Workout builder

Guide
965

Perhaps some call it interval repeats, which have been around for a while. The multiple grouped/nested repeats are not.

966

A few questions.
Is there a consolidated manual for using the workout builder? or is most of the information here in different comments in this topic?

Is there any way to configure this? Maybe a per user option to have a “default” option for power targets?
If I’m not paying attention to the step change, I start off the lap “under” target, and my watch keeps telling me I’m too low, and I end up chasing the average lap power. It’s worse on shorter intervals with big jumps from the previous interval. The watch also gives me a low execution score after the workout, since it appears to be looking at the time below target, which is quite a bit. I tested a workout using a 5% power band, and a 3s power target, I did get more beeping in 1 interval when I was fatigued and couldn’t hold a steady cadence, but overall the watch workout screen was more useful. It showed me the 3s power and the gauge, instead of the lap average power with the gauge.

My solution will be to build all my workouts with the explicit 3s power target, and a window that lets me stay close to my desired power. Just wondering if there is a setting somewhere to control the behavior

967

oh wow, that’s great, thanks Gerald! It just keeps getting better!

The other nice thing is that you see the graphical representation as you type it in as well!

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968

All good and really looking for an ultimate guide to all of this somewhere please if someone has time to write and publish :wink:

969

The GUIDE section

970

Post 16 has some information, on the workout builder.

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971

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Found where to set the default lap target for Garmin units.

And thanks Gerald for that guide!

1 Like
972

Hi

How can i enter an interval that completes when entering the lap button on my garmin device ?
I’ve understood it should work but for me I can not apply the OK button as you can see in the snippet below after ticking the ‘Press lap’. It is not available only the cancel button is available (‘Annuler’ in french)

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This will be great when I will be able to follow the expected procedure
Thanks,
-Francois

973

You have everything correctly set, just add a duration that Intervals will only use for the graph and a load estimate. The duration will be ignored by your device and it will be seen as an ‘Open’ interval that goes on till you press the Lap button.

1 Like
974

Hi everyone,

I build a little GPT that you can prompt for a workout and it gives you a copy-paste code snippet for the workout builder back. You can prompt for workout ideas too before going for an exact workout. Heres an example:

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Link: ChatGPT - Intervals.icu workout builder

Please give it a try and let me know of any bugs, will try to fix it.

2 Likes
975

Thanks I confirm :-))

976

Small bug. It propose neasted intervals but not supported by intervals.icu.

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977

This is somewhat Garmin specific: It has been in Geralds post all along but I just now found out about the intensity=xx syntax. When syncing with Garmin, it is exported into the intensity field of the Garmin fit file, which is used for (audio) prompts on the watch and the correct step assignment (active/recovery etc.) in the Garmin Activity.

Two questions remain open for synced workouts to be perfect and maybe somebody knows the answers:

  1. I like the coach in my ear and for workouts built within Garmin Connect, my watch gives me audio hints on what comes next. For instance, a couple of seconds before an actual interval I would get something like “Next up: running 5 minutes with a pace of …”. Looking at fit files, I fail to figure out, why I would not get these prompts with workouts built in intervals.icu

  2. Step notes are not exported to the corresponding note field in the fit file, but it would be nice to have these on the device. I don’t know if this just has not been implemented or if I am missing something in the syntax of the workout builder again.

978

Please send me (david@intervals.icu) one of those files from the device. Maybe I can spot something.

Unfortunately workout fit files generated by Intervals.icu are not the same as workouts uploaded to the Garmin API for sync to a device. The Garmin API requires a JSON document and not a fit file. They generate the file for the device from that.

Intervals.icu supplies the “description” field for each step to the API. The API docs do not mention any other fields.

979

Have you tried correcting it? I had a few other small issues (not putting line breaks in the right place, etc) and after I told the chat what to correct it seemed to stick

980

Are you able to mix and match HR, Pace and Power in between different aspects of the workout. e.g. for running

warmup

  • 45m Z1 HR

workout 5x

  • 1m Interval Z5 Pace

  • 30m Z1 HR

981

Hi, I also used ChatGPT to get a consolidated guide to intervals.icu workout builders syntax and rules. Should help anyone trying to understand what is going on without having to search over the entire topic in the forum.

Basic Syntax

:page_facing_up: Example Workout

plaintext

Copy code

Warmup

  • 10m @ 60% 90 rpm

Main Set

3x

  • 4m @ 100% 85 rpm

  • 2m @ 50% 90 rpm

Free Ride with Target

  • 10m free @ 0.85-0.95

Cooldown

  • 5m @ 50% 90 rpm
1 Like
982

No. Each step can have different types of targets (power/hr/pace) but the athlete needs to choose one way to do the workout i.e. all power, all pace or all hr.

1 Like
983

Solved!

When I planned a running workout with Garmin, the watch showed me the time of the last interval for a few seconds after an interval. So I could see at a glance how fast I was at distance-based intervals. Is that also possible here?

It works with the text “intensity=active”. Now I get the elapsing time displayed after the interval. :upside_down_face:

985

I have the following problem. This is my Workout:

Warmup
- Press lap 2km intensity=warmup

Main set 10x
- Run 400 meters intensity=active
- Recovery 200 meters intensity=rest

Cooldown
- Press lap 2km intensity=cooldown

My questions

  1. In the activity there is always an incorrect “recovery” with one second. I’ve seen it many times. This is also the only one listed under the [Recovery] column. What is it?
  2. The rows “Run” and “Recovery” are not divided into the columns [Work] and [Recovery]. Everything except line 3 is [work]. Is there a way that the intervals are assigned with “intensity = active” to [Work] and “intensity = rest” to [Recovery]?

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