Joinās workouts are great for outdoors
Definitely could be improved - thatās whatās this thread is about 
I dont like it that if i want to get an alternative for an outdoor workout that i have to change it to indoor first (on Android app) then select alternative then change it to outdoor again.
I like that we can use ranges for targetting because the power actual is not 10sec power. If we change to just a target single number, it would be good if the actual reported was a smoothed power number or the average power for that interval (like for indoors with the dot).
Some stuff Iāve done outside:
- Tray Mountain & its other versions as well as Galena Iāve done on a closed circuit but outdoors.
- South Twins, Antelope +5 & Warlows Iāve done as hill repeats.
- Tweed +9 I was able to do on a flat 5km stretch of road.
- Leland is nice & simple, I started but wasnāt up for it on the day.
Smiths, Frissells, & Emersons also appear to be workable. Also the lesser versions of Wright Peak, such as its -3, where a bailout is prescribed once or twice during the interval. That can be a turnaround time. All of the above have constant power intervals, with the exception of Warlow & Emerson series which are o/u, but all the overs are the same target & duration, & all the unders are the same target & duration.
But yeah, stuff like the Monitor series, Eclipse series, & Fang Mountain series with their variable intervals 
are definitely a nuisance outside, & Iāve traded those types of workouts out for simpler ones. It does sometimes become a situation of hand-picking alternatives rather than just doing the plan.
Perhaps there needs to be user settings for their outdoor workouts. This would include:
- automatically select an alternate workout with more simplified power targets (i.e. same wattages for each interval, no +/- 1% changes).
- Select power target method (i.e. lap, 3s, 10s)
- More structured warm-ups (donāt include a general ramp but break into three specific sections)
- Enable lap button before every target interval
- Enable specific power targets instead of ranges
- option to auto-add extended warmup times similar to the buttons for indoor workouts to add extended warm-down times (this would auto add to the workout before exporting)
- option to use the Strava ride title or keep the TrainerRoad work out title
Another huge thing for me is on the computer beforehand having the ability to view the interval details for outdoor rides by hovering the mouse over it just like you can for indoor rides.
I want to see the increased simplicity for outdoor workouts that people have already suggested go even further - simpler progression of workouts in a given block. Iād like there to be a simple progression of time in zone for the given zone with the power targets staying the same. This would mainly be needed for SS and threshold blocks
To simplify VO2 max and anaerobic workouts are supposed to be executed in an āall outā fashion, simplifying block progression should probably be different. A simple progression for these blocks could be to keep the same interval time length, but instead increase the target power x% over what you achieved in your previous workout.
Iād also like to vote for the ability to see the outdoor workout graph from the TR app and not just the text.
āBest fitā for you. I like variable intervals outdoors. Keeps it interesting.
My opinion:
All intervals outdoors are variable by nature when you execute them, I donāt want a varying target for a 20/30/40 minute or whatever length interval. Keep it 100% flat and donāt change it until the next ārealā target change.
On the trainer, erg takes care of it for you although I donāt really need them there either. Outside itās a pain in the *** to try and keep track of changing targets any more than you need to and keep staring at your head unit all the time.
100% this.
we should have to manually start each interval which, as you said, gives us the flexibility to make sure weāre on the right terrain/safe spot.
I can see how this would be tricky though, something like 30/30sā¦ would you make those automatic?
Over unders would obviously be autoā¦
lots to consider.
This is built into Wahooās features. Iād imagine its the same for Garmin as wellā¦
@Bhofstra are you saying that there are specific workouts that donāt allow this?
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I am a noob here, so i may be a little off target, butā¦if i ride outside every weekend, and it canāt fit a scheduled workout (cos life outside has hills and junctions and coffee stops and the urge to stay longer in the sun) then can TR not reflect that better in how it sorts out whether you are on target with your structured programs. Reading the forums, it seems that if i ride my MTB on the weekend rather than my scheduled sessions, TR works out the RLGL thing, but thinks that i havenāt done my scheduled workout and therefore lowers the intensity of the scheduled workouts in my program because it thinks i am unable to complete my schedule - despite the fact that my outdoor workout is greater effort than my scheduled TR session. This feels a little counterproductive and i am not sure how to address that so my program is building based on the positive impact of my IRL rides. I am here on TR cos i want to get better at riding outdoors, and if the system doesnāt know how to cope with riding outdoorsā¦seems a bit of a feature gap thereā¦
But - i really really like the system for indoor rides, i love the customer focus, and want to get to make it work for me. I am not a racer or club rider, but i am a keen cyclist for many years, and want to use TR to train for a big granfondo thing in 7-8 months. I donāt have a background in structured training, so attracted to TR for the approachability and adaptability, but not quite getting the intensity side of the calculation.
Apologies if this is a bit of a rantā¦
Thatās how outdoor workouts already work. Been that way for years on garmin devices. Need to hit lap button to start all work intervals. Over/ unders and 30/30 type intervals require the lap button to start each set. Rest intervals donāt require the lap button. I did most of my workouts outside and only had one or two that didnāt follow this format years ago that I assumed were just programming errors that eventually got fixed.
The ability to move backwards and forwards through the intervals on Garmin.
If you start an interval but have to stop for traffic, it would be really useful to restart the interval.
Maybe thatās a limitation on Garminās side. With my Wahoo head unit it is possible, although the UI is not very elegant.
Iām on my first week with TR. Currently in a gym without any power meter and trying to match the training programs as best I can using HR, but Iāll be outdoor again starting next month with a power meter again and likely using a Garmin computer. Iām planning to be 100% outside then save any inclement weather days which Iāll take in the gym, hoping that is possible!
This is already possible to do.
On the touchscreen models:
From the workout screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen, and select an option:
ā¦ Select 
to pause the current workout step.
ā¦ Select 
to end a workout step and repeat the previous step.
ā¦ Select 
to end a workout step and begin the next step.
But the, for me at least, most important alternative is missing. End the workout step and repeat the current step.
Isnāt that what does?
Might be. Iām on the Edge 503, so I have to go into the menu, and there I can choose previous or next step. There, at least, previous step re-starts the step prior to the one Im on.
Yes, press it once and it restarts your current step. Twice and it goes to the previous step, and so on.