmin Stamina is declining faster than the Garmin Potential Stamina. Red means decline. Green means recovery. Potential will NOT recover during a ride. It may plateau, but it won’t rebound.

For context, here’s the graph of the SECOND 20-minute interval……

Second 20-minute Interval Garmin Stamina Stamina Potential
Physiologically, I got some training effect out of this effort, but had I followed the physics and tried to hold the same power that I had held in the first interval, I would have blown up. Stamina at 3% is an indicator that you’re ON BORROWED TIME. When Stamina and Stamina Potential are BOTH pretty low, you’re cooked, and it’s time to go home.

Billat 60-60s With Stamina and Stamina Potential.

Garmin Stamina Stamina Potential 60-60s With Comments
The 60-second interval intensity for these efforts was roughly 350-375 watts. Watching Stamina and Potential, I was able to gauge just how much I had left in the tank, before exhaustion.

 

Above is the post-ride overview of a set of Billat 60-second intervals with 60-second recoveries. Notice how Garmin Stamina pulls Stamina Potential down over the course of the ride.

Here’s what the ride looked like on my Garmin 1040.

Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential Early In an Interval Set
This was Interval #7. Stamina is now in the gutter, but I still have some Potential left, so let’s keep going. 

 

Garmin Stamina Billat 60-60s Interval 11
11 Intervals in, and Stamina hovered between 15 and 3%. Stamina Potential dropped about 2 points per 60-second effort.

 

Garmin and Garmin Potential Screen 60-60 Intervals Last Effort
This was my last interval before calling it a morning. The Stamina got down to about 2% in the interval before, but I was unable to perform it for the full 60-seconds, and Stamina rebounded artificially high. While this last interval was high quality at 374 watts, Stamina only came down to 8%, while Stamina Potential reached its’ lowest level, at 24%. I was definitely fatigued.

For context, here is a link to the ride itself on Garmin Connect…


And here is an image of what Garmin gave this ride, in terms of Aerobic TE, Anaerobic TE, EPOC, and Training Effect.

Garmin Stamina Stamina Potential Workout Summary With EPOC Aerobic Anaerobic TE Scores
While I’m ignoring the ‘Tempo’ summary, this was a highly effective Aerobic and Anaerobic Workout that took days from which to recover.

Pay Attention to Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential

Garmin has been at this game of product development now for about two decades. They bought a company (FirstBeat) with even deeper roots and history. They’re an Aviation company, a sport metrics company, and a travel logistics company. But they’re really onto something here. These developments use a history of science, a slightly conservative approach, but one that is loading features into rugged devices, and then helping recreational athletes improve their fitness in a holistic way. That’s what’s so fascinating about the Garmin Ecosystem. Their motto is, “Beat Yesterday.” And as both a coach and an athlete, using features like Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential, I am.

Functional Threshold Power Chart Garmin Stamina and Stamina Potential
Something must be working….. The tools are all here at OBC and Garmin Connect.

I’ll post later about the possibilities of BREAKING this fatigue model, and how the model later adapts, but it’s really rare.

Thanks for reading, and ENJOY THE RIDE!

Garmin Sleep-Time Stress

What is Garmin Sleep-Time Stress?

Garmin Sleep-Time Stress Chart
This is the Garmin Sleep-Time Stress Chart. There’s not much information about it, but I think it could provide yet another clue about how to identify problems with your sleep, and how to address those issues. Let’s find out.

I just stumbled across a new chart on Garmin Connect, and I’m curious to know more about it. It’s the “Garmin Sleep-Time Stress” Chart, and I THINK it’s a metric that works with overnight HRV Status, to provide another window into sleep quality. If you own a Garmin watch with a NIRS and optical heart rate sensor, it provides another window into sleep. There’s very little information about it in Garmin’s own Forum or Wiki, and questions asked have not been answered by anyone at Garmin HQ in Kansas.

That said, I think there’s something to this metric. Here are my initial thoughts…

Garmin Sleep-Time Stress – Where to Find This Metric?

First, you need to have one of the more advanced Garmin watches, and you need to have heart monitoring turned on for overnight measurements. Then, using the online website account for connect.garmin.com, follow these pages:

Health Stats Menu Garmin Connect
In Garmin Connect, Open the ‘Health Stats’ drop-down menu….

 

Health Stats Submenu Sleep Garmin Connect
Then click on ‘Sleep’.

