Xert – Training Optional on the Xert Training Pacer

Xert – Training Optional in the Xert Training Pacer.

I did it – I moved the needle to the 1 O’clock position. “Training Optional” is sweet, sweet music. I’m going to take the day off. The dogs have been walked. Work beckons in a few hours. Right now, I’m going to fly my flight sim and maybe have a quick coffee nap.

Xert Training Pacer Training Optional Adaptive Training Advisor October 5 2020
The volume and intensity I’ve achieved over the past several days is paying off. Taking a day off will NOT hurt my fitness, as the yellow triangle shows. There is also no workout suggestion in the description.

Let’s look at the Xert Adaptive Training Advisor, below the Training Pacer. It describes WHY my status on the Training Pacer is set to “Training Optional”.

“You are in the BUILD phase of your program and have chosen a MODERATE-2 weekly IMPROVEMENT RATE. You have a TRAINING SURPLUS of 60 XSS points allowing you 0.7 days before doing your next workout. Estimated break until next workout is 0.7 days. Advice is based on your recent activities performed on MONDAYS as of 8:15 am.”

Xert – Training Optional – Breaking it Down.

“You are in the BUILD phase of your program…” – I’m still adding XSS and Training Load. We have used a 22-day rolling average of Training Load Time Constant for Peak Power and High Intensity Energy, and a 60-day Training Load Time Constant for Threshold Power. These are located in the “Account Settings”, “Profile” area of your Xert pages. I’ve been at this for 2 weeks now, and I basically need another 7 days to start ramping up the XSS Training Load in my Xert Progression XPMC Chart.

Xert Training Optional Xert Progression Chart XPMC October 5 2020
More volume means more fitness…

“You have a TRAINING SURPLUS of 60 XSS points allowing you 0.7 days before doing your next workout:” My work on the bike has led to more than the required number of XSS points. I’m due for a break. The next workout would ideally occur in the evening some time. That won’t happen, so I’ll ride again tomorrow.

Xert Progression Chart XPMC Form Line Xert Training Optional
But my Form and Fatigue are digging a hole that requires recovery.

 

Xert Training Optional Training Load Time Constant
These values affect your Training Load and Form line. They’re incredibly important, but they can be altered from their default values. They can also be difficult to understand. Leave them be for now; we will discuss them in detail in a future blog post, and video.

“Advice is based on your recent activities performed on MONDAYS as of 8:15 am.” I almost never get rolling before 8:15 am, due to walking the dogs, having breakfast, etc. But one of the neatest things about Xert’s Training Pacer is that it looks at PREVIOUS DAYS OF THE WEEK to help establish a pattern of exercise. If I take a day off, it’s usually on Mondays or Fridays. The Xert Training Pacer includes this in the “Training Optional” calculation!

Take the Advice and REST.

It will be interesting to see what the Xert Training Pacer and Xert Adaptive Training Advisor say tomorrow morning. I’m still in the “Build” phase, so it will probably be aerobic endurance. I feel the itch to go mountain biking, but I will wait and see what tomorrow brings.

Thanks for reading!

 

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