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

Steve Neal’s Moxy Field

Coach Steve Neal’s Moxy Field Is INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE!

Steve Neal Garmin Connect IQ Field
Steve Neal is one of the most experienced cycling and endurance coaches out there. He’s also a Moxy User, and knows how to get the most out of your investment.

Steve Neal is one of the most successful and qualified coaches that I know. He and I have followed a similar path. We both owned Cycling Studios. He and I have worked together to employ features in PerfPro Studio. He is a pioneer in Diaphragm breathing protocols. But most recently, he built a Garmin Connect Field that highlights EXACTLY what we need to know in regards to Saturated Muscle Oxygen!

Saturated Muscle Oxygen (SmO2) is a metric that uses NIRS (Near Infra-Red Spectroscospy) to measure Saturated Muscle Oxygen levels and Total Hemoglobin Counts (ThB). The product that Steve Neal and I both use, the Moxy Monitor, is a lab-accurate device. Here’s how Steve and I use it in workouts.

Steve Neal Uses Moxy Monitors to measure SmO2.
The Moxy is a noninvasive, durable NIRS sensor that is tuned to transmit SmO2 and ThB data to Garmin Head Units and Watches.

 

 

 

 

When a muscle contracts, it uses oxygen in the process. Moxy Monitors basically measure “Supply” (Smo2) based on “Demand”, which is measured in watts. It’s a merge of Physiology and Physics.  Muscles and Lungs (Oxygen) are augmented with the measurement of heart rate, all of which I have been studying for decades.  However, at certain levels of intensity, and depending on the muscle group being measured, the Moxy can help identify what I call “Floors”, or “Ceilings”. A “Floor” is an SmO2 intensity that can be sustained under duress. If intensity rises, the SmO2 will decline and can predict exhaustion. If SmO2 rises, we know the cyclist is riding at different levels of aerobic (sustainable) intensity.

STEVE NEAL’S MOXY FIELD ON GARMIN CONNECT IQ

Steve’s Moxy Field helps Moxy owners optimize the Physiological Impact of EACH and EVERY INTERVAL and RECOVERY. The concept is simple. The cyclist places their Moxy Monitor on a muscle group (I prefer the Left Lateralis). They then head over to the Garmin Connect IQ Field on their mobile phone or via Garmin Express, and download this Custom Field. In the Settings Tab, the cyclist will enter the specific Moxy ANT+ or BLE code for that unit. They also enter the location where the Moxy will be placed. I’ll talk about different locations and what they can tell us in a bit. Finally, the cyclist places the Custom IQ Field on their Garmin Ride Profile.

My profile screen looks like this:

Steve Neal Moxy Lap Field Garmin Connect IQ Field 4
The Steve Neal Moxy Lap Field is on the bottom of this screen. It eliminates the ThB Field, and replaces it with Instant Smo2 %. The number on the Right is the ‘Lap’ Average SmO2. It will change colors as the average rises and falls in the context of the lap, and the available Oxygen in the blooodstream.

The Steve Neal Moxy Field is used in conjunction with the ‘Lap’ Button. It eliminates the view of Total Hemoglobin, or ThB. The Field gives a lot of information in a small package.

You get:

Steve neal Moxy Lap Field Description
As important as the Instant SmO2 value is, it’s the COLOR and VALUE of the number on the RIGHT that is so critical. This is where having a BIG, HUGE, HEAD UNIT, like the Garmin 1040, comes in so handy. If Garmin still made their Head-Up Display, I swear, I’d ask them to include custom fields like this one in their options for fields.
  • Instant SmO2
  • Lap Average SmO2
    • and based on the color of the Lap Average SmO2, you can determine whether your SmO2 is RISING, FALLING, or is STABLE.
    • Red is Falling, Black is Stable, and Blue is Rising.

