I’m new to this fitness model (which is more accumulative work) and started 2 weeks ago with Zwift. I’m in the red zone after 500 TSS per week. From a mathematical point of view if my FTP constant my total week TSS (~500) be constant too? how can I train more without going to the red zone? less intensive workout ( more LSD) would help?
Fatigue (ATL) takes the last 7 days worth of load (TSS) while fitness (CTL) takes the last 42 days. You also need to look at how you have performed over the last 3-6 weeks and what you intend doing for the next 3-6 weeks. If your history is low and you jump from say 300 to 500 per week, you will see red.
@Gerald thanks for the quick response. For a 42 days window and 500 TSS per week and Form of -30 (not breaching the red line). What is the way to add more TSS per week? Is there an assumption that the FTP is improving and hence the time for the “old TSS” (lower) is longer but the new TSS is the same? I missing something as in most training the TSS is going to be higher from week to week
It’s difficult to say without seeing your data/charts.
But if your TSS is 500 per week, every week, for 6 weeks, then you won’t be in the red. The red is an average of < -30 (TSB). TSB (Form) = CTL - ATL.
So if you do 500 every week, then your TSB will be 0 (grey zone).
@Gerald TSB == zero or TSB == -30 is the same from my question point of view. In both cases, I can’t have higher TSS per week, as it will eventually bring me to negative TSB (e.g if I will change it to 550 TSS after a few weeks it will get to lower than -30). My question is how to make my week TSS go up when you are training week after week? Is it constant per person?
@Gerald I think I got it because the LPS of CTL is 42 days while ALT is only 7 days this is the key to enlarging the TSS per week.
if the TSS is changed in small steps the CTL can’t change much (42 days window) while ALT will be down in a short time (after a few days)
You answered your own question there of course, but I’m going to throw something in here because you seem to be new to this training game. The purpose of the 42 and 7 day averages is to indicate when training load could be or be increasing at too high a level. I say could be, not is or isn’t. There is a reason I bring this up.
One of the common pitfalls people fall into with Zwift, or any training program for that matter, is overtraining and taking too little recovery. Those lines on the graph are estimates. Your body is the truest indicator of how much load it can handle. No doubt Zwift makes passing acknowledgement of this. Yet, many stubbornly pursue the training plans rigorously and treat those graphs as gospel.
The load calculation is an estimate. The fatigue calculation is therefore an estimate. The conclusion of your bodies adaptation to the training is an estimate. I wouldn’t get too worked up following any planned training regime if your body starts rebelling.
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So true… burned myself out when I was subscribed to Zwift. If I’m not racing or hammering, it feels like I’m missing something.