Online Bike Coach

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A Letter To A Client – Xert Progression

 

Dear James,

I Just wanted to give you a heads up on what I’m looking at in terms of your Xert progression.

First Things First – Xert Progression

This is a NICE CHART OF XERT PROGRESSION. It’s safe, it’s consistent, and it’s predictive. The Form line is just a hunch right now. As long as you feel okay, we continue. There are no signs of overtraining.
Xert Progression XPMC Training Load Form
Xert XPMC Chart Shows nice progression, breakthroughs, and a Plateau’d form line, which is just fine for now.

 

XERT Training Pacer and Summary Boxes

IF we were looking at the ATA, well, it’s pretty much spot-on. You’re right on the edge of “Training” and “Training Optional”, and the Xert Progression future workout is arguing for something a little less intense. We’ll see about that. I don’t agree or disagree, but the physiological modeling is rolling parallel to what I’m providing as a coach. However, we communicate more effectively, and we also know when you’re feeling good enough for a breakthrough, when the model might say something different.

Xert Progression Training Pacer Agrees with Coach Wharton Programming
IF you follow the Xert Training Pacer, which is kind of a broader coaching tool, it correlates with what we are seeing in this discussion.

XERT Progression Stress Chart

Xert Progression Stress Chart shows steady growth
Xert Stress Chart Shows healthy growth, but also shows the limits of indoor training. This will rise once the weather turns and you’re able to get Green/Red rides outside.

STRESS continues to trend upward. You and I know that a good hour on the bike can use as much as 800-1000kj’s, and we’re S L O W L Y going to work our way up for that. Still – I like seeing this growth. It’s going to lead to a great aerobic engine. This is one of my favorite Xert Progression charts; we know how much energy it takes to ride, and here, we see it in a rolling average.

XERT Progression Strain Chart

Xert Progression Strain Chart Push and Pull the Signature.
Strain is showing that the quality days are HIGH QUALITY, with a nice High Strain Purple Marking, whereas the Green/Red and Recovery days are all pink, which is exactly as they should be. Those are also mostly lower strain overall.
As for Strain, well…. The QUALITY days are QUALITY! HIGH QUALITY! AWESOME QUALITY! LOOK AT THE PURPLE MATCH HEADS!!! And the QUANTITY DAYS ARE QUANTITY! Little-to-no match head! Recovery days are also just that – Recovery; there’s no match head to speak of. Also notice that your Xert Progression Focus line is out there in the “GC Specialist” area. I am JUST fine with that, as, if you think about it – 8 minutes is a PRETTY AEROBIC effort. The Focus Spike was right before your breakthrough, and it settled down again after those two silver medals. We’ll be attempting breakthroughs less frequently now, but when they come, they’ll be “Big Silvers”, as we develop the HIE capacity, and let FTP float up. IT will pull Lower Threshold.

XERT Progression Fitness Signature Chart

Xert Progression Fitness Signature Trendline HIE Threshold Power Peak Power Lower Threshold Power go UP
Capacity to do work comes in three places. Aerobic Capacity, Anaerobic Capacity, and Maximal Capacity. We don’t worry too much about Maximal Capacity right now, but the HIE and Threshold continue to grow, and pull Lower Threshold Power up.

Speaking of Signatures…..

You’re identifying your TRUE HIE, which is fundamental to interval intensity and duration. You are also showing a GREAT, YAWNING GAP of Tempo Power, from 189 watts to 242 watts, which is what I like to call my “Post-Breakaway With 45k to go” power. Remember – I WANT YOU TO BE THE ONLY ONE IN THE PICTURE WHEN THE FINISH LINE COMES AROUND! All of that will rise as FTP and HIE go up. We’ll also ‘Push’ Lower Threshold with LOOOOONG slow rides once the weather warms up where you are.

XERT Progression Fitness Planner

Xert Progression Fitness Planner GC Specialist Ramp Rate Polarity Ratio Fitness Signature Total XSS
Ramp Rate is rising steadily. Polarity ratio is improving. Fitness Signatures are trending in green, and Total XSS is showing a healthy bump as well. Weekly focus is right where you want it.
Finally – let’s take a look at the Planner, as it confirms a few things, and points out a few others…
We’ll start with Ramp Rate. Outside of the week of the 18th, which is still okay at 7.2, look at what the simple act of Progression has built for you; a nice, steady Ramp up of XSS/Day volume. We’ve also seen improved Signatures because of this, and in the last two weeks, we’ve hovered near a 90:10 ratio through Friday of each week. I’m not concerned about smacking a 90:10 or greater for a whole week – THAT would take less volume, and would be too intense for this time of year. Look back at the Strain Chart, and you’ll see that those Quality Days were so beautiful, and fun, that the Easy days ended up being easier, and longer, at higher levels of wattage and energy. Total XSS for the week ended at 669, and it’s THAT number, along with the FOUR WEEKS of GROWTH, is what MIGHT necessitate a Periodization. NOT this week, but maybe NEXT week. We’ll see how this goes as we progress.

