Alternative metrics to form

[Bernhard_Lutz]

Hi everyone,

by now I understand that “form cannot stay in optimal zone if you dont increase training load”, but now I feel like form does not work as a indicator of when to rest anymore (for me).

If you look at the screenshot of my fitness I had this big ride which i started fresh and put me deep into the green (my first metric century). I actually did not feel to bad after and continued training, One week later I felt really tired in the legs.

I put it down to accumulated stress of the big ride and then the training. Tried to push a bit because my form line was starting to go towards fresh, but my body told me to stop and rest,

My form is in fresh now, but I feel like I will need to rest a few more days.

Further into the future my planned training load of 400 does not even move me into the green anymore.

I understand the mathematics behind it, but practically I cannot use form as an indicator of when to take breaks and when to push anymore.

Are there any other metrics I could use. I know how to listen to my body, but it is also nice for me to have a (working) metric as support.

[nasatt]

Measuring and monitor your HRV would be an objective metric.
Plenty of articles on it can be found with google search. Google ‘Marco Altini’ (to name just one expert)
There are charts you can use available as shared charts on Intervals.icu such as the one shown below

But more important than any chart or objective metric is, like you say, to listen to your own body.
I wouldn’t pay too much, if any, attention to the PMC chart. I used to think it was the be all and end all but the more I read, train and educate myself, the more nonsensical this PMC chart becomes. I have a cursory glance at it every now and then and that’s about it.