After doing some digging into and testing in the thread below, I was wondering if it would be possible to add in functionality for Garmin’s “intensity” parameter when creating/pushing workouts from Intervals?
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As far as I understand the “intensity” field in the FIT file built by intervals.icu (or sent over to Garmin via their workout import API) is not something you can set using the workout builder on intervals.icu.
In fact, according to this Change interval type: work-->recovery - #6 by david it is set automatically based on the workout step’s HR or power target.
Interestingly, this automatic value wasn’t effective until recently because of a bug (see Change interval type: work-->recovery - #8 by david) .
I would very much welcome a feature that would allow you to set your workout step type manually.
Personally, I find it strange/weird to label all workout steps in e.g. a marathon tempo run workout as “recovery” just because they stay below your LTHR.
Moreover, at the start of each workout step Garmin watches show you a prompt with all sort of information about the workout step. However, the “step type” has an effect on the information displayed. E.g. for “recovery” steps the current step’s target HR or power won’t even be displayed at all, but instead the previous step’s distance will be displayed. (Which probably makes sense from Garmin’s point of view, since why would anyone label Z2 intervals as “recovery”, right? ¯\(ツ)/¯)
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I didn’t know that the step intensity triggered different behaviour from the watch. I have reverted to the previous behaviour where steps get intensity of “interval”. If the power is less than half of the top of Z1 or the HR is less than 80% of the top if Z1 or pace is less than 80% of top of Z1 pace then intensity is “recovery”. I will see what I can do about getting intensity into the workout editor.
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I think the possibility to define the “intensity” becomes VERY important for swim workouts:
If garmin interprets an interval as a “rest” within a swim workout, then the watch is put in rest mode (i.e. it considers that you are standing still at the pool wall) and do not track/record anything you do (so if you swim because in reality that interval is a swim interval, the watch does not record it).
This annoying behavior is happening to me only recently (i would say approx one month) in this configuration:
Workout specified in intervals.icu
workout going to GC
workout from GC to FR 255
All in all if workout coding in intervals could specify what is swim and what is rest, the issue should be solved.
Thanks
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David,
I’ve tried to make sense of the requests for rest/recovery and “work”.
In TrainingPeaks, the workout builder shows these option (with default intensity in brackets):
- Warmup (40-50%)
- Active (70-80%)
- Recovery (50-60%)
- Cool down (40-50%(
- 2-step interval (85-95% and 50-60%)
- 3-step interval (75-85%, 90-100% and 50-60%)
- ramp up (4 steps, 55-65%, 65-75%, 75-85%, 85-95%)
- ramp down (4 steps, the reverse of the ramp up)
“Active” shows on the block builder, but shows as “work” on the detail where duration, intensity, cadence and notes are stored.
In Zwift it will show:
- Zones 1-7 (50%, 61%, 77%, 90%, 106% and 120%)
- Warmup (25-75%)
- Cooldown (75-25%
- Interval (100% and 50%)
- Free Ride (duration - 10m and cadence = blank)
In both cases, the interval can be deemed work/active and the in-between steps are called recovery. I’m guessing it’s because it’s really recovery between the harder effort.
A Z1-2 workout could be “active/work” without it being recovery, but is it really “work”?
Do you think it would be possible to add buttons on the side (see image below) that allows users to select the type of step (then set rules on that similar to other workout builders).
If a user selects Normal, but enter Z1 or 2, then it will still show as “Work/Active”. If they want recovery, they would select the recovery button.
Hi,
In my view this more affects the page the device shows than anything else.
I rather have back they way it was (all being work) because it shows the “Text to display to athlete”.
Maybe leaving “work” as default but allow people to choose.
If not possible, please, leave as “work”.
Thank you
Thanks for the quick response, I really appreciate it! 
Can’t wait to check it out.
Being able to specify the intensity ourselves would be ideal, but for the time being this is definitely better than the previous behavior. At least for running, especially when training for HMs/fulls, we do lots of Z2 work that isn’t “recovery.” Z2 is a pretty wide range and can definitely include close to marathon pace. At the same time, when doing cruise intervals or fartleks, the recovery floats between work intervals are often indeed Z2 recovery.