For the upcoming week, don’t forget to try and RAISE your watts over the set time periods, and follow my “bank it, then spend it” philosophy. Think of it as half-wheeling from hell. We’ll get appropriate dips in MPA, we’ll see better colors in the “Focus” field, and we’ll continue to see breakthroughs AS YOU SEE FIT!

You’re on your way, and I can’t wait to see what the next two or three weeks bring you in terms of Signature, Volume, and Fatigue. Don’t forget to do some resistance training, and if there are ANY twitches or warning signs from your hip, calves, or heart, we back down, and recover. No injuries. Train hard, Rest Harder.

Chat soon.
— 
Richard Wharton
USA Cycling Level 1 Coach
Author: Watts per Kilogram
Looking for resistance training for endurance athletes? Buy Suspension Fitness today!
Cycling Center Dallas

Ph: +1 (214) 616-9850
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Afraid to Suffer, Part One

“I’m not getting any better!” (You don’t know how to Suffer!)

Descending Threshold
Let’s get to the root of this.

I HATE that statement. “Better” is a completely loaded term. It implies perception over analysis, and it’s my job as a coach to be a shrink, a cheerleader, a gentle critic, a cajoler, and an overall positive influence. But what is NOT my job, is to DO THE ACTUAL WORK ON THE BIKE. YOU have to learn how to SUFFER!

I have a client. Low overall Threshold, REALLY low overall HIE, and what I’d call an ARTIFICIALLY low Peak Power. I KNOW this client can do better. But this individual, and I’m going to be harsh here…. This individual DOES NOT KNOW, AND DOES NOT UNDERSTAND, HOW TO REALLY, TRULY, DEEPLY — SUFFER.

Xert Signature Descending
“I Can’t Understand Why I’m not A Stronger Cyclist!”

Do the Work – Reap the Reward. Suffering is GOOD at times.

Training requires WORK. You USE ENERGY to GENERATE WATTS, and thus – GET FIT. FITNESS gives you the ability to use MORE energy, and generate MORE WATTS, and thus – GET MORE FIT!

But when you don’t DO THE WORK, you don’t GENERATE the POWER, and your FITNESS STAGNATES. It really is that simple.

Fitness equals Work divided by Power times Time.
Do the Work, Reap the Reward.

This individual has everything; Great job, two great kids, expensive bike, extravagant components, custom wheels, Rapha Kit that gets replaced when bike grease inevitably shows up on a jersey pocket. The works. But what this person DOES NOT HAVE, is the ability to SUFFER!

Suffer Watts
Sometimes you forget where you put your shoes….

I tell my clients – “You have to suffer like a barefoot Russian in winter!” Hey – they beat Napoleon! You can, too!

Well, there’s a time to suffer; it’s called interval days and it’s meant to be a controlled, “Focused” intensity. Do the work, reap the reward. But some people just…… either don’t want to, or don’t understand just how hard “Work” really is.

“Volume IS Work! It’s not ALL SUFFER(ing!)”

I met with this individual, after they signed up for Xert. I helped them program the head unit. I explained the concept of volume, intensity, frequency, Focus, and fitness breakthroughs.

For TEN WEEKS, this individual’s numbers JUST. KEPT. DROPPING.

I couldn’t figure it out. Until Finally, it dawned on me to try ONE MORE THING.

Click here to see The Breakthrough in Part Two (Premium Content—subscription)

 

Four Weeks

A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY XERT

On April 25th, 2018, I received an email from a past client. Joe had mostly come to the Cycling Center Dallas Studio for weekend FLASH rides, when the weather was too poor to ride outdoors. He was always a good cyclist, but beyond the 2 hours here and there, I did not know much about his ability as a cyclist or a competitor. Joe had not been to my studio recently enough to learn about my infatuation with Xert, the cycling fitness assessment model that has led my clients to such recent success.

“Can you get me ready for ‘Bike the Bricks’?”

Bike the Bricks
Bike the Bricks is held on the Friday of every Memorial Day Weekend. It’s a really popular event that requires lots of anaerobic capacity.