USE STEVE NEAL’S MOXY FIELD DURING A WORKOUT

Now, the results can be individualized, but the general trend for a workout might go like this:

First, have a look at this blog post and video that explains how I use the Moxy to determine proper warmup and preparation for a ride.
Moxy Monitor Warmup Protocol – Online Bike Coach

Then, look at the Steve Neal Moxy Field, and when an interval of, say, 3 minutes begins, hit the ‘lap’ button. As intensity increases, Smo2 will decrease, and the Lap Average SmO2 will also decrease. However, 3 minutes can be an eternity of effort. Intensity has to be modulated in order to complete the task. Using the Steve Neal Field, I can identify an Oxygen Demand which is SUSTAINABLE, and then I can watch the AVERAGE, trend down towards that value. If I’m near the end of the interval, and I feel like I have a little more to give, I can INCREASE INTENSITY, and DECREASE available Smo2, switch to an anaerobic energy system, and basically ‘Leave With Nothing Left’. Hit the lap button at the end of the interval, and you can watch the SmO2 value RISE to Maximum Resaturation, which is also a great time to replenish any carbs or rehydrate. Over the course of several intervals, it becomes easier to identify a ‘Floor’ of Smo2, below which you’re on seriously borrowed time. Steve Neal has several Diaphragm Breathing Protocols that affect Smo2 levels and can improve both Stamina and Strength for endurance and intensity days on the bike.

Looking at Moxy Results On Garmin Connect After A Ride

I recently performed a set of intervals on my Virtual Studio at app.vqvelocity.com, with a client who also had a Moxy Monitor. I am in California; he is in Massachusetts. We were both using Steve Neal’s Moxy field, and we both had the Moxy Monitor on our Left Lateralis. The interval set was 14 minutes long, with intensities at 120% of FTP for 22 seconds, and 8 seconds of recovery at 50% of FTP. But the WATTAGE GOALS FOR THE WORKOUT CHANGE WITH THE VALUES that show up on Steve Neal’s Moxy Field. This interval effort is what I call a ‘Push’. Let me explain.

VQ Velocity 22-8 intervals 2 sets
I created this interval set because the metabolic response to a stimulus is about 25 seconds. It also takes about 8 seconds to reset the ATP in your legs when recovering. The 22-8’s have some intensity and recovery overlap, but they yield a VERY high overall normalized and actual average when properly employed. They’re actually a “Threshold” workout…

The overwhelming research on cycling reveals that the sport is overwhelmingly aerobic in its’ demands. Sure, we love to talk about intensities and intervals for brief moments here and there, but when the ride is over and uploaded, it’s our AEROBIC economy that makes such a difference. The goal of training, therefore, is four-fold; we want to improve STAMINA, STRENGTH, SPEED, and SKILL. Aerobic Power and economy is akin to Stamina, and that’s what we were focused on in this effort. But you can ‘see’ whether you’re aerobic or not, via the Steve Neal Moxy Field. A cyclist can also see when they’ve tripped over that line of Threshold, and they’re dipping into their own, personal, time-limited, “Well of Despair”! The second-by-second watts are less important here. What IS important is getting the cyclist to their own, personal, average SmO2, that is both painful, but yet also sustainable. This workout was a Threshold Workout, and the Moxy data shows just that. Aerobics is the ‘Push’ of Economy and Stamina. Anaerobic Intensities and Vo2Max efforts, are the ‘Pull’.

Garmin Connect Moxy Quad Watts Heart Rate
This is a screen report from the Garmin Connect File. Steve’s Moxy Field showed me a cumulative average and an idea of intensity that I just can’t get from traditional heart rate. If you look at the grey data points, which is SmO2, you’ll see that around minute 40, SmO2 began to rise. Why? Look at the RECOVERY WATTS in purple. I began to take those 8 second recoveries more seriously, and my Saturated Muscle Oxygen rose in accordance. ‘ON’ Power stayed high, and this allowed me to do MORE of the ‘Work’, which is beneficial.

On my first interval, I hit the ‘Lap’ button on my Garmin 1040 Solar, and rode at the varying intensities that the workout prescribed, until I hit a value of Saturation below 20%. The stochastic nature of the intervals within the set show perpetual swings of wattage, but the SmO2 drifted between 14 and 18%. For the First Interval Set, I averaged 17% for SmO2. Average power? 292 watts. This is WELL ABOVE the predicted Thresholds that have been set for me by numerous other Threshold Calculators. The second Interval? 20% SmO2 with power at a more modest 261 Watts, still above my ‘Calculated” Threshold. Traditional Heart Rates? They were 172 bpm and 168 bpm, both arguably UNDER my claimed Threshold of 173 bpm.

