Cracking the Code: My Physiology First Tabata VO2 Max Deep Dive
Cracking the Code: My Physiology and the Tabata Triple Threat Preface: The Metabolic Green Light vs. The CNS Red Light Before I even turned a pedal, the data was already telling a nuanced story. I woke up with a solid 83 sleep score and a body battery that recharged to 85—clear signals that my recovery […]
Rocky Terrain Suspension Efficiency: The Open vs. Locked Debate
May 7, 2026 Rocky Terrain Suspension Efficiency: The Open vs. Locked Debate; A Peavine Challenge In November 2025, I conducted a “Physiology First” experiment on Reno’s Peavine Mountain to analyze rocky terrain suspension efficiency. This ride has since become the archetype and benchmark for my 2026 training season. The mission was simple: Two laps on […]
Why Your “Free” Garmin Metrics are More Accurate Than You Realize
Why Your “Free” Garmin Metrics are More Accurate Than You Realize When athletes ask about Garmin VO2 Max accuracy, they are usually skeptical about whether a consumer wearable can truly measure the high-octane reality of a 15-15 interval set. On paper, today’s session was a classic builder—two sets of 15-minute micro-intervals—but as a physiology-first coach, […]
Life Stress is Training Stress: Navigating the 52-Hour Recovery Debt
Garmin Recovery Metrics: When “Life Stress” Becomes a Physiological Debt Coach Richard Wharton Published: May 11, 2026 Understanding your Garmin recovery metrics is the only way to stay objective when non-training stress starts to bleed into your performance. Following our May 5th deep-dive into what those orange bars actually mean during sleep, today I’m showing […]
The Half-Glass Difference: How Alcohol Sabotages Your Garmin Recovery
When analyzing Garmin sleep recovery, alcohol is often the “X-factor” that derails even the most disciplined athlete. We’ve all heard it before: “It was just a couple of glasses of wine.” But as a coach who lives by the mantra Physiology is King, I’m less interested in what the menu says and more interested in […]
98% Charged: The +61 Garmin Body Battery Bounce Back
The Great Recharge: How I Pushed My Garmin Body Battery Back to 98 By Richard Wharton Achieving a massive Garmin Body Battery recharge is the ultimate goal after the physical toll of outdoor labor drains you to zero. Following up on my last post, I wanted to share the physiological “bounce back” results that took […]
Garmin Guru Deep Dive: Decoding the Internal Response to 4-Minute VO2max Intervals
Garmin Guru Deep Dive: Decoding the Internal Response to 4-Minute VO2max Intervals Today’s session of 4-minute VO2max intervals was a masterclass in why I lead with physiology, not physics. As the Garmin Guru at Online Bike Coach, I’m constantly looking for the “truth” behind the numbers. Today, that truth was found in gas exchange and […]
Sleep Score HRV Stress: The Yin and Yang of Recovery
The Yin and Yang of Recovery Physiology First Training | By Coach Richard Wharton Managing your Sleep Score HRV Stress data is the ultimate balancing act for any serious athlete. I’ve spent the last 48 hours in the “pain cave” building a trailer, manhandling heavy steel. When I pulled my metrics this morning, I saw […]
The Garmin Ecosystem: Why Your Watch is More Important Than Your Power Meter
Garmin Recovery Time: Why Your Watch Beats Your Power Meter By The Garmin Guru | April 24, 2026 Understanding Garmin Recovery Time is essential for any athlete following a “Physiology First” approach. As a coach with over 20 years in the industry, I know that your bike computer is only half the story. To truly […]
Using Garmin Sleep and HRV Stress to Plan My Workouts: Today’s Real Example
When Garmin HRV Stress Hits 72: A Practical Morning Read on Sleep, Load, and What to Do Next Published: April 8, 2026 · Quick, physiology‑driven guidance for the morning after a high HRV Stress reading. I woke to an HRV Stress of 72 on my Garmin and a Garmin Sleep Score in the […]