W Prime is a great way to measure your training load.

I’ve been using PerfPro Studio since it first came out in 2008. I’ve watched its capabilities grow, especially as we developed workouts and schedules for controlled progression and periodization. The workouts allow you to ride with absolute wattage, wattage as a percentage of Threshold, wattage based on percent of slope and any mix in between.

As a coach, I can program intervals that rise or fall over time, both in blocks or ramps. Slope-based intervals can also be constant or ramped, requiring clients to shift and modulate cadence to achieve their wattage goals.

I love it, and so do OBC students; Perf Pro has become a pillar of my coaching practice. (You can also use PerfPro in in combination with other training methodologies, including Xert, but more about that another time.)

Consistency is Key

One of the most under-appreciated elements of PerfPro is its consistency; it works—every day, every ride.

Drew Hartmann, the developer, built PerfPro Studio to give indoor ergometer owners something that was “robust and seamless.” In my opinion, he has succeeded. PerfPro is “Robust”: it offers a rich library of features and variables, while also allowing sophisticated analysis and interpretation. It was also “Seamless” in that it worked with all the indoor ergometers that could connect to a PC at the time—and later, as more trainers came into the market, with those as well. When wireless technology became popular, Drew was on it; I daresay most modern ergometers now work with PerfPro.

PerfPro can even compensate for the resistance coming off load generators and tweak the load generator to match. This largely eliminates the need for trainer calibration, although it’s always a good idea to calibrate anyway. Heart rate, cadence, Skiba metrics, WKO metrics, W¹, it’s all in there. Heck, as ergometers inevitably drift and their factory calibrations and slopes change, PerfPro can individually alter their slope and offset, saving you the work of sending a load generator back to the manufacturer for calibration. And Perf Pro remembers com ports, it remembers individual rider HR monitors, cadence sensors, even Moxy muscle oxygen sensors.As I said earlier, it just plain works.

PerfPro Bridges Client and Coach

All of these features help me as a coach, but they also help you as an athlete. Data is fantastic. But the ability to interpret that data and use it for better workouts and better cycling is the final piece of the puzzle.

No other program allows me to look at a workout, change a file, alter the schedule and then re-transmit that schedule to you. This is a huge benefit. It results in better workouts tailored to the your personal needs, and delivers a smoother rise in fitness with fewer gaps in ability.

Just as important, with PerfPro and OBC coaching, you’re not playing games, either figuratively or literally.

As a coach I grow weary of prospects wanting to hop online and ‘race’ virtually when I know the online field is not level, the speeds are not accurate, and the wattage is not valid (it’s usually ‘off’ by several double-digit percentage points), and all this can make a huge difference in your training and your results.

Here’s What You Can What You Can Accomplish in just 8 Weeks

You want real training, with progression and periodization developed and supervised by a real coach. here’s how to prove it to yourself. Download a copy of PerfPro Studio for yourself (free 14-day trial) and give it a try. Then register with OBC for an 8-week program (prices vary). We’ll talk, review, and program something that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Repeatable and Timely (SMART) for you. ProTip: after your 14-day trial, when you’re ready to purchase PerfPro, use promo code OBC  and receive a 10% discount.

As both a coach and an athlete, I wouldn’t be where I am without PerfPro; think about—and see for yourself—where you could be with it.