Steve Neal Moxy Field With SmO2 Wattage and DFAA-1
Here’s the second set. I wanted to show the SmO2 values with DFAA-1 values from AlphaHRV, which is another great Field found in Connect IQ. I use both fields, but I find that Moxy ‘Floors’ are more acute than the ‘rolling 2-minute’ value that we commonly use to calculate DFAA-1. 

Moxy Values are more accurate and precise than traditional Heart Rate and Wattage Claims for Threshold Values. They also highlight FATIGUE and arguably, DEHYDRATION or a BONK. That’s another discussion for another day, but the gist of it is this; We’ve had this tool for about 10 years now, but it required mental calculation to determine Aerobic and Anaerobic Thresholds. Now, with the Steve Neal Moxy Field, we get Instant values, Average Values, and a Trend, which is worth its’ weight in gold.

CONCLUSION

Everyone knows how much I love power meters. More recently, I’ve fallen in love with the study of Heart Rate Variability. I love how that works with our bodies in a more holistic way. With the release of Steve’s Moxy Field, we now have the tool to observe thresholds acutely, and then determine ways to dive through them, stay at or just above them, and recover from efforts more effectively.

I’ll save the next blog post for another aspect of Steve Neal’s Moxy Field, where we will look at the same workout, but from the aspect of the LEFT DELTOID. The numbers are going to be more nuanced, but they continue to reveal some INCREDIBLE, REPEATABLE, NONINVASIVE information.

Until then, ENJOY THE RIDE!

 

3 Weeks of HRV Stress Readings

HRV Stress Readings Can Help You Look at the Holistic Fitness Picture

Garmin Connect HRV Stress 4 weeks report
The Garmin Connect HRV Stress Report is one more tool in Garmin’s tool chest. I use it prior to my indoor rides, to try and determine how best to proceed with my daily rides. If I have a high reading, a low sleep score, and a strained HRV Status, well, I’m goin’ back to bed.

I’m now 3 weeks in to taking a morning HRV Stress reading, and I’ve missed just a few days so far. It’s not fun, it’s probably 3 minutes where I wish I was doing something else or warming up for a bike ride, but it IS providing that ‘+1’ metric that can tell me whether I’m achieving my results, or if there’s something else going on that may require a day off, a lower intensity ride, or maybe just work to get some real stress out of my life.

HRV Stress and Life In General

Garmin Connect HRV Stress Explanation Page 1
I THINK this measurement is looking at my Heart Rate Variability as an “RMSSD“, which means “Root Mean Square of the Successive Differences”, or, ‘How Variable is Variable’?

If you’ve been reading this blog, or you know me, well, you know I’m a pretty reactionary individual and my right-brained ADD has led me to this point in life. I had a stable existence until 2010, when I got divorced and began trying to grow my studio. I left that location in 2012, opened two locations in retail spaces in 2013, got remarried in 2014, dealt with the loss of the studios in 2015 and 2017, became homeless in 2018 (thanks, Dallas DPD), and moved to Reno, NV in 2019.

Then, in late 2022, my wife and I relocated (Temporarily) to Pueblo, Colorado.  We almost immediately realized it was a mistake, and moved all the way back, to Sacramento, California. Since we arrived, we’ve lived in 3 Airbnb’s. In December, we bought a house that is a complete lemon. It’s been a struggle, figuring out how to make a living out here. We are broke, and we are broken. We are stuck here in this valley while we try to dig our way out of a house that is more shelter than home.

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That’s a LOT of STRESS.

I gained weight. I lost fitness. My bikes took months to come out of storage. We suffered the worst winter in Sacramento and Tahoe area in decades. Until recently, we had literally ridden outside TWICE since December. If this isn’t a midlife crisis, I can’t imagine what a real crisis really is. That’s why I’m so interested in what the Garmin Connect Features are providing. I’m actually seeing some great results. My clients are as well. But we are all riding LESS, and riding LESS INTENTLY than before. This is anathema to my three decades of pushing watts, pushing w/kg, pushing some PHYSICAL RESULT, instead of LISTENING TO A PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE.