BIKE THE BRICKS

Bike the Bricks is a Criterium bike race, held on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, in McKinney, Texas. It is usually the first day of up to five days straight of bike racing. Bike the Bricks, however, is the most popular and exciting, as it winds it’s way through a bootleg-shaped course, in the middle of downtown McKinney. It’s VERY spectator-friendly.

Bike the bricks McKinney TX
Bike the bricks – literally!

Four weeks is a really short time to prepare ANYONE for a competitive event, but I had another idea in mind.

“Maybe? What type of Power Meter do you have?”

“A new Quarq.”

“Excellent. What type of head unit do you use?”

“I have a Garmin 520.”

“Okay – let’s meet and assess your current training values, and then let’s chat about the best strategy to take so you’re best prepared.”

ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING – NO, ASSESSMENT AND TEACHING XERT!

Now, anyone who has ridden or trained for a bike race knows that unless the athlete is already somewhat fit, not even a miracle can leave them prepared for the demands of a bike race, in such a short period of time. Yet I had a different idea in my head; if I could use the information offered up through Xert, then we could help the athlete BETTER UNDERSTAND his fitness, the dynamics of the race, when and how to attack, bridge, or recover, and even when a breakthrough might occur or be appropriate.

Xert Intervals Tabata
Joe Gonzalez Performing his first Set of Tabata Intervals using Xert.

Per my directions, the athlete showed up early, got a proper warmup, and using his verbal claim of Threshold/Critical Power, I plugged him in to PerfPro Studio, and gave him some of my nastiest intervals. Then, his Xert Fitness Signature was properly set. Over the next three weeks, I looked at the information that his power meter and head unit provided. It gave me the ability to better understand his fitness. I was better at planning the strategy of the workouts. Finally, I was better at helping him understand just what the head unit was telling him, through the use of the Xert Fields.

Xert Intervals With Tabatas (Click to Watch Video)

Ironically, the traditional fitness signatures used by Xert DROPPED over the next three weeks…

Xert Fitness Signature
Xert Fitness Signatures CAN and DO DROP as you change modes for different Focus. In this case, the cyclist changed his focus from Road Racing (Breakaway Specialist or Rouleur) to Crit Racing (Pursuiter or Puncheur), It also means he was just not as FOCUSED as he perhaps could have been earlier in the season.

FINDING THE MOST ACCURATE FITNESS SIGNATURE

Now, an athlete might believe that this was a sign of less fitness. However, I believe it was a sign of a MORE ACCURATE FITNESS SIGNATURE! He DID achieve fitness breakthroughs, but the Xert Signatures, which used data from his winter and spring training, was tuning itself to the short, hard intensity intervals that I was providing the athlete.

On the Tuesday before the race, I had the client come in for a final Fitness Signature Assessment. The result?

FITNESS Breakthrough Xert Gold Medal
Knowledge of HOW to time your intensity can lead to FITNESS BREAKTHROUGHS!
Xert Fitness Breakthrough
NICE SIZED BUMP IN PERFORMANCE AND FITNESS CAPACITY – But even MORE important – KNOWLEDGE!

A GOLD MEDAL, and a final fitness signature that looked like this:

  • Peak Power: 1227 Watts
  • High Intensity Energy (HIE): 21.7 KiloJoules
  • Threshold Power: 270 Watts

DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO APPLY XERT IN THE RACE

Additionally, armed with this knowledge, and confident that it was accurate, the athlete and I then discussed how to use it in the upcoming race.

  • We used ONE FIELD – Watts/MPA.
  • When Watts turned black, he was above Threshold, at 270-383 watts.
  • Above 383 watts, his watts were YELLOW, and he was on BORROWED time.
  • If watts turned RED, he was above 770 watts when fresh, and he would not be able to sustain this power for more than 30 seconds.
  • As the race wore on, fatigue set in, and MPA dropped, he could expect the colors on watts to turn yellow and red at LOWER intensities.
  • He was to try and avoid a breakthrough for at least the first half of the race, and hopefully marshall his resources so he could use them in the last few laps, or at the finish.
  • IF he saw yellow watts for too long, he should back off, and try to find a wheel to draft behind.
  • If he was fresh, and the pack was slowing, he could take risks, or attempt a breakaway.

To sum it all up; it all depended on the color of the watts, and the MPA values. He had learned that MPA was the key; if it dropped, he was riding VERY hard. If it rebounded, he was recovering. HE could make the race. Armed with this new knowledge, HE could attack, bridge, recover, lead out – anything. It was HIS fitness that mattered, not the random surges and recoveries of the Peloton.

Next, we discussed hydration, staying cool in the heat and humidity, diet, carbo-loading, and teamwork, and I sent him off with my usual “Good Luck, but you don’t need it! YOU HAVE SKILL AND TALENT AND KNOWLEDGE! USE THEM!”

