Since the new version came out recently and most of us are largely self-coached, it would be nice to have a thread here discussing using WKO + TP usage in our training. I’m still learning my way around the software, so I’m sure there are a lot of tips, charts, and workflows the veteran users have when looking at their training progress.
What are some high-level red flags you might notice in the charts or data that tells you to ask for some further analysis or advice… via your coaching subscription
What are your top go-to charts beyond the basic ones in each platform (TP/WKO) on a weekly training review? Does this change much other than the date range for block/plan level reviews?
Do you use iLevel analysis alongside the usual zones we use from our FasCat sheets? This seems like an interesting metric, but requires the additional “power profile” testing protocol to work into the plans.
I always enjoy analysis/workflow type videos, maybe this could be included in a future video podcast/QA topic for the future?
We use to use WKO 3 all the time with coaching when I first started with FasCat. Most, if not all of those features are now including in TrainingPeaks which has been really nice. Everything is centrally located.
WKO4 came out and I found that to be great with all the new metrics, gadgets, tricks and etc but for whatever reason found it hard to use and overwhelming.
I used the trial with WKO5 and found it to be a great improvement and easier to use like WKO 3 but with all the great new metrics, features and analyzing tools that WKO4 had.
I’ve just started using and looking at more and will take time. This is more advance training tool, something that would be including in the Chase, possibly Hunt coaching packages. To use this for the coaching subscription would be tough. You would have to have all the athletes data dowloaded on to your hard drive and ready to go. It also takes more time as there is a bit more you can look at.
Still the most important things are what you find with TrainingPeaks such as power duration curve and the performance manager chart.
But a few things that I have found interesting are the Fatigue Resistance models. I have been telling athletes for years that FTP is only a part of the puzzle. With the Fatigue Resistance models you can look at your power duration curve after 1000kj’s, 1500kj’s or ect. So what is your peak 20 second, 1 min or 5 minute power after racing for 2 hours. That is your race winning power. How does it compare to your max? That is something you would want to work on and see how you improve.
The other thing is FRC. I like looking at the dFRC chart for anaerobic intervals. You can see if they drain FRC and it goes to 0 they are doing good on the intervals and truly going full gas. You can also see if they could have done more or should have done less.
Individual power zones are nice. For zones 1 - 4 they are the same as they have always been. The anaerobic intervals are what they are more specific too. For interval targeting they just take your power duration curve and give a percentage of your best for the interval target. So you can still do the same in TrainingPeaks. In WKO5 they just show it.
Don’t give up training time to analyze. One thing I have noticed is that I can look at most athletes files, charts and etc in WKO5 and I wouldn’t have changed any training. Also remember with this the most important thing is all your data is correct. Bad data in and you get bad data out. 1 second of bad data can throw off all the models! But they do have the the bad data chart which is great! Makes it easy to spot the glitches.
I can definitely see how this is the case. I don’t think it really applies to the subscription scope as the plan application is done in TrainingPeaks and that’s really what it covers.
It might be interesting to offer an add-on ATP analysis package to annual-term coaching subscribers with a last-season WKO-analysis included to provide an expert thoughtfully laid out ATP season with fascat plans the subscriber has purchased toward 1-2 A-events. I’d definitely be interested in this as a complement to the coaching sub to then make adjustments along the way during that year. It could be a nice bridge to eventual coaching packages
Do you think it would be useful to do the additional ilevel-related field test described in 3rd ed TRWAPM? I’m not sure if it’s needed or if the zones adjust over time to be generally accurate based on the components of our workouts, the exception being longer sprint durations in the SST plans. For something curious but not really basing our training on, it may be good enough.
I’m definitely interested in hearing what other athletes are finding most useful about using it alongside our TrainingPeaks/fascat plans.
Probably a good thing to make sure you do have max efforts across the short durations whether this is through intervals, group rides, races or testing. You don’t have to have many you just need that one time full gas effort. So going out and having a day where you whip out 5 second, 1 minute and a 5 minute effort outside of your normal field test wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Bumping TTP…'cause Trainingpeaks customer support is pretty bad (and Facebook is not a substitute for support questions.)
In WKO5 there’s a bike-specific mFTP display in the hero bar. If you have multiple bike disciplines the default view (it appears) shows you hero bar metrics for a user-selected bike discipline. I don’t like this. How do I get this to show the WKO-style ‘blended’ bike hero bar metrics?
Mega bump. Just upgraded from WKO4 to 5 today and damned if I can’t figure out how to make the background dark (night mode) or whatever they call it. Anyone?
that stopped my eyeballs from burning on a handful of charts. At least they stopped listing “WKO4 used light or dark mode; WKO5 uses your system’s native color scheme” in the WKO5 new features. Good times.
you probably already figured this out, but for anyone else:
In upper right, to the left of PMAX and FRC. Interestingly I have a handful of easy zone2 indoor rides in last 90 days, and they drag down mFTP. So on my hero bar the mFTP is:
Yup, I saw the same and filed a support ticket. I’ll bet they received more than a few comments about the issue! A little while later they updated WKO5.