I mentioned in my previous post, that I was using HRV Status overnight to try and ensure better preparation for daily rides. This is step 2. I get up, make coffee, look at my overnight HRV Status, Glance at my Sleep Score (The Muse EEG seems to be more accurate), and then, while it’s still quiet and I’m still processing that magic first cup, I put my chest strap on, wait 30 seconds, stand up, breathe in and out for 30 seconds, then tap the ‘MEASURE’ button and watch the timer count down.

HRV Stress LEVELS

HRV Stress Explanation Page 2
This is the chart for Garmin’s HRV Stress values. I really don’t know how I’ll ever get below a 30. Maybe when I hit the lottery, or the house gets finished, or the client load is full, or….

I really ought to run a video of the recording process, but for you readers and viewers, you’d probably end up sticking a needle in your eye, out of boredom. IF I had the ability to record this information, one would see an initial low reading, then a rise, then a plateau, then maybe a fall. If I get to 64 beats per minute, I’m usually happy, but it doesn’t stay there.

Tight Band HRV Status
I usually do get called out for being an uptight, overly passionate grouch, but I really thought I was making gains in the sleep department. Maybe not.

A professional coach who knows MUCH MORE about HRV than I do, Jim Galanes, commented about my earlier post on HRV Status. He mentioned that my HRV range was both ‘Tight’ and ‘Low’, meaning high stress. My resting HR, which was once in the low 30’s, is now in the mid 50’s. I’m not sure whether this is just a product of age, or if it’s stress related, but I’d love to get six hours of sleep every night. Right now, it’s maybe 4 before a 60-90 minute awakening, and finally, a return to sleep, before waking up right at 3:58am, just before the alarm goes off.

HRV Stress – What’s Holding Me Back?

I think my parasympathetic nervous system is probably holding me back. I AM happy about the fitness gains I’ve made have been DESPITE this handicap. There is always the hope that things will improve, that income will be steady, that my wife will be happier, that the house repairs will approach completion. What’s even more frustrating is that I’ve made investments to improve these values. A better mattress… a better pillow… 96 ounces of water or more every single day…. no beer or wine. I’ve given up sugary drinks and I don’t drink caffeine after 2pm.

HRV Stress Explanation Page 3
Try doing ANYTHING for 3 minutes without distraction. It’s not easy. My mind wanders. I think about past and upcoming performances and the house.  My wife’s well-being pops up, and I drift to her family, my family, the dog. The second I get a solid week of low HRV Stress scores, I’ll make sure to write about it. Maybe that will lead to the ensuing expectation of good workouts…….

As I write this, my wife is dealing with an attempt to access healthcare. We’ve spent 90 minutes on the phone, for three days, just to find a General Practitioner. The website is out of sync with the provider’s list. There are literally no doctors available. Everything has become more complicated as we’ve aged. I haven’t even begun to investigate the DAILY STRESS that the Garmin Fenix is measuring, so maybe that’s just it – a Holistic attack on a body, from work, family, training, performance, society. There has to be a middle ground somewhere. Maybe Garmin’s HRV Stress is telling me that it’s not here, not now.

This is why the Sociopaths Keep Winning. They sleep, and sleep well, because they have no conscience.

I just want 7 hours of sleep, a healthy heart, and the fitness for some good cycling adventures with my wife.

Thanks for Reading, and ENJOY THE RIDE!

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Garmin Connect HRV Status – Bad Night

The Garmin Connect HRV Status Predicted the Obvious – Acute Illness

Garmin HRV Overnight Crisis
Take a look at the 3 values this Garmin HRV Status Graph is showing; Empirical baseline for me is about 26-31ms. The 7-day rolling average is about 26ms. HOWEVER – It’s the THIRD metric, the OVERNIGHT AVERAGE , that led me to cancel my workout for the day. Furthermore, the increased quality and quantity of my workouts over the last week led to a lower 7-day rolling average, with coincided with an over-reach in my overall training volume.

