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, […]
Billat 30-30 Physiology: Using SmO2 and ThB to Identify True VO2max Stimulus
Billat 30-30 Physiology: Why Garmin Stamina Contradicts the SmO2 Test By Coach Wharton April 29, 2026 Billat 30-30 Physiology is a foundational concept in high-intensity training, typically involving 30 seconds of maximal aerobic power followed by 30 seconds of active recovery. The goal is simple on paper—spend as much time as possible at VO2max intensity. […]
Threshold or VO2 Max? Decoding My Highest 30-Minute Power with AlphaHRV and SmO2
Training is rarely perfect, especially when I am wearing two hats at once. Today’s session was a 30-minute block of 3/3 Over-Unders—three minutes just above threshold wattage, followed by three minutes at 95% of FTP. I designed this session to challenge the metabolic limits of my oxidative system through focused SmO2 threshold training while staying […]
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 […]
Garmin Stamina VO2 Threshold: Mapping the Fatigue Trigger
Garmin Stamina VO2 Threshold: Mapping the Fatigue Trigger In my ongoing pursuit of the “Physiology First” training approach at Onlinebikecoach.com, I have used the Garmin Stamina VO2 Threshold to map exactly where my internal stability ends and metabolic exhaustion begins. To build a more resilient aerobic engine, I need to know my limits. With my […]
Predicting the Redline: Using Garmin Sleep Scores to Master Ronnestad 30-15 Intervals
Physiology First: Using Garmin Sleep Scores to Predict Ronnestad 30-15 Success Part I: The Garmin Sleep Score Ronnestad Preflight We often treat training like a game of chance, but the reality is that your body provides a daily “weather report” if you know where to look. Before I even touched my bike this morning, I […]
Physiology First: Navigating a “Red Light” Morning with AlphaHRV
Physiology First: My Red Light Recovery Ride This morning was a masterclass in why I apply a Physiology First framework to every session, looking at the internal engine before I look at the wattage. Between a late meal and the devastating news about my friend Murray being struck by a motorist—suffering a serious […]
Mastering the Garmin Ecosystem: Using Sleep Scores and Alpha HRV for a Physiology First Approach
Garmin Guru: Why Your Ride Starts at 10 PM By Coach Wharton | Release Date: April 19, 2026 Garmin Guru insights reveal that in the League of Garmin, we don’t just track miles; we track the internal cost of those miles. To master your performance, you must look past surface-level metrics and understand how the […]
Decoding the Hard-Start: How Ronnestad Intervals Impact Garmin Stamina & Training Effect
The “Hard-Start” Evolution: Pushing the Limits of the Rønnestad Protocol Testing the Ronnestad Hard-Start Intervals protocol this week provided a fascinating look at oxygen kinetics and internal load. Before this session, I attempted to link my VO2 Master to the phone for a full metabolic calibration. Despite several attempts, the mask simply wouldn’t handshake. Rather […]
Living in the Parabolas: My Deep Dive into the “VO2 State”
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 […]