A new page will pop up. Click on ‘Sleep Score’, and then ‘Stress’.

Garmin Connect Sleep Score and Stress Submenus
This chart is not easy to find, but get to ‘Sleep Score’, then ‘Stress’, and click on the box.

And finally…

Garmin Connect Sleep-Time Stress Graph and Tips
…You get this chart, with several paragraphs that sort-of explain it, and how to improve your sleep. Honestly, though, I think we need more ‘Do This, Don’t Do That’ effort put in. I’d also like to see temperature or tossing and turning, to see how that affects sleep.

Several Garmin Sleep-Stress Charts for Comparison’s Sake

Here are a couple of charts of mine from this year. Looking at these charts for myself and my clients, two things stand out: Overnight stress usually declines as the night goes on, and it takes a special kind of night or individual to hit this ‘ideal’ (more like ‘mythical’) figure of ’15’.

Garmin Connect Sleep-Time Score 23 Average Sleep
This is what most of my nights, and most of my mid-50s male clients Sleep-Time Stress Charts resemble. Medium Stress, with declines over the progress of the night, followed by intermittent medium stress (waking) moments. Cracking the Sleep Code is going to be the absolute hardest thing I think I’ve ever done in my 30-year history as a cycling coach.

 

Garmin Connect Sleep-Time Score 17 Average Sleep
This was last night’s Sleep-Time Stress chart. I’m almost completely off of alcohol, but we had a stressful day yesterday, and I took a Sominex. So this is what a good night’s rest looks like on drugs. I also went to bed before 9pm. The result? Today I had a 15 watt breakthrough on my Threshold, and year-high 20-minute Mean Max Power……. Sleep Score was an 83, which is high for me.

 

Garmin Connect Sleep-Time Score 29 Average Sleep
This was one of the worst looking charts that I had recently, and yet it offers a completely different perspective from the Sleep Stages chart, which would have me believe that this had been a decent night’s sleep. However, I scored a ’52’ on the Garmin Sleep Score.

 

Garmin Connect Sleep-Time Score 29 Sleep Stages Comparison
Here’s the corresponding Sleep Stages Graph. It does show that I awoke twice in the early sleep period, but I was hoping that the ‘Deep’ sleep would win out. Hmm. It seems like the REM sleep that traditionally hits me right before I wake up, is the period when I’m least-stressed. I’m also starting to see the point behind 7-8 hours of sleep every night. It just helps get that extra time in LOW STRESS SLEEP.

 

Once Again – Sleep Is A Critical Part of Training and Recovery

Garmin just recently peeled back the window on their collection of Meta-Data in the Garmin Connect Ecosystem. For those who may be upset about this, a couple of things; ALL of the platforms are doing this, and have been for a while. Furthermore, it’s more information than you can even think. Garmin though, honestly, I don’t think they have a handle on just what they’re presenting to the population. The stuff in Garmin Connect is GOLD, but I really think I’m one of the few people in the world who are actually using it and sharing this information. I’m the interpreter, and while I may be a Mad Scientist, I am definitely not a Real Scientist. That said, it’s all there.

I’m going to just stick my neck out and say it; if I could find a way to get consistent, deep, restorative sleep on a consistent basis, including medication, I would do it. I understand why a certain Pop Star might have felt desperate enough to employ an Anesthesiologist to ILLEGALLY aid him in sleep (which led to his death….) You’ve read the story about my Lunesta Sleepwalking episodes and how completely wrecked I was physically, after taking these meds. But I’ve done it all; I quit drinking, quit caffeine after 3pm, we have blackout shades, white noise, pink noise, a Muse S EEG forehead reader, fans on my body, cold rooms, weighted blankets, scheduled intimacy….. all of it. The results have been modest.

The few things I see that we can all do to get better sleep, and hence, better overall health and results from our exercise as cyclists and triathletes are these:

                                      • Drink more water.
                                      • Abstain from Alcohol beyond 1 drink.
                                      • Go to bed early.
                                      • Regular intimacy before bed. Yes, I said that. Hump.
                                      • Cold Rooms.
                                      • Noise abatement.
                                      • Blackout curtains or shades.
                                      • White or pink noise.
                                      • No distractions. No TV, late night ball games, etc.

Garmin Sleep-Time Stress; let’s keep watching.

