Hi,
Today I realized that the fatigue/fitness graphs says “training load per day” on the x axis.
Is that the unit of fatigue and fitness? My understanding of the training load per day was the TSS per day.
yep. well noticed.
Yes the Y-axis shows TSS per day which is the unit for fatigue and fitness. I can’t call it TSS for trademark reasons.
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Ahh makes sense. I had no idea that is the unit. Thanks
I wont pretend I know much. I am pretty new to cycling dont a few tri’s over the years but only because I couldn’t run much.
Anyway as a novice does anyone fancy looking at this chart.
Am I doing too much?
Is it in the red too much?
How long should it stay in the red before getting some “green time”?
Should I just go away and read a book?
Which one?
I haven’t seen any other app that uses % in Form and when you have a low CTL it is very easy to enter in the negative.
Other places use an absolute number and recommend you to stay between -10 and -30.
Better keep an eye on both. and how you are felling.
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Weight = 205 kg ?
@Gato_Felix Many thanks for that remark!
I was wondering why I’m going into the red all the time while my feeling and HRV scores tell me I have plenty left…
Going for Absolute Values untill my CTL gets back up (it is low now) and will switch regularly between both options. I’m so glad I can ramp-up without the odd idea of having a huge fatigue level that is not matching my feeling.
lb = pounds
LOL lbs yes I know its too much!
Thanks.
I changed the graph. Form is -58 so I guessing that a bit too low?
What is CTL?
CTL= Chronic Training Load. David uses Fitness because CTL is trademarked. It’s the same.
Ah got it thanks. I feel tired had a poor ride today. Not so bad a day off wont refresh me somewhat. Thanks for the advice.
Very very very low.
From your graph:
TSB (form) = CTL (fitness) - ATL (fatigue) = 43 - 68 = -25
That’s still in the Optimal Zone with absolute values. I don’t think you would be motivated to train with an absolute value of -58. Unless you have a big training history that is not (yet) in intervals.icu. If you first start using the performance management chart and you were already training several months/years, the chart does not reflect your actual fitness because it starts at zero. If you come from another software package with this functionality, you can set a starting CTL/ATL.
The change from % to Absolute is made on the settings page. For the % to match the Absolute value, CTL needs to be 100.
So I am fine as its -28? I think I get that. so form = fitness - fatigue = -25 thats good got it. In the zone.
So What is Form on my chart? I do have a background as an athlete (runner) maybe not a great one but over the years done lots of regular training. The last two years have been very patchy due to serious injuries. Anyway I think your saying because I started at 0 Fitness should/will increase quicker than fatigue bringing the form to a more correct setting?
So apologies for all the questions but when will be fitness be correct and can I use a form on the current graph as a real guide? Is it a time thing?
CTL (fitness) has a 42 day time constant. ATL (fatigue) has a 7 day time constant. So normally your chart will pretty well display your training state after 6-8weeks of regular training.
If you have a background with regular training and start the chart at 0, you will be able to do some decent training that immediately sends your form on the chart downwards. That is not a correct view but you can’t blame the chart for that because it has no idea where you’re starting.
Bassicaly, train as usual for about 6 weeks without worying to much about the chart and then compare you’re subjective feeling with what the chart is telling you.
From there you will have to evaluate how good the chart is at following “you” (a unique athlete). Some people recover faster, other slower. The chart uses average parameters, not necessarily 100% correct for you. But in time you will get to know what a certain fatigue level means for you. You may very well be able to cope with fatigue levels slightly higher than 30, but you may just as well be exhausted when keeping a fatigue around 20.
If you are now at -28 and feeling good, motivated to train and don’t have problems raising intensity, it probably means that you can handle that level of fatigue. But “listen to your body” is very important.
Your chart shows data from about 3 months, you should start to couple the numbers with your feelings and learn further on what you can or can’t handle, what brings on positive adaptations or not.
I suggest you read up on this topic, I find it very interesting. TrainingPeaks, Golden Cheetah and numerous other sites have elaborated on this. get used to CTL/ATL/TSB naming because that is what you will see in posts and studies on the net.
Form (TSB=Training Stress Balance) is the lower line in your chart and shows CTL minus ATL.
Another thing: If you pickup training again after some longer period without training, your fitness will raise faster than that of a couch potatoe who never trained in his life, because your body has sort of a memory function that will trigger faster adaptation. Again, the chart doesn’t make a difference and considers both starting at 0 with the same parameters. But I’m sure you will improve faster than the couch potatoe…
This is not “exact science” but a very good help and visualisation of what is going on with your fitness.
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@Claude_De_Vetter Thanks so much. I kind of knew guessed much of this but in that vague newbee unsure way. I didn’t know or guess it all though so getting less unsure is great.
I have just bought a book, see below, so should start to learn more of what all this means.
In terms of running( which I can hopefully re-start soon. I had a knee arthroscopy on the 13th January) I have always been able to manage my load based on feel. Now I want to incorporate much more cycling. I don’t feel I have the knowledge or experience to gauge this. I also feel that as cycling takes so long small mistakes in terms of load make a larger impact on fatigue.
Anyway so much to learn but thanks for the guidance.
If you have a Power Meter and carefully read the book you just aquired, you are on your way to master most of this “wizard” stuff.
Good choice to start cycling for fitness and spare that knee untill it is fully recovered…