I have been wearing a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro for at least two years. I gave up wearing a watch at some point in the late 1990’s I think. Getting a watch on my right wrist (I am left-handed) took a while to get used to again. But one of the most important features in the watch is the overnight HRV Status.

The Fenix 6 uses NIRS to measure HRV status when I am asleep. It uses this information to count the minutes I spend in DEEP, LIGHT, and REM Sleep. It also records my waking moments.

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I HAVE OBSESSED OVER MY SLEEP QUALITY AND QUANTITY FOR A DECADE

I first began to notice that I was a poor sleeper in my mid 30’s. Allen Lim, a famous coach and product developer, talked in an old CyclingNews, about employing the ZEO Sleep Coach with his athletes on Grand Tours. Apparently one of the top cyclists in this current era, Tadej Pogacar, has the ability to sleep deeper, longer, than his peers, and this reflects in his ability to perform in these epic races. Mikaela Shiffrin, the record-breaking skier, apparently has the ability to sleep TEN HOURS, and NAP between runs on the course! This HAS to yield a positive effect!

I studied my sleep with that ZEO Sleep Coach until it fell apart and the company went bankrupt. More recently, I purchased a MUSE S EEG sleep tracker to replace it. I LOVE the information it gives me, but I have had a terrible time INTERPRETING THE DATA INTO USEFUL APPLICATION. In other words, I still haven’t conquered good sleep, and now that I am older, it’s hampering my performance.

FINDING AN ANSWER

One of the foremost experts in HRV Analysis is Dr. Marco Altini. He created an app that measures HRV in the morning, and comes up with a score to help determine the best approach to training that day. Honestly, he’s not a big fan of the Garmin Connect HRV Status, but I respect his contribution to the base of knowledge.

Dr. Altini QUIT DRINKING ALCOHOL.

His overnight HRV Values improved, his sleep improved, his workouts improved, and his weight improved. EVERYTHING improved.

SO…… For Lent, I (mostly) gave up drinking alcohol.

Now, I’m not going to claim to be a ’12-stepper’. I am not ‘Sober’. I just quit drinking alcohol every night, and focused on exercise and sleep.  You know what? My HRV Status improved. As it improved, my workouts improved. As the workouts improved, the weight has begun to improve. For four weeks, I have been about 95% alcohol-free, and this has led to better everything. Combine that with about 96-112 ounces of water every day, and things are starting to happen.

Until last night.

HRV Status Indicates Illness

My wife and I ate dinner out, and we combined it with drinks. I had not had a drink in about 10 days. The new restaurant, combined with the alcohol, sent my overnight HRV Status from a Baseline of 26 to 31 milliseconds between beats, down to 18 milliseconds. I slept poorly, and got sick around 1am. I was sweating in the sheets. It was a mild case of food poisoning, along with alcohol overconsumption. Now, I will discuss Garmin’s ‘Sleep Score‘ in another post, but the overnight HRV Status put me in the ‘RED’ zone, and I begrudgingly canceled my workout with my clients on VQVelocity.com, and instead, loaded up a replay.

I RARELY get sick, and I NEVER cancel workouts, live or recorded. No, I was not hung over. I was sick, dehydrated, and fatigued. The hours before a workout are critical; and I did not get quality recovery.

The Garmin Connect HRV Status recorded, and accurately warned me, to hold off on exercise, and instead, to take it easy and recover. HOURS into my day, I got a reminder on my watch that, yes, my day of recovery had led to, well, a recovery. I’ll try for a good night’s rest tonight, and should be okay for exercise tomorrow.

It’s Not The Night Before That Counts – It’s ALL the Nights Before That.

There’s an older Sports Psychology book  by Dr. Charles Garfield. There’s an interview chapter that I believe is relevant. The athlete, who was a high jumper, said, “It’s not the night before that counts, but all the nights before that.” I think Garmin’s HRV Status chart is now providing one more visualization of that. A good workout, a good series of workouts, depends on holistic consistency. It depends on a good night’s rest. It depends on weeks of good nights of rest. An athlete’s hydration needs to be optimal. I’m returning to a state of minimal alcohol intake. Not only do I want a balanced HRV status, I want a higher overnight average, that shows a true state of rest. Waking up a million times between sunset and sunrise is NOT HEALTHY OR PRODUCTIVE.