Most of my clients are now on Garmin Watches as well as Garmin Head Units. We’ll be looking at the data in private and together, to help glean just what is working, what isn’t working, and why. I’m not going to go all Puritan, but I’m going to watch that Sleep-Time Stress Chart and see where the balance point is, for myself, my clients, and you, my readers. I will also going to take a look at the ‘Breathwork‘ meditation app in the Garmin Fenix watch lineup, to see if that helps. I’m not a huge fan of meditation, but then again, it may be worth the effort.

Thanks for reading, and ENJOY THE RIDE!

 

Garmin Connect HRV Status Update

Garmin Connect HRV Status Is FINALLY Showing Some Improvement – And I’m Feeling It!

This Garmin Connect HRV based Ecosystem Is really getting interesting. I’m literally using just about everything Garmin; The Scale, the Watch, and the Head Unit. I probably ought to buy a Neo 2t and a pair of pedals, but I’m fine for now with my current setup. I know there is debate over the accuracy of NIRS, the validity of the FirstBeat HRV claims, but let’s face it; no other company is showing the commitment to data collection and general health guidelines like Garmin Fitness. It’s not cheap, but I think the long-term gains for overall health and wellness are working. The Garmin Connect HRV Status shows overnight heart rate variability, and I think the combination of regular exercise, a new bed, a more private bedroom, a LOT less alcohol at night, and a LOT more water throughout the day, is leading to better sleep, and better rides.

***Before we go any further, I’m curious to know if you think these blog posts are informational. IF you feel like they are, then .

Garmin Connect HRV Status Shows How Sleep Is Leading To Better Workouts – and Vice-Versa

Have a look at my 6-month TREND for HRV Status.

6 Month Garmin Connect Training Status Report Including HRV Status
This is the 6-Month Training Status Report from Garmin Connect. Specifically, look at the third chart; HRV Status. It shows the incredible stress I was under at the end of last year, which resulted in a severely suppressed HRV status. Once I started simply walking the dogs last winter, and we had a home we could call our own (that’s a whole other story that remains unfinished), the HRV Status began to stabilize, albeit still ‘low’ (stress) and ‘Tight’ (again, stress). Once I started training regularly again in February of this year, however, HRV Status began to stabilize, and it’s FINALLY starting to rebound, which I’ll show in the next image. Also take a look at the Garmin Connect Acute Training Load, below HRV Status. As my training load grew, HRV Status actually improved, and it was on the days where I rode an acute overreach that the HRV Status dipped back into ‘Unbalanced‘ Territory. We’re Tempering Action With Wisdom.

Now, here’s the corresponding 28-day trend, which is a bit of a close-up of the 6-month chart.

28 day Garmin Connect HRV Status April 26 through May 23rd 2023
The dots on this chart represent a rolling 7-day average of HRV Status, measured at night, from the time I fall asleep to the time I wake up. The grey zones represent a baseline range. I’ve been told that my range is too low (too stressful) and too tight (again, too much stress), but I’m encouraged by the STABILITY I’m seeing in this chart, and the RISING TREND as well. This means that I AM recovering better, and sleeping better to some degree. And as we know, a good night’s rest is critical to a good day’s performance.

Is it leading to better results?

Honestly, I don’t yet know. I am confident that my Threshold is improving, and I believe that my Anaerobic Work Capacity is growing. More importantly, I’ve started losing weight, and I just ‘feel’ better, all around. The first chart shows that Vo2 Max is improving, and I think I could probably break 300 watts for 20 minutes if I really tried. But I’m not ready yet to tax my system like that. I want to focus on consistency, and on learning as much from this Garmin Connect ecosystem as possible. There is SO MUCH DATA available!

Garmin Connect Body Weight 1 Year Graph
I’m convinced that a good night’s rest and improved overnight HRV Status, leads to better workouts with higher calorie counts. This leads to a more optimal weight. I’ll continue to avoid alcohol and increase my caloric expenditure, especially on weekends, to try and achieve my goal of 70kg. If I start to lose fitness because I’m too light, I’ll report that.

Garmin Connect HRV Status and Periodization

If you look at my Acute Training Load chart, you may see that the black line, which is a rolling 7-day average of TRIMPS. It’s bouncing near the bottom of the Green zone, known as the ‘Optimal Range’. This is intentional. I’m backing off on the intensity for the week, to avoid a fitness plateau and stale performance. My clients on VQ Velocity are really enjoying this hybrid approach to Physiology and Physics. 8 weeks in, and we’re set for one of our best summers of activity yet. I’ll be attempting a new 20-minute breakthrough next week, along with a new Threshold and Vo2 Max. I like to attempt these indoors, because it’s consistent. But if the HRV Status or Sleep Scores trend in the wrong direction, I’ll listen to my body, and will delay Breakthrough Efforts until I’m recovered and mentally prepared.

