Living in the Parabolas: My Deep Dive into the “VO2 State”

Cyclist on an indoor trainer wearing a VO2master metabolic mask during a Billat 90/90 interval session with a Garmin 1040 and camera setup for data documentation.

Living in the Parabolas: Decoding Metabolic Inertia and the Billat 90/90 In our last deep dive, we dissected the steady-state grind of 5×3 and 4×8 intervals. Those workouts are the bread and butter of threshold development. However, today we are stepping into the “red zone” to explore Veronique Billat’s 90/90 Metabolic Inertia. Using the combined […]

Physiological Threshold Vs. FTP: The Power Illusion

Graph of SmO2, VO2, and power data showing physiological threshold during 4x8 intervals.

The Power Illusion: Resetting 20 Years of Training with Physiological Data After 20 years of cycling, I realized my FTP wasn’t telling the whole story of my actual physiological threshold. My identity as a cyclist was defined by a single, flickering number on a head unit: Watts. If you’ve spent any significant time in the […]

VO₂max Intervals: The Most Misunderstood Workout in Cycling—And How to Do Them “Right”

VO2Max State Vs. Zone Analysis: A Physiological graph of Interval 5 showing maximal cardiac strain (178 bpm), rock-bottom SmO2, and a 74-second metabolic penalty above 42 VO2.

VO2Max State vs. Zone: What’s Happening Under the Hood https://youtube.com/shorts/gjB6seZEVec?feature=share   I recently started using my VO₂Master again. In this session, I wanted to explore the VO2max state vs zone debate by looking at the actual physiological cost of high-intensity efforts. Earlier this week, I performed five separate 3-minute intervals at an intensity well above […]

More Suspension Tweaking With ShockWiz

ShockWiz Is Helping My Speed Rise, and My Splits Fall The ShockWiz suspension Tuning System has been around now since 2016. It’s a tool that attaches to front and rear suspension systems, and measures the velocity of compression, rebound, and air pressure ramping, to optimize contact with the ground. I was an original backer for […]

W′, Critical Power, and the Physiology Behind High‑Intensity Training

road cyclist sprinting

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash Table of Contents Outline Introduction: performance metrics meet physiology AMP, AMPK, and the signal that tells cells to adapt Critical power and W′: two quantities, one practical model Why W′ matters beyond being “just a number” W′ as a fatigue tank: a practical mental model Practical example: why 400 […]

Garmin Sleep-Time Stress

Garmin Sleep-Time Stress Chart

Garmin Sleep-Time Stress: What It Really Tells You About Recovery and Performance Most cyclists I work with don’t ignore their Garmin sleep data. They obsess over it. They wake up, open Garmin Connect, and scroll straight to the sleep-time stress chart, trying to decide whether today is a green-light workout or a warning sign. And […]

Garmin Sleep Tracking: How to Use Garmin Connect Sleep Data to Improve Cycling Performance

Screen Shot from accompanying video about Garmin Sleep Score

Garmin Connect Has A Sleep Tracker That Can Help You Optimize Sleep and Recovery!

[caption id="attachment_12776" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Garmin Connect Sleep Tracker The Garmin Connect Sleep Tracker provides assessment for sleep quality and quantity.[/caption]

The Garmin Connect Ecosystem is RICH with features that are either under-utilized or perhaps are misunderstood. I have wanted to explore Garmin Connect with my followers for a while now. I think the Sleep Tracker is a great place to start.

Garmin Connect, when paired with any of…..

Garmin Sleep Score Explained: What It Means & How Athletes Should Use It

Unlock the secrets to optimal recovery with Garmin’s Sleep Score! This metric simplifies your nightly rest into a score from 0 to 100, based on sleep duration and stages. Learn how elite athletes average a score of 74 and tailor your training from sleep trends. Whether cycling long distances or enhancing performance, understanding your sleep can make all the difference. Dive into insights that can transform your training!

Use the MOXY Monitor to Dial in Your Cycling Warm-Up

Title thumbnail and image of Moxy data on a computer screen

How to Use the MOXY Monitor to Dial in Your Cycling Warm-Up and Spot Interval Fatigue Use short, sharp efforts to drive muscle oxygen down, then ghost pedal until you hit a higher active saturation. Higher ceilings, higher floors. The MOXY Monitor is one of the fastest ways to see what your legs are actually […]

The Moxy SmO₂ Sensor: What It Is, How It Works, and How It Makes You Faster

Unlock the secrets of your muscles with the Moxy SmO₂ sensor! Gain real-time insights into your muscle oxygen levels during every ride, allowing you to train smarter and recover better. Say goodbye to guesswork as you monitor your SmO₂ alongside power and heart rate. Whether refining endurance or mastering recovery, this tool optimizes your performance. Harness the power of SmO₂ and elevate your cycling game—your body will thank you!