RESULTS

Unfortunately, I left the next day to attend a wedding in Northern Wisconsin, and was unable to attend the event itself. Because of poor cell coverage, I waited all day Friday for a text, and finally, in the late evening, it arrived.

Bike the Bricks Mens 40+ 2018
Results – 13th Place – his strongest finish ever!

13th Place, 40 finishers, 80 starters, and 2nd teammate of his club.

Because of this KNOWLEDGE and APPLICATION, he had finished with the leaders. Joe had survived and done his part to activate the race. As a result, an Xert novice had used his knowledge on-screen and in the event, to help himself and his teammates. The cyclist had also achieved another breakthrough.

Xert Criterium MPA Wattage
Notice the SUPPRESSED MPA that then got DEPRESSED right at the mid-point? THAT was where the breakthrough happened, and it coincided with an attempt at a Prime. The rest of the race was relatively easier. “Relative” being the key word.

There was no way that we could expect a podium. Thus, Four weeks of training had led to greater knowledge. It had not, however,  been adequate to boost Anaerobic Capacity, or HIE to a significant degree. Perhaps more importantly, it led to a SMARTER RACER, and a SMARTER RACE. I think that’s my most profound observation. The athlete, using Xert Fields and Fitness Signatures, was better able to RACE THE RACE, within his limits. He may not have been the most fit athlete out there. But he WAS the SMARTEST racer he could be, at that moment.

CONCLUSION

For all the reasons I’ve mentioned above, I continue to be amazed. I am convinced that the Xert fitness signature and modeling are the most accurate system available. I’ve tried them all, I’ve used them all, and my athletes are now using Xert to greater and greater effect. You don’t have to be a racer to enjoy Xert’s fitness benefits. Understanding the fields, and the system behind those numbers, is very, very powerful. Perhaps most importantly, with this athlete in particular, we now know exactly where his strengths and weaknesses are. We will be addressing them throughout the summer. When the Fall Crits or the State Championship roll around, he will be even more prepared and confident in his fitness and capacity.

 

MMP (Mean Maximal Power) Breakthroughs Galore in April!

Testing for Mean Max Power (MMP)

I’ve been meaning to write about this for a while, so apologies that it’s a few weeks late. However, our training in March and April led to multiple Mean Maximal Power Breakthroughs, and I wanted to write about this. Mean Maximal Power is defined as the “Highest average power” you can generate over a given amount of time. This time, at the studio, we used 5 MMP’s. They were: 1-minute, 2-minute, 3-minute, 5-minute, and 8-minute efforts. This was done over two days, and we did “Pre-Tests” the week before for the 3-minute and 8-minute values, and we accepted the higher value of the two. All tests were performed using PerfPro Studio software, and several of my clients are using Xert Fields on their Garmin head units.

We test for Critical Power at the studio, because not all of our clients own power meters for their bikes. PerfPro Studio is the best program to help cyclists understand how intervals work. Intervals on PerfPro incorporate Critical Power and W Prime. Intervals of different intensities, durations, and number, improve fitness.

Most of my clients are veteran studio cyclists, so when we tested, we used previous values as a benchmark to surpass. Here is an example:

Critical Power Curve Cycling Center Dallas Online Bike Coach MMP
Leo Spencer’s MMP Numbers and Critical Power for April 2018

In March of 2018, Leo Spencer had Mean Maximal Power Numbers for the following durations:

  • 1MMP – 418 watts
  • 2MMP – 309 watts
  • 3MMP – 292 watts
  • 5MMP – 268 watts
  • 8MMP – 237 watts

As a result, this led to a Critical Power Value of: 214 watts, and a “W Prime“, or “W'” value, of 13,010 j. Critical Power is a value above which a cyclist is drawing from anaerobic power sources, and it cannot be sustained for long periods of time. Below Critical Power, a cyclist is largely using aerobic power, and the effort can be sustained much longer. The W Prime (W’) value is sort of a “bank account”, from which energy is drawn and returned, when wattage is above Critical Power. If Leo were to ride at 300 watts, his W Prime (W’) would fall quickly. When his power was at 150 watts, it would begin to return.

Furthermore, you can also see that most of Leo’s values came from one day in March, with one day in February completing the 5 MMP’s.

This was in the middle of a “MesoCycle” of training. Mesocycles are periods of time where a cyclist is increasing training volume and/or intensity. Four weeks later, after an increase in intensity, the installation of a power meter and a Garmin 1000 head unit, along with the introduction of Xert Fields and Metrics, we tested him again.

