WKO+

kens1964

Hey folks! I'm on the learning curve of WKO+ analysis and would like to start an ongoing dialogue in which we share data, analyze each other's files, and talk about more advanced aspects of training with power. I've logged every one of my bike work outs since the 2013 outseason started, and constructed a performance manager chart through today. This is my first outseason, and I am trying to follow the training plan (OS intermediate) to the T. Anyway, I think the data is pretty exciting. If I understand the performance manager chart correctly you can see how the acute and chronic training load both go up, and the training stress balance goes negative and then positive in two "waves" as the training stress gets translated into improving fitness. Haha! Endurance Nation works!!! (Of course we all knew that...) Would like to hear from anyone interested in this stuff, including Coach Rich who frequents this forum.

Please let me know if this link does not work (to Google drive):
http://bit.ly/Xu5VKP

William Jenks

Bottom line about ATL, CTL, and TSB:

ATL and CTL are just weighted averages of your average TSS points for a day...but they are weighted with different time constants.

To a broad approximation, the ATL is your TSS points on average for the last week (approximately), and your CTL is your average TSS for the last ~six weeks.

TSB is just subtracting one from the other...so it's really nothing magic. If your load is going up, then TSB is negative. If your load is going down, it's positive. Naturally as you do a race specific build, TSB goes negative, and as you taper it goes back up. During the OS, the TSB will vary (and be a bit negative), but much less than during race build. That's because we don't really accumulate that many TSS points, compared to really long rides/runs.

Bottom line is that TSS is just a model for how much "work" you do, and it works best when you're comparing apples to apples...and when you aren't at the extremes. This is why you will sometimes see people say "one TSS point isn't the same as all TSS points".... if the model were really excellent, then they would be. :-)

Tom Glynn

I would look at the PMC as just another data point. I use it to compare my TSS/day year over year. I personally don't think most input is all that accurate, so the output will naturally be suspect. It's really important to make sure your test scores are accurate. IF WKO thinks your bike FT is X, but it's really 1.2 times X, then your IF, TSS and all other metrics are completely inaccurate. Measuring swim and run can be tricky too.

I tend to look at PMC for long term trends. I don't need the PMC chart to tell me I've dug myself into a whole and need a break. My sleep patterns tell me that in a night or two.

I remember about a year ago when Coggan (the WKO / PMC inventor) was hawking his latest book, he put on a 60-90 minute podcast. I think 10 minutes of the lecture talked about one of his athletes that followed his PMC chart off a cliff and ruined most of his season. The guy was a cyclist only, so no run/swim data to worry about, but there was a bunch of other factors in his life, like a high stress job, poor sleep etc. that were not part of the equation. So, just be careful; it's interesting, but there is a lot more to training stress than the PMC chart.