trainerroad adaptive training

[Be4dawn]

Hi all

 

Are there people here that ises trainerroad with apative training? Is it worth all the hype? Is it worth it to train with adaptive training or is it basicaly the same as zwift traininh plans?

 

how much improvement have you seen with adaptive training?

 

Kind Regards

[bespokes]

6 minutes ago, Be4dawn said:

Hi all

 

Are there people here that ises trainerroad with apative training? Is it worth all the hype? Is it worth it to train with adaptive training or is it basicaly the same as zwift traininh plans?

 

how much improvement have you seen with adaptive training?

 

Kind Regards

The best thing since sliced bread. 
 

What I love most is that you are always given a workout exactly in line with your requirements at that stage of training. If you haven’t ridden for a a few days or have done adhoc riding not according to the plan, when you return to TrainerRoad it adapts the workout perfectly for where you are at. 
 

I’ve had a human coach and used TrainerRoad. Often times, with the former I couldn’t finish a workout due to fatigue or it just been too difficult. This hasn’t been the case with TrainerRoad. Results in terms of performance have been good but as with most things, takes time and consistency.

[HdB]

I suppose your mileage may vary, but for me it has felt much better than a Zwift training plan, thanks to the subjective surveys and the progression levels.

I've almost never been unable to finish a suggested workout and, especially with the ramp tests being optional, I don't need to dread any upcoming workout.
As long as you answer the survey at the end of each workout properly, and not marking it all as "Easy"  (even when you fail the workout) in a misguided attempt to progress faster, the workouts are adapted just right.

Some of those "Unicorn" workouts in Zwift...

[no calves]

I usually started off with zwift free roaming the routes until i got a fair fit of fitness before stopping my subscription and moving over to trainerroad. 

 

Trainerroad is miles ahead of workouts in swift and since they introduced the adaptive training its much easier. if i got onto the trainer in the past and i was not in a good mental spot a workout broke me easily from the 3rd interval. if you can spend the extra 5 dollars and you actually want to TRAIN and not just ride indoors its obsoletely worth it!!

[no calves]

Plus they have the option to send a workout to your garmin so you can do that workout outside iff you have a powermeter. Nobody wants to sit indoors when you can be outside

[Spirog]

I'm an early adopter of indoor training, having done more than 30,000 km on my IDT over the last 10 years...  😵 

I've used Zwift, Sufferfest (Wahoo), Rouvy, TrainerRoad and Training Peaks. I ride indoors 3 days a week, most of the year.

TrainerRoad is without doubt the best in terms of training plans and the introduction of Adaptive Training has elevated it above the others even further. If you're looking to free ride, Zwift is fun. If you're looking to train with a specific goal in mind, TR is brilliant, assuming that you can stick to the plans.

Having said all that, I'm currently using Training Peaks, because I'm working towards 70.3 and the multisport environment is much better on TP.

Edited April 13, 2023 by Spirog

[Be4dawn]

Seems like trainerroad is the way to go for better workouts and improvement.

Been using zwift for years and i think the only thing i might miss a bit is the zwift races.

 

I will definitely pull workouts on to my wahoo to rather do outside🤣 
 

Can the adaptive training calculate plans for MTB or is it more focused on road cycling?

It also seems that if one has limited time to teain that traineroad would be the best, no junk miles on the IDT.

[Pusher]

 

 

 

16 minutes ago, Be4dawn said:

Seems like trainerroad is the way to go for better workouts and improvement.

 

Been using zwift for years and i think the only thing i might miss a bit is the zwift races.

 

 

 

I will definitely pull workouts on to my wahoo to rather do outside🤣 

 

 

Can the adaptive training calculate plans for MTB or is it more focused on road cycling?

 

It also seems that if one has limited time to teain that traineroad would be the best, no junk miles on the IDT.

TrainerRoad offer a custom plan builder based around your goals, available time and your goal events that works really well. 

 

 

 

[WaldoZ]

Sounds like TrainerRoad has come a long way. I used it long time ago but the went onto Sufferfest and never looked back. The Yoga (yes need to stretch!) and strength routines added to the plans has helped me. I enjoy the Zwift TTTs and the odd races.

But this Adaptive Training sounds like it is worth looking into.

[madmarc]

Been using TR for many years - I was a BETA tester and grandfathered in at 99 USD per year, so it was a real bargain for me. there was a big debate recently on their forum about the subscription increase as clearly the grandfathered subs are not sustainable any more - The debate was value for money when comparing TR with other platforms and TR certainly comes out tops. The adaptive training and AI FTP measuring as well as the ease of us mere mortals creating a training plan for an A event is where the value is.

If its pure disciplined structure you looking for, then TR is the place to be and you will see the results.

The only negative is watching the blue graph can get very monotonous, but the program does allow window collapse to the bottom and then you can watch youtube or anything you like while doing a session.

