Afraid To Suffer, Part Two: Breaking Through

Our story so far:

I met with this individual, after they signed up for Xert. I helped them program the head unit.

I explained the concept of volume, intensity, frequency, Focus, and fitness breakthroughs.

For TEN WEEKS, this individual’s numbers JUST. KEPT. DROPPING.

I couldn’t figure it out. Until Finally, it dawned on me to try ONE MORE THING.

It’s all about the difference between Suffering and Suffering. And here’s how we made it work.

Afraid to Suffer, Part One

“I’m not getting any better!” (You don’t know how to Suffer!) I HATE that statement. “Better” is a completely loaded term. It implies perception over analysis, and it’s my job as a coach to be a shrink, a cheerleader, a gentle critic, a cajoler, and an overall positive influence. But what is NOT my job, […]

Why We Still Look at Heart Rate

One of the old standards is Heart Rate. For decades, Heart Rate was a practical way to measure intensity. It could also be used to measure recovery, hydration, and fatigue.

We cannot look at wattage alone. We have to look at wattage as an extrinsic force. When we look at heart rate, this is an intrinsic force. Both bring value.

Here’s an example:

[caption id="attachment_1288" align="aligncenter" width="600"]Xert MPA Wattage Strain Looking at Wattage and MPA only, this cyclist did not work too hard.[/caption]

This cyclist was given a workout of 60 minutes. The main set of intervals were 2 minutes long, with one at the end which was very intense and would hopefully yield a breakthrough per Xert.

If we look at the wattage chart alone, it shows a successful workout. MPA dropped, then rose, and the final interval yielded a CLOSE CALL, but not quite a breakthrough. Watts followed the load very closely.

However, when heart rate is revealed, it shows something more.