HRV Status Is One More Metric That Can Help With a Holistic Approach to Training, Recovery, and Fitness.

I sell these watches. I love these things. Any cyclist who owns a Garmin head unit and is half-serious, needs to be looking at this stuff. I DO think it’s accurate enough and consistent enough to be effective. I can’t wait to see just how fit I can become, with my clients as well. This is my new platform going forward. We’ll be migrating to this HRV-based ecosystem for the majority of our cycling, and then use wattage for those SUPRA-THRESHOLD efforts that require taxing the Central Governing Theory to its’ limits.

Thanks for reading, and ENJOY THE RIDE!

SmO2 and Base

The Moxy’s SmO2 Sensor Helps Make Base Training Even More Effective

SmO2 and Base Richard Wharton Online Bike Coach Garmin Connect Image 1
Saturated Muscle Oxygen can make Base Training even more effective. Look for a rise in SmO2 at a known low intensity. Then, gently raise the intensity to find that SmO2 ‘sweet spot’ of aerobic training.

 
 

This week on my VQ Velocity Virtual Studio, we are focusing on a week of Periodization and Taper. We are not performing hard intervals, but instead, we are focusing on easier rides. I wear my Moxy for all my rides, but most of the time, I focus on Desaturation and Resaturation. This blog post is about SmO2 and Base training. We can use the Garmin Connect Ecosystem to highlight the PHYSIOLOGICAL BENEFITS of low-intensity rides.

SmO2 and Base Oxygen Saturation Levels

SmO2 and Base Richard Wharton Online Bike Coach Garmin Connect ThB Image 2
When you first start a ride, the body just isn’t ready for the strain. With proper warmup and vasodilation, SmO2 rises, ThB declines, and you’re achieving the benefits of ‘Base’!

SmO2 (Saturated Muscle Oxygen) readings show cyclists just how much Oxygen Supply is in the muscles. When a cyclist is riding for BASE, there should be plenty of oxygen available. As a ride progresses, the body warms up, and the blood vessels dilate. This offers the muscles more available oxygen. Think of SmO2 as ‘Volts’ in a car battery. When there’s a heavy draw on the engine (Demand), the volts may drop, like when the ignition is engaged. On electric vehicles, computers monitor watts (torque), volts, and Amps. I compare Amps with Total Hemoglobin, which I’ll discuss later in this post.

SmO2 and Base Richard Wharton Online Bike Coach Garmin Connect ThB Image 4
Patented Warmup. Create just a wee bit of strain, then recover, and watch your SmO2 and ThB values climb over 20-27 minutes (~200-300 Calories).

Since 2012, when I first started using SmO2 monitors from Moxy, I’ve discovered that SmO2 reveals great information about Base Training. When you first place a Moxy monitor on the left Lateralis, you usually get a reading of about 30-60% SmO2. I call this ‘Active Resting SmO2’. As you warm up, SmO2 will definitely drop a bit. If a cyclist or runner does NOT perform my trademarked Warmup Protocol, SmO2 dilation does NOT reach its’ full potential, and in my opinion, restricts some of the benefits of visualizing this feature. But IF the cyclist DOES perform my Warmup Protocol, then SmO2 can become a highly effective, visual method of visualizing just what Base provides.

Base Training Is an Energy-Positive Ride

Watch this 30-second advertisement for Del Monte Green Beans. Specifically, watch what happens when this young lady goes on a bike ride. This is EXACTLY what a ‘Base’ Ride should provide a cyclist or a runner. It should be ‘Energy Positive’ for mental wellness and spiritual fulfillment. It’s literally the way most of our bike rides should occur. The time you spend out there performing this may depend on goals, etc., but SmO2 can provide a window into exactly what is happening when a ride like this occurs.

SmO2 and Base Lead to Greater ‘Volts’ of Available Power, While Drawing Less ‘Amps’ (ThB) for the Same Amount of Physical Output

In this graph, you can see how my post-warmup Base ride begins with roughly 52% SmO2. While power output changes very little, vasodilation occurs, and available SmO2 rises at roughly the 45:00 mark, with a small dip in power output. The Smo2 continues to rise after that, until I perform a single 1-minute standing effort to change my saddle position.