I mess around in ZWIFT as well - so i run both programs at the same time - TR controls the trainer while the window is collapsed and i ride in ZWIFT, so i get the best of both worlds but it does start hurting the wallet a bit now that our ZAR is in the toilet and you running both subs.   

[Shaun001]

I improved my FTP by 13% in 8 weeks on trainer road adaptive high volume training, so it definitely works very well. This was when I was spending 90% of the time training indoors. The very big caveat with the adaptive training at the moment is that it does not consider unstructured outdoor rides to count towards your progression. So if you go for a lot more rides outside the program starts to fall apart because it would think that you didn't do anything that day and the program won't adapt accordingly. 

It does however support structured outdoor sessions, so if you have a power meter and you follow the TR session outside it does consider it, but It doesn't take the actual watts data into account, only the RPE questions at the end and the fact that you completed the workout (not ideal at all, but still much better than you would do on your own I suppose). The positive news is they are working on it as a high priority feature - https://support.trainerroad.com/hc/en-us/articles/4404974155675-How-to-Use-Outside-Workouts-with-Adaptive-Training

[warrencharlesza]

I previously stopped using TR as it didnt take into account a missed workout, sickness or holidays. You can now capture this into the platform and it adjusts the plan. 

The alternative workouts and TrainNow are also good tools, if youre fatigued, you can switch out a workout or reduce the time etc.

After each workout you rate how you feel etc and this subjective data is used to adjust your plan, especially if fail a workout or stop early.

I am glad I am back on the platform, tried others and nothing comes close.

[dave303e]

20 hours ago, Spirog said:

I'm an early adopter of indoor training, having done more than 30,000 km on my IDT over the last 10 years...  😵 

I've used Zwift, Sufferfest (Wahoo), Rouvy, TrainerRoad and Training Peaks. I ride indoors 3 days a week, most of the year.

TrainerRoad is without doubt the best in terms of training plans and the introduction of Adaptive Training has elevated it above the others even further. If you're looking to free ride, Zwift is fun. If you're looking to train with a specific goal in mind, TR is brilliant, assuming that you can stick to the plans.

Having said all that, I'm currently using Training Peaks, because I'm working towards 70.3 and the multisport environment is much better on TP.

I am also in the multisport world and need a balanced program. Hence I have a coach who I love to hate. But training peaks is a win there.

What I do like about rouvy is that coach builds sessions in trainingpeaks and then they sync directly for me to do in rouvy. I also like downloading routes offline so that I can take time to download an hd route and then if the internet dips with loadshedding it s not an issue. The other bonus is the family plan and both of us having full access for the price of a single subscription to most of these platforms.

What is useful on trainingpeaks as well is being able to export workouts for the last few years and ingesting that into powerBI for analytics.

[WaldoZ]

1 hour ago, Shaun001 said:

I improved my FTP by 13% in 8 weeks on trainer road adaptive high volume training, so it definitely works very well. This was when I was spending 90% of the time training indoors. The very big caveat with the adaptive training at the moment is that it does not consider unstructured outdoor rides to count towards your progression. So if you go for a lot more rides outside the program starts to fall apart because it would think that you didn't do anything that day and the program won't adapt accordingly. 

It does however support structured outdoor sessions, so if you have a power meter and you follow the TR session outside it does consider it, but It doesn't take the actual watts data into account, only the RPE questions at the end and the fact that you completed the workout (not ideal at all, but still much better than you would do on your own I suppose). The positive news is they are working on it as a high priority feature - https://support.trainerroad.com/hc/en-us/articles/4404974155675-How-to-Use-Outside-Workouts-with-Adaptive-Training

Hmmm yeah this is where things get tricky I guess. If you do 100% of your riding on TR I can see that it can be very accurate. But if you can't sync other rides easily (seems like you need a pre set workout?) then things get to a point that the error rate could be too high if you forget or whatever.

I use Xert aswell. That does the AI FTP thing and gives you not just FTP but also what you are training for. Like 5min power for example could be more useful to you to monitor depending on what you training for. It's the only thing I feel that is accurate that can combine Any virtual platform ride, outside ride on multiple disciplines (mtb, road, tt, gravel). You don't need a power meter either (on all your bikes) as it can estimate things using your HR and cadence (so need those at least) 

[Frosty]

33 minutes ago, WaldoZ said:

I use Xert aswell. 

Me too.

More for the additional adaptive information like TP, HIE, 6m power and LTP, and then the post-ride data, eg. MPA vs how I felt at that point in the race.

[Be4dawn]

Mmmm dam … i was hoping one could sync outdoor unstructured rides and it would take that into account. I mean IDT aint the most fun thing to so so I want to be outside as much as possible. When work pressure is less IDT wil be less and more outside.

 

  But I think the positives are way more than the negative and i just got a power meter so ccan atleast do a workout then when outside. 

 

im gonna sign up for the 30 day trail when zwift sub ends and give it a shot.