I have been using Adaptive Training (Thanks by the way), and have had great workouts. They are hard enough, but not too hard. It really has built up my confidence with structured training. Based on this thread: Adaptatively Training Responses
It looks like people may enter their workout responses differently. Some may rate endurance workouts as “moderate” and Threshold as “Very Hard” (RPE Method), while others may take into account the workouts goal. (i.e. That threshold workout was not as hard as other threshold workouts, therefore I rate is as “moderate”).
My question is, does Trainer Road take into account your average answers to understand how your plan should be adapted?
Examples: Say I rate all my workouts as “Moderate” or “Hard”, I very rarely rate something as “Very Hard” or “All Out”. Another user may rate all their workouts as “Easy” or “All Out”, very rarely using the middle responses. Will trainer road understand this difference? So when I mark a workout as “Very Hard” it will know this as an abnormal response, and change the plan accordingly? Changing my plan more than someone who often labels workouts as “Very Hard”.
Additionally, if I respond by labeling workouts based on how previous type of workouts, and someone labels it by Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE), will the system know this? So If I respond “Very Hard” for a Threshold workout, the system will adjust my workouts but may not adjust someone who typically responds “Very Hard” for a Threshold workout?
I honestly am not sure the surveys do much unless you rate at the extremes. I often debate between moderate and hard on workouts and it never seems to make much of a difference. And I tend to just make the workout easier by reducing intensity or just taking extra rest if a workout is getting into that very hard/all out territory.
If a workout is supposed to be hard, and you rate it as easy, I suspect it will adjust your progression rate up - at least if you do this consistently on a few workouts. But I’ve never experienced this, since as I said I am impatient and just try harder workouts than prescribed a lot knowing the system will correct me back if I overshoot. If a workout is supposed to be moderate/hard and you rate it as very hard/all out but don’t get the struggle classification, I think it gives you the struggle survey. At least for all out rating.
All in all, my sense is it is just a sanity check on the system with a wide margin allowed on answers.
All in all, my sense is it is just a sanity check on the system with a wide margin allowed on answers.
Yeah, I think this is correct. I did a Sweet Spot workout this morning and spent way too much time overthinking whether it should be moderate or hard. Then remembered that you can just swap it any time within seven days of doing the workout.
The adaptations were the same whether I marked it moderate or hard, so I don’t think it’s a major factor.
That is what I was thinking. I have only had one adaptation to this point, it was early on after a threshold workout. Like @russell.r.sage mentions, my goal is to be consistent. I don’t think it has a huge impact at the end of the day.
As for “different people using different rating standards”, @mcneese.chad created this based on feedback from TR Support and @IvyAudrain. I find it super helpful and use it after every ride.
Great work Chad, really succinct.
Was also helpful to read the part on separating expectation from feeling. I have not listened to the podcast/s on adaptive training and was certainly taking into account expectations before reading this.