***Standing Power is INCREDIBLY INEFFICIENT.

If you watch old videos of Alberto Contador, there are times before he had a serious crash, when he would climb seated, and honestly, he was a GC or stage threat. After his crash and long recovery, his body was never the same, and he climbed standing for even longer periods of time. It was very powerful, but very costly. 

However, after that single effort, SmO2 rose further, with little change in power.

Why Did SmO2 Start to Decline at the 1-hour mark?

mO2 and Base Richard Wharton Online Bike Coach Garmin Connect ThB Image 3
This is where I wish I had some coding knowledge. I would build a Garmin app that would run a 1-minute graph of SmO2 and ThB, along with recent Ceilings and Floors, so I could better visualize each parameter and make a more informed choice about intensity and nutrition or hydration.

Right around the 1:05 timeline, SmO2 began to decline. When we use Garmin Connect to zoom in, we can see that it began with a slight rise in power output. This was further exacerbated by another minute of standing and pedaling. SmO2 dropped further. Once I sat down, SmO2 Resaturated, but then continued its’ decline back to around 50%.

Why did this happen? Well, let’s look at the OTHER data point that we get when we ride with a Moxy; ThB.

What is ThB?

ThB stands for ‘Total Hemoglobin’, and it’s based on Millimols per Deciliter of volume. It’s the total count of red blood cells in your overall system. Hemoglobin is a protein that carries Oxygen to the Muscles. It’s another window into the ‘SUPPLY and DEMAND’ side of the SmO2 Equation. The more ThB we have, the more ‘AMPS’ we have available to help provide fresh oxygen to the muscles, to help keep SmO2 high.

Right around the 1:05 mark, when my SmO2 began to decline, Total Hemoglobin, which was declining from minute 33:00 to that point, began to rise. After the final standing moment, it rose further, and rose until I quit the ride at the 1:15 mark. So, SmO2 declines and ThB rises, for the same amount of power.

Now, this is CONJECTURE, because I AM NOT A SCIENTIST. But my own speculation is that I was getting short on blood sugar. I always ride these easier rides in a fasted state. It’s a way to train my body to burn more fat over time, as long as I don’t push too hard. But there are only between 800 and 1200 calories of carbohydrate in the circulatory system at any time, and in the 30 years that I’ve been cycling, my body tends to change at roughly 1200 calories, WITH CARB SUPPLEMENTATION. Without Carb supplementation, I think it’s very feasible to ‘see’ the body switching energy systems or becoming less efficient. At this point, I had burned roughly 800 calories, and had consumed nothing more than water (and probably not enough of that). Hence, ThB rose, SmO2 declined, while power and basic heart rate remained neutral.

Use Your Moxy SmO2 And Keep It HIGH!

SmO2 and Base Richard Wharton Online Bike Coach Garmin Connect ThB Image 5
For roughly the same amount of power, my body responded with less stress. Once I used up my blood sugar (I was in a fasted state), the body began looking elsewhere for energy, and my SmO2 and ThB both changed to become less efficient, while power stayed the same.

My personal SmO2 Floors and Ceilings are as such, but your own zones may vary.

  • My Max Recovery Saturation is at 80%. I rarely get there on an active bike ride, so 70% means my Muscles are being resupplied with fresh Oxygen and are ready for another effort.
  • My Active Base Saturation is between 40 and 70%. When I ride at those SmO2 intensities (remember, harder is lower, easier is higher), my body is using energy to make energy in my  mind, and these are fruitful, fun, functional rides.
  • An SmO2 below 20%, and usually below 17% puts me on ‘BORROWED TIME’, and is my Vo2Max range of intensity. It’s also unustainable for long periods.
  • An SmO2 between 20 and 25% is a great Threshold Intensity for me, regardless of the old-school heart rate and wattage values that have traditionally yielded these zones.

If you really want to get a window into your body, SmO2 (and ThB) provide real-time value to help you optimize your ride. Once you know your numbers, you can always try to track gains in power or loss in weight over time. You can also watch ThB to see if you’re perhaps in need of some carbs, or may even be approaching a bonk.

I’m going to continue to share my observations. If you own a Moxy, let me know if you see similar phenomena. I’d love to learn more.

Thanks for reading, and ENJOY THE RIDE!