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro HRV Status
This is an image of my 7-day HRV Status from the face of my Garmin Fenix 6. It’s what I look at when I wake up around 4am most mornings.
Garmin Fenix HRV Status Bar
This is the parent menu of the previous graph, taken at a later date. “Temper Action With Wisdom”. If my HRV Status is scraping the bottom, well, I’m taking some time off. I’ll also refocus on hydration and abstinence from alcohol, just to ensure that there are no variables or outliers that may affect my recovery.

I know there are experts who will disagree with the information that the Garmin Connect ecosystem is providing. There are definitely issues with wrist-mounted or finger-mounted datapoints. But this is what I, we, you, the reader have PAID FOR with your investment in Garmin Hardware. Vicariously, it’s the information we need to observe and alter from the Garmin SOFTWARE that also matters.

I want to stay within this ecosystem long-term, and see where it leads. There’s relevant, important information being provided. I just don’t think there has been a long-term review OF that information. Let’s see where all of these data indicators lead. I myself am pretty excited!

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Garmin Connect Fitness Metrics – 2 Weeks In

The Garmin Connect Fitness Metrics Provide More Information and Guidance

I’m now about 2 weeks in with my study of the metrics that are provided by Garmin Connect. The consistency with which I have been measuring HRV Stress in the morning, and Performance Condition during a workout, is yielding some informative results. I’ve also started to study HRV Status (an overnight reading of heart rate variability), and sleep score. I’ll report about those metrics now and in more detail in future posts.

What Goes Into My Thought Process Via Garmin Connect Data?

My thought process for the Garmin Connect interpretations is as such:

  1. Wear the Fenix 6 as much as possible, to measure HRV Status overnight, get Sleep Score, and track Hydration.
  2. Once I’ve awakened, I study the HRV Status to determine whether it is trending up, down, or within an acceptable range.
  3. Look at Sleep Score and specifically look at Deep Sleep. I need to break 52 minutes of deep sleep, and I REALLY want to get more than 6 hours of consistent sleep, but honestly, that’s a real challenge for me at this time.
  4. Take an HRV Stress test after coffee and a bathroom break. I’m sort of skipping breakfast so I can exercise mostly fasted (I use cream in my coffee).
  5. After the ride begins, if my “Performance Condition” comes out highly positive, I’ll ride for time and volume. If it’s neutral, I’ll ride for base. If it drops quickly over the first 20-30 minutes, I usually focus on LOW intensity base cycling, and try to achieve an EPOC of about 100-150 at the most right now, and then an Aerobic TE of 3.0-3.5, with no Anaerobic TE.
Garmin COnnect Training Status Reports
The Garmin Connect Training Status Report area is perhaps my favorite section of Garmin Connect. That said, I WISH I could expand these charts to get a little more detail than what it shows in this summary page.

Most of my rides have been indoors, due to weather, time commitments at the house, and a general lack of knowledge about routes and group rides in the area, since I’m new to town. This has been the wettest winter in decades, and I want to show up for any group rides prepared fitness-wise. I also want to study this stuff, so we can all use it more effectively.

 

The results have been pretty good so far.

Garmin Acute Training Load Chart 1040
This chart is available in the ‘Training Status’ page in Garmin Connect, but I thought I’d show it from the Garmin 1040, because, honestly, it’s sharper. It shows decent growth in volume, and it provides a general ‘Ceiling’ and ‘Floor’ of EPOC over a rolling 7-day accumulated average. At least I think that’s what it’s telling me.

 

My overnight HRV Status, after some initial disruptions due to outside stress factors, has largely stabilized.

Garmin HRV Status Report
When overnight HRV Status is stable or within a known range, Garmin/FirstBeat is implying that I’m okay to exercise and probably increase my volume and intensity. That’s something I would like to do, so I’ll be using the above EPOC measurement chart (see previous graph) to continue getting more overall volume, but within the limits set by Garmin Connect’s algorithm.

