I’ve recently gotten back to the bike from some time training for an ultra. I thought I would start logging my lifting sessions just to see what AI does. I noticed that you should only log sets to failure. I am currently using Tactical Barbell fighter template. I’ve always found that programming extremely useful. So there is no sets to failure on most weeks because the program is based on submaximal lifting. I’m actually surprised that type of work is being promoted if your focus is the bike. Do I just not log sets if I don’t go to or near failure? That doesn’t really make sense either. Is AI taking it into consideration even if it gets logged without sets?
I am of the same mind. I rarely take sets to failure. Instead I am entering sets I consider RPE of 9 or above. This is an ok at best. Just because my last eg. lunge/squat set was 9.5 RPE does it render the previous 8.5 and 8.0 irrelevant? The other issue is logging Leg day vs. Upper Body. I do not believe upper body days should be counted, or if counted at lesser percentage than a leg day. Is there an indication this is the case? Otherwise I am inclined to avoid entering upper body days and minimize input for core days. I have read the explanations/articles on this but it seems a little vague. Perhaps with no universally accepted and easily accessible method of measuring resistance training stress they have instead opted for a rigid but equal methodology and left it up to the user make tweaks to its suggestion based on how the workout felt to us?
Personally I’m not logging any of my lifting. I lift heavy with reverse pyramid first set to absolute form failure. Around 20 working sets 3 days on one day off. With this cycle TR says I shouldn’t be riding lol.
I do split training so early morning ride lift after work.
Upper body localised fatigue will have little bearing, leg days defo will and I would really suggest pairing leg day with heavy bike days.
Systemic fatigue could become an issue with high volumes, you can only recover globally at a certain rate it’s not just about local fatigue…tricky one and I personally don’t expect TR to factor this in, not really their game
I’m just trying to make sense of what they put out there . The approach is not one I would personally take so I was trying to see how to make it work for me since it’s seems to be all or nothing.
Sounds like you have quite the tolerance for work and that’s awesome I think there’s some privilege in suggesting two a days when most people have to bend the clock to get away once. There was a time for me and it was glorious.
At any rate I understand the general consensus is don’t bother with it if it doesn’t suit you so I’ll leave it alone. I thought I could use it to further nail down my training and recovery.
+1 on this. The way TR is factoring in strength training makes little sense to me. Why wouldn’t I document heavy yet submaximal deadlifts/squats etc. that obviously play a part in recovery and fatigue?
I did wonder this also. This week fatigue prediction gave me a red day today only after logging sets. The workout was already imported from my watch but the sets I entered manually without realising they should be to failure. However, I do very light strength work so perhaps I shouldn’t log the sets at all? Would be nice to have a bit more clarification on this topic.
I lift 2-3x a week and also don’t lift to failure. I initially logged my sets when they launched the feature, but would get a red day after every session. Once I stopped adding the sets the red days stopped. Now my sessions just sync over to the TR calendar from Strava and I just leave the sets blank.
What you could always try, im considering this myself…..is log the sets but turn off the fatigue detection. Go by your perceived effort as to if recovery or adjustment is needed. Maybe once there is some data fed in the AI will adjust and give you the recovery needed. My suspicion is that with no strength added in historically its applying a generalistion as to the recovery needed rather than adjusting to your particular level of recovery
Same confusion here. Would be good if we could get an official answer from TrainerRoad regarding how to log sets that don’t go to failure (or if we should log anything at all). In recovery weeks, for example, I still do some light lifting to avoid soreness when I go back to heavy lifting. What I’ve been doing is logging 1 set in each of the 4 categories (even though I’m doing more than 1 light set) just so the AI knows I did something. Any input from TrainerRoad would be appreciated!
BTW, great work on the new AI model and keeping us informed in the podcasts!