Testing after four weeks of Progression

Here are his charts…

Mean Maximal Power PerfPro Studio Xert Breakthroughs
Leo Spencer Critical Power Test for Mean Maximal Power in the 5, 3, and 1 minute durations.

The 5-minute, 3-minute, and 1-minute MMP Tests yielded:

  • 1MMP – 461 watts (10% improvement).
  • 3MMP – 304 watts (4% improvement).
  • 5MMP – 278 watts (4% improvement).

Here is his 2-minute and 8-minute MMP Test chart:

Mean Maximal Power Critical Power Test PerfPro Studio Xert
Leo Spencer 8 Minute and 2 Minute MMP Test May 2018

The 8-minute and 2-minute MMP Tests yielded:

  • 2MMP – 372 watts (17% improvement).
  • 8MMP – 249 watts (5% improvement).

His Critical Power Curve ended up looking like this:

PerfPro Studio Critical Power Test May 2018 MMP Xert
Leo Spencer Critical Power Test May 2018

These Mean Maximal Power Improvements led to more overall fitness for Leo and many others. In fact, 3/4 of my studio clients achieved breakthroughs in at least 3 of the 5 MMP’s!

Here are Leo’s Gains by %.

  • Critical Power: 2% in four weeks.
  • W Prime (W’): 25% in four weeks!!!!

The Secret Behind the MMP Breakthroughs…

So here is what I find so interesting.

Before Xert, I would give cyclists their previous MMP Records. Leo got his April Mean Maximal Power values, to try and break. But the method of breaking the MMP records was what made it so successful.

Leo and all the riders who use Xert, used COLORED ZONES to better pace their efforts. Watts colored in Black are at Threshold Intensity. Power showing watts in Yellow were at Vo2 Intensity. Watts colored Red were highly Anaerobic, and if the watts turned Purple for a long enough period of time, then a breakthrough could be achieved! By timing the efforts JUST RIGHT, Xert users were able to “See” how much more they could give, before they surpassed previous limits. Leo’s breakthroughs were all performed visibly as well as mentally.

Therefore, in PerfPro, the chart looks like this (this is from March, 2018):

Wattage Pulls metabolic Efficiency
It never pays to go out too hard, too early. ALWAYS work on raising your intensity over time, and with that rise, come breakthroughs!

 

And here is Leo’s file from Xert’s point of view…:

Xert MMP Breakthroughs
The MMP breakthroughs at 5,3, and 1 minute.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Mean Maximal Power is a way to test yourself for work capacity. Using PerfPro, we can accurately look at empirical records to set breakthrough goals. When combined with Xert Fields, cyclists can better pace their way to breakthroughs. Using PerfPro Studio with Xert Fields on your Garmin, is truly the best combination available.

Updating the OLD Xert Garmin Fields With the NEW Xert Garmin Fields – A Video Tutorial.

Xert Fields Update Automatically now
Xert Fields now Auto-Update a Cyclist’s Fitness Signature!

Unfortunately, I’m posting this a few weeks late. Another update to Xert fields has already rendered this video somewhat obsolete. It’s still a great demonstration of how to get into the old Xert Garmin fields and update them. It also shows what the Garmin Xert Field displays now provide.

In Summary:

  • In early March, Xert rewrote their Garmin data fields. The fields now automatically update at the beginning of every ride, with your latest Xert Signature.
  • Cyclists and Triathletes had some trouble accomplishing this procedure.
  • Online Bike Coach decided to produce a video explaining how to perform this procedure, using steps that are highlighted.
  • Cyclists and triathletes will never again need to enter their six-character Xert codes into their Garmins.

It’s Still Not Perfect…

Xert Fields Need Garmin Connect On.
Xert Fields Require your Garmin to be Connected to Garmin Connect via SmartPhone.

There are still several hiccups in the process, about which I am hearing. Most of the comments relate to a Garmin’s inability to connect with the user’s phone, and thus, Garmin Connect (The Software). The Garmin head unit has to connect with the smart phone; otherwise, the latest signature will not be posted in a timely manner, which leads to further frustration.

Updating Xert Fields on a Garmin:

 

 

I’m going to leave you with one quick comment… 

This 8 minute video required about 8 hours of work. If you feel that you got something out of it, please consider making a token donation below. For the price of a Cup of Coffee, you get the satisfaction of knowing that I’ll be the best, most direct, 3rd-party support guy you’ll ever meet. Furthermore, it may lead to more, regular videos. Garmin bike computers are the best. Xert technology is the best. If you want the best person to help you marry the two, have a look around at the website and send me a note with your inquiries.