WKO is a very sophisticated data analysis tool for analyzing cycling training and racing data. By analogy If TR and Strava’s analysis tools are junior high or high school level, WKO is for Phd’s
What is being discussed in this thread for the past 100 posts is one guy quibbling with one of the data modeling tools, one of the guys who wrote the program is telling him how to fix it but he continues to complain.
I am not put off. I respect everyones opinion and think what @bbarrea is doing is important and more people should do it…vet things. That being said, if you don’t follow the process, it won’t work. The key thing in the testing protocol the first thing you should do after extended time off is to do the structured testing. Once that is done (I do it one time a year for my athletes) just follow the simple unstructured format. Here is the video showing how: Training and Coaching with WKO Lesson 1 The Power Duration Testing Protocols - YouTube . If you watch it I explain WHY to do it right from the start. Now @bbarrea is not saying he followed this protocol or trying to mislead but his comments can create confusion. My goal of not posting on it is I do respect his right to vet and comment as he sees fit and I never argue someone point. It is his opinion and I understand that.
Now, here is a bit of unasked for advice. It is a mistake to NOT test at the start of each season or after extended time off. To me this is one of the biggest issue I see with peoples planning. Why? Two things. First you spend a lot of time investing in the development of a training program (TrainerRoad has excellent ones, really sharp team here) but then they do not test and are often not training to the correct targets/intensity. You simply avoid the test and “guess”. Early season fitness can really move quickly, not having baseline is a big issue. Second, and one people do not think about, it gives you a “season baseline” to compare year over year. Lets say an athlete takes the same 30 days off the bike after each season for 5 straight years. The assumption is they return to training with generally the same fitness each year…that is a mistake, the variation can surprise you. The latter is the key reason I have my athletes do the structured testing at the start of each season as it give me immediate and comparative insight into how much “building” we need to do (by comparing each years test).
From my perspective WKO is an analytical tool for coaches (one you hire, or yourself), to help understand your individual response to training, and then optimize your training. It does that by creating a model.
The model and analytical tools are best in class 
but like any tool you’ve got to learn when and how to use it. And different coaches are going to use it differently.
@TimWKO great points, and I understand and respect your perspective.
been on conference calls all morning, and your comment actually made me laugh out loud. I prefer to think of it as vetting, but that is exactly the sort of thing I would say!
Thanks for the explanation guys. I am definitely what you would call an amateur when it comes do data analytics, aside from looking at my power and HR and being able to say “that’s better/worse than my usual performance”, so this software would not do me much good. I guess as I learn more, I will benefit more from it later down the road in a few years. I only use TR so I don’t really have a coach to analyze my data any further either.
One thing I wish I could find easily would be my Max HR that I’ve hit between a certain date range, say this year, so I could keep my HR zones in line. I hit 200BPM a few times last year but this year have only gone to 192 or 195, I don’t recall, but would be nice to see that historical data
it’s “venting” not “vetting”. To vent is to complain, to vet is to check to see if someone/something is qualified to do a task or action.
PBS…the moaaar you know.
Im only asking as a complete new rider to power. Each time I start a new plan in TR would the ramp test not count as the re-test for who? To feed the model as I keep reading?
@herbiv it is a good question. For the specific purposes of setting FTP there are a few different possible protocols. A ramp test is a very good one if you have a good protocol and TrainerRoad has a great one. There are other ways of testing FTP such as 95% of 20 min max effort, full gas 40k time trial and more. The testing we are discussing is to establish your Power Duration Curve Model (PDCM) in WKO5. Once established, the PDCM give you a lot more data beyond FTP and will allow you to more accurately track your response to your TrainerRoad program as it will supply a wealth of physiological data . that includes FTP, VO2max, Anaerobic ability and more…
Thanks Tim, this actually cleared it up a lot lol
Ive been using TR for just under a year now and can’t say enough good about it.
Im just wondering if you don’t mind answering some very basic questions for me.
I have a TP basic account which I have linked to TR, would all my rides in Trainerroad then be linked in wko? Or is there a way to directly link TR to wko?
The test for the pdcm would this be done in my trainer road or in wko?
Sorry for the basic questions, I’ve gone this this thread looking but i haven’t found these basic questions so thought id just ask you
yes.
Regarding modeled PDC, keep in mind you need to provide enough hard efforts. Practically speaking it doesn’t matter if its on the trainer or outside. If you are only doing inside workouts, and using erg mode, only a few TR workouts will allow you to do max efforts. For example this one: Log In to TrainerRoad will switch from erg to resistance mode and let you do max 5-sec, 1-min, and 5-min tests. On a web browser search the TR library for “test” and you’ll find more.
Thanks for the link 
I am not sure if these links work but i have built out WKO specific testing protocol workouts to handle the 1min, 5min, 25min tests that Tim specifies to baseline the model.
https://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/workouts/562122-wko5-1min-test-
https://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/workouts/562098-wko5-25min-test
https://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/workouts/562101-wko5-5min-test-
If they dont work let me know and I can just screen shot them and you can make them in 5min or less in workout creator.
As for the all out sprint testing, i just do that outside because i simply can’t/won’t make peak power on the trainer and dont feel like seeing what 1600+w looks like when it goes wrong indoors.
Unfortunately they are not coming through 
Thank you
Isn’t the whole point of these tests that, while the duration remains the same, the targets differ constantly based on the data you’re feeding the model? So you’d have to recreate these workouts every time with an explicit power target (not a percentage of ftp)
Honestly, just make a 90 minute workout with a 70 minute interval and just don’t do it in ERG and you are good. You are done when you are done.
I’m not sure I understand the comment. The workout is made in WC but the testing blocks kick you out of erg mode, hence my comment just go nuts. The line simply provides a pacing strategy which for a 25min test is helpful for the first 5min so you don’t go out too hard. For 1mjn you just go as hard as you can and hang on near the end.
Well, you put pictures of the 1 min, 5min and 25min test workouts. Those workouts have power targets, by way of the blue line… and yet the actual power targets specified by WKO for each duration will change based on your recent training. So those workouts will be accurate at the time the workout is created, and then no longer.
Don’t overcomplicate these tests. All one has to do is, every 90 days, ride for each length of time and exceed the minimum power in the graph provided for the given time period.
@TimWKO - now that worlds are over, is that revised documentation layout (table of contents) coming along?
We are working on a bunch of updates for a Nov. release. Do you have a visual example of what you are looking for? I think I get it but helps to visualize.
I’ve just fired up my free trial but have no intention of using thereafter as I don’t feel like I have the time to invest in learning it.
But… is there anything worth looking at within what it’s showing me that would be useful to know?