 

Garmin Connect Sleep Score 4 Weeks
The Garmin Connect Sleep Score is not my idea of the perfect measuring stick, but it is what it is, and it’s inside the Connect Ecosystem, so that’s what I’m using. I would LOVE to talk with someone about pulling the EEG data from a Muse S app, and sticking it into Connect, which is something that apparently can be done with an API or SDK. I think the EEG is more accurate.

 

Garmin Connect HRV Stress morning test Report
When you don’t always know where your next meal may come from, you tend to have a little higher stress some mornings. Today’s HRV Stress was at a 45, so I did a shorter, but harder workout just to get some of that stress OUT of my life! 😉

 

Garmin Connect Performance Condition With Heart Rate Overlay -4
This was today’s “Performance Condition” chart. It started off at a neutral value, and declined over the course of 45 minutes. The HRV Stress was in the mid-40’s, the Sleep Score was pathetic, even though my impression of my sleep quality was high.

 

Garmin Connect 7-Day HRV Status overnight Averages LOW
Here’s the final piece of the puzzle; my overnight average of HRV values. I THINK this is the tell-tale heart value, right here. HRV overnight was ‘low’, meaning slightly more stress, and even though in my perception, I slept well, the data just doesn’t show it. Ergo, my Performance Condition was Middlin’ at best, and then it just declined over the 45 minutes or so that I rode. Any attempt at real intensity was not to my advantage.

CONCLUSION

Looking back at several of the factors, like Sleep Score, HRV Stress, HRV Status, and the initial HRV Performance Condition value, it was evident that there was not much I could accomplish today on the bike, other than a moderate ride. Instead of attempting any intervals or even an FTP test (I keep playing with that feature on the 1040 and will accomplish it some day for a blog post), I should have gone easy.

The Garmin Connect ecosystem is teaching me, but I’m not always listening. I’ll continue to look at this guide, and share my results with you as we go along.

Thanks for reading, and ENJOY THE RIDE!

 

Garmin Performance Condition Metric and the Link to HRV Stress

The Performance Condition Metric is Another Indicator of Preparation for Intensity (or Easier Riding)

I’m now about 9 days into measuring my HRV Stress on the Garmin, and it definitely seems to correlate with my sleep quality, as well as my hydration values. But there is another metric that pops up a few minutes into my rides. It’s the ‘Performance Condition‘ metric, and it is also using Heart Rate Variability (HRV).

Remember – Heart Rate Variability is a way to measure the variation in milliseconds between R-Wave contractions in the heart. The more variable the values, the more rested the heart is. The more consistent the values, the more stressed the heart is. Garmin bought FirstBeat Technologies several years ago to integrate HRV technology into their entire lineup of products and services. So it’s important to understand what this stuff is telling us. This is why I’m writing these blog posts.

Garmin’s Definition of Performance Condition

Garmin’s Performance Condition Metric is pegged to their HRV algorithm. In SOME cases, they have come up with a fairly accurate assessment of an individual’s Vo2max. Vo2max is defined as: “Volume of Oxygen Uptake, measured in Liters per Minute (Absolute), or Mililliters per Kilogram per Minute (Relative). Notice that one uses weight. This value can be altered through weight loss and gain, as well as fitness conditioning. Here is their definition…

The Performance Condition metric is a real-time assessment of your ability to perform compared to your average fitness level. This metric ranges from -20 to +20 with each point representing approximately 1% of the VO2 Max set on your device. During the first 6-20 minutes of an activity the device will alert you to your current Performance Condition. This can also be used as an indicator of fatigue level, especially at the end of a long activity. Performance Condition is calculated using the following:

  • Speed
  • Heart rate
  • Heart rate variability
  • Power

Here’s an example from one of my recent rides…

Garmin Performance Condition
The Garmin Performance Condition Metric pops up at some point between 6 and 20 minutes into most of my rides, indoors and out. It uses HRV (Heart Rate Variability), wattage, and basic HR values to come up with a value between -20 and +20. It’s also related to Garmin’s estimate of your Vo2max, which in my case, is fairly accurate, though YMMV.

 

This Value Will CHANGE Over the Course of a RIDE

Take a look at this page I built on my Garmin 1030. There are other metrics on the page that I will write about later, but focus on the “Performance Condition” value, located in the lower right corner of the page.

Garmin Performance Condition Value Changes Over Time.
The Performance Condition Field (Lower Right) will change over the course of a ride as HRV values change. Make sure you have a good chest strap in order to ensure the best data stream to your head unit.

 

Here’s where this metric gets interesting, and why I think it deserves some attention.

Look at the definition above. Performance Condition looks at your Vo2max, then heart rate, heart rate variability, and wattage. Then, remember my ‘happy heart/stressed heart’ summary about HRV.

A Happy Heart beats because it wants to.

A Stressed Heart beats because it HAS TO.

If a cyclist is 30 minutes into a ride and their Performance Condition starts to drop, well, that’s a sign. If Performance Condition starts to actually CLIMB or stays STABLE, that’s another indicator.

USE THE HRV STRESS VALUE IN CONJUNCTION WITH PERFORMANCE CONDITION

My new morning routine now involves measuring HRV Stress, usually after coffee, news and email. But I also try to pay attention to my Performance Condition Value, once my ride has begun. When I ride SOLO, the Performance Condition Value can help me better understand the preparation for a ride. I’m still figuring it all out, but Clifton Duhon of NBS Nutrition has a great and relevant allegory….

“A good ride doesn’t start with a meetup in a parking lot. A good ride starts the night before the ride, with good sleep. A good ride starts with the meal that you’re having that night, so that you get to sleep better. More good rides start with better preparation via nutrition and hydration in general. Sure, we all want to talk about on-bike hydration strategies and what powders yield the most miracles. But the chronic habit of good meals, in the proper proportions, which lead to better sleep, over time, is what really matters most. Nutrition via calories and a chronic hydration and sleep plan matter more than any other ride accessory.”

If I wake up and my HRV Stress is HIGH, then I’m going to look back about 12-16 hours to determine just how I might have messed up my preparation. Did the dogs sleep on top of me? Was it too hot in the bedroom? Did I consume too much alcohol (I’m 1 week sober as I write this, as an experiment in better sleep and recovery)? What was my hydration status?

The next step on the ride is to watch for the “Performance Condition” to pop up. If THAT VALUE, combined with the HRV STRESS value, is…

  • Negative? Well, I’m rolling back into the garage.
  • If it’s POSITIVE, I’ll ride and WATCH FOR THE DECLINE in the “Performance Condition” Field to determine how and when I should return home or curtail the duration.
  • If HRV Stress is Moderate and Performance Condition is Neutral or Positive, I’ll head out and just pay attention to the Performance Condition, so see if it remains fairly flat, or if it declines quickly.
  • Sometimes, Performance Condition WILL RISE during a ride, usually when I’m riding a little more intensely. If that’s the case, I’ll work my miles and minutes, and see if it starts to decline later in the ride.
HRV Stress and Performance Condition in Garmin Connect.
In this ride, which was about an hour long, HRV Stress rose and Performance Condition Fell starting about halfway into the ride. I wanted to follow the trail of Performance Condition, but I quit when it was obvious that my body was not getting anything out of the ride that was meritorious.

CONCLUSION

I’m slowly coming full circle on the entire concept of Garmin and FirstBeat’s efforts to integrate their interpretation of Heart Rate Variability measurements and conclusions into their metrics. In the last post, I discussed HRV Stress using a 3-minute test. But this post augments that information with the Performance Condition value, and how that relates to Vo2max, and whther a ride, or any exercise, is beneficial or not. Use it to help you determine early, just how hard you might need to go. You can also use it to better strategize those days and hours prior to an event or weekend ride.

I’m still a student, and I’m going to follow this thread with myself and you. Let’s learn it together, and see what we can glean.

I will also start incorporating Garmin’s Hydration Tracker and Sleep Score, to see if we can get a more Holistic picture of fitness and preparation via the Garmin Connect Ecosystem.

Thanks for reading, and ENJOY THE RIDE.